Cons: Reused many plots from previous movies, introduced a lot of new characters that seem unnecessary.
It was a beautiful day on the Island of Sodor. Thomas and Percy were busy shunting trucks at Brendam Docks. They were not being careful and Cranky warned them to be careful. They claimed they were, but caused an accident, possibly damaging the freight they were recklessly playing with. A suit of armor popped up, causing Cranky to explain what armor was for, when the silly Steamies thought it a robot.
Long ago, before there was an railways, Sodor was ruled by kings. King Godred was the greatest. Life was good under Godred’s reign. It was a golden age. Godred wore a golden crown until it was stolen. The thieves were caught, but the crown was hidden and never found again. The ruins of Godred’s castle still exist. Ulfstead Castle is at the top of a mountain where iron engines now run instead of armored knights.
At the rolling bridge at Vicarstown, Spencer was waiting to go to Sodor from the mainland of England. The bridge is reminiscent of the ancient drawbridges.
All the steam engines were being washed and they did not know why until The Fat Controller, Sir Topham Hatt, explained that his very special friend was coming back to the Island of Sodor, the Earl of Sodor. He would be arriving in a coach pulled by the special silver engine, Spencer.
Because the Earl likes old things, all the steam engines were at Knapford Station to welcome him with a celebration party. The Earl did not realize the party was for him and waved to them all and quickly left to return back to Millie. No one knew who Millie was.
Percy arrived late and missed out on it all.
The next day Thomas went to the docks to pick up freight for the castle. Cranky reminded him not to be braking anymore crates. Thomas slowly steamed up the steep slope to the Earl’s Estate near the castle.
As Thomas arrived, the Earl called for Millie. Millie is revealed to be a cute French female narrow gauge engine who has been stuck in her shed while the Earl was away. She is so excited that she tries to puff away before she is loaded, causing the crate that Thomas dropped to break open again! The Earl told him it was very precious, but luckily for Thomas, it was also very strong. The Earl wished he had King Godred’s crown to complete his plan. Millie and the Earl puffed off.
One evening, Spencer came back to the island via the rolling bridge at Vicarstown, speeding past Hiro who was making the journey much more slowly. The Earl was borrowing him from the Duke and Duchess of Boxford again, to be the Earl’s private engine. When Spencer rested his rods at Tidmouth Sheds, the other engines made fun of him, but Gordon tried to claim he was faster than the streamlined engine. Spencer reminded them that Earls only like the finest engines.
The next morning Gordon loaded up the Express and thought Spencer had been scared to race, but Spencer passed him and told him the race was on. It was hard for Gordon to catch up. He almost caught up as Spencer declared victory and went to be Really Useful and agreed to a rematch later.
Later, Percy was shunting at the docks when he saw an engine hiding behind freight. Percy scared him by crashing some freight cars, thinking him to be Thomas the Tank Engine. Spencer had brought the Earl to the docks, but Percy said he thought they were going to make him a goods engine so he could be really useful.
That afternoon at the quarry, Thomas saw Spencer and asked if he was hauling slate now. Spencer said no, but the Earl had other plans. Thomas told him he would now be very useful. Spencer thought this was no job for a Splendid Engine like him. Thomas reminded him that Earls only like the finest engines.
The next day the other engines were trying to figure out what the Earl was trying to build. Hiro told them that these parts would be perfect for a new station. The other engines could not figure out why he would do it. Toby arrived to share that Henry broke down and Percy the Small Engine was needed to pull the heavy goods train. Emily stated the obvious, that Percy was too small and too weak to pull such a train.
When he arrived, James the Red Engine was already there ready to take the train. Thomas arrived too and claimed he was too pull the train. When James tried to take off, Thomas and Percy blocked his way. Then Sir Topham Hatt arrived.
Sir Topham was glad too see them ready to go, but realized the confusion and explained that none of them was strong enough to pull a heavy goods train, and it would take all 3 of them too pull the long train of Troublesome Trucks.
Que music video, Working Together Again. Good Song from Blue Mountain Mystery with the lyrics reworked:
Clanking into the couplingThey arrived at the castle after a slow ascent and lots of hard work. There were new rails, building materials, sleepers, and Thomas’ old friend, Jack, the Front-Loader, who told them the castle was going to be rebuilt.
cargo ready to roll
James, Thomas, and Percy
pull that load
Got to, got to work harder
move that freight
Got to, got to go faster
Can't be late
Here we come, up the hill
There we go, what a thrill
Working together, yeah, yeah
Rocking and rolling, lifting and loading
Help one another, yeah, yeah
Pulling and pushing, heaving and hauling
On the Island of Sodor
Hear the rumble and chuff
Wheels grinding and growling
and funnels puff
Working through to the sunset
every day
Trying hard to be useful
Hey, Hey, Hey!
