A Quiet Delivery

**"A Quiet Delivery"** is the fifth episode of the first series of *Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go*.

## Plot

Thomas volunteers to get Annie and Clarabel across Sodor without waking them up, only to discover that it's going to be harder than he imagined.

## Synopsis

One day at Knapford Station, Annie and Clarabel stop Carly as she passes by and ask her if she has seen Thomas. Just then, Thomas whistles through the Funnel Tunnel and stops right in front of them, ready to take them to Brendam Docks, but not before making lots of noise. While Annie and Clarabel are sure Thomas can get them to the docks on time, they are not sure he can take them *quietly*. The two of them explain that once they pick up their passengers from the boat, they will have to travel all night. So they must sleep through the journey to the docks or else they will be too tired and cranky to do their job. Thomas says he can be super quiet, which Carly laughs at, saying she has never seen him be quiet for more than five seconds. Annie and Clarabel suggest getting quiet electric Kana to take them instead, but Thomas makes a Thomas Promise to be quiet and begs the two of them to let him take them to the docks. Carly covers the coaches with a blanket and once Thomas is coupled up, they set off for the docks.

Out on the tracks, Thomas tries to be quiet when saying hello to James and Emily. But just then, Diesel pulls up with a train of rattling pipes. Thomas tries to tell Diesel to be quiet, but Diesel misinterprets Thomas and thinks the tank engine wants to race. Luckily, Thomas gets away from Diesel and down a quiet track. The track turns out to be very bumpy and after the coupling comes loose, Annie and Clarabel almost become a runaway. Thomas, wishing he had a brake car, manages to stop them. It starts to rain, which almost wakes the coaches up. Luckily, Thomas stops in a tunnel to keep them dry. He uses a light signal to stop Percy coming from the other end of the tunnel. Percy offers to come with and offer support using his lucky bell. Thomas agrees, but warns Percy to be super duper extra quiet.

Eventually, the rain ends and the two tank engines exit the tunnel. But now it is almost sundown and Thomas is late. Luckily, Percy knows a quiet shortcut along the sea shore, which he calls a ‘quiet-cut’. As they pass by the lighthouse, night starts to fall. However, the foghorn sounds. Thomas and Percy are sure the horn will wake up Annie and Clarabel. It does not, but Percy's lucky bell almost does. Through quick thinking, Thomas sings the coaches a lullaby to keep them asleep. Unfortunately, this makes Percy fall asleep. Thomas manages to stop Percy and with Brendam Docks in sight, he books it to make it on time. But some cows are on the track and with no other option, Thomas whistles loudly to get them off the track, waking Percy and the coaches. They all arrive at the docks and Thomas apologizes for waking them. But Annie and Clarabel are happy to be at the docks on time and well-rested. As they set off to collect their passengers from the boat, Percy congratulates Thomas, only to find he has fallen happily asleep. Percy buffers up to his sleeping best friend and takes him happily back home.

## Cast

* Meesha Contreras as Thomas
* Charlie Zeltzer as Percy
* Shomoy James Mitchell as Diesel
* Jenna Warren as Carly
* Catherine Disher as Annie
* Linda Kash as Clarabel

James, Emily and Cranky have no lines in this episode. Kana also has no lines in this episode, although she is mentioned.

## Music

 **‣** Pop Punk - Doug Rockwell *[Title card, opening]*

 **‣** Vibe Link (b) - Richard Myhill *["Wait, why are you doing chores for Nia?"]*

 **‣** ? *[Total Turbo XXII]*

 **‣** ? *["If I can help Annie and Clarabel get their license, they'll drive us anywhere! And Nia will have to wash her own jeggings."]*

