Thomas and the Magic Railroad

After the titles fade away, Mr. Conductor begins his narration " . . . I'm going to tell you a story about trains, folks far apart and the magic railroad that brought them together." An aerial view of St. John’s on the Isle of Man with the Royal Chapel of St. John the Baptist visible to the left.

At the station in the town of Shining Time, passengers await the arrival of the morning train. Castletown railway station off Victoria Road in Castletown on the Isle of Man.

The station also comes in natural stone. (PW)

In one of the hanging baskets at the station, the miniature Mr. Conductor (Alec Baldwin) magically appears to feed the plants. Castletown station in Castletown, which also appears in 'Stiff Upper Lips'.

Without the cladding, somewhere bout here. (PW)

On the main street, Patch (Cody McMains) shows a Repair-Woman his goldfish. Main Road in St. John’s, Isle of Man.

Greens Café, with wall plaques to commemorate the centenary of the 1907 Motorcycle TT at the start and finish line of the first Tourist Trophy. (PW)

Children wave as a train passes with Billy Twofeathers at the regulator. The Strasburg Rail Road based on Gap Road to the east of Strasburg in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Whilst looking at an old map of Indian Valley, Patch asks Billy Twofeathers (Russell Means) what the shadowy lines are. Main Road in St. John’s with Tynwald Hill in the left distance.

Looking across Parliament Field towards Tynwald Hill. (PW)

After Billy replies that the lines are a mystery that makes the land around so magical, Patch sets off to Muffle Mountain as he had promised to help Burnett Stone clear his yard. St. John’s with the Royal Chapel of St. John the Baptist in the right background.

The scene now. (PW)

Inside Muffle Mountain, Burnett Stone hides a secret . . . an engine that ties the worlds of Shining Time and the Island of Sodor together. John Foster is certain that this is Dalby Mountain, overlooking Glen Rushen on the Isle of Man. John is familiar with the area and was Peter Fonda's photo double and appeared as Burdett Stone exiting this mine entrance against a sunset.

Using magical gold dust, Mr. Conductor arrives on Sodor where Thomas the Tank Engine finds him waiting at a level crossing.

In pouring rain, Burnett's granddaughter Lily Stone (Mara Wilson) walks through the big city with her Mom (Lori Hallier).

With their headlights reflecting on the wet road, cars pass by as Mr. Conductor explains that Lily sees magic that no one else has time to.

Mrs. Stone and her daughter continue homeward, talking about Lily's upcoming trip to Muffle Mountain, a few hours train ride from the big city. Wellington Road East in Toronto, Ontario with number 26 in the background.

I don't think that the cone was specifically put there to reserve the space for me but I did appreciate it. (RL)

Lily climbs up the fire escape while her Mom uses a more conventional way to enter the apartment block where they live. The Gooderham Building on Wellington Street East, Toronto.

Had I known that this sequence was flipped horizontal I would have adjusted my position accordingly. (RL)

Thinking about visiting her grandfather, Lily looks upward from her balcony. Facing west on Wellington Street East at the intersection with Scott Street.

That cone helped with this shot too. (RL)

The camera tilts up the skyscrapers lining Wellington Street East in Toronto, Ontario.

I captured the main buildings even if there have been other changes. (RL)

During a fitful sleep, Mr. Conductor has a nightmare about Shining Time where Station Manger Stacy Jones (Didi Conn) is calling for him. Facing south-east at the corner of Main Road and Station Road in St. John’s.

A clearer view of the corner on which Greens Café stands. (PW)

In the big city, an engine whistle blows as the train for Shining Time readies for departure. The Harrisburg Transportation Center at South 4th Street and Chestnut Street in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Arriving at the station, Lily asks Billy's dog Mutt where the rain for Muffle Mountain might be. Amtrak’s station at the Harrisburg Transportation Center.

Leading her along the platform, Mutt leads Lily to the wrong train . . . but for the right reason. The train shed at Harrisburg's Transportation Center.

The train for Shining Time pulls away with Lily on board. The north end of the station at Harrisburg Transportation Center with Forum Place in the right background.

Smoke and steam fills the air as the train is drawn out of the platform. The Harrisburg Transportation Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

When he runs out of gold dust, Mr. Conductor makes contact with Mr. C. Junior as he lies sunbathing on a faraway beach.

Puzzled by her destination, Lily gets off the train in Shining Time. This appears to be the platform at East Strasburg station on the Strasburg Rail Road in Pennsylvania.

Following Mutt, Lily enters the booking office where she finds Mr. C. Junior searching for his cousin's emergency supply of gold dust. Castletown station off Victoria Road, Castletown.

Not so shiny as the rain had just stopped. (PW)

Stacey drives Lily to Muffle Mountain. This is the road between Dalby and Round Table crossroads within Glen Rushen, heading south with the Slieau Mooar plantation on the right advises Steve Randall, who is indebted to his brother-in-law Steve Hamer, who lives on the Isle of Man, for help in tracing the location.

Turning from the main road, Stacey stops the red Ford Mustang when she sees Burnett Stone (Peter Fonda) and his blue pick up. The crossroads formed by the A36 Round Table Road, Ronague Road and Dalby Road between Foxdale and Port St. Mary, Isle of Man.

Burnett drives his granddaughter home. Claddagh Cottage adjacent to Port Cornaa Road at Port Cornaa, Isle of Man.

Following Lily and Patch's adventures inside Muffle Mountain and on the Magic Railroad, the story returns to Shining Time where happy Children play baseball on the green. Facing buildings on Main Road in St. John’s with Station Road to the right.

The view from Parliament Field. (PW)

Billy pulls out of Shining Time station while Mr. Conductor feeds the plants. Strasburg Rail Road’s number 475 dating from 1906 stands in the background at what appears to be Castletown station off Victoria Road, Castletown and Luke Rossi explains that the shot was filmed at the Strasburg Railroad Depot with a facade of the Castletown building being placed on the platform to give off the illusion that the two co-existed.

The real Castletown station. (PW)