Season 12

The **twelfth season** of the television series aired in 2008. The twenty episodes were narrated by Michael Angelis in the UK and Michael Brandon in the US.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Edward
* Henry
* Gordon
* James
* Percy
* Toby
* Duck
* Donald and Douglas
* Oliver
* Ben
* Emily
* Murdoch
* Neville
* Rosie
* Whiff
* Stanley
* Diesel
* Mavis
* Salty
* Skarloey
* Rheneas
* Sir Handel
* Peter Sam
* Duncan
* Freddie
* Mighty Mac
* Rusty
* Toad
* Hector
* Bertie
* Jack
* Harold
* Sir Topham Hatt
* Lady Hatt
* Dusty Miller
* The Photographer
* Alice
* The Engineer
* The Dairy Manager
* Stepney (*does not speak in UK version*)
* Harvey (*does not speak*)
* Arthur (*does not speak*)
* 'Arry and Bert (*do not speak*)
* Annie and Clarabel (*do not speak*)
* Henrietta (*does not speak*)
* Rocky (*does not speak*)
* Trevor (*does not speak*)
* Alfie (*does not speak*)
* Cranky (*does not speak*)
* Jeremy (*does not speak*)
* Dowager Hatt (*does not speak*)
* Mrs. Percival (*does not speak*)
* Jenny Packard (*does not speak*)
* Sodor Brass Band (*does not speak*)
* Bulgy (*cameo*)
* Max or Monty (*cameo*)
* Farmer Trotter (*cameo*)
* Proteus (*mentioned, seen as a statue*)
* The Mayor of Sodor (*mentioned*)
* Dennis (*learning segment*)

### Characters introduced

* Hank
* Flora
* Colin
* The Balloon Repairman
* The Bargeman
* The Tree Specialists (*do not speak*)
* Mr. Giggles (*does not speak*)
* Miss Marvel (*does not speak*)
* The Fireman (*does not speak*)
* The Percival Children (*The Percival Twins; do not speak: The rest of them; cameo*)
* The Ginger-haired Boy (*cameo*)
* The Blond-haired Boy (*cameo*)
* The Teacher (*cameo*)

## Half hour format

When season 12 aired on PBS Kids, Nick Jr.
 and Treehouse, each broadcast had 2 episodes from season 12, a segment
dedicated to one of Thomas' friends and past animated learning segments
and songs from seasons 8, 9 and 10 were used.

### Good Friends

* Best Friends
* Learning Segment: Dot to Dot - Emily
* Song: H is for Harold
* **Thomas' Favourite Friends - Rosie and Molly**
* Learning Segment: What is Henry Thinking of?
* Henry Gets it Wrong

### Being Careful

* Thomas and the Billboard
* Learning Segment: Guess the Engine - Percy
* Learning Segment: Who Should Take the Telegraph Pole?
* **Thomas' Favourite Friends - Toby**
* Learning Segment: Which Way Should Thomas and Emily Go?
* Learning Segment: Which Whistle Suits Thomas?
* Steady Eddie

### Good Turns

* Heave Ho Thomas!
* Learning Segment: Guess the Engine - James
* Song: Pride
* **Thomas' Favourite Friends - Henry**
* Learning Segment: Which Engine for Which Job?
* Toby's Special Surprise

### Right Track

* Don't Go Back
* Learning Segment: Dot to Dot - Gordon
* Learning Segment: Over the Bridge
* **Thomas' Favourite Friends - Gordon**
* Learning Segment: Which Track for Henry?
* Learning Segment: Emily Huffs out of the Station
* Percy and the Bandstand

### Courage

* Thomas Puts the Brakes On
* Learning Segment: Guess the Engine - Emily
* Song: Brave
* **Thomas' Favourite Friends - Neville and Dennis**
* Learning Segment: Getting There
* Gordon Takes a Shortcut

