'King of the Railway' for world premiere in Australia

King of the Railway: The Movie will land in Australia for its world premiere this July.

The country, who will debut a Thomas & Friends movie once again, is to screen the feature in Hoyts cinemas.

The cinema chain have released a higher quality version of the first trailer in anticipation and a more detailed outline of the film's plot.

Thomas is over the moon when the Earl of Sodor chooses him and friends Percy and James to rebuild Ulfstead Castle.

During their latest adventure, the Steam Team meets Millie, a bubbly French engine, and Stephen, an older steam locomotive with fascinating stories to tell.

Meanwhile, Spencer and Gordon are stunned when they encounter two new engines, Connor and Caitlin, who are even faster than they are!
But disaster strikes when Stephen goes missing. Will Thomas find Stephen in time for the Grand Opening of Ulfstead Castle, and what is it that lies buried deep in the mine under the Castle…?

The UK is to screen the special in Vue cinemas in late August with the US and Germany following in September.

King of the Railway: The Movie marks its world premiere in Hoyts cinemas across Australia from July 20th.

VISIT HOYTS' 'KING OF THE RAILWAY' PAGE

Thanks to Thomas Stansfield for the alert.

Poundland introduces classic Thomas 'Treat Size' DVDs

Poundland have re-introduced classic childrens TV series on DVD for a modern audience.

The UK's bargain merchant have brought back Angelina Ballerina, Pingu, Fireman Sam and Thomas & Friends for their Treat Size Introduces... range.
Each release contains select episodes from a brands' early series' with Walk Investments Ltd. providing distributions.

In a somewhat nod to the original VHS releases, six episodes have each been incorporated into Thomas in Trouble, Thomas & the Breakdown Train, Thomas & Bertie and Edward's Exploit.

While the bbfc confirmed the content for two of the discs in April, four more are reportedly in the works with Thomas, Percy and the Coal, The Runaway, Thomas Comes to Breakfast and Edward and Gordon all identified.

Treat Size Introduces... Thomas & Friends from Walk Investments Ltd. are available to buy on DVD in Poundland stores across the UK for £1 each.

2014 Annual and Amazing ABC UK books for Autumn

Egmont are to release the Thomas & Friends 2014 Annual for the UK this Autumn.

Containing another set of stories, activities and character profiles, Thomas and Flynn dominate the front cover with James, Percy, Edward and Henry substituting.

More King of the Railway stuff is teased for the annual as a custom made emblem is displayed on the cover.
The summary reads; The Thomas & Friends Annual is packed full of exciting stories and fun activities about Thomas and his many friends!

Fans of Thomas can read factfiles and stories about their favourite engines, complete fun puzzles and activities and meet some brand new friends too!

On an educational front is Amazing ABC where familiar faces and locations are guided in an A to Z style of reading as its description mentions.

Join Thomas and friends on an ABC journey around the Island of Sodor! Children will love going from A to Z naming engines and sights from the world-famous railway.

With lots of flaps to open, a wheel to turn and even a telephone to dial, there's plenty to help Really Useful kids learn their ABC!

2014 Annual and Amazing ABC from Egmont hit UK book shelves on August 5th and September 2nd 2013.

PRE-ORDER THE NEW BOOKS ON AMAZON.CO.UK

2014 ANNUAL

AMAZING ABC

Thomas culled from Netflix service in "Streamageddon"

Thomas & Friends has been named one of the casualties affected by Netflix's recent cutbacks on their service.

The cull occurred on May 1st when the payable on-demand platform removed up to 1,800 TV and film titles in a move branded Streamageddon.
Alongside the James Bond films, South Park and other properties, over 40 titles from the Thomas & Friends range are no longer available for streaming in the US, according to Nik Stanoscheck's Steamies Vs. Diesels blog.

In a statement, Netflix explained their reasoning; The vast majority of the titles that expire on Wednesday are older features that were aggregated by Epix.

We recently added many great, more recent titles such as ParaNorman, Hunger Games, Safe and Bachelorette. We will also add Mission Impossible 2 among many other titles.

