Something in the Air

***Something in the Air*** is the eighth episode of the fifth series.

## Plot

Diesel was at the quayside and was about to take vans full of fish to Brendam Docks for Class 40's train, The Flying Kipper. The fishermen, however, were using old equipment and Diesel was beginning to worry about being late when a loose crate of fish drops onto him, spilling fish all over him. His driver and oiler find it very funny, but Diesel was less than impressed and sniffs at the odour.

Later, Diesel was travelling along Tidmouth Beachwhen. He was further delayed by a man waving a red flag; the man informs him and his crew about some tracks that have been eroded from high tides and he has marked the spot. Diesel's driver decides to go inspect and they soon arrive at the unsafe area. The driver determines that the tracks are safe enough for a smaller engine like Diesel, but not a heavy engine like Class 40. The guard erects a red lamp post by the damaged track as a warning spot to engines and states that he will tell the signalman at the docks to close the line.

It was already dark once Diesel arrives at Brendam Docks, with Class 40 waiting for him. He was cross with Diesel for being late and smelly. Diesel attempts to warn Class 40 of the danger, but Class 40 scoffs off the warning and orders him to have his trucks hitched to the train. Finally, the Flying Kipper sets off.

Inside the yardmaster's office, the yardmaster tells Diesel's driver that Class 40 was taking the Coastal Run; this shocks the driver, as he has already stated about how dangerous it is to big engines. The yardmaster quickly phones the signalman to reroute Class 40, but Class 40 was eger to make up for lost time and passes the signal box. This ends up with the signalman unable to hear the warning and only does so when Class 40 was far away. Once Class 40 reached the Coastal Track, his hopes for a fast run are dashed as heavy fog rolls in and neither he nor his driver could see the track ahead. The damaged track was soon been completely submerged and Class 40 derails and plunges into the sea with his train, coming to a stop offshore and spits out a mouthful of seawater.

The next day, when the tide is high enough, Class 40 and his fish were craned out of the water. He ends up on a barge full of fish with a seagull perched on his roof, where the Fat Controller sternly tells him that engines are supposed to deliver fish, not swim with them, which he should know by now. Class 40 was towed back to the docks in the barge to be lifted back onto dry tracks. Big Mickey teases Class 40 that he would have some "fishy" tales to tell, much to his annoyance. Then some children laugh at Class 40 and call him a green whale, while others insist that he was a monster. Class 40 didn’t find the jokes funny and is very upset.

Finally, Class 40 was back on the rails and Diesel felt sorry for him and comes to take him away for a wash down. After being cleaned, Class 40 apologises to Diesel for being so rude to him. Diesel accepts Class 40's apology, then jokes with Class 40 about smelling something - fresh air.

## Characters

* Diesel
* Class 40
* Big Mickey
* Sir Topham Hatt
* The Yardmaster
* Stephen Hatt (*not named*)
* The Lighthouse Keeper (*not named*)
* Diesel 199 (*cameo*)
* Bridget Hatt (*cameo*)
* Cranky (*cameo*)
* The Fisherman (*mentioned*)

## Trivia

* This episode is based off the fifteenth episode of the fifth series from Thomas & Friends with the same name.
* In this episode, the set for Brendam Docks is modified to resemble its setup as Knapford Harbour from the fourth series episode, Fish.
* Izzy Gomez, two schooners, the LT building and the steel company from TUGS appear in the episode. One of the schooners is seen with the wheelhouse of the shrimper named Jacqueline.
* Stephen Hatt makes a cameo as the boy who jokingly calls Class 40 a monster.
* The barrel the children and workmen stand near is the "Best Quality Steam Coal" barrel from the fourth series episode, Bowled Out.
* This episode marks the first time an engine is seen with something in their mouth. In this case, Class 40 spat out water.
* This is the first time an engine falls into the sea and has to wait until the tide is high enough to be rescued.