List of References in Thomas the Tank Engine

The following is a list of references in The Railway Series, Thomas & Friends, Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go, and other media revolving around Thomas the Tank Engine.

The Three Railway Engines

 * The rhyme at the beginning of the story The Sad Story of Henry is a reference to a vintage children's book featuring an anthropomorphic steam locomotive from 1902 with a similar rhyme.

Edward the Blue Engine

 * In the story Saved from Scrap, Trevor mentions that he needs some paint, polish and Brasso to be as good as new. The latter was a real-life brand of metal polish.

Duck and the Diesel Engine

 * The title of the second story, Pop Goes the Diesel, as well as the song sung by the trucks, are references to the nursery rhyme "Pop Goes the Weasel".

The Twin Engines

 * The second story, The Missing Coach, has Gordon and Henry teasing Donald and Douglas for their deep toned whistles. Gordon compares them to Tugboat Annie, a 1933 MGM film about a tough old widow who captains a tugboat.

Oliver the Western Engine

 * The name of the first story, which is Donald's Duck, is a reference to the Disney cartoon character, Donald Duck.
 * In the third story, Toad Stands By, the trucks sing Pop Goes Old Ollie, a reference to the nursery rhyme "Pop Goes the Weasel".

Duke the Lost Engine

 * The name of the final story, Sleeping Beauty, is a reference to the European fairy tale of the same name.

Tramway Engines

 * In the first story, Ghost Train, Percy and Toby's exchange during their prank spoofs The Three Little Pigs.

Series 1
The Sad Story of Henry
 * Like the original story in The Railway Series, the rhyme at the beginning of the episode is a reference to a vintage children's book featuring an anthropomorphic steam locomotive from 1902 with a similar rhyme.

Series 2
Pop Goes the Diesel
 * Like the original story in The Railway Series, the title of this episode and the song sung by the trucks are references to the nursery rhyme "Pop Goes the Weasel".

Ghost Train
 * As with the original story in The Railway Series, Percy and Toby's exchange during their prank spoofs The Three Little Pigs.

Series 3
Donald's Duck
 * Like the original story in The Railway Series, the title of this episode is a reference to the Disney cartoon character, Donald Duck.

Buzz, Buzz
 * The vicar thanks James for saving his bees and laments that it is not Christmas, otherwise they could call him "James the Red-Nosed Engine", referencing the traditional Christmas song, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Escape
 * Oliver's theme during his escape from scrap is a musical variation of the main theme to the 1963 film, The Great Escape.

Series 4
Sleeping Beauty
 * Like the original story in The Railway Series, the title of this episode is a reference to the European fairy tale and Disney movie of the same name.

Toad Stands By
 * As with the original story in The Railway Series, the song Pop Goes Old Ollie is a reference to the nursery rhyme "Pop Goes the Weasel".

Series 5
Stepney Gets Lost
 * Stepney says "There's no place like home", a direct quote from the 1939 MGM film, The Wizard of Oz.

Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday
 * The Fat Controller ducks to avoid Tiger Moth in a manner similar to the crop duster scene from the Alfred Hitchcock film, North By Northwest.

Rusty and the Boulder
 * Boulder's rampage is heavily inspired by the Indiana Jones film, Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Series 6
Toby Had a Little Lamb
 * The episode is named after the nursery rhyme, "Mary Had a Little Lamb".

Series 7
Harold and the Flying Horse
 * As the Fat Controller points out, Pegasus the carthorse is named after a flying horse in Greek mythology, particularly the story of Hercules.

Jack and the Sodor Construction Company
A Happy Day for Percy
 * Alfie's line, "Mud, glorious mud!" comes from the chorus of the popular Flanders and Swann song, The Hippopotamus.

'''The Tortoise and the Hare
 * This episode is based on and named after Aesop's fable of the same name.

Mud Glorious Mud
 * The title is a line from the chorus of the popular Flanders and Swann song, The Hippopotamus.

Series 8
Edward the Great Squeak, Rattle and Roll
 * The title of the episode is named after an Achaemenid-Persian military king from Iran, Cyrus the Great.
 * The concept of Spencer falling asleep and unintentionally allowing Edward to overtake him by having him win the race is based on Aesop's fable, The Tortoise and the Hare.
 * This episode is named after the Joe Turner song "Shake, Rattle and Roll".

Series 10
Wharf and Peace
 * This episode is named after Leo Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace".

Series 11
Cool Truckings
 * This episode is named after the 1993 Disney film, "Cool Runnings".

Series 15
Let it Snow
 * The episode's title is a reference to the Christmas song, "Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!" by Vaughn Monroe.

Stuck on You
 * This episode is named after the Elvis Presley song of the same name.

