Thomas and Stepney

**Thomas and Stepney** is the sixteenth episode of the fourth season and the 99th episode overall. It is based on the stories Bluebells of England and Stepney's Special from the eighteenth Railway Series book, Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine.

## Plot

Thomas has been running his branch line like clockwork and shares his confidence to Percy, who doubtfully agrees and tells him that there is an engine with a branch line as famous as his and that the engine is proposing to visit. The engine is Stepney, who is far away, but the Fat Controller says that he will visit the North Western Railway someday.

Meanwhile, Stepney has been running the Bluebell Railway smoothly. However, he is disappointed that it is not very long. He later sees his friend Captain Baxter, and Stepney tells him that he is bored with how short the railway and is longing for a long journey. Captain Baxter suggests talking to his driver, who agrees with Stepney and tells him that evening that he has been invited to visit the Fat Controller's railway, and Stepney heads off the following morning.

By now, the engines have heard the news and begin to talk about Stepney. However, Thomas is a bit jealous about how Stepney's branch line is as famous as his own and leaves to fetch his coaches. Percy looks at the passengers at Knapford on Track 5 and claims they are stranded with no train, but he is wrong; the signal drops and before long, an engine's whistle is heard from a distance. Douglas tells the engines that it is Stepney, who arrives through the junction where the engines whistle a big welcome. Edward hopes that Stepney will meet Thomas, as they both have branch lines. Stepney then goes off to work with Duck to shunt coaches in the yard all afternoon.

Later that evening, Thomas sees Stepney and Duck, but continues with his final branch line train. But then, the two tank engines hear shouting at the station and a sound of a ringing alarm. The alarm turns out to be the telephone, which the signalman answers and finds that one of the trains is a special. Thomas is furious when he finds out that he has to be shunted to let another train pass and is frustrated to find Stepney pulling the special.

Thomas continues to grumble about it next morning, but Stepney explains the situation; he took an important passenger who chartered a special train which Duck let him take. He also states that he was nervous since he did not know the line and flatters Thomas by calling him an expert. This makes Thomas no longer jealous and cross and he proceeds to tell Stepney all about his branch line.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Edward
* Percy
* Douglas
* Stepney
* Captain Baxter
* Duck *(does not speak)*
* Annie and Clarabel *(do not speak)*
* Henry *(cameo)*
* Gordon *(cameo)*
* James *(cameo)*
* The Fat Controller *(mentioned)*

## Locations

Island of Sodor:

* Hackenbeck Tunnel
* Elsbridge Viaduct
* Elsbridge
* Vicarstown Bridge
* Knapford
* Knapford Yards
* Ffarquhar Sheds

The Mainland:

* Bluebell Railway
* Sheffield Park

## Trivia

* This episode marks the first appearance of Stepney in the series, as well as the only appearance of Captain Baxter.
* Unlike the official TV Series, Stepney's line is on the Mainland like in the original book.
* The carriages that Stepney brings to Sodor are the Bluebell Railway's well known Metropolitan coaches.
* The scene with Stepney pulling a train is based on an event in The Railway Gazzette in 1905.