Season guide
26 episodes · first aired 1996-03-04
TMDB does not provide a season overview.
The engines are having trouble getting to sleep, so Thomas tells them the story of Duke... Duke, Stuart and Falcon worked on their own little railway years ago, until hard times came forcing the line to be shut down. Stuart and Falcon are bought by other people but Duke is left alone in the shed...
Thomas tells the engines the rest of his story about Duke and how a group of people set out to save him.
Percy is feeling rather annoyed because he has a new coat of paint and is longing for everyone and anyone to see it. So Thomas tells him the following story... Before the problems come to their railway, Falcon is doing rather well, and the manager explains to him that he is now ready to take on "The Mountain Road", a difficult part of the line, so Duke is coming along to help. Falcon is not happy about this. Falcon and Duke set off, but Falcon becomes careless and finds himself hanging on the edge of the hillside...
Stuart is being rather cheeky to Duke about his old age but is taught a lesson later on that day thanks to a clever plan...
Skarloey feels lonely when Rheneas goes away to be mended; he wishes he could be young and pull coaches again. He finally gets his chance when some stubborn coaches damage Sir Handel and he offers to take over. But he soon realizes that he is not as young as he used to be...
Skarloey and Rheneas are two old engines, who tire very easily. So the Manager sends for Sir Handel and Peter Sam to help them; but Sir Handel is cross and rude and gets himself into trouble...
Whilst Sir Handel is shut up in the shed, Peter Sam is doing his work as well as his own - and does he love it! However, Henry says that if he is late, he'll leave his passengers behind; this makes Peter Sam worried and impatient and causes him to almost leave a passenger behind...
Trucks - Sir Handel doesn't like them and they don't like him. So, after some 'helpful' tips from Gordon, he tricks Peter Sam into doing his work which leads to a great dilemma...
Peter Sam is delighted when Skarloey returns home. He tells him about Duncan, who came as a spare engine after his accident. Skarloey would like to meet Duncan but gets to sooner than he expected!
Rusty and the men are working hard to mend the line; but there is still one bad bit, before the first station, which they haven't had time for. The little diesel tells Duncan to be careful. But Duncan doesn't like being told what to do, and so he rocks 'n' rolls along the line...with predictable results!
Ever since his accident with the trucks, Peter Sam's funnel is constantly wobbling and clanking as the winter wind ties to blow it away. When the snow and frost comes, an icicle in a tunnel brings disaster for the poor engine; until the Fat Controller presents him with a new special funnel...
Sir Handel brags about his "steamroller wheels" and boasts that he can go faster than the other engines. Tired of this, Skarloey tricks him into having a race with George, the grumpy steamroller.
Skarloey is delighted to hear the news that Rheneas is coming home from the menders. Nancy, the guard's daughter, is planning a 'welcome home' party for him; and because of this, she hasn't had time to polish Duncan. This makes Duncan very cross indeed and causes a great deal of trouble...
Duncan is still complaining about passengers being a nuisance. But Skarloey tells him just how important passengers are, when he tells the story of how Rheneas saved the railway, even though he was badly damaged.
During the springtime, a new line has been opened; it runs through fields of bluebells. Rusty thinks that what they need is a 'Bluebell Engine'. So, with some advice from Douglas, the little diesel ventures off on a journey to rescue one from 'The Other Railway'!
Stepney the 'Bluebell' engine feels sad that his line is so short, and longs for a good run to stretch his wheels; how delighted he is when he is invited to work on the Fat Controller's railway. Meanwhile, Percy and the others are excited themselves. But Thomas gets rather jealous...
Stepney is very happy with his visit to the Fat Controller's railway. But one day, whilst waiting at a signal, a cricket team's "one and only ball" accidentally falls into one of his trucks. And when he steams away, Caroline the cranky old car, driven by her Master, gives chase to try and retrieve the ball!
Stepney's visit is coming to an end and Thomas, Percy and the rest are very sorry that he is leaving. But they have other things to worry about when a big-headed Diesel comes to help in the yard and scoffs that steam engines are old fashioned. However, when a bowler hat causes delay, Duck and Stepney show him just what a steam engine can really do!
The engines are very excited with the news that a circus has come to town. But they become bored and grumpy when it is time for it to leave; however, Henry isn't bored for very long when he has to clear a tunnel of a mysterious, moving blockage...
Poor Oliver! Ever since his plight in the turntable well, the trucks, and their leader S.C.Ruffey, have been teasing him dreadfully. However, Toad the brakevan has a plan to stop their nonsense once and for all...
Daisy snorts about Toby the Tram Engine's cowcatchers and side plates, which prevent animals getting hurt if they stray on the line; she reckons that Toby is afraid himself and boasts that animals ALWAYS run "if you toot and look them in the eye". But she would have proved her point if it hadn't been for Champion the Bull!
Thomas, Percy and the others are invited to "the big city faraway" by a little girl as well as her friends who would like to meet them. However, Thomas becomes overexcited and has an accident. Will he be mended in time for the visit?
All the engines are thrilled when they hear that H.R.H, the Queen, is coming to visit their railway. But Thomas, Edward and Gordon are feeling sorry for themselves; things, however, get turned around for them when Henry accidentally gets covered with paint...
One evening, an extra load of fish has been ordered and there are instructions that extra vans must be added to Henry's train "The Flying Kipper". But the vans added are old; and they cause disaster for Duck, when he tries to help Henry up Gordon's Hill.
Toby is excited when he is invited to be the "Special Attraction" for a seaside village's parade. But his excitement turns to disappointment when there isn't anymore room for him. Meanwhile, Percy and the trucks are having a hard time with a disagreeable barge called Bulstrode...
Percy loves seeing the cheerful postman Tom Tipper driving about in his old van and helping him with his mail train. But Tom feels very sad when the Postmaster scraps his van and replaces it with a bicycle. Percy's wish to help his friend comes true - well - by accident, at least!
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