Series 18

The eighteenth series of Thomas & Friends first aired on TV on 25 August 2014 in the UK and on 4 November 2014 in the US. It contained twenty-six episodes. Like the seventeenth series, five episodes were released on DVD in the US the April before airing on television. It concluded airing on TV in the UK on 31 July 2015.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Duck
 * Oliver
 * Emily
 * Bill and Ben
 * Harvey
 * Spencer
 * Stanley
 * Hiro
 * Charlie
 * Scruff
 * Stephen
 * Connor
 * Caitlin
 * Porter
 * Gator
 * Timothy
 * Marion
 * Diesel
 * Mavis
 * Salty
 * Den
 * Dart
 * Paxton
 * Sidney
 * Stafford
 * Skarloey
 * Rheneas
 * Peter Sam
 * Rusty
 * Victor
 * Luke
 * Millie
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Henrietta
 * Troublesome Trucks
 * Toad
 * Rocky
 * Bertie
 * Captain
 * Cranky
 * Owen
 * Reg
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Dowager Hatt
 * Mr. Percival
 * Sir Robert Norramby
 * Sir Topham Hatt's Blond-haired Assistant
 * The Dock Manager
 * The Teacher
 * The Blond-haired Boy
 * The Bird Watcher
 * The Schoolchildren
 * The Groundsman
 * The Welsh Bird Watcher
 * The Lady with the Big Hat
 * Whiff
 * Belle
 * Kevin
 * Harold
 * The Duchess of Boxford
 * Sir Topham Hatt's Brown-haired Assistant
 * Rosie
 * Ferdinand
 * 'Arry and Bert
 * Norman
 * Sir Handel
 * Winston
 * Merrick
 * Farmer McColl
 * Headkeeper Jack
 * Ffarquhar Quarry Manager
 * The Dairy Manager
 * The Dairy Employees
 * The Ginger-haired Boy
 * Dowager Hatt's Friends
 * The Great Composer
 * The Great Railway Show Judge
 * The Female Puppet Show Entertainer
 * The Man with the Green Waistcoat and Grey Hair
 * Big Mickey
 * Flynn
 * The Goods Depot Foreman
 * Elizabeth II
 * Sodor United Football Team
 * Allicia Botti
 * Bash

Returning Characters

 * Duncan
 * Father Christmas
 * Tom Tipper

Characters Introduced

 * Samson
 * Slip Coaches
 * The Grumpy Passenger
 * The Deputy Minister
 * The Blue Mountain Quarry Manager

Locations

 * Island of Sodor
 * Blue Mountain Quarry
 * Blondin Bridge
 * Bluff's Cove
 * Brendam Docks
 * Brendam Warehouse
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * Crovan's Gate
 * Skarloey Engine Sheds
 * Sodor Steamworks
 * Victor's Shed
 * Dryaw
 * Dryaw Airfield
 * Ffarquhar Quarry
 * Mavis' Shed
 * Glennock
 * Gordon's Hill
 * Kellsthorpe Road
 * Knapford
 * Knapford Iron Bridge
 * Knapford Yards
 * M.C. Bunn
 * Maithwaite
 * Maron
 * McColl's Farm
 * Rail Under Road Bridge and Signalbox
 * Rheneas Viaduct
 * Sodor Animal Park
 * Sodor Castle
 * Sodor China Clay Company
 * Sodor Dairy
 * The Coal Hopper
 * The Depot
 * The Duke and Duchess of Boxford's Summer House
 * The Fenland Track
 * Three-Track Level Crossing
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Tidmouth Engine Works
 * Tidmouth Goods Station
 * Tidmouth Town Square
 * Ulfstead Castle
 * The Dinosaur Park
 * Ulfstead Mine
 * Valley View
 * Vicarstown Bridge
 * Vicarstown Dieselworks
 * Vicarstown Diesel Sheds
 * Wellsworth
 * Crocks Scrap Yard
 * Wellsworth Junction
 * Wellsworth Yards
 * Whiff's Waste Dump
 * Crosby
 * Black Loch
 * Ffarquhar
 * Great Waterton
 * Cros-ny-Cuirn
 * Sodor Search and Rescue Centre
 * Vicarstown
 * Sodor Museum
 * The Mainland
 * The Great Western Railway Station
 * The First Mainland Station

Half Hour Format
When Series 18 aired on PBS Kids in the US, each broadcast included two episodes, a song, a Mr. Perkins' Railway segment and Guess Who? Puzzle segments. When the series was broadcast on Nick Jr., the segments were omitted.

