Mines of Mystery

"You're our very own legendary adventurer, Thomas!"

- Jack

Mines of Mystery is the third and final double-length episode of the twenty-third series and is the second half of Digs and Discoveries.

Plot
Thomas wants to impress his friends by finding an amazing discovery. It is not long before his wish is granted, although not in the way he had expected.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gina
 * Lorenzo
 * Beppe
 * Jack
 * Alfie
 * Oliver
 * Max and Monty
 * Brenda
 * Ester
 * Stefano
 * The Archeologists
 * Gordon
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Byron
 * Kevin

Locations

 * Italy
 * Rome
 * The Colosseum
 * The Italian Construction Site
 * The First Italian Station
 * The Old Italian Mines
 * The Italian Seaside Station
 * Pisa
 * Leaning Tower of Pisa
 * Brazil
 * Amazon Rainforest
 * Island of Sodor
 * The Lead Mines

UK, AUS, NZ and MYS

 * John Hasler as Thomas
 * Anna Francolini as Gina, the Children and the Passengers
 * Vincenzo Nicoli as Lorenzo, Beppe and a Worker
 * Steven Kynman as Jack
 * Tom Stourton as Alfie
 * Tim Whitnall as Oliver and Max
 * Rasmus Hardiker as Monty
 * Teresa Gallagher as Brenda
 * Flaminia Cinque as Ester
 * Antonio Magro as Stefano

US and CAN

 * Joseph May as Thomas
 * Anna Francolini as Gina, the Children and the Passengers
 * Vincenzo Nicoli as Lorenzo, Beppe and a Worker
 * David Menkin as Jack
 * Tom Stourton as Alfie
 * Tim Whitnall as Oliver
 * Kerry Shale as Max
 * Rob Rackstraw as Monty
 * Teresa Gallagher as Brenda
 * Antonio Magro as Stefano

Trivia

 * Production-wise, this episode and its predecessor, All Tracks Lead to Rome, as the two specials that form a two-part story, are placed in the exact middle of the regular-length episodes of the twenty-third series, between Thomas Makes a Mistake (the tenth episode production-wise) and Grudge Match (the eleventh episode production-wise).
 * Stock footage of All Tracks Lead to Rome is used.
 * Jack mentions the events of Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure.
 * A brief instrumental of the Work Song is heard when Thomas and Gina travel to the dig site with the Sodor Construction Company.
 * When Stefano saves Thomas, Lorenzo, and Beppe, the original Thomas & Friends theme composed by Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell is heard.
 * The fantasy sequence is a parody of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.
 * Kevin may have been planned to appear in this episode, as he was featured in multiple pieces of merchandise under the Digs and Discoveries banner. However, he did not make an appearance in any of the episodes featuring Italy or the Sodor Construction Company in the twenty-third series, possibly due to his role being cut at the last minute. Therefore, his only appearance in this series was Gordon Gets the Giggles.
 * This episode marks the first of several things:
 * The first episode where other Sudrian vehicles join Thomas in an international location. Wish You Were Here is the first instance, but only in a fantasy sequence. This is the second time that Sudrian characters have joined Thomas. The first time was Really Useful Around the World: Thomas makes Scary Faces in New Zealand.
 * The first appearance of Brenda.
 * The first appearances of Lorenzo and Beppe outside of their fantasy appearances in the previous episode.
 * The first time since Tale of the Brave to indirectly mention any currently absent pack members; in this case, Byron.
 * Alfie's first appearance since the twentieth series episode, Mucking About, and the first time he is voiced by Tom Stourton after the departure of Nathan Clarke.
 * Jack and Oliver's first speaking roles since the twentieth series episode, Mucking About, and well as Oliver's first appearance since the twenty-first series episode, A Shed for Edward.
 * The first time since the nineteenth series episode, Who's Geoffrey? to feature a vehicle character with a green face.
 * This episode along with the previous marks the only two to feature Andrew Brenner as head writer.
 * This episode marks the last time with a few things:
 * The last time that Thomas says his catchphrase, "Cinders and ashes!"
 * The last episode dubbed in Võru for Kidzone TV.
 * This is the sixth time Thomas crashes down a mine. The first time was in the first series episode, Down the Mine (which was also re-created in CGI in Blue Mountain Mystery), the second was in The Great Discovery, the third was in Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure, the fourth was in Bubbling Boilers and the fifth was in Big World! Big Adventures!.
 * This is the fourth time an engine is lost and gets found. The first being Duke in the fourth series episode, Sleeping Beauty, the second being Lady in Thomas and the Magic Railroad, and the third being Hiro in Hero of the Rails.
 * In Japanese version, the scene of "Funiculì, Funiculà" is replaced by the music video of Legend of the Lost Engine.
 * Alfie is shown to almost be vomiting, because he is sea sick. This is the first episode to show a sentient road vehicle or engine to be able to do so.
 * The plot element of discovering Lorenzo and Beppe was in prototype biographies for Beau towards Big World! Big Adventures!, as it is said that Thomas saved him after he was abandoned. However, this is sort of swapped, as Beau saved Thomas after his crash.

Goofs

 * When Thomas was talking to the Sodor Construction Company, Gina was derailed.
 * When Lorenzo's fire is being stoked up, the cab interior shown is actually Gordon's.
 * When Jack says "I like the sound of this story!" while inside Stefano, only his face moves while his body remains stationary.
 * When Thomas was pulling Lorenzo and Beppe out of the Old Mines, Lorenzo was clean, but seconds later, he was dirty again.
 * Gina’s dome is black after Max and Monty were laughing.
 * When Thomas brakes in the old mine, the squealing sound effect plays before his wheels stop moving.
 * Montserrat Lombard is credited despite not voicing any characters in the episode.
 * In one scene, Alfie's conflat and Oliver's low-loader clip into each other.
 * When Thomas and Gina take the Pack to the dig site, Max and Monty keep switching places as they roll along the road.
 * Max has Monty's horn sound when Thomas almost runs into him.

UK/AUS

 * Digs and Discoveries