Pop Goes the Steamie

***Pop Goes the Steamie*** is the seventh episode from the second series.

## Plot

Class 08 the Other Railway diesel works very hard on the Island of Sodor and everything goes smoothly when he is around. He can keep the coaches quiet, the trucks behaving, and the passengers happy. He is also very proud of his Other Railway heritage and talks endlessly about it, which irritates the larger diesels, who quickly grow tired of hearing about "the Other Railway".

One day, a visitor arrives in the shed. The Fat Controller introduces the new engine as Thomas, stating that he has agreed to give him a trial, and charges Class 08 with showing him around and teaching him what to do. Thomas introduces himself before heaping compliments on Diesel 10, D199, and Class 40, who are in awe by his flattery. Class 08, however, takes a dislike to Thomas' coaly nature and shows him to the yard, where it becomes apparent that Class 08's dislike of Thomas is mutual as Class 08 orders Thomas to refer to the Fat Controller as "Sir Topham Hatt" before Thomas smugly tells Class 08 that he does not have to be taught what to do. Steamies know everything and come to a yard to improve it, and are revolutionary. Class 08 is not impressed with Thomas' boasting and orders him to arrange the trucks while he leaves to take Gordon's coaches to the station. Eager for the chance to show off, Thomas quickly gets to work.

When Class 08 returns, he finds Thomas trying to move some very old, near-derelict trucks with stiff joints and brakes from a siding. Class 08 decides to let the events play out, and watches with interest. Thomas struggles to move the trucks and gets so forceful with them that some of their brakes snap and the gear jams in the sleepers, causing several of the trucks to derail and overturn in the process. Thomas tries to push the remaining trucks back, but he still can't move them and is forced to give up.

As Class 08 finally comes around carrying some other trucks, Thomas asks Class 08 why he did not tell him about this when he had gone through so much trouble. Class 08 replies that Thomas never asked him, as he was having fun being "revolutionary." Class 08 leaves happily, while Thomas fumes angrily.

Thomas is later forced to help the workmen clear the mess, a job that he hates, especially as the trucks have started laughing and singing a degrading song at him. When the clean-up is over, Thomas, now cross with the trucks and with Class 08, storms off back to the shed to sulk.

## Characters

* Class 40
* Diesel 10
* Diesel 199
* Class 08
* Thomas
* Troublesome Trucks
* Sir Topham Hatt
* Dennis (*cameo*)

## Trivia

* The episode is based off the twelfth episode of the second series from *Thomas & Friends*, Pop Goes the Diesel.
* The title (as well as the song featured) is a pun on the nursery rhyme, Pop Goes the Weasel.
* When Thomas was introduced, he complimented all the diesels except Dennis.
* This is the first episode for a few things:
	+ The first episode where vans have faces.
	+ The first episode where trucks have rectangular faces.
	+ The first episode to feature Salt Vans, LBSC Railway 8 Ton Vans and Cattle Trucks with faces.
	+ The first time Thomas tried to pull a line of trucks with the brakes on. He would eventually do it again in the sixth series episode, The World's Strongest Engine.