Thomas' Train

Thomas' Train, retitled A Big Day for Thomas in American releases, is the fifth episode of the first season. It aired in the US on the Shining Time Station episodes, And the Band Played Off and Stop the Press. In this episode, Thomas gets the chance to pull his very own train with surprising results.

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 that he's so impatient he'd 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 has fallen ill. The workmen try their hardest to make him better, but its 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's time for Thomas to get the coaches ready, and Thomas starts to hope he'll be allowed to pull the train if Henry can't. 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 doesn't let him, telling Thomas he needs to be less impatient. Soon all the passengers are aboard and the coaches are ready to leave and there's still no sign of Henry, much to Thomas's 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. No-one knows what happened next... maybe Thomas was too impatient to wait, maybe the driver pulled the lever by mistake or maybe the crew forgot to couple Thomas to the coaches. Regardless, Thomas leaves the station without the coaches and the passengers are very surprised and angry. The man in the signalbox tries to stop Thomas by shouting and waving, but Thomas thinks he is 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's because he's 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 carrying a train, causing the signalman to ask him where the coaches are. Thomas is horrified when he realises he's left his train behind. The signalman tells Thomas he better go back and get them, and Thomas is very upset at his mistake and is ready to cry. The driver tells Thomas not to be upset, and Thomas sheepishly 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.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Edward (cameo)
 * James (cameo)
 * Lady Hatt (cameo)
 * Stephen Hatt (cameo)
 * Jeremiah Jobling (cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Knapford
 * The Bus Yard
 * The Main Line