The thirteenth season of Thomas & Friends began airing in January and February 2009 in the UK and in the US in April 2010. From this season onwards, all footage was CGI-animated.
Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon narrated all twenty episodes, but, like Hero of the Rails, voice actors provided the voices for the characters. Mark Moraghan later re-narrated one episode specially for the Santa's Little Engine DVD in 2013.
Episodes
| Screenshot | Title | Written by | Original UK release date |
Episode number # | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Creaky Cranky | Sharon Miller | 25th January 2010 | #01 | |
| Cranky teases Thomas about being small, but when he breaks down it's up to Thomas to save him. | |||||
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The Lion of Sodor | Mark Robertson | 26th January 2010 | #02 | |
| Thomas has to deliver The Lion of Sodor to Knapford, but he thinks that the lion is real and tries to feed it, but this only causes confusion and delay. | |||||
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Tickled Pink | Allan Plenderleith | 27th January 2010 | #03 | |
| James is sent to the Steamworks to be repainted, but he is repainted into a pink livery to keep the water out of his paintwork and the other engines laugh at him. | |||||
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Double Trouble | Sharon Miller | 28th January 2010 | #04 | |
| Thomas takes Sir Topham Hatt to his birthday party, or does he? | |||||
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Slippy Sodor | Mark Robertson | 29th January 2010 | #05 | |
| Thomas is teased about his "funny funnel" and causes trouble for Sir Topham Hatt and Mr. Bubbles. | |||||
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The Early Bird | David Richard Fox | 1st February 2010 | #06 | |
| While Percy is at the Steamworks for repairs, Thomas must pull the mail, but he doesn't want to ask for his advice. | |||||
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Play Time | Sharon Miller | 2nd February 2010 | #07 | |
| Charlie, the new engine, challenges Thomas to race him around the Island, causing Thomas to neglect his jobs. | |||||
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Thomas and the Pigs | Allan Plenderleith | 3rd February 2010 | #08 | |
| Thomas is to bring straw to Farmer Trotter's Pig Farm for the piglets who are soon to be born, but Thomas thinks they'll like other things better. | |||||
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Time for a Story | Miranda Larson | 4th February 2010 | #09 | |
| After ignoring warning signs about track repair, Thomas' trucks of books derail, so he brings the children to the books. | |||||
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Percy's Parcel | Robyn Charteris | 5th February 2010 | #10 | |
| After Percy ruins Dowager Hatt's birthday parcel, he hides in a siding. But when he overhears Mavis he gets an idea how to fix his mistake. | |||||
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Toby's New Whistle | Louise Kramskoy | 8th February 2010 | #11 | |
| Toby's bell needs repairs, so he is given a very loud whistle while it's being mended. | |||||
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A Blooming Mess | Miranda Larson | 9th February 2010 | #12 | |
| Emily thinks that Mavis needs to be cheered up, so she brings her some flowers, but winds up causing confusion and delay. | |||||
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Thomas and the Runaway Kite | Louise Kramskoy | 10th February 2010 | #13 | |
| After Stephen and Bridget Hatt's kite flies away, Thomas tries to catch it, but realises that he needs to ask for help. | |||||
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Steamy Sodor | Sharon Miller | 11th February 2010 | #14 | |
