Top 10 Best Thomas and Friends Characters

Henry and Edward are my favorite characters in Seasons 13-19. They shouldn't have written them off the show (I know they still appeared, but were pretty much replaced).

11/10

He's the one who used to crack me up a lot. I would rank him as my second favorite engine. He is old and worn out, but still does hard work.

He's a really great friend to everyone, he's really wise and caring, and he's a hard worker. I also like how in The Adventure Begins he acts almost like a father figure to Thomas.

He's the OG in the Thomas series!

Henry's last ever book about him, Super Rescue, is a favorite of mine. I wish they could have done it in the model series.

They probably wouldn't do it in the CGI series since that doesn't ever recreate most of the books.

Unpopular opinion, but I think he was better after he became the gentle giant type. As a teenage fan of a toddlers' show, I can easily relate. Maybe I'm not seeing what people saw in him that set him apart from Gordon in his grumpy days. With the fact that Henry was originally built with the wrong firebox and had to have special coal for a while, it's easy to see why his former grumpiness would be a mask for his inner insecurities.

Incredibly entertaining to watch, it's always fun to see him get his comeuppance but watch him grow at the same time. He looks cool, has an iconic voice, has a load of the best episodes, and an air of authority around the other engines. He comes across as rude and arrogant but is a good guy underneath it all.

Gordon has been my favorite since I was a child. I still have all of the old original Thomas tapes from way back when their mouths didn't move!

The new streamlined engines can stay on the mainland. I like Spencer too. He's cool.

James was my favorite ever since I was 2. I don't know if it was because of his fiery red coat or snooty behavior, but whatever the reason, I was drawn to him.

James is arrogant and vain but cares deeply about Sir Topham Hatt's praise and approval and will work hard to get it. He is also very relatable to the other engines because, like Gordon, he can be quite proud. Like Edward and Henry, he can sympathize with others even if he does or does not help. He is like Thomas, where he can be mischievous and bump a few annoying freight cars here and there. And like Mavis, he is quite bossy with coaches and the troublesome trucks.

Also, I always thought his adventures were the best, i.e., getting stung on his nose, almost getting burnt alive by Diesel 10's claw, getting stuck in a dense fog, falling off tracks, and needing Jeremiah Jobling's bootlaces to tie a busted pipeline. Those are not even half.

James is the smaller of the three main tenders (the others being Gordon and Henry), so he can shunt like Edward and Thomas and pull nice coaches like the other tenders. For these reasons, I pick James. He is a hardcore engine and a good friend.

While I am slightly annoyed with how the TV series tries to feature Thomas wherever possible, this is because he is the most popular character, which I'm not surprised about. I think there is a little bit of Thomas in quite a few people I know. He's cheeky, naughty, quick to do the wrong thing when in a bad temper, and tends to let advice from older, more experienced engines such as Edward slip through one cab door and out the other. But he is also kind, sympathetic, brave, and willing to help anyone out of trouble.

While his appearing in episodes in which his role clearly suits other characters frustrates me (the original books, 'The Railway Series,' was an ensemble series, and the 'friends' part of the title suggests a larger main cast of characters akin to the books), it is clear that the character has gone on a visible journey in his 70-year working life as a children's character.

At the start, Thomas was overexcited and bored with his work as a station pilot. This led to multiple embarrassing incidents during his time, such as being pulled along by Gordon and the Express, leaving coaches at the platform, and letting trucks push him down the hill. But he proved himself to be a mature and responsible engine when he rescued James after the latter came off the line.

There have always been many lessons for Thomas to learn, such as working together with others, believing in yourself, and accepting everyone for their differences since it makes them who they are. He has come out of each and every one of them a better engine than before. There is so much more to Thomas's cheeky personality that people don't see, which is kind of a shame.

I always held that the characters in the book reflect every aspect of a person, and this especially goes for Thomas. He is not a perfect character, but neither are we perfect people. Thomas teaches us to learn and improve from our faults and be the best that we can be. The fact that he resonates with me on a... more

He's been my favorite character since I first watched the show. I used to have a little TrackMaster toy of the little green engine, along with some others. I'm still surprised that he only had the lead role in two movies, like Day of the Diesels and Tale of the Brave. I'm still hoping that they'll make a sequel to The Adventure Begins where Percy is the main protagonist.

I also like him because of his personality. While some don't like him being a coward even after the events of Tale of the Brave, I don't mind that. Given how accident-prone he is and how he doesn't get the spotlight as much as Thomas does, he reminds me of Luigi from Super Mario. He may be a little timid sometimes, but when things get serious or his friends are in need of help, he's always willing to be there to help those in need.

Overall, Percy is my number one favorite character in the series. He's a precious cinnamon roll that must be protected. I still remember that scene in Day of the Diesels where Flynn stays in his spot in Tidmouth Sheds next to Thomas, and it feels like he's been replaced as his best friend. There's even a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment where he starts to tear up, almost like he's going to cry. It made me feel so bad for him. I just wanted to hug and comfort him. Heck, I would jump in front of a moving truck for this little green angel of a tank engine. That's how much I love him as a character, and that's why Percy is my favorite character.

This dude is one of the amazing characters in the show. He has a brake van named Toad who got scrapped with him. And he's Duck's counterpart.

