James in the Dark

> This lamp will make me look silly! Everyone at the concert will look their best except me!
>
> James refuses to wear the old-fashioned headlamp.

**James in the Dark** is the second episode of the fourteenth series.

## Plot

Allicia Botti is performing at the town hall tonight and James has been given the job to pick her up, along with The Brass Band and The Mayor. However, James has to go to the Steamworks first to get a lamp. When he arrives there, he finds the only lamp available is an old-fashioned lamp which he does not like because he thinks it will make him look silly. The workmen try to fit the lamp, but James still does not like it and leaves.

On his way to pick up the important passengers, he stops at a junction where Thomas is waiting. He asks James where his lamp is, but James cannot see who the engine is and says that lamps make him look silly, mistaking Thomas as Henry. James sees a station ahead thinking this is where he is supposed to pick up Allicia Botti and the Mayor, but it is actually Farmer McColl and his prized Cow at Maithwaite. James cannot see who it is and whistles for them to get on board, much to Farmer McColl's confusion. At a junction, Edward asks where James' lamp is, and James tells him that lamps makes him silly, mistaking Edward as Percy. James then sees a platform where he thinks it is where he picks up the Brass Band, but it's Farmer Trotter and his pigs at his farm. Not seeing who it is, James whistles for them to get on board, much to Farmer Trotter's confusion.

James arrives at the Town Hall, and The Fat Controller was very cross that James found Farmer McColl, Farmer Trotter and their animals. James realises what he has done and feels very silly. Thomas arrives with the workmen carrying the lamp and have it fitted on James' funnel. Edward arrives admiring James' lamp. Knowing that he is still late, James asks The Fat Controller if Thomas and Edward collect the important passengers, whilst James takes the farmers to the docks for which he agrees to James' idea. James races to the Docks dropping off the farmers and their animals and arrives back at the Town Hall where he sees Thomas and Edward shining their lamps at Allicia Botti. James uses his lamp to helps Thomas and Edward light up Allicia's concert and James cannot feel prouder to have his beaming lamp.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Edward
* James
* Victor
* Kevin
* Sir Topham Hatt
* Allicia Botti Template:Note
* Henry Template:Does not speak
* Farmer Trotter Template:Does not speak
* Farmer McColl Template:Does not speak
* Sodor Brass Band Template:Does not speak
* Rosie Template:Cameo
* Hiro Template:Cameo
* Diesel Template:Cameo
* Annie and Clarabel Template:Cameo
* Cranky Template:Cameo
* Sir Topham Hatt's Assistants Template:Cameos
* The Bird Watcher Template:Cameo
* The Teacher Template:Cameo
* Percy Template:Mentioned
* The Mayor of Sodor Template:Mentioned

## Locations

* Town Square
* Knapford
	+ MC BUNN
* Sodor Steamworks
	+ Victor's Shed
* Maithwaite
* Farmer Trotter's Pig Farm
* Brendam Docks
	+ Sodor Shipping Company
	+ Brendam Warehouse
* The Fenland Track
* The Coal Hopper
* The Watermill

## Cast

### UK

* Ben Small as Thomas
* Keith Wickham as Edward, James and the Fat Controller
* Matt Wilkinson as Victor and Kevin
* Jules de Jongh as Allicia Botti

### US

* Martin Sherman as Thomas
* William Hope as Edward
* Kerry Shale as James, Kevin and Sir Topham Hatt
* David Bedella as Victor
* Jules de Jongh as Allicia Botti

## Trivia

* Going by production order, this is the third episode of the fourteenth series.
* Edited stock footage from Play Time is used.
* The headlamp given to James was normally used on vintage cars of the early 1900's.
* James' headlamp would later be re-used in the seventeenth series episode The Phantom Express, albeit smaller.
	+ It would also later be used for Beau as his tail-lamp.

## Goofs

* The narrator labels several of James' parts incorrectly:
	+ He refers to his running plate as his "boiler."
	+ He refers to his lamp iron as his "buffer."
	+ He refers to his smokebox as his "funnel."
* Throughout the episode, the engine's fireboxes do not glow.
* When James puffs away from Thomas, the signal lights are not glowing.