### Presents and Prizes

* The Man in the Hills
* Learning Segment: Dot to Dot - Edward
* Learning Segment: What is Thomas Thinking of?
* **Thomas' Favourite Friends - Harold and Jeremy**
* Learning Segment: Which Load to Which Station?
* Excellent Emily

### Kindness

* Tram Trouble
* Learning Segment: Dot to Dot - Toby
* Song: Responsibility
* **Thomas' Favourite Friends - Edward**
* Learning Segment: Who Can get to the Washdown?
* James Works it Out

### Pulling Together

* Rosie's Funfair Special
* Learning Segment: Dot to Dot - Percy
* Song: Togetherness
* **Thomas' Favourite Friends - Diesel**
* Learning Segment: Which Load for What Occasion
* Push Me, Pull You

### Adventures

* Duncan and the Hot Air Balloon
* Learning Segment: Dot to Dot - Thomas
* Learning Segment: What Does Toby see?
* **Thomas' Favourite Friends - The Narrow Gauge Engines**
* Learning Segment: Percy's Treasure
* Mountain Marvel

### Mistakes

* Saved You!
* Learning Segment: Dot to Dot - Gordon
* Song: Doing it Right
* **Thomas' Favourite Friends - Percy**
* Learning Segment: Surprise Destinations
* The Party Surprise

## Trivia

* This was the first season of several things:
	+ The first season of the CGI Series.
	+ The first season where all engines' faces, human characters, animals and environmental surroundings are in full CGI and move.
	+ Harold, Sir Topham Hatt, Lady Hatt, Alice, The Engineer,

Dowager Hatt, Jenny Packard and Sodor Brass Band's first appearances in
full CGI.

* + Sharon Miller's first season as head writer.
	+ The first season to have twenty episodes.
	+ The first season produced and to contain CGI by Nitrogen Studios.
	+ The first HiT season recorded and edited in 25fps (aside from the end credits).
	+ The first Thomas & Friends production since Thomas and the Magic Railroad to have moving people.
	+ The first New Series season to not air in its half hour airing first in the UK.
	+ The first season since their debuts where Rocky and Cranky appear, but do not speak in any of their appearances.
* This was also the last season of several things as well:
	+ The last season to use models and clay faces, however the clay faces were only used in background shots.
	+ Simon Spencer's last season as producer.
	+ The last season filmed at Shepperton Studios.
	+ The last season to feature songs by Ed Welch.
	+ The television series veteran Steve Asquith's final season as director.
	+ The last season to have all of the characters voiced by the narrator until Thomas Goes to New York.
	+ The last time Paul Larson writes an episode until the seventeenth season as well as the last season he writes an episode by himself.
	+ The final time until the eighteenth season episode, Samson Sent for Scrap to use the brake sound from The Train.
	+ This was the last season to have songs sung by children until The Adventure Begins.
	+ The last season to open with Awdry's letter to Christopher in television broadcasts.
* This was also the only season of several things as well:
	+ The only season to use a hybrid model-CGI mix.
	+ Dino Athanassiou's only season as CGI director.
	+ Pete Atkin's only season as voice director.
	+ The only season where Ben appears without Bill.
	+ The only season not shown on Japanese television, but some episodes have been shown exclusively at Thomas Land's 3D Theatre and Video on Demand in Japan.
	+ The only CGI season not to have a full voice cast for the characters.
	+ Aside from the Teacher and the tree specialists, all of the

characters introduced in this season have only ever appeared in their
debut episodes.

* This season contained the 300th episode of the television series.
* Pierce Brosnan was originally going to narrate this season,

but was later replaced by Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon for
unknown reasons.

* In the UK, this season was supposed to be show after The Great Discovery, but was brought forwards for unknown reasons.
* This season was never shown in Hungary, Norway, Romania, Poland and the Netherlands.
* Harvey and Arthur were the only engines not to utilise a CGI face mask. However, two pictures from a magazine story show Harvey with a CGI face.
* The series cost £2.5 million to make, with each episode taking around five days to film.