Series 5

The fifth series of Thomas & Friends first aired on television in September 1998 in the UK and September 1999 on Storytime with Thomas in the US. It had twenty-six episodes narrated by Michael Angelis in the UK and Alec Baldwin in the US.

Production
With the fifth series, the decision was made to write a full series of original, staff-written stories, instead of adapting anymore Railway Series books. One reason for this was producer Britt Allcroft's desire to create a theatrical Thomas the Tank Engine film and requested that director David Mitton show off his modelling skills. The fifth series also took on edgier and darker plot lines and included much more intense action and crashes.

Some inspiration for the episodes came from a former LMR manager named David Maidment. In 1997, Maidment met with Steven Wright about the possibility of supporting the Railway Children charity and while Wright told him the series' staff commonly received such requests, they would consider. During their meeting, Maidment relayed stories about his railway experiences working in South Wales and as the manager at Crewe station. Maidment received a call asking if he would allow some of his stories to be used as material – the stories from the Railway Series were frequently based on true events and Allcroft and Mitton preferred this. Maidment agreed and was also asked to review each story to make sure that the railway in the show operated realistically. As a result, Maidment received writing credit alongside Allcroft and Mitton. £10,000 (British pounds) were later donated to the Railway Children for his work.

The design for each new character would be chosen by David Eves and given to David Mitton for approval. The series was filmed from 1st September 1997 to 30th April 1998. For ease of filming, the fifth series would introduce larger-scale versions of the narrow gauge engines and from the sixth to twelfth series, these larger models were used almost exclusively. They were built to a larger scale than the gauge 1 engines and ran on O gauge track; they were close to 16mm scale, but slightly larger. Alongside them, nine human figures were made (eight engine crews and a workman). The small scale models were still used in this series for the in between shots where they would interact with the gauge 1 scaled characters and sets until the latter could be scaled up. Originally, the character Bertram was intended as a tank engine, but the financial difficulty in building a new model made them repaint Duke's model with Smudger's face.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Duck
 * Oliver
 * Bill and Ben
 * Stepney
 * BoCo
 * Mavis
 * Skarloey
 * Rheneas
 * Rusty
 * Duncan
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Troublesome Trucks
 * Toad
 * Terence
 * Bertie
 * George
 * Caroline
 * Harold
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Lady Hatt
 * Stephen Hatt
 * Bridget Hatt
 * Mrs. Kyndley
 * Jem Cole
 * The Little Boys
 * The Firelighter
 * Harold's Pilots
 * The Wellsworth Yardmaster
 * Farmer Trotter
 * Mr. Walsh
 * S.C Ruffey
 * Peter Sam
 * Henrietta
 * Donald
 * Diesel
 * Duke
 * Trevor
 * Jeremiah Jobling
 * Farmer Finney
 * The Vicar of Wellsworth
 * Refreshment Lady
 * Nancy
 * The Dryaw Policeman
 * The Ffarquhar Stationmaster and his Wife
 * The Second Butler
 * One Member of the Elsbridge Cricket Club
 * The Father
 * The Crovan's Gate Policeman
 * The Tailor
 * The Barber's Customer
 * One Member of the Railway Society
 * The Mid Sodor Railway Manager
 * Mrs. Last
 * The Inspector with the Bowler Hat
 * The Painter
 * The Quarry-Master
 * The Portly Man
 * Prince Philip
 * Bulstrode
 * Big Mickey
 * Märklin Engine
 * City of Truro
 * Douglas
 * Daisy
 * Class 40
 * Sir Handel
 * The Chinese Dragon
 * Tom Tipper
 * Elizabeth II
 * The Ffarquhar Policeman
 * The Stone-Dropping Boys
 * The First Butler
 * The Barber
 * The Ffarquhar Stationmaster's Children
 * The Injured Sailor

Characters Introduced

 * Cranky
 * The Horrid Lorries
 * Old Slow Coach
 * Old Bailey
 * The Fire Brigade
 * Mrs. Kyndley's Daughter
 * Tiger Moth's Pilot
 * Derek
 * 'Arry
 * Dowager Hatt
 * The Lighthouse Keeper
 * Bert
 * Bertram
 * Rusty's Ghost Engine
 * Butch
 * Thumper
 * Tiger Moth
 * The Wedding Guests
 * Boulder
 * The Storyteller
 * Harry Topper
 * The Fisherman