Here we come, up the hill
There we go, what a thrill
Working together, yeah, yeah
Rocking and rolling, lifting and loading
Help one another, yeah, yeah
Pulling and pushing, heaving and hauling.
Working together, yeah, yeah
Rocking and rolling, lifting and loading
Friends are forever, yeah, yeah
Pulling and Pushing, heaving and hauling.
Working together
The heavy goods train was split up. James and Percy each took a build material train and Thomas shunted the crates and containers on too a new siding. The Earl told Thomas that one crate was supposed to go to the Steamworks. The engines fought over who would take it and in the end they all went with the Earl.
At the Steamworks the engines were all surprised to see the surprise was a rusty old engine, Stephen the Rocket. Stephen explained no one had seen him in a long time. The engines told him there was a lot wrong with him. The Earl thought he was beautiful, but needed a lot of work.
Thomas asked the Earl his plan. He said it was a surprise and he had a special job for Stephen but not too tell him yet. Thomas promised not to tell. The 3 engines told the other engines about Stephen that night when they were at Tidmouth Sheds. The next morning all the engines made excuses to go to the Steamworks too see Stephen.
Stephen was up in the air like Sidney in the Dieselworks. Victor explained that Stephen was one of the first Steamies ever made. Stephen told the history of trains from when horses used to pull carriages on the rails. Back in his day, he was the fastest of all steam engines, that is why he was called the Rocket.
Stephen worked at the mines and later the docks because he could pull 4 wagons at one time. He explained that new engines are bigger and stronger so he has not worked in a long time. Percy asked if he had ever seen knights. Stephen told him neither them nor dinosaurs. Everyone laughed at Percy, but Stephen said you only learn by asking.
Thomas, Percy, and James visited Stephen after he was fixed. Percy said he now looked very useful again. Sir Topham Hatt was cross that they were just lollygagging along and sent them to do a special job at the castle. Even though James and Percy told him not too, Thomas decided to tell Stephen that the Earl had a special job for him also.
The 3 engines returned to the castle, which looked different now that it was restored. The 3 engines helped put the roof back on the castle now that tracks led inside. Percy caused wobbling and Thomas caused an accident that made James a mess. Luckily no one was hurt.
Stephen was asking about his new job, and Victor the Steamworks engine told him too be patient. Stephen was not, and left to try and find his job.
Gordon was speeding along with the Express, when Spencer passed him, calling him “Slow Coach”, asking him to race again. Gordon agreed, only asking him not to take off on too a siding again. Spencer, with a smile, claimed he would never do such a thing.
Spencer cried out for Gordon too look out. Up ahead was Stephen, going very slow. Gordon admonished him for being “The Rocket”, but Stephen let Gordon know he was going as fast as he could.
After the accident was cleaned up at the castle, James, Thomas, and Percy finished the roof. The Earl was proud of them and told them the plan after Percy guessed that he was the King of Sodor. The surprise was that the castle was going to become a tourist destination. The Earl told the engines that Stephen would be a tour guide train along with Millie. James took off for his wash-down that he had been begging for ever since Thomas caused the accident. Thomas also got permission too now tell Stephen the Rocket his very special job.
Elsewhere, Hiro was coming back from the mainland over the rolling bridge at a nice slow pace when 2 streamlined engines raced past him in a row. They also raced by James getting his wash-down and the racing Spencer and Gordon.
At the red signal the 2 engines introduced themselves for Connor and Caitlin. They were doing test runs too the castle from the mainland and racing each other. They offered to race Gordon and Spencer, but the 2 engines said they were too busy being really useful and never raced.
Stephen arrived at the Blue Mountain Quarry to look for work. He was amazed by how big and bust it was. He tried to pull 4 trucks, then 3, then 2, all without success, and finally with a lot of effort was able to barely pull 1. Troublesome Trucks were much heavier than the vans of Stephen’s day. But the truck pushed him to fast around the bend, and he almost derailed. Skarloey, Rheneas, and Luke, told him, this was not the job for him. The Rocket asked if there was a mine and Skarloey told him of one, so Stephen raced off to find it.
When Stephen arrived at the bottom of the mountain that held the castle, he found the mine was closed. It was boarded up and he could not go in.
Thomas was told to wait for James by the Earl, but started pushing a heavy train from behind. Percy warned him that this train needed a front engine. Thomas did not listen, so Percy tried to help being a second back engine. They lost control and the Troublesome Trucks came down the mountain heading towards the mine.
