The Christmas Tree Express

The Christmas Tree Express is the twentieth episode of the sixteenth season. In this episode, Toby gets scared when he takes Rheneas to Misty Island to pick out a Christmas tree.

Plot
It was Christmas on the Island of Sodor. Thomas, Toby, and Rheneas are shunting in the Blue Mountain Quarry. Thomas says he was going to pick up a Christmas tree that the Logging Locos have brought from Misty Island. Rheneas says they do not have a tree and Toby comments that it would not be Christmas without one. Rheneas wants to go to Misty Island to find a tree for his friends, but Thomas is too busy and Toby says that Misty Island is strange and scary. Thomas says this is nonsense so Toby agrees to take Rheneas.

When they arrive at the Search and Rescue Centre, Toby and Rheneas meet the Logging Locos, who tell them that there will be plenty of trees on Misty Island. When Toby and Rheneas reach Misty Island, Toby says he wants to chuff slowly and carefully, but Rheneas tells him to go fast. Toby chuffs quickly to the Hollow Tree Tunnel. He doesn't want to chuff forward, but Rheneas tells him to chuff faster and faster. Toby decides that if he closes his eyes, it wouldn't be as scary. He goes fast and they pass some Christmas trees. Rheneas tells Toby to stop, but Toby doesn't want to; he is too scared.

Next Toby and Rheneas come up to the Shake Shake Bridge. Toby is scared and does not want to cross, so he closes his eyes and races over the Shake Shake Bridge. They race around Misty Island and pass more Christmas trees. Rheneas tells Toby to stop, but he does not; he is too scared. Then the mist comes down. Toby stops because he is scared. Rheneas tells Toby to go fast, but Toby cannot as he is too frightened. Rheneas is worried that his friends will wake up and still not have a tree. Toby explains that he finds going fast scary and would prefer to go slowly. Rheneas agrees and, with the help of the Logging Locos, the engines go slowly and carefully and find a perfect tree. Toby realises that when he is not going fast, Misty Island is not scary after all and he keeps his eyes open the entire time.

Rheneas and Toby return to the Blue Mountain Quarry. The engines there are all amazed and agree it is a wonderful Christmas surprise.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Toby
 * Bash and Dash
 * Ferdinand
 * Skarloey
 * Rheneas
 * Rusty
 * Ol' Wheezy
 * Hee-Haw
 * Sir Handel (cameo)
 * Peter Sam (cameo)
 * Victor (cameo)
 * Luke (cameo)
 * Captain (cameo)
 * Merrick (cameo)
 * Owen (cameo)
 * Salty (mentioned)

Locations

 * Sodor Search and Rescue Centre
 * Blue Mountain Quarry
 * Blondin Bridge
 * Town Square
 * Misty Island
 * Hollow Tree Tunnel
 * Shake Shake Bridge
 * Echo Valley
 * Misty Island Seashore
 * The Jobi Woods


 * In Australia, this episode was first available to view on the ABC iView online service on December 22nd before its television broadcast.
 * In the UK, the first airing was held back until December 25th, to coincide with Christmas.
 * Most British television listings give this episode the title The Christmas Express.
 * In the UK version, "Christmas Holidays" is used, while in the US version "Winter Holidays" is used. However, after this episode, "Christmas Holidays" is used in both dubs.
 * This is the last episode of several things:
 * The last to be narrated by Michael Angelis, Michael Brandon, Povl Dissing, Ron Druyan, and Dan Shatzberg.
 * The last to be animated by Nitrogen Studios.
 * The last episode directed by Greg Tiernan.
 * The last where Sharon Miller was head writer.
 * The last episode written by Sharon Miller to date.
 * The last appearance of Bash, Dash, and Misty Island to date, and Ferdinand's last appearance until the eighteenth season.
 * The last episode to have two separate narrators for the UK and US.
 * The last episode where Ben Small voices Ferdinand in the UK.
 * In Japan, it was called "Look for the Christmas Tree". The German title was called "The Christmas Tree Search".
 * Going by production order, this is the eighteenth episode of the sixteenth season.


 * A brakevan should've been added to Toby's train.
 * It's very dangerous for Rheneas' driver to remain in his cab throughout the trip on the flatbed.
 * Toby has been to Misty Island before.
 * It's unknown how Rheneas got onto the flatbed if everyone at the quarry was asleep.
 * The Christmas tree should've been transported on a separate flatbed.
 * Rheneas would've fallen off the flatbed when they passed over the Shake Shake Bridge.
 * Rheneas and Toby are way out of character.