Air date: May 19th, 1992 (UK), March 22nd, 1993 (US)
Duck and Percy are working at the harbor by the seas. One day, Duck and Percy notice the the horizon is packed with sails flapping against the blue skies. Duck then tells Percy that he wishes he could sail to far away lands, but Percy thinks it's silly since engines can't float. Harold soon arrives and tells the two engines that the boats are there for the Regatta, and that it's his job to hover around in case he's needed. Duck then asks Harold if he's ever been to horizon, and Harold says he's been beyond the horizon, and can also land on ships, anywhere, anytime.
Duck then goes on talking about the regatta all day, making Percy loose patience and tells Duck that their rails can take them to all the places they could ever wish to see. Suddenly, the harbor emergency siren goes off, as a man taking part in the regatta has hurt his hand, and Duck is to take him to the hospital at the next station. Harold brings the man ashore and Duck quickly races over. Harold tells Duck that it's his job to stay at sea in case of other emergencies, otherwise he would take the man to hospital himself. Duck soon makes his way down the line. When Duck and the man arrive at the station, the man thanks everyone, and Bertie gets ready to take him to the hospital. Bertie then compliments Duck saying that he looks splendid flying along the line, and it's no wonder they call him "Great Western." Duck then agrees with Percy that engines are happiest when their wheels are firmly on the rails.
The same night, Duck and Percy stay longer at the quay, when Duck notices a shooting star. Percy laughs and tells him that it's Harold hovering overhead. something flutters down towards Duck and his driver manages to catch it. It was a flag from the regatta, and Harold was giving it to Duck as a present. Duck thinks it was kind of Harold, and he begins to understand just what an engine needs.
Nowadays, Duck dreams about traveling to the horizon, But sometimes, the best travels are those we can only dream about.
Tropes featured in the episode:
- An Aesop: Sometimes, the best travels are those we can only dream about.
- Be Yourself: What Duck learns in the end.
- The Cameo: Thomas appears in the ending of the episode.
- Motor Mouth: Duck, who talked about traveling on a boat.
- Not So Above It All: Duck, who is known to be a mature and hard-working engine, dreams about traveling on a boat in faraway lands, which is unusual coming from a mature and hard-working engine. However, he eventually learns the best travels are those we can only dream about.
- Off-the-Shelf FX:
- Some of the regatta sailors in the background were represented by repainted Scalextric figures.
- The ocean liner in the background is an Airfix 1/600 scale model of the Queen Elizabeth.
- Watching the Sunset: Thomas, Percy, and Duck as the image above shows.