He has the best character development and some of the best episodes like Escape and Toad Stands By. What I love about him is that he's flawed and three-dimensional, unlike most of the new series characters.

He's an underrated character that needs more love (his brake van has more episodes than him).

One of the best arcs of any character.

He runs away from scrap, escapes from the diesel depot with Douglas, gets too big for his boiler, trucks push him into a turntable, and then he goes and pulls their gang leader apart.

Toby is similar to Edward, but they have their differences. Toby's the one who sits back and watches the engines make a fool of themselves before he tells them what to do.

I hate the way he was treated in Season 19. He only got three speaking roles in that season! I mean, come on!

Did the events of Toby the Tram Engine take place in 1949 before the events of Gordon the Big Engine (1950)?

Ok, let me settle everything down. Duck is very special to me because Britt Alcroft had no desire whatsoever to have Montague in the series, even though he was in the Railway Series' "Mainline Engines." But one day, Britt was just walking down the road when she saw a British Great Western Pannier tank engine. She decided that it actually was a good idea just to settle in an awkward, vain Great Western engine.

Duck was also supposed to be introduced a little more down the road, but Britt and the Reverend himself wanted fans to see what Thomas and Friends could do and wanted more viewers. But this is what I don't understand. Why do some people hate Duck because he doesn't do anything or just talks about how amazing being Great Western is? Well, people like Oliver, and he always talks about how awesome being Great Western is.

And I am going to be very honest right now, I don't think that Duck is that bad in the CGI series. You can make all your opinions because I don't care. This is my comment, and I say that I really like Duck from Thomas and Friends!

When Sir Handel was new, he was bossy, rude, and arrogant. After about a year of this, he was sent to the quarry as punishment. While he was there, The Thin Controller took over the Skarloey Railway, and in 2006, Sir Handel was invited back home, a changed engine.

I like Sir Handel. He's like the narrow-gauge version of James.

Such a heartwarming dynamic with Duke and Peter Sam.

Oh yeah! Here we go. The Narrow Gauge engines. Skarloey is named after the island he lives on (the Skarloey Railway). I love his coaches and his cool red paint.

He is my favorite narrow gauge engine, and at the start of an Unlucky Tug video, he showed Skarloey saying, I'm tired. I love that part.

He's a badass old man. He never gives up.

He is a great character and needs to return!

An engine who's terrifically wise and grand.

Narrow-gauge version of Emily.

I love that Douglas is nice to everyone, especially his brother. I also like the time that he helped Oliver escape from scrap, along with Toad and Isabel.

I absolutely love Donald and Douglas. Their personalities were really good, as well as George Carlin's Scottish impressions, which were hilarious.

I like Donald and Douglas, especially in Season 3. Douglas is the more serious one and likes to get work done.

Donald and Douglas have been my favorite characters since I started watching the show when I was 2. I wish they had more appearances though.

Infinity/10

Donald has also been one of my favorites since I was 5. I'm glad that he's the first one of the two Scottish twins and that he's number 9 too!

Donald was my favorite character when I was little. I love the theme song and how he is one of the two Scottish characters in the entire franchise.

The only episodes he appears in that I hate are Snow (even though he only made a cameo appearance in that episode, the ending was not funny at all) and Duncan Gets Spooked (he never spoke, give him a speaking role!).

Peter Sam is the narrow-gauge version of Percy because their names both begin with the same letter.

Peter Sam is the narrow-gauge version of Percy because they're both green, cheeky, and naive.

Finally! My favorite narrow gauge engine in the franchise! Duncan is my favorite because he has nice yellow paint.

Despite his rudeness to other engines, he loves to rock and roll and will never stop!

Guess what, everyone! Duncan is now in full CGI! Look up Duncan and the Grumpy Passenger and Duncan the Humbug to see him in full CGI!

You're welcome!

This guy I like because Thomas1Edward2Henry3 gave him a great line: I'm not scared of this engine, and then when he sees the engine, he's like AH! That's why I like him.

More than an authority figure, he is like a father to all of his engines. He cares deeply for them and for his family too.

In the hit era, he is a little bland, but that aside, he is a great character.

I can watch this guy scold his trains for hours without cringing.

Sir Topham Hatt is better than Mr. Percival.

Ahh, Bill and Ben have been trolling since the 1980s. They should be a bit higher on the list.

Double trouble equals double fun.

Double trouble equals double fun.

Boco is the Edward version of Diesel 10 but with a slanted front and back. I would also have D199 or Class 40 on this list, but I don't know if they are on this list.

I don't really have a reason why I like him. I just do. Although, he was (and this is my opinion) the diesel version of Edward.

Has anyone wondered what happened to BoCo? He stopped appearing early in the Classic Series for no reason.

Honestly, even though she's got some major bossy moments in Season 8, I feel Emily is one of the strongest characters in the entire series.

Unlike many of the engines on Sodor, she's not afraid to put her ego aside when it comes to caring for others.

I like her because of her basis and her voice, and that she's the leading female engine.

Like Magic Railroad, she doesn't deserve the hate she gets.

Rheneas is better than Skarloey and Toby.

Rheneas is better than Smudger and Stanley.

Why is Rheneas this low? He saved the Skarloey Railway! He should be in the top ten.

Love his livery. I just wish he would have returned in CGI.

My favorite non-Railway Series character.

Arthur is better than Murdoch.

Narrow gauge version of James.