U.S. Title: Buckled Tracks and Bumpy Cars
Air date: June 8th, 2017 (UK)
It is a very hot summer on Sodor, which is causing many problems for the engines. Belle and Flynn are kept especially busy as many of the bushes are so dry they end up catching fire. As they travel down the line, they notice that the tracks have become slightly warped in the heat. Flynn proposes they cool the rails down with water, but as Flynn has no water left in his tanks and Belle wishes to save hers in case of another fire, they are forced to leave the rails alone.
Meanwhile, The Fat Controller has also been feeling the effects of the heat and later that day, Dowager Hatt arrives at Knapford Station aboard Thomas to deliver a present for him, in the form of a white safari-style hat, which will reflect the sun's rays rather than absorb the heat like his black top hat would. The Fat Controller feels silly with the white hat, especially when Thomas and some passengers laugh at him, but reluctantly agrees to wear it.
Meanwhile, the heat continues to warp the tracks, making them bumpier. As Whiff crosses over them, a glass bottle is knocked off his truck, which causes the nearby grass to catch fire. The Fat Controller is soon alerted to the state of the tracks and heads off to investigate. He attempts to dispose of his white hat on the way there, to no avail.
At the same time, news of the fire reaches the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre and Flynn and Belle rush off to tackle it. Unfortunately, before they can reach it, Belle derails on the buckled tracks. She urges Flynn to tackle the fire himself before it spreads, which he does so once he switches to his road wheels. Thomas later brings Rocky to lift Belle back onto the rails just as the Fat Controller arrives. When Thomas learns that his white hat has kept him cool, he proposes that, if the rails were painted white too, they would not bend.
The Fat Controller approves of the idea and soon the tracks are repainted in white as the day draws to a close. Despite this, the Fat Controller's white hat is still laughed at, much to his annoyance. He throws his safari hat to a nearby goat, only to find out that the goat did not like it and threw it back at him, giving him more grief as the others start laughing.
Tropes featured in the episode:
- Big "NO!": The Fat Controller says this after failing to throw his safari hat out of his car.
- Borrowed Catchphrase:Sir Topham Hatt: Oh, the indignity!
Gordon: That's my line! - Butt-Monkey: Sir Topham Hatt trying to get rid of his white safari hat, with no success.
- Even the Rats Won't Touch It: The Fat Controller tosses his safari hat to the goat, but it turns out that it doesn't like it and threw it back at him.
- The Freelance Shame Squad: The passengers and even the engines are amused of the Fat Controller wearing his safari hat.
