Series 6

The sixth series of Thomas & Friends was first broadcast in September 2002. Michael Angelis and Alec Baldwin narrated the twenty-six episodes for the UK and US respectively. Angelis also narrated two episodes for the US release of New Friends for Thomas and Other Adventures. Angelis and Michael Brandon later re-dubbed six episodes along with music composed by Robert Hartshorne for the US on PBS Kids and the UK for Nick Jr. in 2005.

Production
After the critical and commercial flop of Thomas and the Magic Railroad, Britt Allcroft was forced to step down as both deputy chairman and director of the company, only to retain sharing responsibilities and become Executive Producer. On the other hand, David Mitton turned over as a camera operator and a script consultant for all script writers during production. Phil Ferhle took the liberty in creating what was supposed to be the first Thomas & Friends spin-off - Jack and the Sodor Construction Company directed by Steve Asquith. Two episodes were to be the gateway to the twenty-six episodic series, but it was cancelled because of financial difficulties and the acquisition of HiT Entertainment, so only thirteen episodes were filmed and stored away. However, the 13 episodes were eventually released on DVD in 2006.

In 2005, Michael Brandon and Michael Angelis re-dubbed six episodes; No Sleep for Cranky, A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter, James and the Red Balloon, Gordon Takes a Tumble, Toby Had a Little Lamb and Edward the Very Useful Engine, with music composed by Robert Hartshorne on PBS Kids in the US and Nick Jr. in the UK, to make them series nine-styled when they chose episodes from this series for the airings.

Episodes
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Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Duck
 * Donald and Douglas
 * Bill and Ben
 * Diesel
 * Mavis
 * 'Arry and Bert
 * Skarloey
 * Rheneas
 * Peter Sam
 * Duncan
 * Rusty
 * Troublesome Trucks
 * Bertie
 * Trevor
 * Harold
 * Cranky
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Harold's Pilots
 * The Lower Tidmouth Stationmaster
 * The Suddery Stationmaster
 * The Signalman
 * Stephen Hatt
 * Stepney
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Henrietta
 * Terence
 * Farmer Finney
 * Jem Cole
 * The Firelighter
 * The Railway Board
 * The Lighthouse Keeper
 * Some Workmen
 * Oliver
 * George
 * Butch
 * Tiger Moth
 * Big Mickey
 * Bridget Hatt
 * Mrs. Kyndley
 * Farmer Trotter
 * Refreshment Lady
 * Nancy
 * Tom Tipper
 * Dowager Hatt
 * The Storyteller
 * The Tailor
 * The Special Visitor
 * One of the Stone-Dropping Boys
 * The Dryaw Policeman
 * One Member of the Elsbridge Cricket Club
 * Anopha Quarry Manager
 * Bulgy
 * BoCo
 * Sir Handel
 * Duke
 * Toad
 * Bulstrode
 * Percy's Ghost Engine
 * Rusty's Ghost Engine
 * Father Christmas
 * The Barber
 * The Quarry-master
 * The Portly Man
 * Boulder
 * Lorry 2

Characters Introduced

 * Harvey
 * Salty
 * Elizabeth
 * Jack
 * Alfie
 * Oliver
 * Max
 * Kelly
 * Byron
 * Ned
 * Isobella
 * Jenny Packard
 * The Foreman
 * Cyril the Fogman
 * Allicia Botti
 * The Smelter's Yard Manager
 * The Coaling Plant Manager
 * The Vet
 * Headmaster Hastings
 * Farmer McColl
 * Edward's Ghost Engine
 * The Fisherman
 * The Dockyard Manager
 * The Captain
 * Mr. Jolly

Trivia

 * This was the first series of several things:
 * The first series filmed in 16:9 widescreen. However, most of the first six episodes were matted from full screen, but whenever they use Tidmouth Sheds, The Seaside Village, Tidmouth Beach and the church for locations, the scenes are filmed in widescreen.
 * Phil Fehrle's first series as producer.
 * Peter Urie's first series as executive producer.
 * The first series to have a writing team.
 * The first time Robin Kingsland, Paul Larson, Abi Grant, James Mason, Brian Trueman, Robyn Charteris and Jenny McDade wrote episodes for the series.
 * Abi Grant's first series as script editor.
 * The first series to feature Steve Asquith as a director.
 * The first series to feature Toby's unused fourth series tired face.
 * The first series to have more than two narrators in the English language.
 * The first series not dubbed in German, Greek and Portuguese.
 * The first series to use a Proteus 3 and Virtuoso 2000 to compose the music.
 * The first series where Annie and Clarabel do not speak.
 * The first series to premiere on Nick Jr. in the UK.
 * The first series since the third to appear on CiTV, marking the television series' return to terrestrial television.
 * The first series to see incomplete episodic VHS releases in Australia.
 * The first series not to feature Wellsworth since its introduction in the first series.
 * The first series where Sir Topham Hatt says "confusion and delay", though the second to feature the phrase because the narrator and other characters said it in two fifth series episodes.
 * The first series where the narrator says, "Luckily, no one was hurt", a phrase that also becomes very iconic for the show.
 * The first series in which where George appears, but does not speak.
 * This was the last series of several things as well:
 * The last series to feature the old Thomas the Tank Engine &amp; Friends logo in the intro.
 * The last series to feature the runaway theme until The Adventure Begins.
 * The last series in which all of the episodes have at least one US version that uses the original music in the US.
 * Britt Allcroft's third and last series as executive producer. She would be a script consultant in the seventh series.
 * Alec Baldwin's last series as US narrator.
 * The last production produced by Gullane Entertainment prior to its acquisition by HiT Entertainment in 2002.
 * The last series to have John L Wright as editor
 * The last series where Thomas’ laughing face from the second series (with added teeth) appears.
 * This series had the most narrators in it out of all series to date.
 * From this series onwards, all stories were written by individuals on a writing staff.
 * This series was broadcast on Nick Jr. in the UK in late 2002, before airing on CiTV on 6th January-10th February 2003.
 * On masters of episodes that feature the Gullane endboard, Britt Allcroft is credited as executive producer alongside Peter Urie. On masters that end with either the Nick Jr. UK or HiT Entertainment endboard, Britt Allcroft is not mentioned in the end credits at all.
 * This is the only series of several things:
 * The only model series to have more than one director.
 * The only series in which Thomas does not speak in the premiere (not counting Jack and the Sodor Construction Company), as well as the only series in which Thomas does not appear in the finale.
 * The only series in which Max appears without Monty.
 * The only series until the thirteenth series to contain episodes that have three English narrators.
 * The only series in which Donald and Douglas do not have Scottish accents in the US.
 * The only series in which where Oliver does not speak, nor appears with Toad.
 * The only series to have Trueman, Phil Fehrle and Ross Hastings as part of the writing team (also not counting Jack and the Sodor Construction Company).
 * The only time Simon Nicholson wrote episodes for the series until the tenth series.
 * The only series in which Harold's sad face mask is slightly combined with his happy one.