PBS

PBS (or The Public Broadcasting Service) is an American public broadcaster and television program distributor made up of more than 350 member television stations. PBS is an independently operated non-profit organization, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, United States.

It aired Shining Time Station (starting on 29th January 1989), along with other kids shows during the PTV Park era in the mid-1990s. Its primary fundraiser is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It began airing Thomas & Friends in its normal form under the PBS Kids banner on 5th September 2004, using the airings from Nick Jr. in the UK, redubbing it with Michael Brandon's narration and starting the airings with pairings featuring two episodes from Series 8 with a Series 7 episode in between. Thomas & Friends then aired on PBS in the United States on weekends with new episodes on Saturdays. In 2011, Thomas & Friends started appearing more often on weekdays. On 15th May 2013, PBS Kids announced that Thomas & Friends would move to the daily schedule on weekdays, which started on 7th October 2013, when Series 17 premiered, due to an increase in ratings of nearly 110 million households. The model episodes stopped airing on 13th September 2013, in favor of the CGI Series. A microsite was added on the PBS Kids website as well. An underwriting spot was added on 21st September 2013, with then-narrator of Thomas & Friends, Mark Moraghan, announcing it replacing the Rev W Awdry's Letter segment and the Welcome to the Island of Sodor opening.

On 16th January 2017, PBS launched a brand new 24/7/365 channel, called PBS Kids Channel. Thomas & Friends aired in a daily hour-long slot at 11 am ET/PT and 10 am Central.

Starting on 15th December 2017, Thomas & Friends aired on Nickelodeon for a limited time, but on 19th December 2017, the PBS Kids website was removed. The Thomas & Friends partnership with PBS ended on 31st December 2017. It began airing full time on Nick Jr. starting on 12th March 2018.

Season 1

 * 1)  ― Thomas Gets Tricked / Edward Helps Out
 * 2)  ― Come Out, Henry! / Henry to the Rescue
 * 3)  ― A Big Day for Thomas / Trouble for Thomas
 * 4)  ― Thomas Saves the Day / James Learns a Lesson
 * 5)  ― Foolish Freight Cars / A Proud Day for James
 * 6)  ― Thomas and the Conductor / Thomas Goes Fishing
 * 7)  ― Terence the Tractor / Thomas and Bertie's Great Race
 * 8)  ― Tenders and Turntables / Trouble in the Shed
 * 9)  ― Percy Runs Away / Thomas Comes to Breakfast
 * 10)  ― Henry's Special Coal / The Flying Kipper
 * 11)  ― Toby the Tram Engine / Thomas Breaks the Rules
 * 12)  ― A Cow on the Line / Old Iron
 * 13)  ― Double Trouble / James in a Mess
 * 14)  ― Duck Takes Charge / Percy Proves a Point
 * 15)  ― Better Late Than Never / Pop Goes the Diesel
 * 16)  ― Diesel's Devious Deed / A Close Shave for Duck
 * 17)  ― Gordon Takes a Dip / Down the Mine
 * 18)  ― The Runaway / Percy Takes the Plunge
 * 19)  ― Percy's Ghostly Trick / Woolly Bear
 * 20)  ― Saved from Scrap / A New Friend for Thomas

'Tis a Gift (November 25th, 1990)

 * Terence the Tractor / Thomas' Christmas Party
 * Thomas' Christmas Party / Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree

