Air date: October 13th, 2003 (UK), November 6th, 2004 (US)
It is the end of another busy day and all of the engines are happy, except Henry who is feeling ill once again. He complains that his boiler is grumbling. Thomas teases him about it, but Henry crossly moans that Thomas does not care and leaves. Emily notices a puddle of water where Henry was standing.
The next morning, the Fat Controller tells Henry, Thomas and Percy to collect coal trucks and take them to the docks. The two tank engines puff away quickly, but Henry is still feeling ill. Despite this, really useful engines do not complain, so this time, he tries to move anyway, worried that the Fat Controller will not care if he is ill again.
Henry is still leaving a trail of water behind him as he puffs along, which worries Emily even more. Percy and Thomas continue to tease Henry, thinking he is just being lazy. When they arrive at the coaling plant before Henry, they make a plan. Thomas lies to the manager that Henry wants to take more trucks, with Percy adding that Henry is bigger. The manager agrees. Meanwhile Emily tells the Fat Controller about Henry's problem and he sends her to find him.
Henry arrives at the coaling plant and is horrified to see a long line of trucks left by Thomas and Percy. But he still has to take them, so he sets off and pulls with all his might. However, the trucks prove too much and Henry grinds to a halt in the middle of the line. Emily pulls up alongside and sees that Henry needs help. So she changes tracks and couples up to Henry while his fireman uncouples the trucks. They set off towards the docks.
When they arrive, the Fat Controller praises Emily and commends Henry on his bravery in taking the trucks despite being ill. Thomas and Percy are ashamed and apologize to Henry for not believing he was sick. The Fat Controller sends Thomas and Percy to pick up Henry's train.
Soon Henry is mended and back at work, but complains and claims that the workmen did not look at his brakes, gauges, or wheels. Emily assures him that he is back in good condition again but Henry is still unhappy.
Tropes featured in the episode:
- An Aesop:
- Be sympathetic for someone who isn't feeling well.
- Don't assume someone is Playing Sick when they really are.
- Bittersweet Ending: Played for Laughs. Henry's tubes are mended, but not his brakes, gauges, and squeaky wheels. Also the last instance in the series Thomas and Percy end the episode in disgrace.
- Character Development: Thomas, who showed No Sympathy for Henry's ill bouts in earlier stories, is deeply sorry when he realises he really was sick, and from this episode onwards is usually one of the first to take notice when Henry doesn't look well again.
- Dark Reprise:
- In the British version, Henry's theme plays in a lower register as he tries to pull the trucks Thomas and Percy saddled him with.
- The American version plays Henry's season 8-12 theme in a slow, exhausted manner whenever he is struggling.
- Determinator: Despite feeling sick, Henry does his best to pull the long line of heavy trucks. However, he soon breaks down.
- Heel Realization: Thomas and Percy after Henry breaks down as a result of their prank.
- Heroic RRoD: Sometimes when your body is telling you that it's not up for the job, trying to physically force yourself to work will only makes things worse for yourself.
- Hypochondriac: Henry, a key reason none of the engines believe he is genuinely sick.
- Jerkass Ball: Thomas and Percy grab it by not only being unsympathetic towards Henry's condition, but also letting him pull a heavy line of trucks as a prank without realizing he really does feel sick. They soon apologize sincerely for this.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Thomas and Percy, who were unsympathetic towards Henry earlier, were told by The Fat Controller to do Henry's work.
- No Sympathy: Thomas and Percy didn't care if Henry was feeling ill again, so they tricked him into taking a long load of trucks. However, in the end, the two tank engines apologized to Henry for their trick, explaining they thought he was just exaggerating as usual.
- Stock Footage: A mirrored scene from "Henry and the Elephant" is used when Henry's Driver encourages Henry to keep pulling his train.
- Women Are Wiser: Emily was the only engine who sympathized with Henry for his illness.
