Breaking Rules

*“Where's your cowcatcher?"
"But I don't catch cows, Mr. "
"Don't be goofy!”* *―The policeman and Ted*
**Breaking Rules** is the fourth episode of the first season of Locomotive Ted.

## Plot

One day, Ted is leaving the quarry at the end of his branch line with both trucks and his coaches. The rails here run alongside the road, so Ted is always careful at this point in his run and whistles to make sure no one is in his way. Ted sees a new policeman by the crossing and having been friends with the previous one had just retired, he whistles 'good morning' to him. Unfortunately, the policeman is not in the mood.

The policeman first complains about Ted's whistling after stating he did not get any sleep the night before, and then claims to Ted that he is breaking the law by having no fitted cowcatchers or side plates. Ted's driver protests that they have been along this road many times before without an accident, but the policeman retorts that it makes things worse, and he brands Ted a "regular lawbreaker" in his notebook. Ted then continues mad back to the station.

In his dining room, Gorilla Jake is having breakfast with his wife when he is phoned about Ted's incident with the police. He grabs his hat and rushes to the station, where Ted's driver tells Gorilla Jake what has happened, and they both try to reason with the policeman. However, he refuses to back down, saying that they cannot change the law. Gorilla Jake decides that there is no use in arguing and concedes that they will have to make cowcatchers for Ted. Thomas is distressed by this, worrying that people will laugh at him and say he looks like a tram. This comment causes Gorilla Jake to be reminded of Thomas, making him realize that a tram engine is needed. Knowing Thomas's line has lost its business to buses and lorries, Gorilla Jake writes a letter to his controller asking if he can be sent to Sodor.

A few days later, Thomas arrives and is greeted by Gorilla Jake, who notices that Thomas has brought Henrietta with him and agrees to allow her to stay as well. Thomas soon proves to have a talent for handling the trucks. Although Ted is jealous at first, he quickly becomes good friends with Thomas, especially when Thomas uses his bell to frighten that same policeman.

## Characters

* Ted
* Thomas
* Gorilla Jake
* The Policeman
* Terrible Trucks (*do not speak*)
* Max (*does not speak*)
* Lady (*not named; does not speak*)
* Alex (*cameo)*
* Annie (*portrait cameo*)

## Trivia

* A deleted scene from Karma & Katastrophes is used.
* Stock footage from Ted's Coal Load is used, though only in the original version. The restored version only uses a different shot where Ted is wearing a different happy face, presumably alternative footage from said episode.
* A deleted scene shows Thomas pulling coal.

## Goofs

* When the narrator says that the policeman was "red in the face and very annoyed," he appears to be sad than annoyed.

* When Ted's driver says "What do you mean? We've been along here hundreds of times and never had an accident!" the brim of his cap is falling off.

* The words "Regular lawbreaker" were written long before the narrator says that the policeman wrote them in his notebook.
* When Thomas stops by the policeman to use his bell to frighten the policeman, his eyes are wonky.
* In the Japanese version, The UK narration can be heard in the background.

## In Other Languages

 Arabic
 Spanish
 Russian
 Finnish
 French
 German
 Brazilian Portuguese

## Home Media Releases

### US

* Breaking Rules and Other Stories
* Locomotive Ted: The Complete First Season

### UK

* Ted in Trouble and Other Stories
* Locomotive Ted: The Complete First Season