| When Thomas is put in charge of the Steamworks, havoc ensues. | |||||
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Splish Splash Splosh | Sharon Miller | 12th February 2010 | #15 | |
| Thomas and Rosie play "Splish, Splash, Splosh," but when Thomas splashes Sir Topham Hatt and Alicia Botti he must put things right. | |||||
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The Biggest Present of All | Sharon Miller | 15th February 2010 | #16 | |
| Hiro is visiting Sodor, and the Fat Controller is planning a welcome party for him. Thomas is told to tell the other engines, but looks for a present for Hiro instead. | |||||
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Snow Tracks | Alan Hescott | 16th February 2010 | #17 | |
| Gordon is told to not go up any hills, but when he does, he creates a giant snowball. | |||||
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Henry's Good Deeds | Alan Hescott | 17th February 2010 | #18 | |
| Henry attempts to help people but ends up scaring away the Sodor Warbler, a very famous bird. | |||||
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Buzzy Bees | Sharon Miller | 18th February 2010 | #19 | |
| Thomas' special of bees escape when he goes by a flowery meadow. So he takes Hiro's flower truck to try to lure them back to their hive. | |||||
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Hiro Helps Out | Sharon Miller | 19th February 2010 | #20 | |
| Hiro gives the engines orders when he thinks the Fat Controller is too busy to do it himself. | |||||
Songs
- Roll Along
- Thomas, You're the Leader (CGI version; Stanley, The Pack and the Skarloey Railway removed)
- Sounds (CGI version)
- Determination (CGI version)
- Engine Roll Call (CGI version)
Characters
- Thomas
- Edward
- Henry
- Gordon
- James
- Percy
- Toby
- Emily
- Spencer
- Rosie
- Hiro
- Diesel
- Mavis
- Victor
- Rocky
- Kevin
- Cranky
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Lady Hatt
- Dowager Hatt
- Stephen Hatt
- Bridget Hatt
- Farmer Trotter
- Farmer McColl
- Allicia Botti
- The Mayor of Sodor
- The Teacher
- The Schoolchildren
- The Bird Watcher
- The Maithwaite Stationmaster
- The Knapford Stationmaster
- Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
- Henrietta (does not speak)
- Bertie (does not speak)
- The Duke and Duchess of Boxford (does not speak)
- The Dairy Manager (does not speak)
- The Ginger-haired Boy (does not speak)
- Big Mickey (cameo)
- The Tree Specialists (cameo)
- The Welsh Bird Watcher (cameo)
- The Lady with the Big Hat (cameo)
- The Female Puppet Show Entertainer (cameo)
- The Little Engines in the Hills (cameo)
- Mr. Percival (not named; mentioned)
- Billy (original script)
- Trevor (appears in the "Island of Sodor" opening sequence)
Characters introduced
- Charlie
- Sir Lowham Hatt
- Mr. Bubbles
- Bridget Hatt's friends
- The Two Bakers (do not speak)
- The Dock Manager (does not speak)
- The Mainland Engines (mentioned)
- The Mainland Controller (mentioned)
Half hour format
When the thirteenth season aired on PBS Kids in the US and Nick Jr. in the UK, each broadcast aired two episodes, a song and a Down at the Station segment.
Friends and Family
- Creaky Cranky
- Song: Go, Go Thomas
- Down at the Station: Passengers
- Double Trouble
Slips and Trips!
- Tickled Pink
- Song: Go, Go Thomas
- Slippy Sodor
Working Well
- Play Time
- Song: Sounds (CGI version)
- Down at the Station: The Railway Line
- The Early Bird
Marvellous Moments!
- Thomas and the Pigs
- Song: Sounds (CGI version)
- Down at the Station: The Steam Engine
- The Lion of Sodor
Best Times
- Time for a Story
- Song: Thomas, You're the Leader (CGI version)
- Down at the Station: The Driver
- Percy's Parcel
Giving and Sharing
- Steamy Sodor
- Song: Thomas, You're the Leader (CGI version)
- The Biggest Present of All
Wild Weather
- Splish, Splash, Splosh!
