Diesel 10 Takes Charge

***Diesel 10 Takes Charge*** is the eighth episode of the eighth series. It is also the 100th episode of Diesel & Friends overall.

## Plot

More visitors were coming to the island to celebrate the winter holidays. When the roads were blocked and Bulgy couldn’t take any passengers, the Fat Controller assigns Dennis to take passengers. Dennis was worried, as he hadn’t pulled passengers in a long time, but the Fat Controller assigns Diesel 10 to teach him. Diesel 10 huffily states that he was an Express Diesel, and he should not be slowed down by a small engine, like Dennis.

When Diesel 10 and Dennis arrived to collect their coaches, Dennis bumps his coaches hard. Diesel 10 tells Dennis to back up smoothly to his coaches and he backs up to his coaches without bumping them. The yard manager praises Diesel 10 for being smooth and saying that it was the best buffering he had ever seen. This made Diesel 10 feel pleased, especially because he believed that teaching Dennis would give him the chance to show off that he was the biggest and the best.

When Diesel 10 arrived at Knapford, he smoothly came to a stop. Dennis arrived a moment later and upon seeing so many passengers, he blew his horn and whooshes a lot of smoke. Diesel 10 crossly tells him he was doing everything wrong and that he should not wheesh until his passengers were on board. He then tells him to watch how he waits for his passengers and lets off smoke after. Diesel 10 was very proud to show Dennis that he was the best and he was having fun, but Dennis was becoming fed up.

Diesel 10 and Dennis rolled along different tracks during their routes, with Diesel 10 going through the snowy valley and Dennis going under the icy bridge. At Maron, Diesel 10 and Dennis pick up more passengers. This time, Dennis waited until his passengers were all on board until he wheeshes some smoke. Diesel 10 claims that Dennis was still learning a little bit, but he was still not doing it right. He once again tells Dennis to watch him as he wheeshes smoke and then immediately pulls out of the station. By now, Dennis was very cross and dismisses Diesel 10’s "teachings" as nothing but showing off.

As Diesel 10 rolled through the countryside, he declared himself as a very clever engine and started showing off to D199 and Salty as he passes by. Neither of them were amused by Diesel 10’s showing off, either, but Diesel 10 continued on, declaring how nice and smoothly he rolled and that he was the fastest and the best.

Soon, Diesel 10 was approaching Kellsthorpe. Diesel and lots of people were there and he wanted to show off to the passengers by how smoothly he could travel. Unfortunately, Diesel 10 was so busy showing off, he didn’t take any notice on how icy the tracks were. Diesel 10 slid right past the station and was diverted onto a siding as everyone watched as he crashed into a snowdrift! Luckily, no one was hurt.

Eventually, the Fat Controller arrived looking very cross. He scolded Diesel 10 for showing off all afternoon instead of teaching Dennis as he had ordered him to. Diesel 10 quietly apologizes for his behaviour, just as Dennis passed by. Dennis gently halted at the station with all of his passengers safely stepping on the platform, while Diesel 10’s passengers had to walk through the snow. Diesel 10 felt embarrassed as his face blushed red. But soon, BoCo pulled him out of the snow bank.

That night, when it was time to go home, the passengers were all on board Dennis and Diesel 10's trains. Diesel 10 wanted to show Dennis how smoothly he roar, but remembered the accident he had earlier and he didn’t want to look silly again. This time, he let Dennis go first to show Diesel 10 how smoothly he could go instead. So Dennis rolled out of the station first and Diesel 10 followed behind. All the way home, Diesel 10 didn’t show off once.

When they arrived back at the sheds, Dennis asked Diesel 10 if he saw how smoothly he went. Diesel 10 compliments Dennis, saying he had learned very well, but afterwards, he attributes it to his good teaching.

## Characters

* Diesel 10
* Dennis
* Sir Topham Hatt
* BoCo (*does not speak*)
* Diesel 199 (*does not speak*)
* Salty (*does not speak*)
* Bulgy (*does not speak*)
* Diesel (*caneo*)
* Daisy (*cameo*)
* Express Coaches (*cameos*)
* Mrs. Kyndley (*cameo*)
* Refreshment Lady (*cameo*)
* Cyril the Fogman (*cameo*)
* The Storyteller (*cameo*)

## Trivia

* This episode has a similarly to the twelfth episode, Gordon Takes Charge from the eighth series of *Thomas & Friends*.
* This is the 100th episode of the Diesel & Friends franchise.
* This episode was originally titled *Diesel 10 and the Snow Gala*.
* When Dennis honks at Knapford, his horn sounds the same as it did in Dennis' New Horn.
* One of the passengers is Headmaster Hastings with Jem Cole's head.
* This episode marks the last appearance of Bertie's Bridge.