A New Arrival

"I've always thought the railway was one of the best inventions ever!"

- Ruth

A New Arrival is the second double-length episode of the twenty-fourth series.

Plot
When Thomas finds out that the Earl's Technology Fair will bring new inventions to Sodor, he fears the Sodor engines will be replaced by new technology, and to prevent it, he sets out to prove that steam engines are the best inventions ever.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Emily
 * Nia
 * Rebecca
 * Harvey
 * Rosie
 * Salty
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Harold
 * Cranky
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Sir Robert Norramby
 * Ruth
 * Baz and Bernie
 * Professor Friedrich
 * Sonny
 * Flying Scotsman
 * Rocky
 * Kenji
 * Connor
 * Caitlin
 * Norman
 * Winston
 * Carly
 * Big Mickey
 * Dr. Holyfield
 * Dr. Hetty
 * Mr. Bubbles
 * A Clown

Locations

 * Island of Sodor
 * Maithwaite
 * Ulfstead Castle
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Brendam Docks
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * Brendam Warehouse
 * Blue Mountain Quarry
 * Vicarstown
 * Vicarstown Bridge
 * Ffarquhar
 * Sodor Search and Rescue Centre
 * Knapford
 * Knapford Yards
 * Duck Pond
 * Crosby Junction
 * Conrad's Bridge
 * Callandale Junction
 * Wellsworth
 * Arlesburgh Harbour
 * Arlesburgh Maritime Museum
 * Town Square
 * United States
 * Germany

UK, AUS, NZ and MYS

 * John Hasler as Thomas
 * Keith Wickham as Edward, Gordon, Harvey, Salty, Harold, the Fat Controller and the Station Master
 * Rob Rackstraw as James, Toby, Bernie and Professor Friedrich
 * Nigel Pilkington as Percy
 * Teresa Gallagher as Emily, Annie and Clarabel
 * Nicola Stapleton as Rosie
 * Yvonne Grundy as Nia
 * Rachael Miller as Rebecca
 * Joe Swash as Sonny
 * Matt Wilkinson as Cranky
 * Mike Grady as Sir Robert Norramby
 * Dominique Moore as Ruth
 * Bob Golding as Baz
 * Laura Beaumont as the Fair Attendees
 * Paul Larson as the Fair Attendees
 * Ian McCue as the Fair Attendees
 * Sharon Miller as the Fair Attendees

US and CAN

 * Joseph May as Thomas
 * William Hope as Edward and Toby
 * Kerry Shale as Gordon and Harold
 * Rob Rackstraw as James, Bernie and Professor Friedrich
 * Christopher Ragland as Percy
 * Keith Wickham as Harvey, Salty, Sir Topham Hatt and the Station Master
 * Jules de Jongh as Emily
 * Nicola Stapleton as Rosie
 * Yvonne Grundy as Nia
 * Rachael Miller as Rebecca
 * Joe Swash as Sonny
 * Teresa Gallagher as Annie and Clarabel
 * Glenn Wrage as Cranky
 * Mike Grady as Sir Robert Norramby
 * Dominique Moore as Ruth
 * Bob Golding as Baz
 * Laura Beaumont as the Fair Attendees
 * Paul Larson as the Fair Attendees
 * Ian McCue as the Fair Attendees
 * Sharon Miller as the Fair Attendees

Trivia

 * Production-wise, this episode and its successor, World of Tomorrow, as the two specials that form a two-part story, are placed in the exact middle of the regular-length episodes of the twenty-fourth series, between Ace's Brave Jump (the tenth episode production-wise) and Sonny's Second Chance (the eleventh episode production-wise).
 * This episode marks the last appearances and/or speaking roles for many characters:
 * Flying Scotsman, Harvey, Rosie, Connor and Norman's last appearances, as well as Harvey and Rosie's only speaking roles in the twenty-fourth series and their last speaking roles overall.
 * Edward's last appearance in the original series and his last speaking role overall.
 * The last episode to have Nicola Stapleton as part of the voice cast.
 * This is the first episode for a few things:
 * The first episode since the third series episode, Time for Trouble where a brake van is seen at the end of Thomas' passenger train and the first episode where one is seen at the end of any engine's passenger train in general since the fifth series episode, Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday.
 * The first episode written by Paul Larson and Laura Beaumont since the eighteenth series episode, Emily Saves the World.
 * Dominique Moore and Joe Swash join the voice cast.
 * Apart from a surprised exclamation, Toby lacks any dialogue in this episode. Likewise, Sonny only makes grunts and growls while Edward only exclaims "OW!" and does not talk when Percy crashes into him.
 * This is the only episode with a few things as well:
 * The only double-length special episode of the twenty-fourth series to have a fantasy sequence (two in this case), as the other two (Thomas and the Royal Engine and World of Tomorrow) lack them completely.
 * The only episode of the original series where Kenji appears, but does not speak.
 * James' wings in the fantasy sequence are recolours of the ones used for Thomas in the fantasy sequences for The Other Side of the Mountain and Cyclone Thomas.
 * Percy mistakes the Road Plane for a spaceship, much like in the eleventh series episode, Thomas and the Spaceship, where he also misunderstood Jeremy for a spaceship.
 * Henry is the only member of the Steam Team - currently or formerly - not to appear in this episode.

Goofs

 * During Rebecca's fantasy sequence, her cylinders clip through her body.
 * During Thomas' jet pack fantasy, Annie's eyes remain static after the passengers fly off. Her doors also open on their own.
 * During Gordon's fantasy sequence, his front coupling is missing.
 * When the Vicarstown Bridge lowers to reveal Sonny, he is already on the Sodor side.
 * The Misty Island Tunnel entrance is missing at the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre. The track leading to the tunnel is still visible, but leads to nowhere.
 * Laura Beaumont, Paul Larson, Ian McCue and Sharon Miller are not credited for voicing the Fair Attendees.
 * When Thomas says "Come on Percy, we've got lots more to do!", Percy has Thomas' whistle.
 * Rebecca has a different voice when she greets Ruth.
 * When Thomas speaks to Harold at the rescue centre, the diverging track is missing.

UK/AUS

 * Marvellous Machinery

Merchandise

 * Books - Marvelous Machinery/The Royal Engine