James the Super Engine

> I wonder if I have superpowers too?"
> "Who knows, James? Maybe you do."
> "Just think. Me, the world's first super engine!
>
> James and Rebecca

***James the Super Engine*** is the eighth episode of the twenty-fourth series.

## Plot

One day, James arrives at Vicarstown and meets the children cheering at their new comic book. They show James the superhero in the comic book and tell him that he wears a red cape and can fly at supersonic speed. James thinks he can fly at supersonic speed and become a superhero. When James leaves the station, he dreams about the time the Sodor Suspension Bridge collapsed and Rebecca falls off the tracks and James comes to rescue Rebecca as a superhero.
As James stops at Maron, oil drums splatted all over James' face by Rocky. When James looks at himself at the Fenland Track so he can see himself in the water, he thought to be the *Rail Rocket*.

Meanwhile, at Brendam Docks, Percy is struggling with so many trucks. Salty arrives to see him pulling a lot of trucks, and then Percy struggles to manage to pull trucks himself.

Later, James hears the children calling, and he sees the children from a kite stuck in a tree. Then he blows steam in his funnel to blow the kite off the tree. The children save their kite.
Then James hears a bell from the crossing, only to find it came from goats.

That evening, when Rebecca arrives at the coal hopper, Percy comes by with the runaway trucks and then derails with the coal trucks. Then one of the trucks crashes into the coal hopper, which is about to tip over Rebecca.

Later, as James arrives at the washdown to get cleaned up, Rebecca calls over from James to help. James rushes to rescue Rebecca from the coal hopper tipping and saves Rebecca from the coal hopper tipping over. Then Percy sees that James is a rail rocket.

That night, Percy tells the other engines at Tidmouth Sheds that James burst through the coal hopper and pushed Rebecca to safety. Then James arrives back at Tidmouth Sheds, Percy tells him that he was called "Rail Rocket".

## Characters

* James
* Percy
* Nia
* Rebecca
* Salty
* Rocky
* Stephen Hatt
* Bridget Hatt
* Thomas Template:Note
* Gordon Template:Cameo
* Emily Template:Cameo
* Rosie Template:Cameo
* Connor Template:Cameo
* Cranky Template:Cameo
* Carly Template:Cameo
* Big Mickey Template:Cameo
* Willie Template:Cameo
* The Teacher Template:Cameo
* Albert's Wife Template:Cameo

## Locations

* Vicarstown
* Maron
* The Fenland Track
* Brendam Docks
	+ Sodor Shipping Company
	+ Brendam Warehouse
* The Apple Orchard
* Crosby Washdown
* The Coal Hopper
* Tidmouth Sheds
* Sodor Suspension Bridge Template:Note

## Cast

### UK

* John Hasler as Thomas
* Rob Rackstraw as James
* Nigel Pilkington as Percy
* Yvonne Grundy as Nia
* Rachael Miller as Rebecca and the Children
* Keith Wickham as Salty
* Matt Wilkinson as Rocky
* Teresa Gallagher as Stephen Hatt and Bridget Hatt

### US

* Joseph May as Thomas
* Rob Rackstraw as James
* Christopher Ragland as Percy
* Yvonne Grundy as Nia
* Rachael Miller as Rebecca and the Children
* Keith Wickham as Salty
* William Hope as Rocky
* Teresa Gallagher as Stephen Hatt and Bridget Hatt

## Trivia

* This episode, along with Thomas and the Inventor's Workshop, was the first episode from the twenty-fourth series to be leaked. It is also:
	+ The first episode written by David Stoten as head writer, replacing Andrew Brenner.
	+ The first episode since the twenty-second series episode, Counting on Nia where Thomas appears, but does not speak outside narration. This is the only episode in the twenty-fourth series to do so. It also marks Rocky's first speaking role since Counting on Nia.
	+ Connor's first appearance in an episode since the twentieth series episode, Cautious Connor.
	+ The only episode of the twenty-fourth series in which Emily appears, but does not speak.
	+ The first episode to feature Thomas narrating the episode and cameoing in the main feature.
* This is the last episode directed by Dianna Basso, though she would serve as consulting director for three more episodes before the end of the twenty-fourth series.

## Goofs

* When James whistles before the orchard, the steam comes from his whistle base.
* When Rebecca is at the coal hopper, floating lumps of coal can be seen above the chute.
* As he approaches the coal hopper, James is shown to be whistling, yet no whistle sound is heard.