Fans of Thomas & Friends will see engines from across the globe gather to compete at the Great Railway Show in the new animated movie Thomas & Friends: The Great Race.

Representing the UK will be Flying Scotsman, an express passenger train service that has been running between Edinburgh and London since 1862. It holds the record for being the first engine to officially run at 100 mph.

Images of the animation reveal the engine painted in the train’s traditional colours – green and red. Flying Scotsman is also revealed as a brother to regular character, Gordon.

One of the new film characters is the Flying Scotsman, an express passenger train service that has been running between Edinburgh and London since 1862. Photo: Mattel, Inc./PA Wire

The movie shows Thomas the Tank Engine as an underdog – but that does not stop him testing his mettle against the other engines in his bid to represent Sodor at the Great Railway Show.

Thirteen new international characters will be introduced, including Ashima of India, Axel of Belgium and Carlos of Mexico.

The CGI engines hail from India, China, the US, Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Mexico, Australia and the UK.

Bollywood actress Tina Desai is set to voice Ashima, who is hailed by the film-makers as a “strong female lead character”.

Desai, who starred in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, said:“With new characters from around the world, the film has a wonderfully diverse and multicultural feel that I hope every child should be able to relate to and be inspired by in some way.”

Moreover, the musical adventure will be the 11th feature-length Thomas and Friends movie.

Thomas the Tank Engine was originally created over 70 years ago by the British clergyman Rev. W Awdry, as a storybook for his son. Thomas & Friends: The Great Race will be released in May.