Locations

 * Island of Sodor
 * Bertram's Old Mine
 * Bertram's Shed
 * Boulder Hill
 * Boulder Quarry
 * Boulder Quarry Sheds
 * Brendam Docks
 * Callan
 * Sir Topham Hatt's Office
 * Crosby
 * Dryaw
 * Dryaw Airfield
 * Dryaw School
 * Echo Pass Ravine
 * Ffarquhar
 * Ffarquhar Quarry
 * Gordon's Hill
 * Hackenbeck Tunnel
 * Terence's Field
 * Mrs. Kyndley's Cottage
 * Hawin Lake
 * Kirk Ronan
 * Knapford Harbour
 * Maithwaite
 * Miner's Halt
 * Norramby Church Station
 * Norramby Beach
 * Norramby Fishing Village
 * The Sodor Inn
 * Old Iron Bridge
 * Old Manor Station
 * Old Stone Bridge
 * Rheneas Viaduct
 * Skarloey Slate Quarry
 * Sodor China Clay Company
 * Sodor Fuel Depot
 * Sodor Ironworks
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * Standard and Narrow Gauge Tunnel Runby
 * Stepney's Shed
 * The Castle
 * The Castle Junction
 * The Coal Mines
 * The Dam
 * The Flour Mill
 * The Hay Farm
 * The Intersection Station
 * The Narrow Gorge
 * The Tunnel Under Repair
 * The Unsafe Tree Hill
 * Tidmouth Bay
 * Tidmouth Beach
 * The Seaside Village
 * Tidmouth Hault
 * Tidmouth Hault Sheds
 * The Workmen's Hut
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Tidmouth Goods Station
 * Toby's Shed
 * Toby's Village
 * Toby's Flood Bridge
 * Tower Windmill
 * Wellsworth
 * Topham Hall
 * Wellsworth Crossing
 * Wellsworth Yards
 * Bluebell Valley
 * Bridge Signal Box
 * Lower Suddery
 * Post Windmill
 * Rheneas
 * Skarloey
 * Sodor Castle
 * Arlesdale End
 * Hawin Lake Viaduct
 * Henry's Forest
 * Peel Godred

