Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures!

James requires some repairing, but he is told there may not be enough red paint to finish the job. Consequently, he drifts into a dream where he envisions himself taking on a multitude of colours in vivid detail, across the spectrum, as he contemplates his future hue.

An Engine of Many Colours is an episode of a programme that centres on a single, self‑contained story. The title hints at a focus on colour and machinery, and the format is that of a typical episode rather than a longer series or film. The narrative follows a character called James, who finds himself in need of repair. While arranging for his fix, he learns that there may not be enough red paint available for the job. This information unsettles him, and the episode shifts to a sequence where James drifts into a dream‑like state. In that reverie he imagines himself taking on a multitude of hues, experiencing a kaleidoscope of colours instead of the single shade he originally required. The dream sequence serves as the episode’s final segment, portraying James as a vehicle painted in countless tones. Though the plot does not resolve the paint shortage, it leaves the audience with the image of James transformed by his colourful imagination, suggesting that his identity might extend beyond the practical constraints of a single pigment.