Air date: May 12th, 1992 (UK), December 27th, 1991 (US)
Adapted from: The magazine stories, "Edward and the Vicar" and "The Vicar's Fête"
Trevor tells Edward that the Vicar is organising a garden party to fund a trip to the seaside for underprivileged children and Trevor will be the party's main attraction. Edward wishes he could help but he knows he cannot be much help without his rails. Despite being a beautiful day, he becomes worried as he wishes he could do something to help for the party and be helpful like Trevor. His driver replies that he is helpful in his own way, which is on the Fat Controller's railway.
The next day, it is now Trevor's turn to look worried; the Vicar had been so busy setting up the party that he has forgotten to put posters up. Edward suggests an idea by having the Vicar paste the posters on him and his coaches to attract a lot of guests wherever he goes. The driver gives the idea to the Fat Controller who agrees. Sure enough, many people become attracted and decide to attend the Vicar's garden party.
Later that afternoon, Trevor is resting in the orchard shed. Bertie arrives and teases Trevor about his advanced age and announces that he will also be at the garden party bringing more guests there. Bertie then brags that not many people will want to ride on an old traction engine after having travelled on him. Trevor ignores Bertie, knowing that the party would still be a success regardless.
The next day is the party, but the orchard's ground is sodden from an earlier overnight downpour. Trevor knows that rain and mud will not spoil his day as they will stay on the road to prevent an accident. He soon puffs up and down the country lane giving a lot of children rides. Eventually, Bertie arrives bringing guests to the party and tells Trevor that Edward's idea has been a success. In reply, Trevor gives Bertie a cheerful whistle and makes his way back to the orchard. But Bertie gets stuck in the mud while attempting to drop his passengers off at the party. Fortunately, Terence is also there and quickly helps to get him out, joking that he is the one supposed to be plowing fields and Trevor notes that Bertie's boastfulness has caught up with him and has now learned his lesson to never try and go off road. Once back on the road, Bertie thanks Trevor and apologises to him and the party is a success.
That evening, the Vicar thanks Edward and his crew for helping attract a lot of guests. Edward feels very pleased and Really Useful, while Trevor falls happily asleep knowing that all the underprivileged children will finally be able to visit the seaside.
Tropes featured in the episode:
- A Day in the Limelight: This episode focuses primarily on the non rail characters of the series.
- Deadpan Snarker: Downplayed. Trevor makes a brief good natured rub at Bertie after his accident.Bertie: Thanks, old timer. You're not such as stick-in-the-mud after all.
Trevor: No, but you were, just for a little while. - Death by Cameo: The model of Puffa from TUGS, Thomas' short-lived sister series, appears in pieces in the scrapyard.
- Go-to-Sleep Ending: This episode ends with Trevor happily falling asleep in his shed after a hard day's work.
- Help, I'm Stuck!: Bertie gets stuck in the mud near the end of the episode.
- Humble Pie: Bertie being stuck in the mud for teasing Trevor for being old. This made him apologize to him.
- Irony: Bertie made fun of Thomas for getting stuck in snow and having to be rescued by Terence back in the first series, but in this episode Bertie gets stuck in mud and has to be rescued by Terence.
- Mucking in the Mud: Bertie gets stuck in the mud at the Vicarage Orchard when trying to drop off the party guests. Luckily, Terence is able to pull him free.
