Thomas the Tank Engine gets big overhaul in step towards gender equality
Thomas the Tank Engine is getting some new friends.
The famous blue locomotive will be introduced to three new trains in the new season of Thomas and Friends, which premieres in the UK next week.
Not only will the trains be female, but they will also represent different countries and nationalities from around the world.
They include Isla from Australia, Hong-mei from China and Nia from Africa.
The Fat Controller will also have a new female counterpart in the form of railway controller, Churubala, from India.
But the changes don’t end there. For the first time in the show’s history, Thomas will leave his home of Sodor to travel the world, discovering new cultures in countries such as China, India and Australia.
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The changes are part of the program’s biggest shake-up in more than seven decades and aim to improve gender equality.
The United Nations was involved in the rebrand as part of its sustainable development program.
Image Credit: IndieWire.
