Thomas & Friends: The Great Race (2016) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Sir Topham Hatt doesn't intentionally overlook Thomas, he redirects Thomas's ideas to engines he thinks are better suited for each task. When Thomas suggests becoming a streamliner, Sir Topham picks Gordon because Gordon's size makes him a better fit. When Thomas proposes the "best decorated engine" idea, James and Emily are chosen because they already have the elegant appearance needed for that category. Thomas's suggestions end up benefiting other engines rather than himself.

Foreshadowing: Thomas's tendency to propose ideas that end up helping other engines sets up the lesson that his true strength lies in shunting, not appearances.

• thomas
• sir topham hatt
• selection
• great railway show
• disappointment

Diesel disguises Paxton, Den, and Dart as ordinary trucks so he can trick Sir Topham Hatt into believing Diesel is needed for a shunting task. The goal is to get Diesel entered into the shunting competition at the Great Railway Show in Henry's place. The plan backfires when Thomas's attempt to practice shunting on Diesel's train causes a crash, which draws Sir Topham Hatt's attention and ultimately leads him to officially choose Thomas for the shunting competition instead.

Foreshadowing: Diesel's scheming nature had already been established in the franchise, and his disguise plan plants the seeds for his eventual accidental departure from Sodor.

• diesel
• paxton
• den
• dart
• disguise
• shunting competition
• trick

After accidentally meeting Ashima at Brendam Docks, Thomas is immediately charmed by her, but he abandons his own passenger duties to chase after her. Later, he watches her take over the passenger route he left behind and feels jealous because she is succeeding at a job he abandoned. His jealousy comes from regret, he realizes he gave up something meaningful in his rush to follow her.

Foreshadowing: Thomas's split-second choice to chase Ashima at the docks directly leads to his later jealousy when she steps into his role.

• thomas
• ashima
• jealousy
• brendam docks
• passenger duties

Thomas attempts to shunt Diesel's train as practice for the shunting competition, but he doesn't have the experience or the right type of engine build for the job. The unfamiliar rolling stock and his inexperience lead to a crash, which puts him out of commission and forces Percy to take his place at the Great Railway Show.

Foreshadowing: Ashima's earlier advice about being authentic hints that Thomas should focus on what he naturally does well rather than forcing a new skill.

• thomas
• shunting practice
• crash
• diesel's train
• repairs

Gordon's safety valve had not been properly installed before the race, leaving his boiler under unsafe pressure. Thomas realizes the danger and rushes to the Great Railway Show to warn him, but he arrives too late to prevent the explosion. The faulty installation is the direct cause of Gordon's elimination from the race.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Sir Topham Hatt chose Gordon for the streamlining transformation, and the rushed preparation for that role contributes to the oversight of the safety valve.

• gordon
• boiler
• explosion
• safety valve
• great railway show
• race elimination

Sir Topham Hatt had always planned to enter Thomas in the shunting competition, but Thomas's crash during practice left his engine in need of repairs. With Thomas unavailable, Sir Topham Hatt selects Percy as the substitute so Sodor would still have a representative in the event. Percy eventually encourages Thomas to rejoin the competition once Thomas is ready.

Foreshadowing: Sir Topham Hatt's original plan for Thomas reinforces the theme that Thomas's true calling was always shunting, even before he recognized it himself.

• percy
• thomas
• replacement
• shunting competition
• repairs
• sir topham hatt

During the shunting competition, Ashima is in danger of colliding with a derailed flatbed. Thomas abandons his own run to pull her clear, choosing her safety over victory. The act reflects the film's central theme that sportsmanship and caring for others matter more than winning.

Foreshadowing: Ashima's earlier advice to Thomas about embracing his authentic self mirrors the selflessness he later shows for her.

• thomas
• ashima
• sacrifice
• shunting competition
• sportsmanship
• derailed flatbed

The judges recognize that Thomas sacrificed his own chance of winning to save Ashima from a collision with a derailed flatbed. Rather than penalizing him, they honor the sportsmanship shown by both competitors and award them a shared victory. The tie reflects the Great Railway Show's values of fairness and mutual respect, not just speed or skill.

Foreshadowing: Ashima and Thomas's earlier exchange about authenticity foreshadows the kind of genuine, unselfish behavior the judges ultimately reward.

• judges
• tie
• thomas
• ashima
• sportsmanship
• great railway show

After the Great Railway Show, Diesel is still hidden inside a crate at the docks as part of his earlier disguise scheme. The dockside crew, unaware he is inside, loads the crate onto a departing ship. Diesel sails off to an unknown destination while Cranky the Crane and the other diesels watch in disbelief.

Foreshadowing: Diesel's disguise plan with Paxton, Den, and Dart earlier in the film plants the seed for his final trick backfiring in a much bigger way.

• diesel
• crate
• docks
• ship
• departure
• sodor

Thomas is captivated by Ashima the moment they meet at Brendam Docks, where her striking appearance and confident personality stand out from the other engines. For Thomas, who has been struggling to find a role at the Great Railway Show, Ashima represents everything exciting and unfamiliar about the wider world beyond Sodor. His feelings are described as a light infatuation rather than deep romance.

Foreshadowing: Thomas's fascination with the foreign engines at the docks foreshadows his later invitation for Ashima to visit Sodor.

• thomas
• ashima
• infatuation
• brendam docks
• first meeting

The Great Railway Show is a global competition where the finest locomotives from around the world compete in categories like racing, streamlining, best decorated engine, and shunting. It is introduced when the Flying Scotsman arrives on Sodor and encourages Thomas to enter. The show serves as the central setting for the film's climax, where Sodor's engines struggle before Thomas finds his moment through sportsmanship.

Foreshadowing: The Flying Scotsman's arrival and excitement about the Show sets the entire plot in motion from the very first scene.

• great railway show
• flying scotsman
• competition
• categories
• international

Henry, James, and Emily each lose their respective events because they are outclassed by more experienced international competitors. Gordon loses when his faulty safety valve causes his boiler to explode mid-race. The string of losses sets up Thomas's eventual success in the shunting competition, showing that Sodor's strength lies in character and teamwork rather than raw power or polish.

Foreshadowing: Thomas's earlier failures to be chosen for the streamlined or decorated categories hint that his path to victory would come through a different kind of event.

• henry
• james
• emily
• gordon
• losses
• sodor
• great railway show