History Recap / ThomasAndFriendsS2E16BreakVan

* DubInducedPlotHole: Both Music/RingoStarr narrations merely state that The Fat Controller was making up his mind about something, but the Creator/GeorgeCarlin narration states that he was thinking about which engine to keep. Of course, [[spoiler:"[[Recap/ThomasAndFriendsS2E17TheDeputation The Deputation" ends with the reveal that he keeps both engines, so then why was he deciding which one to keep?]]]]

** Maybe The Fat Controller was being a little irrational by blaming Donald for destroying the signal box despite the fact that it was a combination of slippery rails as well as the signal box being built at the end of a siding but given how important signal boxes are to help trains run on the right lines as well as preventing accidents, he wasn't wrong to be annoyed that the signal box was damaged.

* DidntThinkThisThrough: Sure, build a signal box at the end of a train track without any buffers. WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong

* FailedASpotCheck: Nobody InUniverse realises anything wrong with a signal box being built at the end of a train track without any buffers[[note]]A case of RealityIsUnrealistic, as in these NoOSHACompliance days, many yards did have short stub-sidings running up to the buildings[[/note]].

* PlotHole: The signal box Donald crashes into is at the end of a siding with no buffers. With no safety precautions, surely an accident would've been inevitable there at one point.

* HateSink: While the Troublesome Trucks as a whole tend to be [[LaughablyEvil too silly and mischievous to really hate]], the Spiteful Brake Van is straight-up [[{{Jerkass}} unpleasant]] and lacks the qualities of his brethren that make them entertaining antagonists, unless he's on the receiving end of karma. He gets Douglas in trouble multiple times by making his trains late after taking a dislike to him [[RiddleForTheAges for no explained reason]], and then makes work difficult for James after sensing he was cross and wanting to make him crosser, [[ForTheEvulz just for the fun of it]].

* AssholeVictim: The Spiteful Brake Van. While being crushed was a particularly violent fate, he continued to cause trouble for the engines until the very end. In fact, if he didn't get James' trucks to hold back on Gordon's Hill, James and Douglas would've gotten over the top and nothing would've happened to him.

** The restored version makes it more obvious that [[SpecialEffectsFailure Donald's tender is being pulled by a wire right before his crash]].

* LethallyStupid: Clearly, someone [[DidntThinkThisThrough wasn't thinking things through]] about building a signal box ''at the end of a railway line with no buffers...'' the second ''[[Recap/ThomasAndFriendsS2E14ACloseShave of]] [[Recap/ThomasAndFriendsS2E18ThomasComesToBreakfast three]]'' buildings, in fact.

* INeverSaidItWasPoison: This exchange

--> '''Douglas''' I hear tell about [[Recap/ThomasAndFriendsS1E23DirtyObjects an engine and some tar wagons.]]//
--> '''James''': Shut up. It's not funny.//

--> ''Douglas'' I hear tell about [[Recap/ThomasAndFriendsS1E23DirtyObjects an engine and some tar wagons.]]//
--> ''James'': Shut up. It's not funny.//
--> ''Douglas'': Well, well, well. Surely James it wasnae you. Ya didn't say.

* DubInducedPlotHole: Both Music/RingoStarr narrations merely state that The Fat Controller was making up his mind about something, but the Creator/GeorgeCarlin narration states that he was thinking about which engine to keep. Of course, [[spoiler:"[[Recap/ThomasAndFriendsS2E17TheDeputation The Deputation" ends with the reveal that he keeps both engines, so then why was he deciding which one to keep?]]

* AdaptationInducedPlotHole: In ''[[Recap/TheRailwaySeriesB15TheTwinEngines The Twin Engines]]'', the Spiteful Brake Van was an NER 20-ton brake van, a type of brake van built with a wooden frame, which would have been able to be crushed the same way it was by Douglas in the story. However, the adaptation changes the Spiteful Brake Van's basis to a BR 20-ton BR brake van (presumably this was so the crew wouldn't have to build an all-new prop and could get away with putting a new face on a brake van they had made in the past). This however causes an issue with the Spiteful Brake Van's demise; the BR brake van it was based on had a ''steel'' frame, so Douglas shouldn't have been able to crush it to pieces as he had done in the book.

Meeting Douglas at Wellsworth, James asks for his assistance in climbing up Gordon's Hill and Douglas agrees. The two engines work as hard as they can, halfway up the hill, however, James starts losing steam and Douglas accidentally crushes the Spiteful Brake Van while pushing. The Fat Controller arrives on Edward, who came with the Breakdown Train to help clear the mess and is angry that Douglas has also caused trouble. Edward stands up for Douglas, having heard what happened and tells the Fat Controller of all the hard work Douglas did. The Fat Controller feels that Douglas went too far, but understands Douglas had good intentions and was only trying to help. The Fat Controller is now forced to make up his mind about something, but that is [[Recap/ThomasAndFriendsS2E17TheDeputation another story]].

