Birthday marathon due on PBS Sprouts

PBS Sprouts are to broadcast two home releases on their channel as part of a birthday celebration across the US.

The Birthday Express will be the first even though it has not yet been released on DVD up until May 17th 2011 and contains two Season Twelve and Thirteen episodes respectively.

Afterwards, the 2009 CGI debut special Hero of the Rails will be broadcast.

The description for the TV event reads; It's Thomas' birthday, and we are celebrating on Sprout!

Catch the Thomas specials Birthday Express and Hero of the Rails on Saturday and Sunday, May 14th & 15th at 1pm ET and an encore of Birthday Express each day at 5pm ET.

Thomas' Birthday Bash Marathon broadcasts on PBS Sprouts starting from Saturday May 14th at 1pm ET.

Thanks to MrTrainfan1000 for the alert.

More game revamps for Japan

The official Japanese Thomas & Friends website have revamped some of their games with some additions.

Like the previously reported Name, Quiz and Silhouette games, the existing ones have been updated to tie-in with the CGI era of Thomas.

Race originally had Duck and Bertie as playable characters but have now been replaced by Hiro and Dash.

Along with this, Hiro has also succeeded Lady and Henry in the Journey and Decorate games respectively.

Next comes Puzzles where you can now piece together 6 puzzles based on the episodes Play Time, Misty Island Rescue, Hero of the Rails, Steamy Sodor, Time for a Story and The Biggest Present of All.

The cards have also been altered in Matching, the last of the updates featuring the cast of Misty Island Rescue however Emotions, Build and Party all remain the same.

The first of the new games called Whistle involves the player controlling Thomas to whistle whenever pedestrian from the children or animals get to close to the line.

The second also starring Thomas in Rail asks the player to assemble pieces of track to complete a connected layout so that Thomas could run on the rails and back to a local station.

Finally the last called Slide has 4 puzzles featuring Thomas, Percy, James and Hiro that need to be slided together to ressamble back into a connected picture.

PLAY THE NEW GAMES ON THE JAPANESE THOMAS & FRIENDS WEBSITE

Confirmed: Sharon Miller departs as Head Writer

It has been now been confirmed by SiF that Head Writer of Thomas & Friends, Sharon Miller has stepped down from her role.

Miller is no longer the Head Writer and has been replaced by Writer and newcomer to the series, Andrew Brenner.

Brenner's confirmation as Head Writer can be seen publicly on his Linked in profile.

Season Sixteen premieres later this year in Autumn/Winter time.

READ THE FULL STORY ON THE SiF FANSITE

Rarely seen 'TATMR' ad gets Atomic reappearance

A TV commercial in the US which publicised 2000's Thomas and the Magic Railroad has re-emerged, on YouTube.

The ad uploaded by YouTube user Admercial not only features scenes from the film, but includes the never-before-seen glimpses of Atomic Kitten's Locomotion music video.

Scenes from the music video include the band members on a Pump Truck going along the rails.

It is thought that the music video itself has never been publicly released for unknown reasons although the song did play out at the end credits of the film and was included on the Soundtrack CD release.
 

VIEW THE COMMERCIAL

Thanks to Anime Boy for the alert.

Thomas loses out at Webby Awards

The official Thomas & Friends website just wasn't enough as the Webby Awards have revealed their winner for the Family/Parenting category.

Thomas was up against BabyCenter, Making Sense of Baby, Parenting.com and The Partnership at Drugfree.org.

The Thomas & Friends website eventually lost out as the title was claimed by BabyCenter which was also the winner for the People's Voice.

VIEW THE WEBBY AWARDS' RESULTS

Thanks to SI3DFilms for the alert.

High-res images for 'Thomas In Charge' release

Lionsgate Publicity have published promotional images promoting the Thomas In Charge US DVD release.

The Five main images are from three of the episodes due to be featured on the upcoming release, Thomas In Charge, A Blooming Mess and O the Indignity.

