Jitters and Japes

Jitters and Japes is the eighteenth episode of the fourteenth season and the three hundred and fourty-sixth episode of the series. In this episode, Thomas takes Dowager Hatt on a slow tour of Misty Island, but the Dowager wants to have a more exciting trip.

Plot
Dowager Hatt is visiting Sodor. Thomas puffs into Knapford Station and Sir Topham Hatt tells him to collect his mother from Maithwaite Station and take her on a tour of Misty Island. Thomas guarantees that Dowager Hatt will have fun which prompts Sir Topham to warn Thomas that his mother is an elderly woman. Thomas then asks Toby, one of the oldest engines, what he would want to do. Toby tells Thomas that he would want to go slow and then rest to smile at the beautiful views.

So Thomas sets off to Maithwaite to collect the Dowager; Thomas tells Dowager Hatt that he has a plan for their day and Dowager Hatt tells Thomas that she has a few plans herself, but Thomas doesn't listen and sets off through the Misty Island Tunnel. Unfortunately, the mist is down over Misty Island which rather upsets the Dowager. Thomas then remembers Toby's idea of fun and stops to let Dowager Hatt admire the view, but she isn't happy and doesn't consider the view very fun at all. Thomas assures her that the next stop will be fun and they soon stop at the Misty Island Seashore. Dowager Hatt waits and waits, but she does not smile. Finally, the mist lifts and Thomas sets off again to have more "fun". Thomas, remembering Toby's advice, puffs slowly and steadily up and down hills. But Dowager Hatt is getting more and more annoyed until, finally, she demands Thomas to stop. He does and Dowager Hatt orders Thomas to take her home. Thomas tells her that he was only trying to be fun for her, but Dowager Hatt tells Thomas that she wanted thrills and spills, jokes and japes, jitters and flitters. Thomas doesn't know what those are so he agrees to the Dowager's orders and decides to go home the quickest way possible.

Thomas chuffs through the Hollow Tree Tunnel, and to his surprise Dowager Hatt is clapping and laughing. This gives Thomas an idea. He races faster and faster towards the Shake Shake Bridge. Dowager Hatt loves the bridge! Next, it's Ol' Wheezy's turn to impress. He throws logs all over the place - much to the Dowager's content. All too soon, it was teatime and Dowager Hatt had to go back to Sodor. Dowager Hatt tells her son all about the fun she has had and the Fat Controller praises Thomas, who now realises that different people have different ideas of fun - regardless of their age!