Netflix is a dynamic service. We constantly update TV shows and movies that are available to our members. We will add more than 500 titles on May 1st, but we also have titles expiring, this ebb and flow happens all the time.

Johnny Morris' Railway Series stints enter digital age

More of The Railway Series audios have been added to amazon and iTunes as digital downloads.

From the Johnny Morris era, the full recordings for the books The Three Railway Engines, Thomas the Tank Engine and James the Red Engines can now be purchased in mp3 format.
Once again, The Lost Noises Office have remastered each of the new additions. The Sad Story of Henry and Edward, Gordon and Henry were previously made available in the summer of 2012.

Willie Rushton succeeded Morris as narrator before Ted Robbins took over the mantle in the 90s.

Johnny Morris' Railway Series narrations by The Lost Noises Office are each available to buy on amazon and iTunes.

PURCHASE THE JOHNNY MORRIS RAILWAY SERIES RECORDINGS ON iTUNES

UK

US

AUSTRALIA

Thanks to Hawk01 for the alert.

Australia 'Rescue on the Rails' DVD for June release

Rescue on the Rails will come to Australia for a summer DVD release, EZYDVD has confirmed.

The Season Fifteen title has already been made available for the US since 2011 and the UK since 2012.

While it is thought to contain the same four episodes of Fiery Flynn, James to the Rescue, Edward the Hero and Stop That Bus!, an established treatment may see an extra two episodes filling the bill.
The description reads; Ready to Rescue! The Sodor Search and Rescue Team is racing to the rescue - Bertie's stuck on Shake Shake Bridge, Gordon s derailed, and Thomas firebox is on fire!

In these exciting episodes, your favourite engines brave the rails to rescue their friends.

Discover that being heroic is more than having speed and strength; its about teamwork and a big heart which puts every Really Useful Engine on the right track.

Rescue on the Rails from ABC for Kids hits Australian DVD shelves on June 19th 2013.

PRE-ORDER 'RESCUE ON THE RAILS' ON EZYDVD.COM.AU

Thanks to Thomas Stansfield for the alert.

'Muddy Matters' UK DVD content cleared by the bbfc

The content due to feature on the British version of the Muddy Matters DVD has been cleared by the British Board of Film Classification.

The release is the second for the UK to contain episodes from the Sixteenth Series after March's Go Go Thomas!.
As with its US counterpart, Muddy Matters, Thomas and the Rubbish Train, Don't Bother Victor!, Whiff's Wish and Thomas Toots the Crows headline the release.

Watch with Mr. Perkins! returns in between stories while Down at the Station: Evening and two Guess Who?'s fill the extras.

In addition, adverts for the relaunched Day Out with Thomas events and an Action Tracks playset start off the DVD.

Muddy Matters from Hit Entertainment hits UK DVD shelves on May 27th 2013.

Official website explores Sodor and teases 'King' movie

The Thomas & Friends website has received an update for 2013 and King of the Railway's launch.

Keeping the same layout, the official site has given users the chance to navigate through Sodor's locations such as Knapford Station and Tidmouth Sheds.
Along the way, treats concerning activities, read-alongs, videos and more await. When certain tasks are completed, badges are awarded, leading to more of Sodor's places becoming accessible as time goes by.

One of the features is the Keep Looking Thomas! short storybook, first available at UK Day Out with Thomas events.

The activity offers two stills from the King of the Railway movie, one depicting Thomas approaching Ulfstead Castle and the other showing Sir Robert Norramby on board a passenger train.

Toy World announced the update to the press alongside many other developments in their magazine in January.

EXPLORE SODOR AND MORE ON THE THOMAS & FRIENDS WEBSITE

'King of the Railway' stars in new packs by TrackMaster

Fisher Price and Mattel are to release three TrackMaster products in the lead-up to King of the Railway's debut.

Its stars, Stephen the Rocket and Connor and Caitlin the Mainland Engines have been entitled to their own packs for launch later this year.

A beaming Stephen is coupled up to a blue flatbed holding a golden statue of a medieval horse.