- Song: Determination (CGI version)
- Snow Tracks
Good Deeds
- A Blooming Mess
- Song: Determination (CGI version)
- Down at the Station: Fireman
- Henry's Good Deeds
Out and About
- Thomas and the Runaway Kite
- Song: Roll Along
- Buzzy Bees
Helping Hands
- Toby's New Whistle
- Song: Roll Along
- Hiro Helps Out
Cast
UK, AUS and NZ
- Michael Angelis as the narrator
- Ben Small as Thomas and Toby
- Keith Wickham as Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, the Fat Controller, Dowager Hatt, Sir Lowham Hatt, the Mayor of Sodor and Mr. Bubbles
- Teresa Gallagher as Emily, Rosie, Mavis, Lady Hatt, Bridget Hatt and her friends and the teacher
- Togo Igawa as Hiro
- Matt Wilkinson as Spencer, Charlie, Victor, Rocky, Cranky, Kevin, Stephen Hatt, the Knapford stationmaster, the Maithwaite stationmaster, Farmer Trotter, the bird watcher and Farmer McColl
- Jules de Jongh as Allicia Botti
- Kerry Shale as Diesel
US and CAN
- Michael Brandon as the narrator, Diesel and Mr. Bubbles
- Mark Moraghan as the narrator (Snow Tracks (2013) only)
- Martin Sherman as Thomas, Percy and the bird watcher
- Kerry Shale as Sir Topham Hatt, Henry, Gordon, James, Kevin, Sir Lowham Hatt, Farmer Trotter and the Maithwaite Stationmaster
- William Hope as Edward, Toby, Rocky, Stephen Hatt, Farmer McColl, the Maithwaite Stationmaster (Double Trouble only) and the Knapford stationmaster
- Glenn Wrage as Spencer, Cranky and Charlie
- Jules de Jongh as Emily, Rosie, Mavis, Bridget Hatt and her friends, Allicia Botti and the teacher
- Togo Igawa as Hiro
- David Bedella as Victor and the Mayor of Sodor
- Keith Wickham as Dowager Hatt
Trivia
- This is the first season for numerous things:
- The first season to be animated exclusively in CGI by Nitrogen Studios.
- The first season to use individual voice actors instead of solely a narrator outside of Japan and France.
- The first appearance of Bertie and Trevor in full CGI (if counting the "Island of Sodor" intro sequence for the latter).
- Sharon Miller's first season as creative producer.
- Marion Edwards' first season as executive producer.
- Greg Tiernan's first season as director.
- Nicole Stinn's first season as producer.
- The first season in which Thomas appears and speaks in every episode.
- The first season to have all episodes eight minutes and forty-five seconds long in the television series.
- The first season in which the Sodor Island intro is not used at the start of individual UK broadcasts.
- This is the only season for numerous things:
- The only season to date in which Salty does not appear since his introduction in the sixth season.
- The only season with Dave Peacock as voice director.
- The only season with Jo Jordan as creative executive.
- The only season where Mr. Percival was mentioned as The Thin Controller in the US dub.
- "Thomas and the Runaway Kite", "Buzzy Bees", "Toby's New Whistle" and "The Biggest Present of All" were shown in select US theatres in January 2009.
- "The Lion of Sodor", "Thomas and the Pigs", "Time for a Story" and "Hiro Helps Out" were shown in select US theatres in October 2010.
- The episodes, "Splish, Splash, Splosh!" "Playtime", "Slippy Sodor" and "Snow Tracks" were seen in select US theatres in November 2009.
- This season was going to air on broadcast in 2009, but it was pushed to 2010 after production of the season ended.
- This season did not air in Canada until 2016.
- Thomas' whistle now budges up and down every time he blows it.
- Edward is the only Steam Team member to not get a starring role this season.
- Billy was originally going to appear in this season, while being rendered in CGI, however he was replaced by Charlie in the final scripts.
Series 13 |
| #01 Creaky Cranky | #08 Thomas and the Pigs | #15 Splish Splash Splosh |
| #02 The Lion of Sodor | #09 Time for a Story | #16 The Biggest Present of All |
| #03 Tickled Pink | #10 Percy's Parcel | #17 Snow Tracks |
| #04 Double Trouble | #11 Toby's New Whistle | #18 Henry's Good Deeds |
| #05 Slippy Sodor | #12 A Blooming Mess | #19 Buzzy Bees |
| #06 The Early Bird | #13 Thomas and the Runaway Kite | #20 Hiro Helps Out |
| #07 Play Time | #14 Steamy Sodor | |