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A 13-year-old boy named Harry Sparkes from Harpenden, Hertfordshire, has become the new voice actor for Thomas the Tank Engine in an upcoming animated series. For nine months, he kept his role secret by telling classmates he was attending physiotherapy sessions. The series features Henry Golding as narrator and will be available on YouTube starting September 17, with a full Netflix release on September 30, followed by a complete series debut early in 2027.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Harry Sparkes, a 13-year-old boy from Harpenden, Hertfordshire, has secretly been recording as the new voice of Thomas the Tank Engine for nine months. He kept his involvement a secret by telling classmates he was attending physiotherapy for an injured foot. The new animated series, titled "Thomas & Friends: Railway Stories," will launch on the official YouTube channel today and stream on Netflix later this month. Alongside Sparkes, Henry Golding, star of *Crazy Rich Asians*, narrates the series in a role previously held by Sir Ringo Starr. The reboot aims to bring a modern twist while maintaining the essence of the beloved character created by Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son Christopher in 1945.
Written for “New Voice Of Thomas The Tank Engine” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
- Published
A 13-year-old schoolboy has made his voice-acting debut as Thomas the Tank Engine in a new animated series.
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schoolboy → publish → series
Harry Sparkes, from Harpenden, Hertfordshire, stars in Thomas & Friends: Railway Stories alongside Crazy Rich Asians actor Henry Golding, who narrates the series in a role made famous by Sir Ringo Starr.
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who → star → Starr
For nine months, Sparkes kept his weekly recording sessions secret from his classmates by telling them he was attending physiotherapy for a foot injury.
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he → keep → injury
"It feels amazing, because I played and watched Thomas as a kid, and now I get to be Thomas.
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I → feel → kid
It just feels insane," he said.
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he → feel → ?
Sparkes added that he thought his friends would be shocked to find out he was voicing the character.
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he → add → character
He said he was excited he got "to be part of something which kids from the next generation will get to grow up to watch".
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kids → say → generation
Franchise owners Mattel teased the new series will "introduce fans to a refreshed world of Sodor, while still celebrating the iconic railway action we have all known and loved since its debut as a classic book in 1945".
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we → tease → 1945
The character first appeared in The Railway Series, by children's author Reverend Wilbert Awdry.
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character → appear → Awdry
Golding said he was in the "shadow of giants" following in the footsteps of Sir Ringo and Pierce Brosnan, who narrated a 2008 movie special called Thomas & Friends: The Great Discovery.
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who → say → special
Golding added: "I think we bring a new spin and a new sort of excitement to Thomas, and we're kind of bringing it back up to date, which is the exciting part."
The new series launches on the Thomas & Friends YouTube channel on 17 September, before streaming on Netflix from 30 September and a full series will debut in early 2027.
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series → add → 2027
Do you have a story suggestion for Beds, Herts or Bucks?
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you → have → Beds
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