Stephen crashed through the wood boarding up the mine to get away from the runaway train, losing his funnel in the process. The crashing Troublesome Trucks caused a rock slide, blocking the entrance to the mine. Thomas and Percy pulled the Troublesome Trucks back up slowly, realizing they had caused confusion and delay.
All the engines were working hard to prepare for the castle opening. Thomas looked for Stephen. He checked the Steamworks. James told him this was all Thomas’ fault. The 3 engines looked for Stephen. Millie and Jack said he was not there at the castle. At Brendam Docks, Cranky told James that Diesel had to tell Stephen too stay out of the way. At the Blue Mountain Quarry told him of his problems. They all kept looking for him. Stephen called out, Calling All Engines too be on the lookout for him. He explored the mine and found no way out. He bashed into some rocks and found an old treasure chest. He was shocked at what was inside.
At the Tidmouth Sheds, Thomas told the other engines that they needed to find Stephen tomorrow. He awoke them early so they could help. Sir Topham Hatt arrived before they could leave. Thomas told them they were looking for Stephen. Then the Earl arrived looking for Stephen. The Fat Controller agreed to allow James, Percy, and Thomas too look for him and that he would also get the Sodor Search and Rescue Center too look for the missing engine also.
Que music video, Searching Everywhere. Good song:
When you can't find something specialThey searched every station and tunnel but could not find Stephen the Rocket. Stephen had kept looking for a way out but ran out of steam. Percy suggested checking at the old mine. After protesting, Thomas finally agreed to do so. He thought it was pointless, but as he was leaving the entrance, he saw Stephen’s funnel.
And you keep on looking around
Try to stay really cheerful
But you can't help feeling down
That's when you need a friend to help you
Brighten up your day
Someone to look, and find a clue
To help you on your way
Searching everywhere
Up, down, left, right
Look over there
Searching everywhere
Under, over, up in the air
All the engines working together
Looking around to see what they find
Everyday whatever the weather
Help you look down every line
So when you're feeling down and out
Don't you ever give up
That's when you need your friends about
To take you to the top
Searching everywhere
Up, down, left, right
Look over there
Searching everywhere
Under, over, up in the air
Searching everywhere
Up, down, left, right
Look over there
Searching everywhere
Under, over, up in the air
Searching everywhere
Up, down, left, right
Look over there
Searching everywhere
Under, over, up in the air
Searching everywhere
With Stephen’s last breath, he blew his whistle, just as Thomas had given up. Thomas called Jack to help open up the mine. Once inside he told Stephen about his new job that would start tomorrow!
News of the find spread across the Island of Sodor quickly. Once he was pulled out of the mine, he was surprised too see everyone looking for him, as he felt quite useless. As Thomas pulled Stephen out of the mine, the bridge too the entrance broke, but Thomas saved the falling Stephen after Jack braced the collapsing bridge and track. (A bridge has to be broken or collapse in every Thomas and Friends movie it seems!)
The next day the castle was opened for the public. Guests came from all over the island and mainland England to. The Earl arrived in the suit of armor in one of Stephen’s open coaches to announce the official opening, introducing the castle, Stephen, and Millie. He admitted there was still more work to do to restore the castle in full. The Earl showed everyone what Stephen had found in the mine, King Godred’s crown.
Thomas apologized for causing the events that led to Stephen getting stuck in the mine. Stephen told him it was ok, because he found the crown and thanked Thomas for rescuing him. The Earl suggested as an opening event too have the 2 armored knights Connor and Caitlin race. They 2 engines invited Spencer and Gordon too race to. The Earl said only if Sir Topham agreed. Hatt did agree but only this once.
Que music video, It’s Gonna be a Great Day. Good song:
Rock and roll, click-clackEnd.
Steaming down the track
The fun just never ends
Every day's a good good day
For Thomas and his friends
Steady, steady, steady
Everybody's getting ready
The Steam Team leads the way
It's a very special day
It's getting better and better
Now everybody say "hey"
It's gonna be a great day
Rockin' and a rollin'
Ridin' the rails
In the noon day light
Shuntin' and a-haulin' freight
They don't wanna be late
They wanna do what's right
Wheesh, wheesh, whoo-hoo
They know what they have to do
They are a useful crew
Now it's a very special day
It's getting better and better
Now everybody say "hey"
It's gonna be a great day
Wheesh, wheesh, whoo-hoo
They know what they have to do
They are a useful crew
Now it's a very special day
It's getting better and better
Now everybody say "hey"
It's gonna be a great day
It's getting better and better
Now everybody say "hey"
It's gonna be a great day
Now everybody say "hey"
It's gonna be a great day
It's gonna be a great day
It's getting better and better
Now everybody say "hey"
It's gonna be a great day
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