U.S. Title: Trouble for Thomas
Air date: October 23rd, 1984
Adapted from: Thomas the Tank Engine, "Thomas and the Trucks"
Thomas the Tank Engine won't stop being a nuisance to the other engines. Night after night, he keeps them awake, complaining that he wants to see the world, but can't if all he gets to do is push coaches for them. The other engines try not to take him too seriously, seeing him as nothing more than a little engine with a long tongue.
One night, Edward comes to Tidmouth Sheds, feeling sorry for Thomas. He tells Thomas about how he has been tasked with pulling a goods train tomorrow morning, and offers to push coaches in the yard for him if he takes his good train. Thomas likes this idea, and thanks Edward for it.
The next morning, Thomas and Edward ask their drivers if they can swap jobs for today. Their drivers agree, and Thomas rushes off to collect the Troublesome Trucks.
The Troublesome Trucks are silly, noisy, talk a lot, don't attend to what they are doing, and play tricks on engines who aren't used to them. Edward knows all about the Troublesome Trucks and their ways, and warns Thomas to be careful. Unfortunately, Thomas is too excited to listen and is more focused on getting the train ready.
After Thomas is coupled up to the Trucks, the signal drops and the guard blows his whistle. Thomas then blows his whistle and starts off. The Trucks aren't ready and tell Thomas to wait. Thomas doesn't want to wait and orders the Trucks to come along. The grumbling Trucks tell him not to fuss as they follow behind him.
At first, Thomas enjoys pulling the train. As he goes faster and faster, he rushes through Henry's Tunnel, feeling very proud of himself. The faster he goes, the crosser the Trucks become.
When at last he comes to Gordon's Hill, Thomas slows down, using all his strength to pull the train up the hill. His driver begins to put on the brakes as they prepare to go down the other side. The Trucks don't want to stop and begin to bump Thomas, pushing him down the hill and rattling and laughing behind him. Thomas and his driver try their hardest to stop the Trucks from making them go too fast, but to no avail. When Thomas orders the Trucks to stop pushing, they take no notice and continue to push him, wanting to go faster and faster.
Thomas soon approaches Maron Station, unable to stop. He is diverted into a siding and stops at last as he bumps into a set of buffers, finding that out as he opens his eyes. There watching him is the Fat Controller, who asks him what he's doing there. Thomas explains to him that he brought Edward's freight train. Sir Topham Hatt asks him why he came so fast, and he tells him that he didn't mean to, the Troublesome Trucks pushed him. Sir Topham Hatt tells Thomas that he has a lot to learn about Trucks, and will be spending the next few weeks pushing them in the goods yard so that he can know almost as much about them as Edward does. Perhaps then, he'll be a really useful engine at last. Thomas then backs sadly down to Maron Station to drop off his cargo.
Tropes featured in the episode:
- Big Brother Mentor: Edward to Thomas.
- Bittersweet Ending: Thomas nearly gets into an accident with the trucks, and is very unhappy about it, but he was given thoughtful advice from The Fat Controller, who sends him to work in the yard handling trucks in order to become a Really Useful Engine.
- Break the Haughty: Given that trucks play tricks on inexperienced engines, Thomas really shouldn't have antagonized them. But the little tank engine was so proud of himself it was inevitable they'd pay him out. He was lucky not to crash.
- Digital Destruction: In the restored version, the visuals of the trucks bumping into each other at the top of Gordon's Hill is out of sync with the audio.
- Disproportionate Retribution: The trucks push Thomas down the hill just because he wasn't used to handling them.
- I Just Want to Be Special: Thomas' quote in the beginning:Thomas: I'm tired of pushing coaches. I want to see the world!
- Jerkasses: The trucks as best described by the narrator:Narrator: Now trucks are silly and noisy. They talk a lot and don't attend on what they're doing. And I'm sorry to say they play tricks on an engine who isn't used to them.
- Leeroy Jenkins: Thomas, who didn't listen to Edward's advice in handling the trucks.
- Out-of-Character Moment: This happens with Edward again. This time, he’s seen along with the other engines who are annoyed with Thomas' ranting just right before he goes back in character sympathizing with him.
- Runaway Train: The trucks push Thomas down Gordon's Hill, sending him rushing far past the station into a siding.
- Stock Footage: Footage from "Thomas' Train" and a deleted scene of "Edward and Gordon" are used.
