Air date: October 17th, 2004
One summer night, Thomas is busy taking coal trucks to the Coaling Plant and is very tired by the time he arrives back at Tidmouth Sheds in the morning. Thomas wishes that he had some assistance with the coal delivery, but Gordon tells Thomas that a really useful engine does not need help. Just then, the Fat Controller arrives as he requires an engine to carry out three jobs. Thomas decides to carry out the three jobs, despite being tired. His three jobs are to take chickens to market, sheep to the farm, and the children to school. Gordon remarks that three jobs is too much for Thomas and he will need assistance. But Thomas tells him that tank engines do not need help at all.
So Thomas sets off with Annie, Clarabel, and two vans. He collects the chickens from the farm, the sheep from the valley, and the children from the station. Thomas carries on with his journey up and over Gordon's Hill and through Henry's Tunnel. Throughout the journey, he reminds himself where he is going. However, the tiredness starts getting the better of him and he gets into a muddle.
At the station where the market is being held, Thomas tells the lorry drivers to unload the sheep, instead of the chickens. Then Emily arrives and sees Thomas looking tired, so she offers to help. But Thomas turns it down, though he is very sleepy. After the market, Thomas goes onto Farmer McColl's and tells the children it is their stop. Finally at the school, Thomas delivers the chickens, much to the confusion of the school teachers.
Thomas heads off for home, but not before the Fat Controller receives phone calls about the sheep making a mess at market, the children getting muddy at the farm, and the chickens messing up the classrooms. The Fat Controller tells Thomas what happened and that he needs to put everything right, but this time with help. Thomas then tells the Fat Controller what Gordon said earlier - a really useful engine never needs help. Edward remarks that he always helps Gordon up the hill, which makes Gordon blush with embarrassment.
Thomas sets off with Edward and Percy helping him. Edward takes the chickens from the school to market, Percy takes the sheep from the market to the farm, and Thomas collects the children from the farm and brings them to the school. That night, Thomas finally gets some much needed sleep in Tidmouth Sheds.
Tropes featured in this episode:
- Continuity Nod: Edward remarks about always helping Gordon up the hill, which is a subtle reference to episodes such as "Edward and Gordon" and "Edward the Very Useful Engine".
- Depending on the Writer: Emily, who many times in Season 8 had held the Jerkass Ball, is the first one who tries to offer Thomas help, something that her Season 7 self would do.
- Go-to-Sleep Ending: This episode ends with Thomas asleep in his shed, dreaming of sheep, chickens, and children.
- Hypocrite: Gordon (who often needs a banker to get up the hill, to the extend that the hill is even named after him) tells Thomas that really useful engines don't need help, and seconds later, he offers to help Thomas with his jobs .
- Hypocritical Humor: At the end of the episode when Thomas explains that the reason he didn't ask for help with his jobs was because Gordon told him that a really useful engine never needs help. Only for Edward to laugh that he's always helping Gordon up the hill. Gordon is very embarassed.
- Jerkass: Gordon, who after hearing Thomas lament on how he wished he had help durring his night shift, boasts that a really useful engine never needs help. (Gordon who frequently needed Edward's help to get the express over the hill.)
- Leave Me Alone!: Thomas' initial refusal for other engines helping him. This is because Gordon remarks that really useful engines don't need help.
- Luminescent Blush: Gordon shows one in embarrassment after Edward says he always helps him up the hill.
- Rule of Three: Thomas' three jobs in this episode are to take chickens to the market, sheep to the farm, and children to school.
- Sleep Deprivation: Thomas gets so tired he ends up mixing up the deliveries.
