The Thomas Way

The Thomas Way is the twelfth episode of the seventeenth season. In this episode, Thomas and Duck must work together to help Harold when he breaks down.

Plot
One morning, Harold is rescuing some climbers from the cliffs near Callan Castle. Once he's completed his rescue mission, he goes to take off again, but finds he cannot. His blades are jammed and he can't take off. Duck was called to Callan Castle where the Fat Controller instructs him to take Harold to the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre for repairs. Harold was concerned that he will be too tall and wide to travel via rail, but the Fat Controller explains that Thomas will be Duck's back engine and keep an eye out.

As they travel along, Thomas gets an idea; perhaps Harold would like to see some of the island's sights from an engine's perspective. Harold is keen on the idea, but Duck is not. Duck is sure that there is only one way to do things - the Great Western way which is to take the most direct and prompt way to the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre. Thomas becomes annoyed with Duck and decides to play a trick on him. Thomas tells Duck that they need to visit Knapford station to collect the engineer to fix Harold. This isn't true and is just a way for Thomas to show off busy Knapford station to Harold. Duck falls for Thomas' trick and they set off towards Knapford.

When they arrive at Knapford station, Harold is amazed by what he sees, but as they are about to enter the station, Thomas and Duck have to brake sharply. Harold is too tall to fit under the station's roof, but luckily they grind to a stop just in time. Gordon then thunders up with the express but has to stop as Harold is very wide and blocking his line. The Fat Controller is most surprised to see Thomas, Duck and Harold at the station. Duck explains that they have come to pick up the engineer, but the Fat Controller tells him that the engineer was waiting at the rescue centre. Duck realises that he had been tricked and they set off again.

Duck is cross with Thomas as they puff through the countryside. Duck is determined to stick to the Great Western way from now on. As they approach a tunnel, Thomas calls out to warn Duck that the tunnel isn't wide enough. Duck thinks it's another trick and ignores Thomas. They thunder into the tunnel and Harold's blades scrape along the side of the tunnel until they get wedged.

Soon, some engineers arrive to try and free Harold. The Fat Controller also arrives in Winston. He was very cross with Thomas and Duck for causing Harold more damage. Harold is soon freed and the Fat Controller orders Thomas and Duck to go to the Search and Rescue Centre straight away. Outside the tunnel, Duck apologises to Thomas for not listening to him and Thomas also apologises for tricking Duck in the first place. Duck is concerned about how they'll get to the Search and Rescue Centre without encountering anymore tunnels. Thomas knows a route they can take - the Thomas way. Thomas goes to the front of the train and takes his own route to the rescue centre. The route isn't as direct or as prompt, but it avoids all of the tunnels. Finally, Thomas and Duck pull into the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre with Harold where the engineer is waiting.

Later on, when Thomas and Duck stop at a signal, Duck admits that there might be three ways of doing things; the Great Western way, the wrong way and the Thomas way. But Duck can't help but point out that the Great Western way is usually the best way and the pair laugh.