Tale of the Brave

 * The scene of the Fat Controller's silhouette walking onscreen in the intro is similar to that of the intro from classic anthology television series, Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
 * Marion makes a reference to William Shakespeare's tragedy "Hamlet" when she catches the fossil of the dinosaur skull in her bucket and exclaims "Alas, poor dinosaur".

Series 19
Diesel's Ghostly Christmas
 * The entire episode is based off of Charles Dickens' novel "A Christmas Carol," with Diesel playing the role of Ebenezer Scrooge.

Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure

 * The second time Skiff tells Sailor John that they need to leave, the former sings part of the Banana Boat Song.

Series 20
Love Me Tender
 * This episode is named after the Elvis Presley song and film of the same name.

Three Steam Engines Gruff
 * This episode is based around the fairy tale of The Three Billy Goats Gruff; the story is also mentioned in the episode by Percy and Toby.

The Great Race

 * When Thomas asks Victor to repaint him, one of the liveries seen in the fantasy sequence features a red and blue lightning bolt over his right eye, resembling the late singer David Bowie, who sported a similar lightning bolt on his face for the cover of his album Aladdin Sane.

Series 21
Springtime for Diesel
 * This episode is named after Springtime for Hitler, a fictional musical in Mel Brooks' 1968 film The Producers, his 2001 Broadway Musical adaptation of the original film and Susan Stroman's 2005 remake of the former film.

Series 22
Thomas Goes to Bollywood
 * The episode's title is a reference to the English pop band, "Frankie Goes to Hollywood".
 * The film in Thomas' fantasy is entitled Big Hero One, which may be a reference to the 2014 Disney film and Marvel comic book series Big Hero 6.

School of Duck
 * The episode's title is a pun on the 2003 film and 2016 Nickelodeon television show, School of Rock.

Apology Impossible
 * The title is likely a reference to the Mission Impossible film franchise.

Series 23
Heart of Gold
 * The title of the episode is a reference to the Neil Young song of the same name and the 1956 Talyllyn Railway documentary "Railway with a Heart of Gold".

Diesel Do Right
 * The title is likely a reference to the cartoon Dudley Do Right from The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends.
 * The fantasy sequence is a reference to the intro song of the show itself at the time.

First Day on Sodor!
 * The fantasy sequence with the Road Finisher is a parody of the Terminator franchise.

Steam Team to the Rescue
 * Thomas references Braveheart when he rallies the Steam Team.

Mines of Mystery
 * The fantasy sequence is a parody of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Series 24
Thomas and the Inventor's Workshop
 * Thomas racing towards the electrical wire is a homage to the 1985 movie, Back to the Future.

Series 1
License to Deliver


 * The episode's title is a reference to the James (no pun intended) Bond movie License to Kill.
 * Percy's nickname "Agent 006" is a reference to Bond's codename, Agent 007.

Rules of the Game


 * The episode's title is a reference to the 1939 film, The Rules of the Game, as well as the Geronimo Stilton animated series episode of the same name.

Counting Cows


 * The title is a reference to the 1991 rock band, Counting Crows.

Music is Everywhere


 * The episode's song with the same name is a parody of the nursery song, Wheels on the Bus.

The Tiger Train


 * The beginning of Sir Topham Hatt's speech is a reference to Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.

Thomas and Percy's Eggsellent Adventure


 * This episode's title is a reference to Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.

A Wonderful World
 * The title of this episode is likely a reference to both the 1967 song "What a Wonderful World" and Disney's long-running anthology TV series The Wonderful World of Disney.

Tyrannosaurus Wrecks


 * The episode's song, Feet, Tailbone, Ribs and Claws is a parody of the popular children's song, Head, Shoulders Knees and Toes.

Letting Off Steam


 * Percy saying "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can" when going up the hill is a reference to another famous train literature The Little Engine That Could.

More Cowbell
 * This episode is named after the Saturday Night Live sketch of the same name.

Series 2
Percy Disappears


 * Percy chanting, "I think I can, I think I can" when climbing up the mountain is a direct reference to The Little Engine That Could.

Shake, Rattle and Bruno
 * This episode is named after the Joe Turner song "Shake, Rattle and Roll".

Brand New Track


 * The title of the episode's song, Stuck in the Mud at Night is a reference to the 1972 song, "Stuck in the Middle with You" by Stealers Wheel.

Whiteout! What's in a Name?
 * Percy references the lyrics to the traditional Christmas song, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.


 * The episode's name is a direct reference to a line Juliet makes in the Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet.

The Mystery of Lookout Mountain

 * The title of the movie's song, A Whole New Place is a reference to the song A Whole New World from the 1992 Disney animated film, Aladdin.

Miscellaneous Thomas Media

 * The "Big Galaxy Big Adventures" sub-series of the Thomas Creator Collective official web series is a parody of the Star Wars series.