Something in the Air

**Something in the Air** is the sixteenth episode of the fifth season and the 125th episode overall. It is based on the magazine stories, A Fishy Smell and Erosion.

## Plot

Thomas is at the Fishing Village and is about to take vans full of fish to Knapford Harbour for Henry's train, The Flying Kipper. The fishermen, however, are using old equipment and Thomas is beginning to worry about being late when a loose crate of fish drops onto his boiler, spilling fish all over him. His driver and fireman find it very funny, but Thomas is less than impressed and sniffs at the odour.

Later, Thomas is travelling along the Ballahoo line, when he is further delayed by a man waving a red flag; the man informs him and his crew about a bridge that had been eroded from high tides and he has marked the spot. Thomas' 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 Thomas, but not a heavy engine like Henry. 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 harbour to close the line.

It is already dark once Thomas arrives at Knapford Harbour, with Henry waiting for him. He is cross with Thomas for being late and smelly. Thomas attempts to warn Henry of the danger, but Henry scoffs off the warning and orders him to have his trucks hitched to the train. Finally, the Flying Kipper sets off.

Inside the harbour manager's office, the harbour manager tells Thomas' crew that Henry is taking the Coastal Run; this shocks the driver, as he has already stated about how dangerous it is to big engines. The harbour manager quickly phones the signalman to reroute Henry, but Henry is anxious to make up for lost time and passes the signal box, hissing steam. This ends up with the signalman unable to hear the warning and only does so when Henry is far away. Once Henry reaches the Coastal Track, his hopes for a fast run are dashed as heavy fog rolls in and neither he nor his driver can see the track ahead. The damaged track has soon been completely submerged. Henry breaks the weak tracks apart 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, Henry and his fish are craned out of the water. He ends up in a barge full of fish with a seagull perched on his funnel, where the Fat Controller sternly tells him that engines are supposed to deliver fish, not swim with them, which he should know by now. Henry is towed back to the fishing village in the barge to be lifted back onto dry tracks by the Breakdown Train. James was already there unloading some trucks. He teases Henry that he will have some "fishy" tales to tell, much to his annoyance. Then some children laugh at Henry and call him a green whale, while others insist that he is a monster. Henry does not find the jokes funny and is very upset.

Finally, Henry is back on the rails and Thomas feels sorry for him and comes to take him away to the SteamWorks for a wash down. After being cleaned, Henry apologises to Thomas for being rude to him. Thomas accepts Henry's apology, then jokes with Henry about smelling something - fresh air.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Henry
* James
* Sir Topham Hatt

## Locations

* Norramby Fishing Village
* Ballahoo Beach
* Ballahoo Lighthouse
* Tidmouth Harbour
* Sodor SteamWorks

## Trivia

* This episode is referenced in Tale of the Brave after James crashes into a river while pulling the Flying Kipper, Henry says: "You were meant to deliver the fish, not throw them back in the water!" referencing the Fat Controller's line.