Boy, 13, Becomes Voice of Thomas the Tank Engine

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, September 17, 2026

Thirteen-year-old Harry Sparkes has been cast as the new voice of Thomas the Tank Engine in the rebooted series Thomas & Friends Railway Stories. The show debuts on YouTube today and will premiere on Netflix later this month, featuring Henry Golding as the narrator, updating the classic franchise for modern audiences.

Harry Sparkes, 13, has been cast as the new voice of Thomas the Tank Engine in a reboot of the popular children’s series, Thomas & Friends Railway Stories. The young actor, from Harpenden, Hertfordshire, kept the role under wraps for nine months, telling friends he was attending physiotherapy sessions for a foot injury to explain his weekly absences from school.

The revamped series is set to release on YouTube starting today, with a planned launch on Netflix later this month. Alongside Sparkes’s new voice role for the iconic blue engine, actor Henry Golding, known for his work in Crazy Rich Asians, will serve as the narrator. Golding’s role updates the narration originally performed by Ringo Starr in the well-known 1980s ITV series.

Thomas & Friends Railway Stories draws on the classic tales created by Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son Christopher, maintaining the legacy of the beloved franchise while bringing it to a new generation of viewers through digital platforms.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.