Diesel and the Special Letter

***Diesel and the Special Letter*** is the seventh episode of the fourth series.

## Plot

After taking his last train of the day, Diesel meets up with Dennis and Salty and it turns out that all three engines have been asked to report to the big station after the day's work is done. Diesel thinks something is happening and is surprised to see Edward, Molly, 'Arry, Bert, Splatter, Dodge and D5701 all travel past, also heading for the station; Diesel, Dennis and Salty are now very curious and follow the others.

At Tidmouth Sheds, the Fat Controller silences his diesels honking excitedly to tell them he recently received a letter from a little girl who lives in a Big City on the Mainland. She writes that she and her friends would like to meet Diesel and his friends and invites them to their local station. The Fat Controller tells the engines that a lot of children would like to meet them, so he will be taking his eight main engines to the Big City and putting them on display. The Fat Controller's engines honk their horns excitedly again, prompting the Fat Controller to command silence again and he states that while the eight engines are gone, the rest will all be running the line and asks to show them what to do.

D5701 is due to take charge of Diesel's Main Line and Diesel shows him what to do using some other coaches, as his coaches will be going with Diesel to the city. Diesel gets overexcited and boasts about his race with Bulgy to D5701. But when he tries to demonstrate how he stopped just short of the buffers, he accidentally smashes through them and a fence, rolls down a slope and crashes through a brick wall, much to D5701's surprise. No one is hurt, but Diesel's front end is badly damaged from the impact. The Fat Controller is called and sends some workmen to repair Diesel, but warns them that, unless he can be repaired in time, they will have to go to the city without him. While the other engines see Diesel being rescued, he is very sad and worried that he will miss out on the trip.

The next morning at 8:00 AM, the other engines are all ready to leave (with Dennis and Salty travelling on flatbeds) but there is still no sign of Diesel yet. The Fat Controller agrees to wait one more minute for Diesel before they must leave. Finally repaired, Diesel goes in just in time with his coaches and the cavalcade of engines leave for their trip to the Big City. After having arrived at the city safely, the engines and coaches are lined up in a special shed, where many children come to meet them. Diesel tells Dennis how glad he is that the little girl wrote to the Fat Controller, citing that pure happiness can come from nothing more than a letter.

## Characters

* Diesel
* BoCo
* Class 40
* Diesel 10
* Diesel 199
* Dennis
* Salty
* Class 08
* 'Arry and Bert
* Diesel 5701
* Splatter and Dodge
* Edward
* Molly
* Express Coaches
* Sir Topham Hatt
* Jeremiah Jobling (cameo)
* Mrs. Kyndley
* Sodor Island Council
* Sir Topham Hatt's Assistants
* The Crovan's Gate Policeman
* The Little Boys (*cameos*)
* The Boy with His Father (*cameos*)
* The Elephant Keeper (*cameo*)
* One of the stone-dropping boys (*cameo*)
* Elizabeth II (*cameo*)
* Mr. Walsh (*cameo*)
* Mrs. Last (*cameo*)
* Nancy (*cameo*)
* The Painter (*cameo*)
* The Elsbridge Cricket Club (*cameo*)
* Three Members of the Railway Society (*cameo*)
* The Ffarquhar Stationmaster's Wife (*cameo*)
* Tom Tipper (*cameo*)
* Smudger (*potrait* *cameo*)
* Bear (*deleted scene* *cameo*)
* Bulgy (*mentioned*)

## Trivia

* The episode is based off the twenty-second episode of the fourth series and the 100th episode of *Thomas & Friends*, Thomas and the Special Letter.
* At the sheds, the audio of the diesels (notably Class 40, Diesel 10, D199, Dennis, Class 08 and the Ironworks Twins) whistling was reused from the second series episode, The Deputation.
* A reference to the first series episode Diesel and Bulgy is made in this episode.
* A picture of Smudger can be seen in the Fat Controller's office.
* This episode marks the only appearance of The Small Shunting Yard in the television series.