Thomas Puts the Brakes On

> Hello Thomas! Your brakes don't sound good.
>
> Stanley

> Oh no, Thomas. You lost them all. Now, the bridge can't be finished!
>
> Bridge Worker

**Thomas Puts the Brakes On** is the seventeenth episode of the twelfth series.

## Plot

The Sodor River Bridge is being repaired and Thomas has been helping with it. He now has one more delivery: four sets of special blocks made specifically for the bridge. Sir Topham Hatt warns Thomas that there are no more like it anywhere. Thomas sets off for the bridge. As he chuffs to the bridge, he applies his brakes at a red signal next to Stanley. His brakes are squeaking loudly and it takes a while to brake. Stanley offers to take the blocks for him, but Thomas is determined.

Along the way, Emily warns Thomas to slow down because of a sharp bend. Thomas applies his brakes, but the squeak is much longer and his brakes do not work right. Hitting a bump, some sets of the special blocks bounce off of his flatbed. Thomas is too concerned about his brakes to notice. He keeps on puffing. He soon decides to go slowly, but as he goes down Gordon's Hill, he rushes down it because of the weight of his delivery. Gordon comes with the express and tells Thomas to slow down. Thomas puts the brakes on, but as before, there is a squeak and the brakes do not work. Worse still, the squeak is louder. Thomas veers into an emergency siding and bashes the buffers. More blocks fall off. Thomas is too concerned about his brakes to notice.

Thomas soon sees the bridge up ahead. Thomas is excited, but as he chuffs down, his brakes fail altogether. Thomas clatters off the track and onto the broken part of the bridge. The flatbed hits Thomas' rear buffers, knocking the rest of the blocks into the river. This is where Thomas discovers that he lost all of his blocks. Stanley helps Thomas back onto the track and they set off to recover the blocks. With Murdoch taking Rocky, the blocks are recovered and Thomas goes to the works. When Thomas returns to the bridge, his brakes do not squeak and he instantly stops. Thomas and Stanley are pleased and spend the day on the newly-built bridge.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Gordon
* Emily
* Stanley
* Sir Topham Hatt
* Murdoch Template:Does not speak
* Rocky Template:Does not speak
* Sir Topham Hatt's Assistants Template:Cameos

## Locations

* Sodor River Bridge
* Gordon's Hill
* Knapford Yards
* River Hoo
* The Lumber Mill Template:Note

## Trivia

* Behind the scenes, footage for The Great Discovery showed Pierce Brosnan narrating this episode.
* Stock footage from Dream On, Don't be Silly, Billy and edited stock footage from Thomas and the Billboard are all used.
* When the bricks fall off the flatbed, they are being projected/flung off.
* This episode marks the last of several things:
	+ Murdoch's last appearance to date.
	+ Stanley's last appearance until Misty Island Rescue, his last speaking role until Day of the Diesels and his last appearance in the model series.
	+ The last time River Hoo has appeared to date.
* This episode aired before The Great Discovery premiered in the UK, meaning the audience would not have known about Stanley.

## Goofs

* For unknown reasons, the chain between Thomas and the flatbed gets longer when Thomas derails at the bridge.
* When Stanley goes to collect the bricks on the hill, a track disappears.
* The brake van at the end of Thomas' train disappears when Stanley shunts Thomas back to the yard.
* In a picture of where they found the blocks from the hill, red and brown wires are visible.
* For unknown reasons, a string can be seen pulling Gordon when he passes Thomas.
* Stanley's piston rod is crooked when he pulls Thomas from the bridge.
* Rocky's eyes are wonky when Thomas passed him.
* Thomas' eyes are wonky when he passed Emily.