Connor and Caitlin meanwhile each have a single celebratory coach in their respective colour schemes.

TrackMaster Stephen, Connor and Caitlin hit UK and US toy shelves this Autumn.

SEE THE 'KING OF THE RAILWAY' TRACKMASTERS ON THOMAS & FRIENDS WIKIA

STEPHEN

CONNOR

CAITLIN

Thanks to SteamTeam for the alert.

Egmont issues important product recall on Thomas mag

Egmont have sent out a public caution concerning a free gift available in a Thomas & Friends Magazine.

The gift in question titled Thomas Spring Set is attached to the 661th issue of the UK's magazine series released on April 3rd.

Taking to the Thomas & Friends website, Egmont have declared a statement to prevent a possible hazard from developing.
It has come to the publisher's attention that there is a safety issue with the hay bale attached to the Spring Farm set on Thomas & Friends Magazine issue #661, on sale 3rd April.

When unravelled, the hay bale is not cut into individual pieces and is considered to be a strangulation hazard. They have therefore decided to immediately recall the product.

Customers are asked to please ensure that children stop playing with the hay bale immediately and to return the gift along with this issue to your retailer for a refund.

Egmont has since apologised and are pledging for all retailers to remove the issue from sale and to return them to the wholesaler.

READ EGMONT'S FULL STATEMENT

Thanks to Hawk01 for the alert.

New narrator Mark Moraghan leads new series changes

Season Seventeen is reported to herald a number of changes within its creative team.

Railway Mischief, the first glimpse of new episodes, was released today on DVD in Walmart stores across America. Fans have since ramped up information on the changes made to the show.

After being involved with Thomas & Friends from Season Six to Season Twelve, Paul Larson has returned to pen a number of episodes including Steamie Stafford with his longtime collaborator Laura Beaumont.
Gordon and Spencer writer Lee Pressman is also back who is been responsible for writing three of the newest stories, Kevin's Cranky Friend, Scruff's Makeover and Wayward Winston.

Assisting Hit Entertainment and producer Ian McCue is Halim Jabbour, who has revealed on his Linked in profile that the new series was made in 2 years within a budget of $6 million (£3.9 million).

The co-producer has also noted that the episode count has reverted back to its original quantity of 26. Sam Wilkinson serves as railway consultant.

With chief creative officer of Arc Productions Kallan Kagan producing the animation, Rob Silvestri has seemingly dropped out of the directing chair. David Baas has been named as his replacement.
But perhaps the most significant change is the departures of the longest running US storyteller Michael Brandon and Michael Angelis, whose impressive 21 year stint as UK narrator has come to an end.

Replacing them in English speaking territories and keeping in line with its Liverpudlian roots is Mark Moraghan.

The actor and singer is best known to UK viewers for playing Barry, one of the iconic scousers present in the comedy Harry Enfield and Chums.

He has had roles in major UK dramas including Brookside, London's Burning, Casualty, Holby City and Heartbeat.
More recently, he starred in CBBC's Rocket's Island, formally known as The Knot. The 50 year old is perhaps known to US viewers as Judge Monroe in the 1995 Sylvester Stallone starred film, Judge Dredd.

Mark's commitment to Thomas was first confirmed in November 2012 when The Vocal Booth posted a picture with him and voice director Mike Moran.

The brand new seventeenth series of Thomas & Friends airs this Autumn.
Railway Mischief from Lionsgate Entertainment is out now to buy on US DVD in Walmart.

SiF auctions off series crew shirts on ebay for charity

SiF are currently auctioning off special items from Thomas & Friends' past on auction site ebay.

From the filming of the Twelfth Series, fans can bid on crew shirts which were made for CGI collaborators Nitrogen Studios in 2008.
Using a target system that was able to implement characters faces in animated form, the target symbol is printed on the shirts with the tagline, Thomas 1200.

The first piece of clothing is up on ebay for another few days before another two auctions will add the same memorabillia.

All proceeds are to go to the YoungMinds charity while winning bidders' items are enabled for worldwide postage.

VIEW AND BID ON SiF'S CHARITY AUCTION ON EBAY