Thomas & Friends: The Adventure Begins

In early-20th century Britain there is a small island called Sodor, covered almost entirely by a railway network. Edward the Blue Engine, the smallest steam engine of four working on the main line, is asked to help push Gordon the Big Engine up a hill that he stalled on, earning it the name "Gordon's Hill". Gordon mentions that Sir Topham Hatt is buying a new engine to shunt coaches. Edward is shunting at Knapford Station when he hears James, another engine who is roughly Edward's size, talking to a green tank engine from the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway who introduces himself as Thomas, who explains that he is Sir Topham Hatt's new tank engine. Gordon is rather skeptical of his size, which upsets him, until Sir Topham asks Edward to teach him how to work in the yard. Initially, Thomas manages to occasionally get in the way and sometimes causes minor accidents. He also cheekily whistles at Gordon one day while he is resting and wakes him up, much to Gordon's displeasure.

That stormy night at Tidmouth Sheds, Thomas meets Henry the Green Engine. Henry is sickly and constantly nervous, and Edward tells Thomas the story about the time he hid in a tunnel to get out of the rain, resulting in him being bricked up as punishment (and later let out). The following day, Thomas is sent to the Sodor Steamworks where he is repainted blue and given the number 1. Gordon explains that the last No. 1 engine was a vertical-boilered engine called a coffee pot and orders Thomas to fetch his express coaches. Thomas accidentally tries to take two four-wheeled coaches called Annie and Clarabel, who belong to James but take a liking to Thomas. James later returns Annie and Clarabel to the yard, causing Thomas to notice a burning smell, which James tries to downplay. Later, seeing Henry at the water tower, Thomas asks him about his fear of the rain. Henry explains that the rain makes him nervous, but Thomas tries fruitlessly to convince him that there is nothing to be afraid of. Later, he accidentally disturbs two railway cranes named Judy and Jerome, who form the breakdown train, and is told that he must not move them unless there is an emergency.

The following day, Thomas takes longer to start than usual and arrives at Knapford with Gordon's coaches later than usual. Still cross with Thomas for waking him up, Gordon starts sooner than expected before Thomas can be uncoupled. By the time Gordon reaches Wellsworth, Thomas is worn out and is uncoupled. Back at Knapford the following day, Thomas meets Jerome and Judy, two cranes of the breakdown train while shunting in the yard. James arrives with a goods train and prepares to take Annie and Clarabel, while Thomas again notices the strange burning smell which is coming from James' wooden brake blocks, which James again attempts to downplay the extent of.

The next morning, Henry isn't able to leave Tidmouth Sheds and Thomas, being the only engine left, is instead asked to pull his train. Unfortunately, Thomas starts too soon and leaves the coaches behind, much to Sir Topham Hatt's dismay. Thomas sadly returns and is coupled to the train, but the big engines tease him about it at Tidmouth Sheds later that night. Edward kindly offers to let Thomas take a goods train for him the next day. However, Thomas gets too excited to take Edward's advice about the Troublesome Trucks which leads him to almost have an accident after they push him down Gordon's Hill. Sir Topham Hatt arrives and tells Thomas he should have been more patient when listening to Edward so he could have learned about trucks, which would have prevented this incident. He also says if Thomas is not prepared to learn to be patient, then he, unfortunately, has to keep Thomas in the shed. He then orders Thomas and Edward to stay in the yard until Thomas knows enough about trucks as Edward does. During this time, Thomas manages to help Henry overcome his fear of rain.

Later, Thomas and Edward are working when a frightened James rushes by because the Troublesome Trucks are pushing him and causes his wooden brake blocks to catch fire. Thomas attempts to couple up behind James' train to slow him down, but the trucks' speed and weight cause James to derail on a bend before Thomas can couple up. Thomas returns to Knapford and fetches Jerome and Judy to rescue James, who he takes to the Steamworks. Later that night, everyone congratulates Thomas and Sir Topham Hatt announces that James will have proper brakes and a new coat of paint and Thomas will be rewarded with his own branch line. Everyone is happy for Thomas, except Gordon who asks who will fetch their coaches because tender engines don't shunt. Sir Topham says the other engines will have to fetch their own coaches until he finds another small engine who can.

A few days later, James returns to the yard with new brakes and a coat of red paint, and Thomas is given Annie and Clarabel to run his branch line. Arriving at Ffarquhar Station, he meets Glynn the coffee pot engine, the previous No.1, who is no longer in service and asks him to look after the branch line and wear the number 1 with pride. During the end credits, artwork from the Railway Series books are shown as "Really Useful Engine" plays.

1. He's a Really Useful Engine
2. Troublesome Trucks

The special received generally positive reviews; Common Sense Media gave the film a 4/5, stating, "Expect infighting among some of the engines as personalities clash and a few fretful moments, but ultimately there are happy resolutions and increasingly strong friendships as a result."[2]

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