* AdaptationInducedPlotHole: In ''[[Recap/TheRailwaySeriesB15TheTwinEngines The Twin Engines]]'', the Spiteful Brake Van was an NER 20-ton break van, a type of break van built with a wooden frame, which would have been able to be crushed the same way it was by Douglas in the story. However, the adaptation changes the Spiteful Brake Van's basis to a BR 20-ton BR brake van (presumably this was so the crew wouldn't have to build an all-new prop and could get away with putting a new face on a break van they had made in the past). This however causes an issue with the Spiteful Brake Van's demise; the BR brake van it was based on had a ''steel'' frame, so Douglas shouldn't have been able to crush it to pieces as he had done in the book.
* AmusingInjuries: After being accidentally smashed apart by Douglas, the face of the brake van can be seen with a black eye and grimace as it's lifted away.
* AnotherStoryForAnotherTime: At the end, the narrator says this in regards to The Fat Controller making up his mind about something.
* AntagonistTitle: This episode is Donald and Douglas' debut[[note]]in the TV series at least; in [[Literature/TheRailwaySeries the original books]], Donald and Douglas debuted in "Hullo Twins!" which was never given the adaptation treatment[[/note]], but is named after its antagonist, the Spiteful Brake Van. Averted with the U.S. title.
* AssholeVictim: The Spiteful Brake Van.
* BerserkButton: Donald was angry when the Brake Van caused trouble for his brother.
** James was mad when he realizes that he has to do Donald's work as well as his own after the latter had an accident with the signal box and he was even angrier when Douglas reminded him about the accident with the tar wagons in "Dirty Objects".
* BigBrotherInstinct: This is more of Twin Brother Instinct with Donald bumping the brake van for causing trouble for his twin brother.
* BigShutUp: James says this to Douglas after he reminded him of "tar wagons", though in the books, he was saying it to Gordon and Henry who were chuckling at Douglas' comments (they can be seen doing so in the background of the episode as well).
* BullyHunter: Donald.
* CallBack: Douglas' reminder of James bumping into tar wagons.
* CarMeetsHouse: Engine meets signal box, to be specific.
* ChronicVillainy: Even after one hard bump from Donald to make him behave, [[IgnoredEpiphany the Spiteful Brake Van returned to his troublesome ways as he tells the trucks to hold James back.]]
* CompressedAdaptation: Donald and Douglas' introduction was edited down greatly. [[Recap/TheRailwaySeriesB15TheTwinEngines "The Missing Coach"]] was planned to be made as an episode (with even half the footage filmed), but was ditched due to its slightly convoluted plot which was feared to be too complicated for children.
* DidntThinkThisThrough: Sure, build a signal box at the end of a train track without any buffers. WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong
* DubInducedPlotHole: Both Ringo Starr narrations merely state that The Fat Controller was making up his mind about something, but George Carlin states that he was thinking about which engine to keep. Of course, [[spoiler:he keeps both engines.]]

* TheFreelanceShameSquad: Gordon and Henry laughed in the background about Douglas' remarks about James' accident with the tar wagons.

* {{Jerkass}}: The ''Spiteful'' Brake Van.
** Douglas, Gordon and Henry for laughing at James's accident with tar wagons.
** The trucks, as usual.

** When Donald angrily tells the Spiteful Brake Van that he wants to leave the latter behind because of his behaviour, the Brake Van retorts with "You can't; I'm essential!" In the time period the stories are set in, brake vans were indeed essential when delivering goods for extra braking power, as engines were not fitted with continuous braking in those days, the technology not existing. That being said, the Spiteful Brake Van would be more accurate if he said "Brake vans are essential!" instead of "[[ItsAllAboutMe I'm essential!]]"
** Maybe The Fat Controller was being a little irrational by blaming Donald for destroying the signal box despite the fact that it was a combination of slippery rails as well as the signal box being built at the end of a siding, but given how important signal boxes are to help trains run on the right lines as well as preventing accidents, he wasn't wrong to be annoyed that the signal box was damaged.
** Edward tried to praise Douglas's efforts saying he worked hard enough for three, only for the Fat Controller to retort "Two would've been enough!" as he surveyed the damage. Justified, as James's guard escaped injury or worse by a few scant seconds.
* KarmicDeath: The Brake Van was unintentionally broken by Douglas. This is fitting considering that he was the one that caused his trains to be late.
* KickTheDog: Douglas joking about James' incident with tar wagons.
* LethallyStupid: Clearly, someone [[DidntThinkThisThrough wasn't thinking things through]] about building a signal box ''at the end of a railway line with no buffers...'' the second ''[[Recap/ThomasAndFriendsS2E14ACloseShave of]] [[Recap/ThomasAndFriendsS2E18ThomasComesToBreakfast three]]'' buildings, in fact.
* MeaningfulName: The ''Spiteful'' Brake Van is every bit a {{Jerkass}} as you'd expect.

