Inspection

**Inspection** is the second episode of the second season of the Stories of Sodor and the seventeenth episode overall.

Inspection/Transcript

## Plot

Sir Topham Hatt, the Chairman of the Railway Board, is one of, if not, the most respected and well known figure among Britain's railways who has arrived on Sodor for an inspection. Mr. Star introduces three of his engines to the stout gentleman before they leave. Edward, Toby and Eric are much happier about the inspection now. The other engines of both crews were in disbelief too. News of Sir Topham's presence spread rapidly across the island. Throughout the next several weeks, the Midis and Nor'easters did their best to show the Fat Controller their usefulness and productivity. Throughout the inspection, rumours were going around about the reason of it. It wouldn't be until the end of the inspection when Sodor's category would be revealed. The most trying aspect of the inspection was for both the Midis and Nor'Easters to behave, especially in the presence of both of them.

One day, Sir Topham visited Arlesburgh. Duke reminds Stuart and Falcon to be on their best behaviours. Sir Topham reveals that he has a keen fondness for narrow gauge railways as those locomotives were vital assets during the First World War. Suddenly, Topham hears a whistle he knows. Stanley arrives with a train of slate trucks, and he reveals to the other engines that he knows the director since they had served together during the war. Stanley explains that he was built in 1917 at the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Pennsylvania and in that same year, he was exported to Europe to serve in the war. Sir Topham reveals why Stanley doesn't have an accent is because he wasn't assembled properly and wasn't in a serviceable condition when he arrived. They had to fix up Stanley in one of their workshops where he received his first firing. Meanwhile, Adam, who was in the yard, had been blocked by a tar tanker which had its brakes jammed. Presently, the workmen have loosened the tanker's brakes… too much. Since the track sloped slightly downwards and that the tanker was full with tar, the tanker quickly got away from Adam. Simultaneously, James had been leaving the yard, joyful from bringing the Fat Controller to Arlesburgh and being complimented. After a crash, Adam goes over to find James derailed and covered in tar. The mess was swiftly cleaned up and James was taken to the works where he was fixed and cleaned. After that, the Nor'Easters and Midis' bickering began in full force. Sir Topham witnessed numerous of these exchanges but remained silent.

About a week before, the Nor'Easters had received a new shipment of bogie coaches which were to replace the branch line and local passenger fleets. The new coaches had become very popular, and most of them were non-faceless. The vast majority of them were very pleasant and charming, but there were also snobbish and vain ones, whom the Nor'Easters argued with almost as much as with the Midis. Percy had taken three of these coaches as part of the afternoon service on the Loop Line. At Knapford Yards later, Percy is complaining to Thomas and Alice about the coaches and their behaviour. Thomas has come up with an idea to get back at the coaches: Thomas will go up to the three coaches and act apologetic on Percy's behalf while Percy will come through the station next to the coaches and blow his whistle as loud as possible. Alice had wanted to join in, but she has to marshal a goods train that will leave in twenty minutes.

Later, Thomas talks to the three coaches and apologises to them. While Thomas' part of the plan had been successful, Percy wasn't as lucky as he approached the station too fast and didn't notice an unattended trolley rolling towards the line. Percy rolls over it and jam falls over Percy and the passengers, making them angry because their clothes were spoiled. Sir Topham appears too and Percy is unable to explain himself. Sir Topham also reveals that his best trousers are on Percy's funnel and he reprimands the green tank engine for trying to prank the coaches.

That night, Toby tears into Thomas for trying to pull the juvenile prank. Toby says that Sir Topham will be having a meeting with Mr. Star and Mr. Zorro on Thursday. Since neither side had endeared itself to him during the inspection, both the LMS and LNER could be booted out and Sir Topham would take control of the railway himself, but Toby is really unsure about what will actually happen.

On Thursday, Mr. Star and Mr. Zorro meet up with Sir Topham. Sir Topham says that the respective incidents were mere trifles compared to the overall problem. He reveals the reason why he's been carrying out the inspection is because ever since he became the director of the Railway Board five years before, Sodor had become a recurring issue. The board has to consider the welfare of all British Railways, especially given the current situation in Europe. The system also has to be operating at peak efficiency, in which Sodor has been under performing. Sir Topham hasn't decided what will happen yet, and would later write in his memoirs that he did take Mr. Star and Mr. Zorro's applies into consideration, though he was also looking for something more…

## Characters

* Thomas
* Edward
* James
* Percy
* Toby
* Eric
* Adam
* Alice
* Duke
* Stanley
* Falcon
* Stuart
* Hyacinth
* Rose
* Mr. Star
* Mr. Zorro
* The Fat Controller
* Mickey *(does not speak)*
* Annie and Clarabel *(do not speak)*
* Wendell *(not named; does not speak)*
* Henry *(cameo)*
* Donald and Douglas *(cameo)*
* Oliver *(cameo)*
* Diesel *(cameo)*
* Reginald *(cameo)*
* Colin *(cameo)*
* Lily *(cameo)*
* Peter *(cameo)*
* Kate *(cameo)*
* Neil *(cameo)*
* Matthew *(cameo)*
* Skarloey *(cameo)*
* Rheneas *(cameo)*
* Spencer *(cameo)*
* Flying Scotsman *(cameo)*

## Trivia

* This Episode marks The Fat Controller's first speaking role in the series.
* This episode adapts the stories "Dirty Objects" and "A Scarf for Percy."
* This marks Wendell's first appearance in the series outside of the Sodor Shorts and Specials.