Thomas’ Train

**Thomas' Train** is the fifth episode of the first season. It is based on the story of the same name from the second Railway Series book, Thomas the Tank Engine.

## Plot

Thomas is grumbling about only being used to collect the coaches for the other engines, wanting to pull passenger trains as well. The other engines laugh, telling him he is too impatient and would leave something behind. Thomas is determined to get a chance to prove them wrong.

One night, Thomas and Henry are alone in the shed. Henry is ill and the workmen try their hardest to make him better, but to no avail and Thomas feels sorry for him. The next morning when Henry is due to take the morning train and Thomas is needed to get the coaches ready, he starts to hope he will be allowed to pull the train if Henry is not able to. He excitedly leaves to fetch the coaches.

Thomas brings the coaches to the platform and is eager to run round in front. His driver does not let him, telling him to be patient. Soon, all the passengers are aboard and the coaches are ready to leave and there is still no sign of Henry, to Thomas' excitement. The Fat Director arrives to see what is going on and is told about Henry. He orders to find another engine and as Thomas is the only one available, he allows the tank engine to take the train.

Thomas, full of joy, quickly moves to the front of the coaches despite his driver again warning him not to be impatient. For some unknown reason - either Thomas is too impatient to wait, his driver has pulled a lever by mistake, or the crew have forgotten to couple him to the coaches - Thomas ends up leaving the station without the coaches and the passengers are very surprised and angry. The men in the signal box outside the station wave and shout, though Thomas thinks they are cheering. Thomas puffs along the line, thinking pulling coaches is easier than he was told. He keeps seeing people waving at him and assumes it is because he has never pulled a train before.

Eventually, Thomas is stopped at a signal set to "danger." Thomas is cross at being stopped when he was going so nicely and blows his whistle, alerting the signalman who asks Thomas what he is doing on this part of the line. Thomas replies he is pulling a train, but the signalman asks him where the coaches are. Thomas looks back and realises that he has left his train behind. He is very upset at his mistake and almost cries. His driver tells him not to be upset and he sadly reverses back to the station.

At the station, all the passengers are complaining to the Fat Director about what happened, but when Thomas returns, they see how sorry he is and allow him to try again. This time, Thomas is properly coupled to the coaches and he really gets his chance to pull the train. But sometime later, the other engines begin to tease Thomas and remind him of his mistake, to his annoyance.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Henry
* Gordon
* Old Coaches
* The Fat Director
* Green Express Coaches *(do not speak)*
* Orange Coaches *(do not speak)*
* Edward *(not named; does not speak)*
* Eagle *(not named; does not speak)*

## Locations

* Knapford
	+ Sir Topham Hatt's Office
	+ Ffarquhar Junction
* Tidmouth Sheds

## Trivia

* This episode is based on a real event that occurred mostly in the GER "Jazz" service and at other places and other times.