 **‣** Night Talking - Anthony Hymas *[Thomas gives Annie and Clarabel a steering wheel]*

 **‣** Soulful - Gregory Courchay, Laurent Cuenca *[Annie and Clarabel put on their special driving outfit]*

 **‣** ? *[Annie and Clarabel start playing Total Turbo XXII]*

 **‣** Game On - The Jetboys *[Annie and Clarabel driving to the mall in Total Turbo XXII]*

 **‣** ? *[Annie and Clarabel get a new high score in Total Turbo XXII]*

 **‣** ? *[Annie and Clarabel knock over an old lady in Total Turbo XXII]*

 **‣** Pop Punk - Doug Rockwell *["Now we're getting somewhere!"]*

 **‣** ? *[Annie and Clarabel driving a lawn mower]*

 **‣** ? *[Annie and Clarabel ready to drive]*

 **‣** Old Sleepy Head (a) - Clem Clempson, Hugh Burns *[Thomas explaining everything about how to drive to Annie and Clarabel]*

 **‣** ? *[Thomas realizes he hasn't been speaking Annie]*

 **‣** Pop Punk - Doug Rockwell *["Now we're getting somewhere!"]*

 **‣** Prairie Dogging - David Vanacore, Brandon Thompson *[Nia looking for everyone]*

 **‣** ? *[Nia putting headphones on Annie and Clarabel]*

 **‣** Setting the Trap - Dick Walter *[Nia says she made sure of Annie and Clarabel not passing]*

 **‣** Pop Punk - Doug Rockwell *[Thomas and Nia going to the DMV]*

 **‣** Magic By Candlelight - Marian McPartland *[Annie and Clarabel walk down to Vanzilla from the DMV]*

 **‣** Pop Punk - Doug Rockwell *[Nia helped Annie and Clarabel practice for their next test]*

## Physical distribution

This episode is available on the "Best Friends" DVD.

## Trivia

* From this episode onwards, James regains his whistle sound from the original series.
* Thomas makes Sir Handel's tenth series whistle sound from the original series when he says "toot toot".
* Thomas learning to do his job quietly is somewhat similar to the original series episode, The Early Bird. Furthermore, Percy says the same line at the end of both episodes; that being "Sleep well, Thomas".
* This episode marks the first of several things:
	+ The first episode to have someone besides one of the main seven in a leading role.
	+ The first time in *All Engines Go* in which Thomas is seen pulling Annie and Clarabel.
	+ Emily's first appearance in *All Engines Go.*
	+ The first episode to only feature characters from the original series, although Kana is mentioned.
	+ The first episode in which Gordon and Sandy do not make any sort of appearances.
	+ The first episode of *All Engines Go* in which James and Cranky appear, but do not speak.
	+ The first appearance of Percy's Lucky Bell.
	+ The first episode to have Percy's lower tone whistle.
* In the Latin American Spanish dub, this episode is titled "A Silent Delivery".
* This episode was released early on Cartoon Network US' Video on Demand services on 13 September 2021.

## References

* ***A Quiet Delivery*** - The episode's title parodies the play and 1989 film *Driving Miss Daisy*, with the title card also parodying its movie poster.
* ***Wacky Races and The Perils of Penelope Pitstop*** - Annie and Clarabel's driving outfit is based on that of Penelope Pitstop.
* ***Three Wolf Moon*** - Cranky's sweater is a take-off of this t-shirt design, knowing for the satirical comments targeted at it.
* ***Comune di Leni*** - Annie and Clarabel's line, "There's a country named after us?" references this Southern municipality in Italy (Sicilia).
* ***Wii and Nintendo 64*** - Thomas' steering wheel-shaped gaming peripheral bears a resemblance to the Wii Wheel peripheral used for the Nintendo Wii. A remote that resembles the Wii remote is seen as well. Also, the game is inserted similar to how a Nintendo 64 game is inserted.
* ***Fast & Furious*** - Thomas calls Annie and Clarabel "Fast and Furious," alluding to this film franchise.

## Errors

* In the scene where James meets Thomas, James' smokebox saddle is inaccurately drawn in the first shot. Additionally, his lamp is on the wrong side and when he passes by Thomas, he has four boiler bands instead of three.
* Cranky is missing in the first few aerial shots of Brendam Docks.