Henry and the Elephant

**Henry and the Elephant** is the nineteenth episode of the fourth season and the 102nd episode overall. It is based on the story of the same name from the fifth Railway Series book, Troublesome Engines.

## Plot

One morning, Thomas arrives at Elsbridge with his coaches. The Fat Controller is there and, after checking his watch, tells Thomas he is right on time and really reliable, making Thomas, Annie and Clarabel happy. However, Gordon, Henry and James are in a bad mood - Percy is nowhere to be found and so they are forced to collect their own coaches. James decides to take out his anger on Henry and mocks him about his fear of the rain. Henry retorts that James looks silly enough to be a clown and that he belongs in a circus, which leads Percy - who has just arrived - to believe the engines have heard about how the circus has come to town. He explains that he had been helping to shunt the special trucks and coaches on the Fat Controller's request and that the bigger engines are needed too. The big engines soon forget to be tired and cross and eagerly help out. When it is time for the circus to leave, James is given the task of pulling the train away, making Gordon and Henry cross once again.

Later that day, the Fat Controller informs Henry that Henry’s Tunnel is blocked and asks him to take some workmen to investigate. Henry arrives at his tunnel, where he was bricked up, with a couple trucks in front of him - grumbling all the way - and the workmen enter to examine the blockage. A few moments later, they quickly run out in horror. One explains to the foreman that the blockage is alive and they refuse to go back inside. The foreman does not believe them, but he decides to ride in the front truck and have Henry push it out. Henry - horrified of the idea of being stuck in a tunnel with something big and alive - protests this decision and so does his driver, but the line has to be cleared.

Henry reluctantly and fearfully enters the tunnel with the trucks he brought the workmen in, only for the very strong blockage push him and the trucks back out again. Both Henry and the foreman are surprised to discover the "blockage" is actually a large and rather cross elephant who had escaped from the circus. The workmen offer the circus elephant some cake and three water buckets to calm him down. However, Henry accidentally startles the elephant by letting off steam, causing him to get sprayed with water. The elephant is soon reunited with the keeper, but Henry is humiliated by what happened.

That evening, Henry tells the other engines what happened. Although Gordon and James feel sorry for Henry, they continue to tease him. Thomas, however, praises Henry for his bravery and how well he handled the situation.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Henry
* Gordon
* James
* Percy
* Annie and Clarabel
* The Fat Controller
* Duck *(cameo)*

## Locations

* Elsbridge
* Tidmouth Sheds
* Brendam Docks
* Vicarstown Yards
* Henry's Tunnel

## Trivia

* This episode is based on a real incident that occurred in India where a wild elephant blocked a tunnel. However in the official TV Series and Sodor Stories, the elephant is African.
* This is the first time that an engine has a problem with an elephant, in this case, Henry. The other later being Charlie in the eleventh series episode, Not Now, Charlie!

## References to Other Stories

* James tells Henry that there's no rain and reminds him that he should get on with his work. The narrator also mentions that Henry was shut up in the tunnel for being afraid of the rain.