Fourteen-year-old Stafford actor Ellie-Mae Siame has been cast as the voice of Nia in Thomas & Friends: Railway Stories. She secured the role immediately after a filmed audition in January, an opportunity she described as surprising and “crazy” because of the franchise’s worldwide popularity. The role matters as it combines her acting and singing interests and could lead to further opportunities.

A full-length special premiered on YouTube and has received more than two million views; it will arrive on Netflix on 30 September, ahead of a full series in 2027. Siame, who has acted since she was five and appeared in Four Kids and It, Generation Z and His Dark Materials, said voice acting is her favourite because it allows her to alter her voice. Although she initially preferred princesses to trains, she came to appreciate the franchise’s enduring appeal, dating back to books published 40 years ago and television in the 1980s.