Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails is a 2009 British computer-animated adventure film and feature-length special of the British television series, Thomas & Friends. The film is produced by HIT Entertainment with animation from Nitrogen Studios. It introduces full CGI animation replacing live-action models, and the addition of a voice cast for the characters alongside the narration to the TV series. This special takes place in between the twelfth and thirteenth seasons of the television series.