Season 2

 * 1)  ― Percy's Ghostly Trick / Thomas, Percy and the Dragon
 * 2)  ― Diesel's Devious Deed / No Joke for James
 * 3)  ― Old Iron / Edward's Exploit
 * 4)  ― Double Trouble / Gordon and the Famous Visitor
 * 5)  ― Donald and Douglas / The Deputation
 * 6)  ― Trust Thomas / Whistles and Sneezes
 * 7)  ― James in a Mess / The Trouble with Mud
 * 8)  ― Percy Proves a Point / Thomas and Bertie's Great Race
 * 9)  ― Thomas Saves the Day / Down the Mine
 * 10)  ― Bertie's Chase (short) / Percy's Promise
 * 11)  ― Woolly Bear /  Henry's Forest
 * 12)  ― Pop Goes the Diesel  / Diesel Does it Again
 * 13)  ― Thomas Comes to Breakfast / Thomas Gets Bumped
 * 14)  ― Percy and the Signal / A Big Day for Thomas
 * 15)  ― Thomas, Percy and the Mail Train
 * 16)  ― The Diseasel / Donald's Duck
 * 17)  ― Thomas Goes Fishing / A Scarf for Percy
 * 18)  ― Mavis / Toby's Tightrope
 * 19)  ― Time for Trouble / Trouble for Thomas
 * 20)  ― Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party

Season 3

 * 1)  ― All at Sea
 * 2)  ― Percy, James and the Fruitful Day
 * 3)  ― Bulgy
 * 4)  ― James Goes Buzz Buzz
 * 5)  ― Tenders and Turntables / Trouble in the Shed
 * 6)  ― A New Friend for Thomas
 * 7)  ― Thomas and Percy's Mountain Adventure
 * 8)  ― Thomas and the Conductor / A Cow on the Line
 * 9)  ― A Close Shave for Duck
 * 10)  ― Percy Takes the Plunge
 * 11)  ― Heroes
 * 12)  ― Gordon Takes a Dip
 * 13)  ― Escape
 * 14)  ― Thomas Gets Tricked
 * 15)  ― Oliver Owns Up
 * 16)  ― Tender Engines
 * 17)  ― Wrong Road
 * 18)  ― Percy Runs Away
 * 19)  ― Come Out, Henry! / Henry to the Rescue
 * 20)  ― Henry's Special Coal / The Flying Kipper
 * 21)  ― One Good Turn
 * 22)  ― Better Late Than Never
 * 23)  ― James Learns a Lesson / Foolish Freight Cars
 * 24)  ― Duck Takes Charge
 * 25)  ― Toby the Tram Engine / Thomas Breaks the Rules

Family Specials

 * 1)  ― Rusty to the Rescue / Thomas and Stepney
 * 2)  ― Granpuff / Sleeping Beauty
 * 3)  ― Toad Stands By / Thomas and the Special Letter
 * 4)  ― Thomas Meets the Queen / Special Attraction

Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales

 * 1)  ― Bulls Eyes / Train Stops Play / Percy's Ghostly Trick / Thomas, Percy and the Dragon / Special Funnel / Really Useful Engine
 * 2)  ― Four Little Engines / Trouble for Thomas / Toad Stands By / Thomas Saves the Day / Rusty Helps Peter Sam / Toby
 * 3)  ― Thomas, Percy and the Mail Train / Mind that Bike / Rock 'n' Roll / Home at Last / Thomas and the Special Letter / The Island Song
 * 4)  ― A Bad Day for Sir Handel / Steam Roller / Old Iron / Double Trouble / Bowled Out / Don't Judge a Book by its Cover
 * 5)  ― Passengers and Polish / Gallant Old Engine / Bertie's Chase (extended) / Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady / You Can't Win / Gone Fishing
 * 6)  ― Come Out, Henry! / Fish / Whistles and Sneezes / Henry and the Elephant / Bulldog / Let's Have a Race

Trivia

 * On 10th February 2018, a Thomas & Friends promo from the CGI Series aired on a PBS station by accident which promoted Thomas & Friends on the PBS Kids block, despite the series' partnership with PBS being expired by the time the promo aired. The same thing also happened in 2021 on PBS affiliate KLCS DT2. And in 2022, a PBS station in Idaho aired multiple Thomas & Friends promos and multiple times, presumably by accident as well. Thomas and footage from the show can also still be seen on a few promos for PBS which have not been updated.
 * During the airings for the Series 19 episodes, PBS had mistaken a few Series 18 episodes as part of it on an advertisement for the episodes' airings.
 * Journey Beyond Sodor was the last special of the series to be broadcasted on PBS.