Trivia

 * This was the first series of several things:
 * The first series not to have any episodes based on The Railway Series stories by Wilbert and Christopher Awdry.
 * The first series with an episode where some railway on Sodor is referred to as a railroad, its American term; this occurs in Duncan Gets Spooked.
 * The first series to introduce original characters with no connection to the Railway Series.
 * Alec Baldwin's first series as the US narrator.
 * The first series not to air on Shining Time Station due to the show ending around 1996. Episodes from this series (as well as the first four) were aired on FOX Family's Storytime with Thomas.
 * The first series to use a Proteus 2000 to compose the music.
 * The first series not dubbed in Ukrainian and the only one until the twenty-first series.
 * The first series to air in Canada.
 * The first series dubbed by The Maidstone Studios.
 * The first series narrated by Kim Il for re-dub in South Korea.
 * The first series aired by EBS, Tooniverse and Daekyo Kids TV in South Korea.
 * The first series that released completely on DVD in South Korea.
 * The first series released on DVD by Adongmoonhak.
 * The first series to feature stereo audio in Albania.
 * The first series to feature stereo audio for DVD in South Korea.
 * The first series to have two dubs until the twelfth series in South Korea, but they had three dubs.
 * The first series that was not aired on television in Sweden.
 * The first series in which the phrase, "confusion and delay" is said.
 * The first series in which Elsbridge and Knapford do not appear.
 * The first series to feature Thomas' unused alarmed and jolly faces from the third series.
 * The first series to feature Gordon's unused astonished face from the second series.
 * The first series to feature Bertie's unused surprised face from the second series.
 * The first series to introduce new faces for Thomas (a new disgusted face which would appear throughout the model era, albeit eyebrows changing from the sixth to seventh series and again from the eighth series, his chuckling face modified with more teeth added), Henry (his puzzled/disgusted face), Gordon (his wincing face and his new shameful/unhappy face which appears in the episode A Better View for Gordon) and Percy (his yawning face and a modified version of his second series smug/calm face).
 * The first series to feature George's unused panicked and sad faces from the fourth series.
 * The first series where Thomas' original disgusted face and his sad face does not appear throughout the series. However, a deleted scene in the episode Snow shows Thomas wearing his original disgusted face.
 * The first series where Percy's upset face does not appeared throughout the series.
 * The first series where Peter Sam appears, but does not speak since his introduction.
 * The first appearance of Oliver's shocked face.
 * The first series where Toad the brake van has a leading role in an episode, Busy Going Backwards.
 * The first appearance of Henry's ill face since the first series episode, The Flying Kipper.
 * The first series where food items are transported in open wagons.
 * The first series to refer Sudrian locations by their actual names instead of nicknames such as "the big station" or "the harbour".
 * The first series dubbed at "Studio Hamburg Synchron" in Germany. It was also the first series featuring Henning Stegelmann as the translator and dialogue director of the German dub.
 * According to an interview with David Mitton before his death in 2008, this series was supposed to be a showcase for Thomas and the Magic Railroad.
 * This series features more songs than any other, at a total of ten.
 * This was also the final series of several things:
 * The last series made by Gullane Entertainment under its original name The Britt Allcroft Company.
 * Britt Allcroft's final series as writer and producer.
 * David Mitton's final series as producer.
 * Angus Wright's last series as executive producer.
 * The last series to premiere in the UK on Cartoon Network. This is also the last time the franchise would debut on said network in an English-speaking country until Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go over 20 years later.
 * The last series filmed completely in 4:3 full screen.
 * The last series to be released on VHS in New Zealand, albeit incomplete.
 * The last series to feature BoCo.
 * The last series shown first to run fully on American television until the eighth series. Series 6 would be released exclusively on home video in the United States until 2005 and Series 7 would run concurrently with Series 8.
 * The last series shown in Germany, Latin America and Brazil until the eighth series.
 * The last series DVD released by DVD Acadamy in South Korea.
 * The last series to have voice over English dubs in South Korea.
 * The last series to have two dubs in Poland.
 * The last series to have a railway consultant until the seventeenth series.
 * It is also the last series until the same series where Annie and Clarabel speak in more than one episode.
 * The last series where Thomas' shocked face has a bucktooth. Also the last appearance of his cheerful face and his concerned face with raised eyebrows. From the next series onwards, his concerned face, his shocked as well as his angry faces would have straight triangle eyebrows.
 * The last series to feature a duplicated version of James' happy face where is the bottom jaw is slightly more pointed.
 * The last series in the main show where Thomas and Percy's original wincing faces are used on-screen. A new one would later be made for Thomas in the seventh series, and a new one would be made for Percy in the eighth series.
 * The last series to use the sound effects in Dolby Surround Sound for diesel engines, though the sound system is still used for steam engines, road vehicles, rolling stock and people.
 * The last series where the supports under Thomas' whistle were painted gold.
 * The last series to have all its episodes released on VHS in the UK and Australia.
 * The last series where Thomas and Percy's original smiling faces were used on-screen.
 * The last series where Henry's faces have small eyebrows. From the next series onwards, his eyebrows would be longer and arc more.
 * The last appearance of James' annoyed face (not counting Thomas and the Magic Railroad). From the next series onwards, his eyebrows would be modified to represent a concerned face.
 * The last appearance of Skarloey, Rheneas, Peter Sam, Rusty and Duncan's small scale faces.
 * The last series released in the 1990s, and the last series released in the 20th century.
 * The last series before the release of Thomas and the Magic Railroad.
 * The last series to use the nameboards in the UK. However, the nameboards would last up to the seventh series for the US and Japan.
 * The last series that Thomas' chuckling face appears with less teeth.
 * The last series narrated by Manfred Steffen in Germany.
 * The last series aired by TVP3 for original Polish dub in Poland.
 * The last series that not released music video completely on DVD in South Korea.
 * This was also the only series of several things:
 * David Maidment's only series as railway consultant and writer.
 * The only series where Donald appears without Douglas, although the latter appears in music videos.
 * The only series where Diesel does not appear since his introduction in the second series.
 * Despite not appearing in any released episodes, Diesel does make a few appearances in music videos and a deleted shot from Cranky Bugs.
 * The only series without an appearance of Knapford Station. It seemed to be replaced by Kirk Ronan Station in this series.
 * The only series recorded in 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound, hence the absence of certain sound effects and music cues in the UK dub of several episodes. They were combined in the UK and Korean dubs for the two Korean DVDs, The Stories that Gives Enlightenment and Friends Love Story.
 * The only series to feature Thomas' unused excited face from the third series.
 * The only series to feature Skarloey's unused angry face from the fourth series.
 * The only series that was not released completely on VHS in New Zealand (the only two episodes that were not released on VHS in the country were Bye George! and Something in the Air). This was likely because the fifth series videos were released alongside several compilation titles.
 * Michael Angelis was not credited in the opening titles for the UK dub. However, he is credited as narrator in the Hindi dub, even though they were re-dubbed their respective languages, and Alec Baldwin was credited in the opening titles for the US, Spanish and French dubs.
 * The Korean DVD of Make Someone Happy credited Alec Baldwin as the narrator, even though they were re-dubbed in their respective language.
 * In the Korean dub of Make Someone Happy, Alec Baldwin's dub can be heard in the background as a dubbing track was not used.
 * In the Vietnamese dub, Michael Angelis' dub can be heard in the background as a dubbing track was not used.
 * Starting with this series up to the twelfth series, the brake sound effect from the 1964 war film, The Train, would be used when an engine puts on the brakes.
 * This series was filmed in the same room that TUGS was filmed in.
 * The Japanese video game Magical Adventure utilised specially shot footage from this series.
 * Out of all the Skarloey Railway engines introduced in the previous series, Duke and Sir Handel were the only ones not to make a physical appearance in this series.
 * According to a news article in Daily Mirror, this series was planned to air on the BBC. Had this series aired on the BBC as initially planned, it would have been the first in the television series to do so.
 * 18 rushes on hi-8 tape of this series are currently in the possession of Twitter/YouTube user ThomasTankMerch.