Disappearing Diesels

**Disappearing Diesels** is the eleventh episode of the twelfth season and the 266th episode overall.

## Plot

Some of the diesels on the Island of Sodor can be very troublesome, but not Paxton. He has friends all over the Island, from Brendam Docks to the Blue Mountain Quarry. The engine Paxton has to try his hardest to make friends with is Diesel himself. Diesel is not a very friendly engine at all.

One day, Diesel arrives at the Dieselworks and tells all the other diesels there to hide from Paxton as a joke. Paxton arrives and looks all over the Dieselworks, but he cannot find his friends anywhere. Paxton comes to the conclusion that something is making the diesels on Sodor disappear. Paxton leaves to see if he can find any diesels on Sodor. After he has gone, Sidney, Den and Dart tell Diesel that they think they have all taken the joke too far. Diesel disagrees and insists that jokes are funny.

Paxton does not think the situation is a joke at all. He clatters up to the Blue Mountain Quarry to ask if there are any diesels there. Rusty calls out to him, but Paxton does not hear him as he is already rolling away to try somewhere else. At Knapford Station, Paxton asks if Thomas has seen any diesel engines. Thomas says he can see Paxton, but Paxton tells him it is the other diesels that have disappeared. Paxton leaves Thomas rather confused.

At Brendam Docks, Paxton clatters in and asks if Cranky has seen Salty. Cranky thinks Paxton is talking nonsense and tells him that Salty passed by five minutes ago. Just then, Salty rattles up and Paxton is delighted to see him. Salty thinks Paxton is burning fuel over nothing and assures the worried diesel that his friends will turn up by the end of the day. Just then, Cranky announces that Diesel has arrived with a delivery. Much to Diesel's annoyance, Paxton spots him. Diesel races away with Paxton in hot pursuit.

Diesel pulls into a siding behind some trucks at the scrapyard. Paxton arrives and asks Reg if Diesel is there. Diesel answers, pretending to be Reg, but Paxton does not fall for the trick after Diesel also pretends he's "a truckload of sausages," and Diesel races away once again. Reg is confused as to why Paxton would bother chasing after silly Diesel, but Paxton insists that Diesel is his friend. Reg is not sure if Diesel really is Paxton's friend.

Diesel is having so much fun tricking Paxton that he decides to head to the quarry to hide there. Unfortunately, as soon as Diesel pulls off the main line, his engine starts to cough and splutter. Paxton races up and Diesel admits that he had only been teasing him all along. Paxton is confused; the middle of the line is not a very good place to hide. Diesel says that he is no longer hiding, he has run out of diesel fuel. Paxton starts to help by pushing Diesel to the next refueling station, and Diesel wonders what Paxton is doing.

Diesel is not sure what to make of the situation; why is Paxton being so kind to him? He does not say thank you, but he does ask Paxton why he has helped him. Paxton just smiles and says that is what friends are for.

That evening, Paxton is delighted to see all the diesels back at the Dieselworks. Shortly afterwards, Diesel arrives and pulls into the berth beside Paxton. Diesel still does not manage to say thank you, but he does give Paxton a friendly smile and that is good enough for Paxton.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Percy
* Diesel
* Salty
* Den
* Dart
* Sidney
* Paxton
* Skarloey
* Rusty
* Cranky
* Reg
* Porter (*does not speak*)
* Henry (*cameo*)
* James (*cameo*)
* Stanley (*cameo*)
* Norman (*cameo*)
* Rheneas (*cameo*)
* Sir Handel (*cameo*)
* Peter Sam (*cameo*)
* Annie and Clarabel (*cameos*)
* Bertie (*cameo*)
* Owen (*cameo*)
* Big Mickey (*cameo*)

## Locations

* Knapford
* Tidmouth Shunting Yards
* Blue Mountain Quarry
* Brendam Docks
* The Valley Bridge
* McColl Farm
* Vicarstown Dieselworks
* Suddery
* Brendam School
* Crock's Scrap Yard
* Blue Mountain Quarry Junction
* Kellsthorpe Road

## Voice Cast

* Ben Small as Thomas
* Keith Wickham as Percy, Salty, Den and Skarloey
* Kerry Shale as Diesel
* Steven Kynman as Paxton and Dart
* Bob Golding as Sidney
* Matt Wilkinson as Rusty and Cranky
* Tim Whitnall as Reg

## Trivia

* This episode marks:
	+ Porter's first non-speaking role.
	+ Paxton's only speaking role in the twelfth season.
	+ Den, Dart, Norman and Sidney’s only appearances in the twelfth season.
	+ Sidney's last appearance in an episode until the premiere of the fourteenth season.