Air date: July 26th, 2017 (UK), March 29th, 2018 (US)
A very unusual, fast engine has arrived on Sodor. He races past the narrow gauge engines, the main line engines and the Fat Controller. When he arrives at the station at Ulfstead Castle, he introduces himself as Hugo, along with his driver, Franz, who is old friends with the Earl. Sir Robert Norramby decides to go for a ride, so he climbs aboard and they set off.
At Knapford Station, James and Percy are believing rumours that Hugo is not really an engine. The Fat Controller asks Thomas to take him to Ulfstead Castle to find Hugo, which he does with Percy, James and Philip making up excuses to go see the engine as well. When they arrive, the Fat Controller can hardly believe what he is seeing. Although, he decides to ride him too. When Hugo starts up, Thomas and Stephen believe that he is amazing.
Hugo is discovered by James and Percy on the way, but Philip complains that he missed him. Back at the castle, Stephen tells the other engines that Hugo will replace all of them, so they begin to worry. Hugo then returns to the castle and the Fat Controller is happy that he had a splendid ride.
Later that night, the engines are at Tidmouth Sheds and they talk about how worried they are. Emily says that she does not want to be replaced as she loves working on the railway, and James and Edward agree. Henry fears they will be sent to the scrapyard, but Gordon does not think he will be replaced at all. Just then, Hugo arrives at the sheds and asks if there is room for him to rest, but the engines tell him that they are unfortunately full and attempt to scare him off by telling him that they are for steam engines only. Before Hugo can get off the turntable, Percy is about to go out and make his mail delivery, so he offers him to stay in his shed, but Gordon denies it as he still does not want all the steam locomotives to be replaced. Fortunately, Hugo assures everyone that he will find a different location to sleep at, so he moves away.
Very early in the morning, the engines are still acting hostile towards Hugo. He then wonders why they are all being rude to him and Thomas explains that it is only because he is trying to replace all the steam engines. He does not want to believe it. Percy then tells him that Stephen claimed that he can do whatever he wants, to which Hugo tells them that he does not have buffers and couplers, so he cannot pull trucks and coaches at all, and he moves away from them again. The engines, realising that they have hurt his feelings, feel terrible about how unkind they were to him, so they have to do something to cheer him up.
Later, Hugo is to take some important passengers from Knapford Station to Vicarstown, which include the Fat Controller and his family, the Duke and Duchess of Boxford, the Mayor of Sodor, Lord Callan, and the Thin Controller. Percy is about to apologise to Hugo for what they did, but he is already setting off on his trip. All day long, he carries passengers from one place to another.
That evening, Hugo comes back to Knapford Station, sees the engines again and they make up for the mistake they made by cheering for him and putting on a party. The Fat Controller wonders what the commotion is about and Thomas explains that they are putting on a welcome party for the new engine. Percy finally apologises to him for not being very nice to him and officially invites him to sleep with them at Tidmouth Sheds. Hugo is very grateful for what the engines are doing and they see it as a very friendly thing, as does the Fat Controller and the others. At nighttime, when Percy does his usual mail delivery, Hugo finally sleeps with the Steam Team at the sheds and dozes off to sleep.
This episode contains examples of:
- All of the Other Reindeer: The Steam Team were rude to Hugo, believing he will replace them. But they eventually apologize for it.
- Broken Ace: The other engines are convinced Hugo is hi-tech enough to replace them, however Hugo notes he actually has a few design flaws that keep him from reaching such a potential.
- Go-to-Sleep Ending: Hugo goes to sleep in the sheds with the other engines.
- Luminescent Blush: Hugo after the engines greeted him to make up for their rudeness.
- Must Make Amends: Thomas and Percy decide that they along with the other engines make up for being unfriendly to Hugo.
- My God, What Have I Done?: The engines feel bad in their treatment of Hugo.
- Real Life Writes the Plot: Hugo laments the safety concerns with his propeller and how his lack of couplers mean he can't pull rolling stock. Both of these were criticisms towards his real life counterpart, the Schienenzeppelin, which led to its line being discontinued and the engine ultimately scrapped.
