Great Race Friends Near and Far is a series of online videos released on the official YouTube channel which each video is released once a month, (excluding June) in 2017, with August being the only month to have two shorts.
These videos show what happened to the contenders who participated in the Great Railway Show following its end.
All of the videos are narrated by Mark Moraghan with the opening and ending narrated by Joseph May as Thomas.
The series is animated in the same style as the Really Useful Around the World segments.
Gina The Smart Steam Engine
- “You say you're a strong; but I bet you're not even as strong as a me!”
- ― Gina teasing Vinnie about his strength
Gina the Smart Steam Engine is the first video in the series. It was released on 24 January 2017.
Plot
Gina was heading home when Vinnie rushed in and tells Gina that he is the strongest engine in the world. Gina has had enough of Vinnie's rudeness and she was going to teach Vinnie a lesson, and when she saw Shane arrive; her plan started to fall. Gina teases him back and goes to tell Shane the news.
Shane couples up to Vinnie, and Vinnie thinks he is going to be taking against Gina. The two start off and their coupling snaps and shoots Vinnie into a crate of watermelons.
Characters
Two cranes with faces that look identical to Cranky also cameo.
Locations
Goofs
- The narrator mistakenly says "trains" when referring to the engines that were returning home.
- Axel is depicted as a 4-6-2.
- Instead of the shaft on Vinnie's knuckle coupler, he has a flimsy handle, and Shane's coupling hook is not actually connected to it.
Video
Frieda The Grumpiest Engine
Frieda The Grumpiest Engine is the second video in the series. It was released on 21 February 2017.
Plot
Frieda and Ivan are returning to Germany, but when they pass through stations, people cheer for Ivan and not Frieda which makes her grumpy, Ivan tells Frieda that they cheer for him because he smiles at them while she just grumps and teaches Frieda how to smile while going through crowded stations.
Characters
- Frieda
- Ivan
- The German Express Coach (cameo)
Locations
- Germany
Video
Shane Surfs in the Slippery Snow
Shane Surfs in the Slippery Snow is the third video in the series. It was released on 28 March 2017.
Plot
Shane and Yong Bao are travelling home from the Great Railway Show, but as they puff through the Himalayas, it starts to snow and Shane thinks it is fun, he starts to race up and down hills dangerously on the slippery rails and ignores Yong Bao's warnings, as of this, Shane ends up racing off the track and after that, he learns that snow can be dangerous.
Characters
Locations
- India
- Himalayas
Trivia
- This video marks Yong Bao's first speaking role in the franchise.
Video
Rajiv the Best Decorated Engine
Rajiv the Best Decorated Engine is the fourth video in the series. It was released on 25 April 2017.
Plot
Rajiv has just returned to India from the Great Railway Show and is eager to show off his trophy. To his surprise, he finds that no one is waiting for him. He searches the goods yard and the sheds to find a man ordering him to go to City Centre Station. On the way, he finds a man beside the track who also needs to go to City Centre Station. Upon his arrival, he finds a large crowd gathered to celebrate his accomplishment.
Characters
Locations
- India
- City Centre Station
Trivia
- This video marks Rajiv's first speaking role in the franchise.
- Two diesel engines appear at the end, however, one is faceless.
Video
Carlos Races Raul!
Carlos Races Raul! is the fifth video in the series. It was released on 23 May 2017.
Plot
Carlos and Raul arrive in Mexico and get into an argument over who's country loves soccer more. When some fans from both their countries ask the two to take them to a soccer match, the engines decide to have a race. Due to not concentrating where they were going, the two arrive at a baseball stadium instead. The two eventually manage to arrive at the soccer stadium just in time. As they wait for the match to finish, Carlos and Raul come to the conclusion that both their countries love soccer equally.
Characters
Locations
- Mexico
- Brazil (mentioned)
Trivia
- The plot is similar to Reds vs. Blues.
- The attire of the fans is more like those worn by modern fans.
Video
Vinnie Is Back in America
Vinnie Is Back in America is the sixth video in the series. It was released on 25 July 2017.
Plot
After a long journey, Vinnie finally returns to America. But before he can set off for home, the Dockmaster task him to take some trucks to the Big City. After seeing the short line of trucks, Vinnie boast that he is more than capable of taking his load, much to the annoyance of the little Dock Yard Engines. So they decided to teach Vinnie a lesson by adding even more trucks to his train. Vinnie tries his best, but is unable to move his long line of trucks. Vinnie then sheepishly suggests that the Dock Yard Engines could help him take his train, and so they agree to take away some of the trucks so Vinnie is now able to carry on with his journey.
Characters
- Vinnie
- Dock Yard Engines
- The Dock Master
Locations
- New York City, America
Goofs
- Despite being set in America, the engines have buffers and chain couplings. Also, the rolling stocks are British.
- The yellow stripes on the Dockyard engines keep disappearing and reappearing.
Video
Axel Goes to the Mountains
Axel Goes to the Mountains is the seventh video in the series. It was released on 8 August 2017.
Plot
Axel finally arrives in France! Lucky for him, only steam engines can go to the mountains.
Characters
Locations
- France
Video
Ashima Helps Rajiv
Ashima Helps Rajiv is the eighth video in the series. It was released on 29 August 2017.
Plot
Ashima and Rajiv make their way back to India from the Great Race. Rajiv is afraid of heights, but Ashima helps him up the mountain to see the spectacular view.
Characters
Locations
- Austria
- India (mentioned)
- Nilgiri Mountain Railway (mentioned)
Trivia
- Ashima and Rajiv are heading back to India in this video, but in 'Rajiv the Best Decorated Engine,' Rajiv was already back in India. This means that this video is out of production order.
Video
Raul Is Back in Brazil
Raul Is Back in Brazil is the ninth video in the series. It was released on 19 September 2017.
Plot
Raul is happy to be home in Brazil. He helps the holiday makers see monkeys but they are all hiding. Raul has a great idea to gather up all the Brazil nuts they could find.
Characters
Locations
- Brazil
Video
