The first to have a full voice cast in the UK and US versions, while being the first production with a voice cast since Thomas and the Magic Railroad in 2000, nine years before the CGI usage. The DVD sales of Hero of the Rails outstripped The Great Discovery which was the highest selling DVD produced by HiT Entertainment at the time. Thomas heads over to Hiro to tell him the wonderful news and the two engines are overjoyed. Thomas and Percy bring him to the Sodor Steamworks the next day. The Fat Controller and Victor promise to have him running like new again.

The film features the voice of Ben Small and Martin Sherman as Thomas the Tank Engine for the UK and US respectively. It was first released on DVD and on iTunes on 12 January 2010. To promote the film a " Day Out with Thomas 2010: The Hero of the Rails Tour" was held at locations such as the Illinois Railway Museum, where guests could participate in activities such as arts and crafts or ride on a 15-ton replica of Thomas the Tank Engine. [3] Thomas and Percy are later getting coal and Emily is puffing off to give Hiro more parts. Edward and Henry pass with Spencer in tow, bringing him to the Steamworks. While Spencer is being taken care of, Thomas arrives. Kevin starts dropping things, which causes Spencer to wince and shut his eyes. As he does so, Thomas sneaks away with more parts.In Poland, this special premiered after the thirteenth series, so the audience would not know about Hiro, Victor and Kevin. The Duke and Duchess and the Fat Controller scolded Spencer for wandering around, taking advantage of Thomas Entertainment to Grow Up With* | Two Thomas Adventures* | Thomas' Sodor Stories* | Fun with Thomas | Thomas' Trainyard Adventures* | Starting This Fall on PBS* | Thomas to the Rescue | Quarry Adventures on Sodor | The Story of Thomas and the Jet Engine | Thomas Tries His Best | Thomas' Birthday Sampler | Thomas & Friends 2008 Sampler DVD | Go, Go Thomas! | Thomas' Railway Adventures! | Disappearing Diesels Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails is a 2009 British animated adventure film and feature-length special of the British television series, Thomas & Friends. The film is produced by HIT Entertainment with animation from Nitrogen Studios. It introduces full CGI animation replacing live-action models, and the addition of a voice cast for the characters alongside the narration to the TV series. [2]

This special states that Hiro was the first engine on the Island of Sodor, despite The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways stating that other engines were there long before. This special entered pre-production in September 2008, was produced alongside the thirteenth series starting with January 2009 and was delivered in May 2009. [1] Development Hiro states that he was the first engine on Sodor, but this is untrue, as Hiro's basis was not built until 1935, in which several engines had already arrived on Sodor. Gordon and Spencer race to the station. Spencer is exhausted, having been running around all day. Gordon wins the race and who should step out of the coaches is the Fat Controller and the Duke and Duchess. While they scold Spencer, Thomas arrives, saying he will help Spencer finish the summer house. The Duke and Duchess are pleased, but Spencer's pride is shattered.From the chase with Spencer until Hiro's overhaul at the Steamworks, the golden stripes on Hiro's boiler disappear. A video game adaptation of the film was also released to the Nintendo Wii and the DS [6] in Europe on 29 June 2010. It was to be released in North America, but it has appeared to be cancelled indefinitely. [6] In the scene where Spencer is staring at Emily, Thomas and Percy pass on the bridge with nothing behind them. In the trailers, however, the same scene is shown, but Thomas and Percy are pulling flatbeds full of engine parts. It can be assumed that the trailer showed an altered version of the scene.