Fast & Reliable

 * Old Reliable Edward
 * Song: On a Journey Today
 * Mr. Perkins' Railway: Power on the Railway
 * Not So Slow Coaches

There's Always a Good Explanation

 * Flatbeds of Fear
 * Song: Searching Everywhere
 * Mr. Perkins' Railway: Sounds of the Railway
 * Disappearing Diesels

Special Friends

 * Toad’s Adventure
 * Song: Hey, Hey Thomas!
 * Mr. Perkins' Railway: End of the Day
 * Duck and the Slip Coaches

Please Be Patient

 * Thomas the Quarry Engine
 * Song: On a Journey Today
 * Mr. Perkins' Railway: Wash Down
 * Duck in the Water

Signals & Alarms

 * Signals Crossed
 * Song: Hey, Hey Thomas
 * Mr. Perkins' Railway: Railway Signals
 * Thomas and the Emergency Cable

Going Underground

 * Marion and the Pipe
 * Song: Let's Be Brave
 * Mr. Perkins' Railway: Miniature Railway
 * Missing Gator

Christmas Cheer

 * Duncan the Humbug
 * Song: It's Christmas Time
 * Mr. Perkins' Railway: Who Works on the Railway?
 * The Perfect Gift

Passengers

 * Duncan and the Grumpy Passenger
 * Song: Working Together
 * Mr. Perkins' Railway: Different Types of Engines
 * Spencer’s VIP

Illuminating Minds

 * No Steam Without Coal
 * Song: Monsters Everywhere
 * Mr. Perkins' Railway: How Steam Engines Use Coal
 * Toad’s Bright Idea

Coming Home for Christmas

 * Last Train for Christmas
 * Song: It's Christmas Time
 * Mr. Perkins' Railway: Railway Maintenance
 * Long Lost Friend

Recycle Recycle Recycle!

 * Timothy and the Rainbow Car
 * Song: Let's Be Brave
 * Mr. Perkins' Railway: Different Types of Engines
 * Samson Sent for Scrap

Jurassic Sodor

 * Marion and the Dinosaurs
 * Song: Monsters Everywhere
 * Mr. Perkins' Railway: How Steam Engines Use Water
 * Millie and the Volcano

Special Deliveries

 * Emily Saves the World
 * Song: Searching Everywhere
 * Mr. Perkins' Railway: Turning Around
 * Samson at Your Service

UK

 * Ben Small as Thomas, Toby, Rheneas, the Troublesome Trucks and Owen
 * Keith Wickham as Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, Harvey, Salty, Den, Stafford, Skarloey, Bertie, Captain, Sir Topham Hatt, Mr. Percival, Dowager Hatt, the Wellsworth Stationmaster, Some Workmen, one of Sir Topham Hatt's Assistants, Some Passengers, Thomas' Guard, the Grumpy Passenger, Gator's Driver, the Steamworks Worker, the Groundsman, the Postman and the Bird Watcher
 * Teresa Gallagher as Emily, Mavis, Annie, Clarabel, the Teacher, the Blond-haired Boy, the Lady with the Big Hat, Station Speakers, Some Passengers and Some Children
 * Kerry Shale as Diesel
 * Steven Kynman as Duck, Porter, Paxton, Dart, Peter Sam and the third Slip Coach
 * Togo Igawa as Hiro
 * Michael Legge as Luke
 * Jonathan Forbes as Connor
 * Rebecca O'Mara as Caitlin and the second Slip Coach
 * Matt Wilkinson as Stanley, Spencer, Charlie, Scruff, Rusty, Rocky, Cranky, the Dock Manager, Some Workmen and the Man with the Hat
 * Miranda Raison as Millie and the Knapford station speaker
 * Jonathan Broadbent as Bill, Ben and the first Slip Coach
 * Clive Mantle as Gator
 * Maggie Ollerenshaw as Henrietta
 * Olivia Colman as Marion
 * Bob Golding as Stephen and Sidney
 * Tim Whitnall as Timothy, Reg and the Deputy Minister
 * Joe Mills as Oliver, Toad and the Welsh Bird Watcher
 * Tom Stourton as Duncan
 * David Bedella as Victor
 * Robert Wilfort as Samson
 * Mike Grady as Sir Robert Norramby

US

 * Martin Sherman as Thomas, Percy and Diesel
 * William Hope as Edward, Toby, Rocky and the Dock Manager
 * Kerry Shale as Henry, Gordon, James, Scruff, Sir Topham Hatt, Mr. Percival, Some Passengers and Some Workmen
 * Keith Wickham as Harvey, Salty, Den, Stafford, Skarloey, Bertie, Captain, Dowager Hatt, the Wellsworth Stationmaster, Some Passengers, Thomas' Conductor, the Grumpy Passenger, the Groundsman, the Postman and the Bird Watcher
 * Teresa Gallagher as Mavis, Annie, Clarabel, the Teacher, the Lady with the Big Hat, Station Speakers, Some Passengers and Some Children
 * Jules de Jongh as Emily, The Blond-haired Boy, Some Passengers and Some Children
 * Steven Kynman as Duck, Paxton, Dart, Peter Sam and the third Slip Coach
 * Jonathan Forbes as Connor
 * Rebecca O'Mara as Caitlin and the second Slip Coach
 * Togo Igawa as Hiro
 * Ben Small as Stanley, Charlie, Rheneas, the Troublesome Trucks and Owen
 * Michael Legge as Luke
 * Miranda Raison as Millie and the Knapford Station Speaker
 * Jonathan Broadbent as Bill, Ben and the first Slip Coach
 * Bob Golding as Stephen and Sidney
 * David Menkin as Porter
 * Glenn Wrage as Spencer, Cranky, one of Sir Topham Hatt's Assistants, Gator's Driver and the Steamworks Worker
 * Matt Wilkinson as Rusty, Some Passengers and some Workmen
 * Olivia Colman as Marion
 * Maggie Ollerenshaw as Henrietta
 * Clive Mantle as Gator
 * Tim Whitnall as Timothy, Reg, the Deputy Minister and the Man with the Hat
 * Joe Mills as Oliver, Toad and the Welsh Bird Watcher
 * Tom Stourton as Duncan
 * David Bedella as Victor
 * Robert Wilfort as Samson
 * Mike Grady as Sir Robert Norramby

