Thomas and the Dragon

"D-Don't dragons breathe out smoke and fire?!"

- Thomas

Thomas and the Dragon is the twenty-first episode of the twenty-second series.

Plot
Thomas is working on the Chinese Railway with Yong Bao, just as the Spring Festival is coming up. Thomas is surprised to find that the Chinese New Year is also coming up, having always seen New Year happening in the winter. Yong Bao even tells Thomas the best part of the New Year celebration, the dragon.

Thomas is terrified at the thought of a dragon at the New Year celebration, and at Yong Bao's offering to have him take it. He even starts becoming nervous and thinking that he might see a dragon somewhere on the Chinese Railway. He eventually attempts to beg Yong Bao to take the dragon instead, to which Yong Bao accepts and offers to have Thomas take the lion.

Thomas becomes just as nervous in pulling the lion as he picks up his passengers, but once he arrives at the festival, he finds out the lion and the dragon are actually just costumes that people have dressed up in. Thomas then enjoys the Chinese New Year celebration with Hong-Mei, Yong Bao, An An and Yin-Long, wishing them a happy new year.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Yong Bao
 * Hong-Mei
 * An An and Yin-Long
 * The Lime Diesel Shunter

Locations

 * China
 * Cherry Blossom Runby
 * Chang Jiang River
 * The Chinese Town Halt
 * Chinese Town Halt Tunnel
 * Chinese Railway Sheds
 * The Second Chinese Station
 * The Town Square

UK

 * John Hasler as Thomas
 * Dan Li as Yong Bao
 * Chipo Chung as Hong-Mei
 * Siu-see Hung as An An
 * Windson Liong as Yin-Long

US and CAN

 * Joseph May as Thomas
 * Dan Li as Yong Bao
 * Chipo Chung as Hong-Mei
 * Siu-see Hung as An An
 * Windson Liong as Yin-Long

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the third episode of the twenty-second series.
 * This episode serves as the series' first and only Chinese New Year episode.
 * This episode marks the only appearance of The Lime Diesel Shunter.
 * This episode was shown early at MIPJunior's Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures! panel.
 * This episode was mistakenly put in the TV Guide for February 10, but the episode aired early in the proper date of Chinese New Year.
 * On the Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. US airings of this episode, it was paired with Seeing is Believing.

Goofs

 * In the scene of Yong Bao and Thomas going through the tunnel, Yong Bao's wheels do not move.

Merchandise

 * Wood - Thomas and the Dragon
 * Minis - Fizz 'n Go Cargo Thomas and Dragon
 * TrackMaster - Dragon Dive Set

UK/AUS

 * A Colourful World

GER

 * Big World! Big Adventures! - China

Thomas und der Drache Thomas y el Dragón Tomek i Smok Томас и дракон