The above shot of Emily and the flowers was previously mistakenly used to promote The Birthday Express DVD as A Blooming Mess isn't on the release.

Thomas in Charge hits US DVD shelves on July 12th 2011.

PRE-ORDER 'THOMAS IN CHARGE'

High-res image of Preschool Fun 'Thomas' episode

Lionsgate Publicity have published promotional images for the upcoming Hit Entertainment compilation DVD, Preschool Fun.

The Thomas & Friends image is a promo shot from the featured episode, Best Friends from the Twelfth Series.

In the shot are Neville, Percy and Thomas at the Quarry.

Preschool Fun hits US DVD shelves on July 5th 2011.

VIEW ALL THE IMAGES PUBLICISING PRESCHOOL FUN

'Belle's page completed on official website

New character Belle who has her Engine Depot page on the official Thomas & Friends website has been completed.

Now, along with viewing Belle's picture and her description, you can view her poster and puzzle.

However, her silhouette on the Day of the Diesels minisite has yet to be removed and replaced with her image.

VIEW BELLE ON THE OFFICIAL THOMAS & FRIENDS WEBSITE - UK & US

Thanks to SI3DFilms for the alert.

Ogier Jersey fixed it for Hit?

It has emerged that financial company Ogier Jersey have reportedly respresented Hit Entertainment in restructuring their company after their financial crisis.

Michael Lombardi said of the news; We are delighted to have represented HiT Entertainment and been able to assist in fixing it for Bob the Builder and Thomas & Friends.

We were particularly pleased to have been mandated on the restructuring transaction as I have been a fan of Wallace & Gromit for many years

READ THE FULL STORY

Thanks to Ajani for the alert.

Another re-release and two newbies for US and AUS

The US will witness another DVD re-release while Australia will get two new DVD's.

James Learns a Lesson & Other Thomas Adventures is being reissued after the news of two New Series DVD's having the same treatment in the US.

Down Under however will see the releases of the Season Thirteen Splish, Splash, Splosh! DVD along with The Complete Series 11, both of which are being packaged as DVD Handle Cases.

James Learns a Lesson & Other Thomas Adventures hits US DVD shelves on July 12th 2011 while The Complete Series 11 and Splish, Splash, Splosh! will be released in Australia on June 2nd and 30th 2011 respectively.

Thanks to SteamTeam3211, eddfan345 and Wellsworthstation for the alerts.

PRE-ORDER

JAMES LEARNS A LESSON & OTHER THOMAS ADVENTURES

SPLISH, SPLASH SPLOSH!

THE COMPLETE SERIES 11

Thomas scoots back to another recall

Children scooters brand, Lights and Sounds from Kiddieland have been recalled in the US due to a cut hazard.

The issue has been raised as it was found out that a child's finger could get caught in a hinge mechanism causing possible skin cuts which is located in between the steering column and platform.

Kiddieland's Lights and Sounds involving the well known blue Thomas & Friends scooters being recalled along with a red Spiderman and a pink one for girls.

There has only so far been two reports of cuts caused by the mechanism touched by children.

The recall is just another in line involving Thomas as Wooden Railway models were previously pulled back due to reports of led paint hazards. 

READ THE REPORT

The Doctor meets Shale and Wrage

The end of April saw the broadcast of the second part of the Doctor Who adventure, Day of the Moon.

The episode after it's opener, The Impossible Astronaut saw the appearances of two cast members from the US version of Thomas & Friends.

Kerry Shale who voices several characters along with being in charge of Diesel's voice in the UK version played Doctor Renfrew, a man who runs a children's home while becoming delirious to the Alien surroundings.

Glenn Wrage who provides the voices for Ferdinand, Spencer and others portrayed Gardner who is in charge of a Command module while apprehending The Doctor for breaking into the Saturn V rocket.

Sadly, the two did not have any scenes together.

WATCH KERRY SHALE AND GLENN WRAGE IN DOCTOR WHO: DAY OF THE MOON, STARTING FROM THE 11:16 MARK ON BBC iPLAYER