Calling All Engines

"*“If the airport doesn't open, it will be bad for all the engines. Both steam engines and diesel engines need passengers and freight to be useful.”*"
— "Thomas, and the another steam engines and diesel engines"

## Background Information

### Writer

* Paul Larson
* Marc Seal

### Producer

* Simon Spencer
* Phil Fehrle

### Composer

* Robert Hartshone
* Ed Welch

### Narrator In the Movie

Michael Brandon (US)
Michael Angelis (UK)

### Distributor

HiT EntertainmentTwentieth Century Fox (US, 2005)Lionsgate (US, 2008)Universal (US, 2014)2Entertain (UK/IRL)UHE (THA)Moefie Klub! (NLD)Europa Mini (GER)Sony Creative Products Inc. (JPN)Dynit Kids (ITA)ABC for Kids (AUS)HVN (MYS)Barnas Favoritter (NOR/SWE/DEN/FIN)

**Calling All Engines!** is a feature lenght Thomas & Friends special and the first direct-to-home video Thomas & Friends film. It was produced in 2004 and distributed by HiT Entertainment in 2005. It was re-released by Lionsgate in 2008. It was later re-released again by Universal in 2014.

## Synopsis

When summer comes, the engines are looking forward to taking holidaymakers around the Island of Sodor. One day, the Fat Controller announces that an airport is to be built on Sodor, which will bring more holidaymakers than ever. Thomas and Percy go to the site of the new airport, only to discover that 'Arry and Bert, who start bullying the two, are on the same job.

That afternoon, Thomas goes to the timber yard and finds 'Arry and Bert, who boast that they have a very important job. Thomas decides to play a trick on them by biffing a flatbed just before the crane drops the timber. Later, whilst Thomas and Percy are shunting trucks, Diesel confronts Thomas about the trouble he had caused for 'Arry and Bert and boasts that he too has an important job. This gives Thomas another mischievous idea; he shunts trucks of bananas as a prank, instead of bricks and timber.

Later, Thomas and Percy go to the Smelters to collect some steel girders. Upon arrival, they find Diesel 10 loading trucks of scrap metal. The two tank engines are very scared and decide to come back once Diesel 10 has gone. On their way home, Thomas and Percy are concerned to see the Sodor Suspension Bridge is not painted and the new airport is only half-built. Worse still, Tidmouth Sheds has been demolished; Diesel, 'Arry and Bert's important job was to rebuild it, but due to Thomas' tricks, the renovation is deferred. As a result, the engines are forced to temporarily sleep elsewhere; James is sleeping at the Coaling Plant, Edward is sleeping at the Quarry with Diesel, Henry and Percy are sleeping at the Smelter's Yards, Gordon is sleeping under a tent and Thomas is sleeping at Knapford Sheds with Emily.

That night, a fierce storm sweeps across Sodor and causes havoc, including the collapse of the suspension bridge. The next morning, the Fat Controller tells the engines that the storm damage must be cleared up before the work on the new sheds and the airport can continue. However, all the steam engines and diesel engines are cross with each other and refuse to talk to each other.

The next morning, Thomas is sent to collect some iron beams for the suspension bridge from Brendam. Upon arrival at the suspension bridge, he feels tired and declares that the beams need to be placed. Diesel wants to try, but the foreman entrusts Thomas to do it, as he has already proven his strength. Thomas manages to lower the beams into place, much to Diesel's fury. Thomas then heads to the yard to collect some paint for the bridge. Diesel, who is also in the yard, biffs the flatbed so hard that the red, yellow and green paint splashes all over Thomas, making him very cross. Thomas retaliates by biffing 'Arry into a pile of gravel, who in turn bumps James under the coal hopper. The matter escalates until all the engines are fighting. By the end of the day, everyone is dirty and no work has been done.

The Fat Controller is cross at the delays and tells the engines that if they can't behave with the diesels no holidaymakers will come to Sodor that year. This leaves the engines deeply worried over their recent actions and several of them end up dreaming about what might happen to them if no holidaymakers came to Sodor and the engines are no longer useful; James' is that he has a dream that he turns into a coconut shy at a funfair, Gordon in that he has become a playground, Edward about how he is a scarecrow and Percy that he has been turned into a roller coaster. As for Thomas, he has a dream of how to make things better. In his dream, he sees Lady and Rusty working together. As Lady tells Thomas about teamwork, Thomas goes off to find Mavis as soon as he wakes up the next morning. He knew Mavis was kinder than the other Diesels and would be happy to help.

Thomas finds Mavis at the wash-down and tells her about his plan: the Diesels and steam engines must work together to save the new airport and their home. Mavis explains that they must talk to each other first, so Thomas suggests to have a meeting at the coaling plant the next day. When Thomas and Mavis tell the engines about the meeting, Thomas thinks about telling Diesel 10 about it but gets cold wheels and backs down. That night Thomas is so tired he decides to sleep in the woods, meanwhile Emily actually misses Thomas.

The next day, Thomas races to the coaling plant and gets there, just to see 'Arry and Bert almost calling the meeting off as the engines start to argue about who is to blame for starting the trouble. Upon Thomas' arrival, he convinced them that they must work together and at last the engines put their differences aside. When Harold brings the Fat Controller, Thomas explains that the steam engines and Diesels have finally agreed to work together and the Fat Controller is pleased to hear this.

Very soon, the new airport is complete and the first aeroplane is sent to Sodor. Unfortunately, Thomas' trucks derail due to a buckled rail and hit a water tower which collapses to the ground and cracks the runway. The workmen quickly repave the runway and find that they need George to finish the job and with Harvey, on the other side of Sodor, is unable to make it on time. However, Thomas quickly has an idea and rushes off to find Diesel 10 and ask him to help them, who is hesitant at first, but Thomas tells him about how he will be the most useful engine if he were to help and so he agrees and follows Thomas to the airport. Mavis, Percy, Emily, Diesel, 'Arry and Bert are surprised to see Thomas and Diesel 10 working together. Seeing Diesel 10 working alongside a steam engine convinces 'Arry and Bert to finally respect the steam engines themselves. With the aid of the other engines, they clear up the mess and Thomas collects George to repair the runway.

With the runway smooth again, the first aeroplane safely lands. The engines have learnt that teamwork runs a railway, not opposition about their differences. That evening, the engines are happy to see Tidmouth Sheds rebuilt, especially Emily when she finds that an extra berth has been added to the sheds for her to stay there from now on, having grown to love sharing her shed since Thomas' brief, temporary stay.