Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree

## Timeline Details

### Year of Setting

Christmas Eve 1955 (Thomas stuck in the snow scene)Christmas Day 1955 (final scene)

## Episode Guide

### Next Episode

Thomas, Percy and the Dragon

**Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree** is the twenty-ninth episode of the second season and the 59th episode overall. It is based on the book of the same name.

## Plot

It is the 23rd of December and the final preparations are being made for a carol party to be held at Tidmouth. All the engines are working hard setting up the decorations. This year, the Fat Director wants the carol party to be extra special.

The Fat Director is waiting very impatiently when Thomas arrives. The Fat Director tells Thomas that their Christmas tree has come and Thomas has to fetch it while Duck watches over Annie and Clarabel. Thomas asks the Fat Controller if he and the other engines can sing carols too, and the Fat Director promises to think about it. Thomas is very excited and rushes off, collecting the tree safely. But on the way home, he ends up stuck in a snowdrift. Thomas knows that he must arrive back in time and whistles for help, but cannot back out of the heavy snow. Suddenly, an avalanche erupts and buries Thomas and the tree.

Back at the yards, the engines are waiting for Thomas. His delay begins to make them cross, but they are silenced by the Fat Director, who tells them that snow has knocked the telephone lines down and they must assume that Thomas is stranded. Everyone now feels sorry, and Donald and Douglas puff away to save him. They soon reach a snow drift much deeper than the rest. A cry for help is heard, and Donald thinks he hears something, but Douglas thinks it may be the wind. Hearing the cry carefully, they realise that they are at the drift where Thomas is buried.

Time passes as the workmen dig through the snow to free him. Thomas' driver and fireman, who had taken shelter in a nearby cottage, join the rescue, and Thomas is freed from the snow. Thomas follows the twins home and they arrive just as night falls. The Fat Director rewards the engines by granting them permission to sing carols. The engines happily chuff away to the station. Lights come on, and the Fat Director declares three cheers for Thomas and his friends.

Harold soon joins the party bringing Father Christmas, much to everyone's joy. As the carols begin, Thomas tells Percy that although getting stuck in the snow was no fun, it was all worth it for the celebration and wishes everyone a Merry Christmas.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Donald and Douglas
* The Fat Director
* Percy *(does not speak)*
* Toby *(does not speak)*
* Duck *(does not speak)*
* Annie and Clarabel *(do not speak)*
* Harold *(does not speak)*
* Father Christmas *(does not speak)*
* Edward *(cameo)*
* Henry *(cameo)*
* Gordon *(cameo)*
* James *(cameo)*
* Bill and Ben *(cameos)*
* Daisy *(cameo)*
* BoCo *(cameo)*
* Henrietta *(cameo)*
* Troublesome Trucks *(cameos)*
* Terence *(cameo)*
* Bertie *(cameo)*
* Trevor *(cameo)*
* Farmer Finney *(cameo)*
* Jem Cole *(cameo)*
* The Vicar of Wellsworth *(cameo)*
* Harold's Pilots *(cameos)*

## Locations

* Tidmouth
	+ Tidmouth Sheds
		- Tidmouth Goods Station
	+ Tidmouth Yards
* The Branch Line Cutting
* Suddery Castle
* The Viaduct

## Trivia

* Daisy and Henrietta are the only characters introduced in the first two seasons not to appear in this episode. The reason for the former's absence was due to the fact she and BoCo shared the same chassis.

## Transcript

Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree Transcript