*Hong-Mei (Mandarin: 红梅) is a little blue Chinese tank engine Thomas met during his stay in China.

Thomas first met Hong-Mei during his passenger run after saying he was the number 1 engine. However, Hong-Mei pointed out she was China's number 1 engine and the two had a race to see who was the better number 1.

Unbeknownst to either engine, Hong-Mei spilled some of her delivery of rocks as she raced. This caused Thomas to derail on a shortcut line through the mountains. Hong-Mei came to Thomas' rescue, revealing she took the shortcut line as well and made Thomas come off the rails with her carelessness. She pulled Thomas back onto the tracks and the two engines decided that two number 1 engines are just as good as one number 1 engine.

Later on, when she revealed to Thomas and Yong Bao that she takes the mail train in China, it made Thomas miss his best friend Percy so much due to the fact he also pulls the mail train back on Sodor.

Hong-Mei is a good-natured but cheeky tank engine from China who loves to race. She is also blue like Thomas and out to prove she's the No. 1 blue engine. Like Thomas, she can be careless and hasty at times, but always tries to make up for it. Hong-Mei is also a good sport and knows when to put competition aside for the sake of helping a friend.

Hong-Mei is based on a China Railways GJ 0-6-0T class. 122 members of this class were built and primarily saw industrial use in places such as steelworks, with some remaining into service well into the 2000s. In addition to service in China, some members of the class worked in North Korea and Vietnam. Five members of this class are preserved.

Hong-Mei is painted ocean blue with yellow lining and a red stripe along each of her side tanks. Her handrails, boiler bands and cylinder lining are brass, her wheels are red with light grey rims and her number 1 is painted on the sides of her tanks in yellow.*