Thomas and Friends - Season 6

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Thomas and Friends (previously known as Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends) is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. W. Awdry.

This article lists and details episodes from the sixth season of this series, which was first broadcast in 2002. This season was narrated by Michael Angelis, although Alec Baldwin narrates the episodes for American audiences.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

[edit] Episodes

[edit] Salty's Secret

Salty, a new dockyard diesel engine, is summoned to the rock quarry to help Bill, Ben and Mavis with an important job. He is saddened because he cannot be near the sea, but gets on with the job without fuss. Bill and Ben think that the trucks will give Salty a bad time, but they are proved wrong when he shows he can handle them with ease. He teaches them that the way to keep them under control is to sing to them, but they fail miserably. Before long, the important job is completed and Salty is sent to work at the dockyard, where he feels much happier.

[edit] Harvey to the Rescue

A strange-looking engine with a crane arm called Harvey arrives on the island on trial. His examination run is to take place in the next few days before the railway board, but the other engines look down on him. This makes him feel very sad. The next day, some trucks drag Percy down and hill and cause a derailment at Bulgy’s Bridge which blocks the road, meaning that Bertie cannot get through with the railway board (who are going to attend Harvey’s trial). Harvey is summoned to the rescue, and with his crane arm, he helps to clear the mess swiftly. The railway board is impressed and the engines welcome Harvey aboard as part of the fleet.

[edit] No Sleep for Cranky

Cranky the tower crane works all night and day, getting very little rest and very little company. One morning, he is loading some pipes onto a flat truck when Salty arrives, noticing that he is in a bad mood and suggests that he needs company. Cranky doesn’t listen, but the arrival of Bill and Ben puts him in an even ‘crankier’ mood. He gets so annoyed with the engine’s constant chatter that he accidentally knocks over a shed, blocking the line. The twins stay awake all night, listening to Salty’s stories and the next day, Cranky is more than pleased to see Harvey arrive to clear the mess.

[edit] A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter

Percy enjoys pulling the mail train, but Harold is convinced that he could make a much swifter job of it. His chance to prove himself comes when a broken signal means Percy cannot get through and whilst the workmen hastily try to repair it, the mail bags are loaded into Harold’s harness. He is feeling so clever that he decides to take them all at once, but the weight is far too much for him to handle. The mailbags get stuck in a Harold finds himself diving nose-first into a haystack. Once the signal is repaired, Percy sends for help and Harold realizes he is not so clever after all.

[edit] Elizabeth the Vintage Lorry

Thomas breaks one of his siderods whilst taking a special to the docks. His crew search an old barn nearby for a telephone, but instead find an old steam lorry called Elizabeth. She is rude and arrogant to Thomas, but reluctantly agrees to take the crew to the fitter’s yard to collect new siderods. She arrives back just in time and Thomas pulls into the dockyard exhausted, only for Elizabeth to arrive moments later. The Fat Controller reveals that he used to drive Elizabeth when he was a young man and he is so happy to see her again that he has her restored by Jem Cole.

[edit] The Fogman

It's winter on Sodor and the first fog had started to roll in from the sea. Thomas enjoys steaming along the misty valley but is usually unaware of rocks falling onto the tracks so his friend Cyril the Fogman places detonators to warn all the engines that their is fog ahead. However, the Fat Controller replaces Cyril with a very noisy foghorn, and the engines are sad when Cyril is replaced. Soon the foghorn makes a lot of noise as Percy passes with his train, but when he is out of sight a landslide begins and crushes the foghorn, so there is no way to warn the engines of the fallen rocks. Thomas unfortunately hits the rocks and soon Cyril arrives to help warn engines he has been derailed. After saving Toby from crashing into Thomas, he is given his job back and the engines feel happy to have him back instead of the noisy horn.

[edit] Jack Jumps In

Thomas has a special delivery to take to the quarry--a new front loader, by the name of Jack. He is smart, good-looking, and strong. But he is overly boisterous and eager. Upon his arrival at the quarry, Jack goes to all the machines of the Pack (the nickname for the construction company) and asks them if he can help or have a job. One by one, they all direct Jack to Miss Jenny Packard, the Pack's equivalent to Sir Topham Hatt. Miss Jenny calms Jack down rather than giving him a job on the spot ("Safety First", she tells him). Jack hangs around, and gradually makes friends with the machines, particularly with a green, wheeled excavator by of the name of Alfie. But just when it seems that Jack has been tamed, Oliver (a larger excavator) is asked to move some rocks up a quarry hill/road to a little hopper. With a cry of "I'll do it!", Jack scoops up the rocks in his shovel, and heads up the dirt road with the machines shouting at him to stop and turn back. Jack ignores their calls, and as a result, he tips over on the road and slides down the hill on his side in a pile of sand. Miss Jenny is indignant with Jack, and tells him firmly and sternly "Safety First means that you don't jump in." Because of this infraction, Jack is temporarily suspended from working. He must now redeem himself to prove his money's worth.