Trivia

 * Episodes one to ten have a copyright of 2013; the rest have a copyright of 2014.
 * The final six episodes of this series were sold to PBS, Milkshake, ABC, FOUR, Minimax and JimJam as part of the Series 19 block, despite being produced with eighteenth series.
 * This series marks the first of a few things:
 * Duncan, Toad and Tom Tipper's first appearance in full CGI.
 * Crovan's Gate, Sodor Castle, Rheneas Viaduct, the Woodland Way, and Glennock's first appearance in full CGI.
 * Henrietta gains a face for the first time in the television series since the The Railway Series.
 * The first series to have an episode set during the events of the series's special.
 * The first series to have Tim Whitnall, Olivia Colman, Clive Mantle, Maggie Ollerenshaw, Joe Mills, Tom Stourton and Robert Wilfort as part of the voice cast.
 * The first series in which Kevin does not have a speaking role since his debut.
 * The first series in which Connor speaks in all of his appearances.
 * The first series in which Diesel 10 does not appear since his first appearance in an episode in the seventeenth series.
 * The first series in which Belle appears without Flynn.
 * The first series of the CGI series not followed in chronological order by a special, as the next special, The Adventure Begins, is a retelling of the Railway Series.
 * The first series to not have a half-hour airing in Latin America and Brazil.
 * This is the only series in which Whiff appears, but does not speak since his introduction.
 * This series marked the last of a few things:
 * The last series to have Ben Small and Martin Sherman as part of the voice cast:
 * John Hasler and Joseph May took over the role of Thomas for their respective dubs in The Adventure Begins. Hasler also took over the role of Rheneas in both dubs.
 * Christopher Ragland took over the role of Percy in the US and the Troublesome Trucks in both dubs.
 * Rob Rackstraw took over the role of Toby in the UK, Stanley in the US, Flynn and Owen in both dubs.
 * Kerry Shale took over the role of Diesel in the US.
 * Steven Kynman took the role of Charlie in the US.
 * The last series to have episodes written by Paul Larson and Laura Beaumont until the twenty-fourth series. This is also the only series, since he returned in the seventeenth series, not to have any episodes written by Lee Pressman until the twenty-third series.
 * The last series to have Keith Wickham as the voice of Percy in the UK dub. Nigel Pilkington takes over the role starting with the nineteenth series.
 * The last series to have Sir Topham Hatt and James voiced by Kerry Shale in the US. Keith Wickham and Rob Rackstraw took over the respective roles beginning in The Adventure Begins.
 * The last series to have Malay dub.
 * The final series where the original CGI intro and credits from the Nitrogen era are used. This is also the final series with the original rendition of the Engine Roll Call. Despite this, a few latest DVD releases which contained nineteenth series (with some sixteenth series or eighteenth series) episodes retain these. When the six episodes from Dinos and Discoveries aired on PBS Kids in May 2016, it used the nineteenth series Engine Roll Call, opening and ending.
 * The last series to feature Ferdinand physically.
 * The last series where the word "Whistle" is not translated in Korean.
 * This is the second series not to feature Stephen Hatt.
 * Like the seventeenth series, although Arc Productions had officially taken over the animation aspects of the television series, the episodes still used the opening titles and closing credits made by Nitrogen Studios. This was the final series to use their opening and closing footage and from the nineteenth series, the opening and closing footage were made by Arc Productions.
 * According to Ryan Hagan of SiF, the episodes in Spills and Thrills were going to be part of this series.
 * In the Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Baltic Russian and Vietnamese dubs, the UK dub can be heard in the background as a dubbing track was not used.
 * In the Romanian, Norwegian Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Serbian, Czech, Polish, Baltic Russian, Ukrainian, Greek, Turkish, Indonesian, Thai, Chinese Mandarin, Taiwanese Mandarin and Cantonese dubs, credited Mark Moraghan as the narrator, even though they were re-dubbed their respective languages.
 * In the European Portuguese and Russian dubs of JimJam airings, credited Mark Moraghan as the narrator, even though they were re-dubbed their respective languages.

Staffel 18 Temporada 18 העונה השמונה עשרה 第18シーズン Sesong 18 Seria 18 Сезон 18 第18季