Special Attraction

**Special Attraction** is the twenty-sixth and the final episode of the fourth season and the 109th episode overall. It is based on the stories Toby's Seaside Holiday and Bulstrode from the thirty-second Railway Series book, Toby, Trucks and Trouble.

## Plot

Toby is sent to the seaside village of Ballahoo to be their "Special Attraction," as they have one every year. But when he gets there, his driver learns from the parade manager that there is no room for him in the parade. After Toby chuffs sadly back to Elsbridge, Percy sees how upset Toby is. Before Toby can tell him why, the Fat Controller tells Percy to take care of some important work in Knapford Harbour. Percy's driver says that it will be trouble with Bulstrode, who according to Percy's driver is a disagreeable barge who never stops complaining.

At the harbour, Bulstrode and the trucks are arguing about who is in the wrong place. Once Percy arrives, the trucks ask to be shunted into a siding to load Bulstrode up with their stone so he can leave and they can be rid of him. While pushing the trucks, Percy cannot stop in time and he pushes them through a set of buffers and sends them toppling off the high wharf and right into Bulstrode's hull, which nearly sinks him much to the other trucks' amusement. It takes a very long time to clear the mess, after which Percy watches a disgraced Bulstrode towed to Bluff’s Cove. The workmen leave him there on the beach, telling him he can stay where he is, for visiting children to play in and he will finally be useful.

When Percy returns, Toby is over his own disappointment and both he and Percy exchange their news. He tells Percy that his driver says that both of them are Special Attractions after all everywhere they go; all he and Percy have to do is smile and blow whistles at everyone, which Percy happily agrees.

## Characters

* Percy
* Toby
* Troublesome Trucks
* Bulstrode
* The Fat Controller
* Trevor *(cameo)*
* Jem Cole *(cameo)*

## Locations

* Ffarquhar Sheds
* Elsbridge
* Wellsworth
* Gordon's Hill
* Killdane
* Ballahoo
* Knapford Harbour
* Bluff’s Cove

## Trivia

* This episode marks the first appearance of Bulstrode and his only speaking role in the series, but not his only appearance, since he can be seen on the beach whenever we would see Bluff’s Cove in later episodes.
* This was the last episode of many things:
	+ The last episode adapted from a story written by Christopher Awdry, excluding James and the Red Balloon, which is loosely based on a story from a mini book with a similar title.
	+ The last episode based on a story from the Railway Series until the fourteenth season episode, Tit for Tat, not counting the loosely adapted episode Faulty Whistles.
	+ The last episode to introduce a character from the Railway Series until the fourteenth season special, Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure.
	+ The last episode to be adapted into one episode from two stories from the Railway Series.
* This episode marks the first of several things:
	+ This episode marks the first appearance of Killdane and Ballahoo station in the series.
	+ The first season finale that was not Christmas or winter-themed.
	+ The first season finale where Thomas, Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Annie, Clarabel, Terence, Bertie and Farmer Finney do not appear.