Free the Roads (S17-21 Version)

**Free The Roads** is the first episode of the twenty-third series.

## Plot

Bulgy is annoyed at the engines always taking the passengers. He attempts to take some that are waiting for Percy to arrive, but they decline his offer to ride on him. Bulgy attempts to block off Percy at the level crossing while trying to express his "Free the roads" policy, but moves after Bertie tells him to. While fantasying about him and Bertie saving passengers from being taken by Percy by taking them instead, he accidently knocks into some steel drums that have some tyres on them. One of the tyres rolls off the drums and onto a plank of wood that launches a bag of soil into a water tower.

Thomas fills up with water from the water tower Bulgy got soil into, and breaks down some time later while taking Annie and Clarabel. Bulgy is then asked by Sir Topham Hatt to take Thomas' passengers instead. Some of the other engines also take on water from the same water tower and break down as well, leaving Bertie and Bulgy very busy.

Bulgy initially likes taking passengers, but he soon gets more than he bargained for; Bertie ends up breaking down due to an overload of passengers to take, leading them to ride in Bulgy and causing him to break down as well. When his passengers complain about this, Bulgy states his regrets in getting the soil in the water tower. Unfortunately, The Fat Controller hears this and chastises Bulgy for what he did. Bulgy is then left broken down while the passengers are picked up by the engines. He is then left further dismayed when he is taken back to the garage by Thomas, but is still sticking to his beliefs.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Percy
* Duck
* Oliver
* Bert
* Rex
* Mike
* Annie and Clarabel
* Bertie
* Bulgy
* George
* Max and Monty
* Sir Topham Hatt
* Fergus Duncan
* The Knapford Stationmaster
* The Teacher
* Albert's Wife
* The Great Railway Show Judge
* The Grumpy Passenger
* Gordon (*does not speak*)
* Butch (*does not speak*)
* Toad (*cameo*)
* Slip Coaches (*cameos*)
* One of Dowager Hatt's Friends (*cameo*)
* The Bird Watcher (*cameo*)
* Sodor United Football Team (*cameo*)
* Rebecca (*mentioned*)
* Samson (*stock footage*)

## Locations

* Knapford
* Dryaw
* Maithwaite
* Ffarquhar
* Wellsworth (*fantasy*)
* Vicarstown (*mentioned*)

## Cast

### UK

* John Hasler as Thomas
* Nigel Pilkington as Percy
* Steven Kynman as Duck
* Joe Mills as Oliver
* Teresa Gallagher as Annie and Clarabel
* Colin McFarlane as Bulgy
* Keith Wickham as Bert, Bertie and Sir Topham Hatt
* Tom Stourton as Rex
* Tim Whitnall as Mike and Max
* Rob Rackstraw as George and Fergus Duncan
* Rasmus Hardiker as Monty

### US

* Joseph May as Thomas
* Christopher Ragland as Percy
* Steven Kynman as Duck
* Joe Mills as Oliver
* Keith Wickham as Bert, Bertie and Sir Topham Hatt
* Tom Stourton as Rex
* Tim Whitnall as Mike
* Teresa Gallagher as Annie and Clarabel
* Colin McFarlane as Bulgy
* Rob Rackstraw as George, Monty and Fergus Duncan
* Kerry Shale as Max

## Trivia

* At the end of the episode, Thomas mentions the events of the twentieth series episode, Saving Time. Stock footage from said episode was also used.
* This episode marks the first of a few things:
	+ The first time since the seventh series episode, Bulgy Rides Again that Bulgy has had a leading role in an episode.
	+ The first episode since the twentieth series finale, Over the Hill to be produced by Ian McCue.
	+ Max and Monty's first speaking roles since the twentieth series episode, Mucking About.
* Bulgy and Bertie in the fantasy sequence were potrayed as Batman and Robin from the 1960s TV series Batman. Theme music renditions were played throughout the episode.
* This episode marks Bertie and Bulgy’s only appearances and Butch’s only non-cameo appearance in the twenty-third series.
* Bertie mentions the events of the twenty-first series episode, Unscheduled Stops.

## Goofs

* Max and Monty have their US voices in the UK dub.
* Kerry Shale is not credited in either the US or UK end credits despite voicing Max.
* Rob Rackstraw is not credited in the UK end credits for voicing Monty. However, Rasmus Hardiker is credited despite not voicing him.
* Max and Monty have Sidney and Paxton's horn sounds.
* As Percy starts leaving Maithwaite, his last two coaches are not rendered properly as they are merged together.

## In Other Languages

 **Spanish** | Liberen los Caminos

 **Spanish** | Liberen los Caminos