Big World! Big Adventures!

***Big World! Big Adventures!*** is the

## Official synopsis

*When a mischievous little racing car called Ace passes through Sodor on his way around the world, Thomas is inspired to embark on his own ambitious trip. Traveling full steam ahead across five continents, Thomas discovers magnificent new sights and experiences exciting places and cultures. Along the way, he makes friends with an inspiring and fun Kenyan engine called Nia. With so much for Thomas to learn about the world, will Nia be successful in teaching him a lesson about the true meaning of friendship? Featuring a world of wonder, curiosity and amazing animal friends, join Thomas on an epic adventure, fulfilling his dream of seeing the world!*

## Plot

Thomas is shunting trucks at Knapford station yard, but struggles to get them to move, something Gordon teases him for. Thomas retorts that one day he will "see the world" and pushes into the trucks right as their brakes have been released, accidentally running them off the track. Gordon laughs, telling Thomas that the railway yard *is* his world. As the trucks are being rerailed, the Fat Controller orders Thomas to take a train of smelly fish to Vicarstown. However, Thomas decides to get back at Gordon by placing the trucks at the end of his train instead, something Gordon does not notice until he arrives at Vicarstown and humiliated by Flying Scotsman.

On the Mainland, a speedy rally car makes his way to the Island of Sodor, recklessly going over the railway line. He encounters Thomas, who is amazed by how fast he can go and challenges him to a race. The race ends at Ffarquhar station, and the rally car introduces himself as Ace. He tells Thomas that he is going to race in a worldwide event made up of five cross-country rallies on five continents, telling him that he could come with him to become the first railway engine to go around the world. At Knapford, Thomas asks the Fat Controller about his idea. The Fat Controller is impressed, but notes that such a task would be difficult to plan; satisfied, Thomas rushes off. Later that day, the engines and the Fat Controller realise Thomas is missing, and find out that Carly had loaded him onto a ship heading to Africa after Thomas told her the Fat Controller had allowed it. The Fat Controller immediately boards the first ship for Africa to find Thomas.

Thomas and Ace arrive at Dakar Docks in Senegal for the first race. Thomas is amazed by everything he sees, but is abandoned by Ace the moment the race begins, as there are no rails running through the Sahara Desert. Thomas then comes across some trucks and is told to take a goods train to Dar es Salaam. At every stop, more and more trucks are added to his train, to the point where he struggles to pull it. Along the way, Thomas meets a Kenyan tank engine named Nia who offers to help him, but he declines. However, he struggles to get up a steep hill and only gets over it with Nia's help. Thomas is initially annoyed by Nia, but starts warming up to her along the way and is surprised by how helpful the trucks are. At Dar es Salaam Docks, Thomas finds out that Ace and the other rally cars have already left. As Thomas is being loaded onto a ship for Brazil, Nia is loaded too, telling him that she is joining him on his adventure, much to his annoyance. Meanwhile, the Fat Controller arrives in Africa to search for Thomas, but finds out he is too late. He gets on the next ship for Brazil.

That night, Thomas finds out that Ace is also on the ship with him and Nia. The trio arrive in Rio de Janeiro for the next race in the cross-country rally. Thomas is about to fill up with coal, but is told he can only refuel if he has work to do. He agrees to take a train of coffee beans to San Francisco, but is annoyed that Nia is also pulling the train with him. The two make their way through the Amazon Rainforest, and encounter Ace and the other racers. Nia tells Thomas that they should fill up on water, but he ignores her, as he wants to keep up with Ace. However, they find Ace a few minutes later, lying upside down after being caught in a crash. Ace is loaded onto the train, but as they resume their journey, Thomas runs out of water. Nia suggests using the palm tree leaves to create funnels to collect rainwater for their tanks, which works successfully. The two continue travelling through the rainforest, but rush to get to dry ground when the track becomes unstable and narrowly avoid a collapsing bridge. Meanwhile, the Fat Controller arrives in Brazil and searches for Thomas from the air, but cannot find him.

In the United States of America, Thomas and Nia reach Arizona. Ace persuades the two engines to split the train in half and race each-other, but instead uses this opportunity to trick Thomas into going down a different line, as he wants to get to the Bonneville Salt Flats in time for the next race. Thomas runs out of control, crashes into another engine's train and runs off the rails. He tells the other engine, Beau, to fetch a breakdown crane, but Beau tells him they do not have breakdown cranes, instead using people and horses to lift engines up. Beau departs, leaving Thomas and Ace stranded. The next day, Beau comes back with a team of cowboys and cowgirls, who help to rerail Thomas and his train. Thomas reaches the salt flats, but refuses to stay with Ace, wanting to go back and apologise to Nia instead. He arrives in San Francisco, only to find out that Nia has left for China. In a nearby café, the Fat Controller hears Thomas' whistle, but is too late to see him.

Thomas arrives in China, and reunites with Yong Bao. He makes his way to the Himalayas and finds Nia there, but she refuses to speak to him, still feeling upset about what he did. Thomas tells Nia that he was tricked by Ace and that he is truly sorry, but his voice echoes through the mountains and causes an avalanche, pushing Nia off the rails and towards the edge of a cliff. Thomas is chained to Nia and tries to pull her to safety, and nearly derails too until Yong Bao comes to his rescue and helps pull Nia back up. Once when Nia is lifted back on the rails, she and Thomas head through Europe and make their way to Sodor. Before they cross the Vicarstown Bridge, Nia reveals to Thomas that she no longer has a home in Kenya, as her old engine shed has closed down. Thomas tells her to come back to Sodor with him, certain that the Fat Controller will not mind. When they arrive at Knapford station, the other engines are throwing a welcome home party for Thomas. The Thin Controller tells Thomas that the Fat Controller went looking for him, and Thomas realises that the Fat Controller is now the one missing.

On a ship, the Fat Controller asks Ace is he has seen Thomas anywhere. Ace recognises him instantly.

## Appearances

**Characters**:

**Locations**:

**Rolling stock**:

**Miscellaneous**:

## Notes

### Continuity notes

* Bertie is heard singing "Somebody Has to be the Favourite" before Ace races past him.
* Several references to past episodes and films are made in "Where in the World is Thomas?":
	+ Gordon says that Thomas could have bust into some buffers, a reference to *Thomas and the Special Letter*.
	+ Diesel mentions that he could have fell into a mine, calling back to *Down the Mine*.
	+ Percy says that he could have rolled into the ocean because he passed a danger sign, a reference to his own accident in *Percy Takes the Plunge*.
	+ Rosie mentions that he could be stuck inside a tunnel with no steam to move at all, referencing what happened to Henry in *The Sad Story of Henry*.
	+ Edward says he could have crashed into a stationmaster's house, referencing *Thomas Comes to Breakfast*.
	+ Marion mentions that he could have been caught in a landslide, referencing either what happened to Thomas in *Percy Gets it Right*, or what happened to James and Percy in *Tale of the Brave*.
	+ James says he could have derailed because he trying to win a race, referencing *Thomas' Shortcut*, or he could have been imprisoned in a steelworks, calling back to what happened to him and Thomas in *Journey Beyond Sodor*.
* Thomas and Yong Bao recognise each other from the Great Railway Show, a callback to *The Great Race*.