* OhCrap: James's guard was anxious Douglas was angrily forcing the unwilling trucks so hard, the brakevan was coming apart around him. Luckily in ''Literature/TheRailwaySeries'' he tumbled out onto the field as it was smashed, and wasn't harmed.

* TearOffYourFace: This was the fate of the Spiteful Brake Van after Douglas unintentionally breaks him to pieces up on Gordon's Hill.
* ViolentGlaswegian: Donald is a family-friendly example when he attacks the Spiteful Brake Van.
-->'''Donald: ''' Ye're a muckle nuisance! It's tae leave ye behind I'd be wantin'!
-->'''Spiteful Brake Van: ''' You can't. I'm essential.
-->'''Donald: ''' Och, are ye?! Ye're naethin' but a screechin' an' a noise when a's said an' done! Spite Douggie, wad ye?! Take that!
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Nothing is said of the guard on the Spiteful Brake Van after he warns Douglas that he's breaking it (although the original ''Literature/TheRailwaySeries'' story showed that he jumped clear).

** The Fat Controller tells off Donald after destroying a signal box.
** He also scolds Douglas for breaking the Spiteful Brake Van.

* AdaptationInducedPlotHole: In ''[[Recap/TheRailwaySeriesB15TheTwinEngines The Twin Engines'', the Spiteful Brake Van was an NER 20-ton break van, a type of break van built with a wooden frame, which would have been able to be crushed the same way it was by Douglas in the story. However, the adaptation changes the Spiteful Brake Van's basis to a BR 20-ton BR brake van (presumably this was so the crew wouldn't have to build an all-new prop and could get away with putting a new face on a break van they had made in the past). This however causes an issue with the Spiteful Brake Van's demise; the BR brake van it was based on had a ''steel'' frame, so Douglas shouldn't have been able to crush it to pieces as he had done in the book.

One day, however, Donald reverses onto some slippery rails, but he's unable to stop and accidentally crashes into a Signal Box, tender first. The Fat Controller is furious at Donald for his clumsiness and tells him that he had decided to keep him and send Douglas back before this incident. Now Donald needs to have his tender mended and James will have to do his work, which the Fat Controller knows he won't like.

* LethallyStupid: Clearly, someone [[DidntThinkThisThrough wasn't thinking things through]] about building a signal box ''at the end of a railway line with no buffers...'' the first ''[[Recap/ThomasAndFriendsS2E14ACloseShave of]] [[Recap/ThomasAndFriendsS2E18ThomasComesToBreakfast three]]'' buildings, in fact.

* LethallyStupid: Clearly someone wasn't thinking clearly about building a signal box ''at the end of a railway line with no buffers...'' the first ''[[Recap/ThomasAndFriendsS2E14ACloseShave of]] [[Recap/ThomasAndFriendsS2E18ThomasComesToBreakfast three]]'' buildings, in fact.

* OffModel: Gordon's eyes are noticeably unfocused when Douglas brings up James' tar wagon accident to him.

The Fat Controller's proven right; James is very angry about the extra work. Douglas jokes about [[Recap/ThomasAndFriendsS1E23DirtyObjects James' incident with some tar wagons]], worsening his bad mood. He takes a goods which includes the Spiteful Brake Van, who decides to make work difficult for James and has the trucks hold back, quickly tiring James out.

* RiddleForTheAges: Why did the Spiteful Brake Van take a dislike to Douglas? It's never explained!

* ReverseArmFold: The Fat Controller does this in the end while thinking about which engine to keep.

* OhCrap: James's guard was anxious Douglas was angrily forcing the unwilling trucks so hard, the brakevan was coming apart around him. Luckily he tumbled out onto the field as it was smashed, and wasn't harmed.

* OhCrap: James' guard was anxious Douglas was angrily forcing the unwilling trucks so hard, the brakevan was coming apart around him. Luckily he tumbled out onto the field as it was smashed, and wasn't harmed.