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Thomas & Friends
Logo used since 2009
Also known as	Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures!‍[1]
Genre	Children's
Created by	Britt Allcroft
Based on	The Railway Series by Wilbert Awdry Christopher Awdry
Developed by	Britt Allcroft
Directed by	List David Mitton (series 1–7) Steve Asquith (series 8–12) Greg Tiernan (series 13–16) David Baas (series 17) Don Spencer (series 18) Dianna Basso (series 19–24) Joey So (series 23–24) Ian Cherry (series 24)
Voices of	List of voice actors
Narrated by	Ringo Starr[a] Michael Angelis[b] Mark Moraghan John Hasler[c]
Opening theme	List "Thomas Theme (instrumental)" (1984–2003) "Engine Roll Call (version 1, instrumental)" (2004–2017) "Engine Roll Call (version 1)" (2007–2015) "Engine Roll Call (version 2)" (2015–2017) "Big World! Big Adventures!" (2018–2021)
Ending theme	List "Thomas Theme (instrumental, reprise)" (1984–2003) "Engine Roll Call (version 1)" (2004–2015) "Engine Roll Call (version 2)" (2015–2017) "Big World! Big Adventures! (reprise)" (2018–2021) "Engine Roll Call (version 3)" (2018–2021)
Composer	List Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell (1984–2003) Robert Hartshorne (2004–2016) Ed Welch (2004–2008) Peter Hartshorne (2011–2016) Chris Renshaw (2016–2021) Oliver Davis (2016–2017)
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	24
No. of episodes	584 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	List Britt Allcroft (1984–1986, 2002) Angus Wright (1991–1998) Peter Urie (2002–2003) Jocelyn Stevenson (2003–2006) Christopher Skala (2007–2011) Marion Edwards (2009–2015) Lenora Hume (2009–2010) Karen Barnes (2011–2013) Kallan Kagan (2013–2017) Jeff Young (2013–2015) Steven Hecht (2013–2015) Michael Carrington (2013–2014) Christopher Keenan (2014–2021) Edward Catchpole (2015) Marianne Culbert (2016) Kyle MacDougall (2016–2021) Jamie LeClaire (2016–2021) Phil LaFrance (2016–2021)
Producers	List David Mitton (1984–1998) Robert D. Cardona (1984–1986) Britt Allcroft (1991–1998) Phil Fehrle (2002–2003) Simon Spencer (2004–2008) Nicole Stinn (2008–2012) Ian McCue (2011–2017) Halim Jabbour (2013) Robert Anderson (2013; 2015–2017) Brian Lynch (2013–2015) Jennifer Hill (2014–2015) Lynda Craigmyle (2016) Jane Sobol (2016) Tracy Blagdon (2016–2021) Micaela Winter (2016–2018)
Production locations	Clapham Junction (1984) Clearwater Studios Battersea (1984) Shepperton Studios (1986–2008)
Running time	4–11 minutes 4 minutes, 30 seconds (series 1–7) 10 minutes (series 8–12) 11 minutes (series 13–24)
Production companies	Clearwater Features (1984–1986) The Britt Allcroft Company / Gullane Entertainment[d] (1984–2003) HIT Entertainment (2003–2017) Mattel Television (2017–2021)
Original release
Network	ITV
Release	9 October 1984 (1984-10-09) – 14 July 1992 (1992-07-14)
Network	Cartoon Network[e]
Release	16 October 1995 (1995-10-16) – 19 October 1998 (1998-10-19)
Network	Nick Jr.[f]
Release	16 September 2002 (2002-09-16) – 15 January 2008 (2008-01-15)
Network	Channel 5
Release	1 September 2008 (2008-09-01) – 20 January 2021 (2021-01-20)
Related
Tugs Shining Time Station Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Thomas & Friends^[g] is a British children's television series developed for television by Britt Allcroft. Based on The Railway Series children's books by Wilbert and Christopher Awdry, it centers on various anthropomorphic steam locomotives as well as other vehicles living on the fictional Island of Sodor.

Allcroft discovered The Railway Series in 1978 and quickly became interested in adapting it to television. It was initially filmed in live action on model sets, before later utilising computer animation. Over 500 episodes were produced over the course of 24 series. It featured narration from multiple celebrities and actors, beginning with Ringo Starr.

Thomas & Friends premiered on ITV on 9 October 1984 and was broadcast on several other television networks until 20 January 2021. It received mixed critical reception and spawned a franchise of the same name. A film adaptation written and directed by Allcroft, Thomas and the Magic Railroad, was released in theatres in 2000, but underperformed at the box office. A second film is in development and will be directed by Marc Forster. Thomas & Friends was followed by two reboots; the first was Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go, which premiered in 2021 and ended in 2025, and the second is scheduled for late 2026.

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