Thomas et ses amis: La Grand Course

There's a story in the original Thomas collection, by Rev Awdry, involving the Flying Scotsman, a relation of one of the engines on Sodor. In this film, he arrives on his way to the Mainland to join the Great Engine Show, an event Thomas thinks he should be a part of and tries to come up with ways he should.

The most noticeable thing about this story are the number of songs it contains. A few sound like Andrew Lloyd Webber pieces, and "streamlining" sounds a lot like "greased lightning".

The much reported exotic engines seem under used, given the hype - most of the story is focused on Thomas, which seems a waste to me - with a couple of exceptions. Ashima provides Thomas with a moral aspect to follow, and while Vinnie is a Canadian engine, it's hard to decide if he's really modelled on an American footballer, with his helmet. And it's a leap to include a train with overhead power and a pantograph; can't see Sodor copying that design.

It's nicely drawn, with the foreign engines looking like their real life versions.

The rest of the main steamy and diesel crews all play roles, and it's pretty obvious the story is a vehicle for toys (and given the current hype around the real Flying Scotsman, it's definitely tapping in), so if you're kids are into wooden railway or take 'n play, expect some new requests after you see this.