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Thomas' Train, retitled A Big Day for Thomas in American releases, is the fifth episode of the first series. It is based on the story of the same name from the Railway Series book Thomas the Tank Engine.



Plot[]

Thomas the Tank Engine's main job as station pilot is to collect the coaches that the engines need to pull their trains. Recently, Thomas has been grumbling about only getting to collect the coaches, wanting to pull passenger trains instead. The other engines laugh at Thomas, telling him he is so impatient he would be bound to leave something behind. Thomas is determined to get a chance to prove them wrong.

That night, Thomas and Henry are alone in the shed as Henry is ill. The workmen try their hardest to make him better but fail when it is no use. Thomas feels sorry for Henry, who feels just as bad the next morning when he is due to take the early train. It is time for Thomas to get the coaches ready, so he starts to hope he will be allowed to pull the train if Henry is not able to. He excitedly leaves to fetch the coaches.

Thomas quickly gets the coaches to the platform and is eager to run round in front. His driver does not let him, telling him he needs to be less impatient. Soon, all the passengers are aboard and the coaches are ready to leave and there is still no sign of Henry, much to Thomas' excitement. The Fat Controller arrives to see what is going on and is told about Henry. He tells the stationmaster to find another engine and, as Thomas is the only one available, he allows the tank engine to take the train.

Thomas, full of joy, quickly moves to the front of the coaches despite his driver again warning Thomas not to be impatient, but wait until everything is ready. For some unknown reason - Thomas is too impatient to wait, the driver has pulled the lever by mistake, or the crew have forgotten to couple Thomas to the coaches - Thomas ends up leaving the station without the coaches and the passengers are very surprised and angry. The men in the signal box outside the station try to stop Thomas by shouting and waving, though Thomas thinks they are cheering.

Thomas sails along the line, thinking pulling coaches is easier than he was told. He keeps seeing people waving at him and assumes it is because he has never pulled a train before. Eventually, Thomas is stopped at a signal set to danger. Thomas is angry at being stopped when he was sailing through nicely and blows his whistle, alerting the signalman who asks what Thomas is doing on this part of the line. Thomas explains he is pulling a train, but the signalman asks him where the coaches are. Thomas is horrified when he realizes he has left his train behind. The signalman tells Thomas he better go back and get them. Thomas is very upset at his mistake and is ready to cry. The driver tells Thomas not to be upset and Thomas sadly heads back to the station.

At the station, all the passengers are complaining to the Fat Controller about what happened, but when Thomas arrives and they see how upset and sorry he is, they forget to be cross and allow him to try again. This time, Thomas is properly coupled to the coaches and he gets the chance to really pull the train. However for a long time afterwards, the other engines laugh at Thomas for his mistake, much to his annoyance.

Characters[]

  • Thomas
  • Henry
  • The Fat Controller

Gallery[]

See here

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