Air date: September 12th, 2014 (UK)
One morning, the Fat Controller comes to Tidmouth Sheds to tell his engines that a deputy minister is coming to Sodor to present the controller with an award for "Services to Transport". He warns his engines to be on their best behaviour. Gordon volunteers to collect the deputy minister, but the Fat Controller explains that Spencer is already bringing the very important person.
Spencer is speeding his way over from the mainland with the very important visitor. Spencer promises to get him to Knapford ahead of schedule. Spencer is so busy trying to go as fast as he can, that he ignores signals and speeds ahead of Edward. This causes confusion at Wellsworth Junction where the signalman sends Spencer down the branch line. It's not long before Spencer finds himself at the Sodor China Clay Pits. Timothy, Bill and Ben are surprised to see Spencer who concludes that there must have been a mistake.
Eventually, Spencer makes it to Knapford Station very late. The deputy minister is not impressed at all with his transportation. He then says that he will not travel back to the Mainland with Spencer. Gordon overhears and offers his services which annoys the Fat Controller a bit; it's his job to decide which engine does which job. The Fat Controller and the deputy minister head off as Thomas and James arrive. They both think that they could be chosen.
It's not long before all the engines on Sodor are rushing around trying to prove how fast they can be, hoping that they will be chosen to take the minister home. Back at Knapford Station, Spencer watches all the other engines rushing about. He starts to feel very sorry for himself and wishes that he had done things differently.
Meanwhile, James is approaching Wellsworth Station at high speed. James screeches to a stop in the station and the carriages bang into each other. The passengers are not happy with their bumpy stop at all. Gordon pulls up just in time to laugh at James. However, James is quick to point out that Gordon has stopped before the platform, meaning that the passengers cannot disembark. On the Little Western line, Duck runs a red signal and comes buffer-to-buffer with Oliver who is not happy. Elsewhere, Thomas is making the silliest mistake of all. He is being refilled with coal when he moves forwards, coal pours down all over Annie and Clarabel.
Later on, at Knapford Station, the Fat Controller is not happy with his engines performances. He says that when they hurry around they are negligent and make more mistakes. He says that none of the engines deserve the privilege of taking the deputy minister home. Spencer speaks up and asks if he can do the job. He says that he has learned from his mistakes and asks if he can have a second chance. The deputy minister agrees that Spencer should be given a second chance, as should the engines on the Fat Controller's railway. He says that he will come back the following day.
The deputy minister does indeed come back the next day. All of the engines are going about their work as normal and no mistakes occur at all. The minister is very impressed and calls it a fine railway. He then presents the Fat Controller with a special trophy and all the engines cheer.
Tropes featured in the episode:
- Catchphrase Interruptus: Oliver uses this to Duck's catchphrase :Duck: There are two ways of doing things, Oliver, the Great Western Way or...
Oliver: ...the wrong way. I know. And you're doing it the wrong way! - Character Development: Spencer learns how to be less of a show-off, and be more mindful of his job.
- Idiot Ball: The engines all grabbed it. Just a number of engines ignored the red signals, James was going too fast that when he stops, the coaches bang each other, Gordon stops just before the platform, Duck ignored the red signal and nearly crashed into Oliver, and then Thomas unknowingly causing the coal to fall on Annie and Clarabel while moving forward.
- I'm Standing Right Here: When Spencer fails to bring the deputy minister to Knapford Station on time, Gordon, then James and Thomas choose to show up at that moment, and they all brag to each other that they will be the ones to take the deputy minister back to the mainland, just to rub it in.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Spencer realizes that he should've kept his eyes on the rails and been less of a show-off.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero:
- Spencer's attempt to get the deputy minister to Knapford Station ahead of schedule results in him ending up in the wrong place when he goes too fast to watch the signals, and the deputy minister running late. He quickly regrets it.
- Later, all of the other engines' attempts to be useful result in causing confusion and delay all over Sodor - Duck ignores a signal and nearly crashes into Oliver; Thomas accidentally causes coals to fall on Annie and Clarabel when he tried getting an early head-start while the coal was still pouring; James breaks too suddenly at the station, causing a bumpy stop for his passengers, while Gordon stops too early at the station, preventing a disembark from the express. The Fat Controller was so displeased by the numerous screw-ups that he gives all the engines quite a scolding.
- Not So Above It All: Even some of the more humble engines such as Toby and Hiro try vehemently to impress the deputy minister, in hopes they'll be chosen to transport him.
- Rule of Three: James stops at the station too hard, Duck goes through a signal and almost bumps into Oliver, and Thomas starts off while his coal is still being poured.
- Tempting Fate: In the beginning of the episode, Spencer speeds along the rails while boasting that he can get the deputy minister to Knapford Station ahead of schedule. He speeds so fast that he misses the railway signals and ends up at the Sodor China Clay Pits, which was Edward's intended destination. Whoops.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Just a few.
- The deputy minister calls out the Fat Controller for having very poor transportation service after Spencer accidentally takes him to the wrong place, and right on the day of the award ceremony, too.
- Oliver putting Duck in his place by using his Character Catchphrase and said that he doing it "the wrong way" by nearly colliding to him.
- Annie and Clarabel call out Thomas for causing coal to pour on them while he was moving.
- Lastly, The Fat Controller calls out all of the engines for all of the mistakes they've made in their eagerness to be the chosen engine to deliver the deputy minister.