[edit] A Friend in Need

With a chance from Miss Jenny, Jack has been given a trial with the Pack. His first assignment is building a new road under an old railway arch bridge. When he starts out with Alfie, Jack works well dumping rocks into Max the Dumptruck. Then, Oliver the Excavator is asked to move some dirt. Jack sees this and almost moves the dirt, but then he remembers Miss Jenny's instructions. He catches himself, admits to Oliver that this is his [Oliver's] job, and returns to dumping rocks into Max. The rest of the morning runs smoothly until Ned, a clumsy steam shovel, forgets to lower his arm and knocks out some keystones in the arch bridge being worked under. A few pieces of sand start to give way, right as Jack watches. Suddenly, he hears Thomas's whistle-he's headed in the direction of the dangerous bridge! Jack rushes underneath with his shovel raised up against the roof of the arch, which is starting to implode. Thomas's crew realizes hears a warning cry from Jack, shouting that the bridge is unstable. The driver shuts off steam, but it is too late to stop Thomas, who skids onto the bridge. The bridge deck begins to sag under the weight of Thomas. In a desperate attempt, Jack pushes up even harder. He can't hold the bridge up any longer; Thomas and Jack back away, just as the bridge collapses to the ground. In the end, the machines crowd around Jack in the work yard, who is feeling guilty about jumping in. While saving Thomas from impending doom, Jack has bent his arms very badly. He apologizes to Miss Jenny, but rather than scolding Jack, she praises him for keeping Thomas on the rails. As a reward, he is now an official member of the Pack.

[edit] It's Only Snow

The engines are down-heartened when they learn that must wear their snowplows during the winter season. Thomas is especially cross, but he soon cheers up when he is given the task of delivering a Christmas tree for Toby to take to the mountain village. But Toby cannot get through the snow alone, so Thomas leads the cavalcade onwards. He has a tough time, but when a rock on the track causes his snowplow to break away and knock over a water tower, he must press on without it. After much hard work, Thomas finally leads the way into the station to cheers from the happy villagers.

[edit] Twin Trouble

Donald and Douglas often work together and one day are pulling a heavy load along the main line together, but when Trevors's hay cart gets stuck on the line, the twins have an accident. Donald blames Douglas for pushing him into it which causes a big argument between them and later they refuse to work with each other for the rest of the day. The next day Donald goes to work with Duck at the smelters. Thomas worries that they will miss one another, but they still refuse to talk to each other and set off their own ways to work. However, Douglas later misses Donald and tries to talk to him but Donald still demands an apology about the accident with the hay cart, which only makes Douglas more angry. Donald has an accident the next day and the only one who can help him back to the rails was Douglas, and after being rescued the two twins make up and are glad to be back together again.

[edit] The World's Strongest Engine

Diesel is drafted in at the dockyard when Henry is sent away for repairs, much to the chagrin of the other engines. Diesel goes about determined to show how much more reliable diesel engines are then steam engines. The trucks encourage him to try pulling all of them at the same time, a challenge that he gladly expects as a way of proving himself to be ‘The World’s Strongest Engine’. But unknown to him, the truck’s brakes are ‘hard-on’, and Diesel pulls so hard that the coupling breaks, sending him through a pair of buffers and landing on a barge. Henry returns just as Diesel is sent packing, and pulls the train with ease. Thomas and Percy realize that trucks have their uses after all.

[edit] Scaredy Engines

The engines look forward to Halloween time on Sodor by watching The Fat Controller's fireworks and see the children in their Halloween costumes. On this particular Halloween, the engines listen to Edward's spooky tale about the Ghost Engine that haunts the smelters yard looking for his lost whistle. Later, The Fat Controller sends Thomas, Percy and Duck to the smelters to fetch some scrap. Thomas teases Percy about the Ghost Engine by calling him a scaredy engine, until Duck is asked the yard manager to stay and finish up inside the smelters shed. But when Thomas was going in the wrong direction and sets off an old steam whistle, he soon learns a lesson that teasing the engines about being scared is the bad thing to do on Halloween, Thomas forgives Percy for his teasing, and they go to watch the fireworks.

[edit] Percy and the Haunted Mine

‘The Most Beautiful Station’ competition draws near and Percy is sent to collect shrubs from Maithwaite. But along the way, he witnesses a building sink into the ground on the site of an abandoned mine. Donald and Douglas tell him that it is the work of the legendary ‘Naughty Gnomes’, which frightens Percy even more. But when he is sent back to the mine to collect some trucks, another building sinks into the ground. In fright, Percy bumps the trucks and gnomes spill out. Percy is convinced that the legend is true, only to learn that they are in fact garden gnomes for the station competition.

[edit] Middle Engine

None of the engines like being a ‘Middle Engine’, and 'Arry & Bert enjoy using this to an advantage. When Percy comes to collect some trucks from the smelter, the twins sandwich him between two sets of trucks. Not only does this make James laugh at him, but also being stuck in the middle causes Percy to be shunted onto the tipper’s loading ramp by mistake. James becomes conceited when the Fat Controller assigns him to Percy’s task whilst he investigates into the disturbance. He is determined not to let the diesel’s fool him, but when they succeed in making him a ‘Middle Engine’, James refuses to move. It is only when Percy quickly arrives on the scene that the train finally gets moving.

[edit] James and the Red Balloon

Thomas brings a hot-air balloon to the airfield to take visitors on air-tours of the island. But James is suspicious and convinces Thomas that the balloon will take away their passenger traffic. To make matters worse, the balloon runs out of hot air and lands on the track right in front of James whilst he waits at a level crossing. The balloon deflates and in fright, James lets out steam, which sets the balloon going once again. This makes the two engine fret even more until they learn that the balloon has attracted so many tourists that their passenger traffic has increased. James takes a new liking to the balloon, and wishes that he could fly just like it.

[edit] Jack Frost

The winter weather is becoming increasingly colder, and so the Fat Controller assigns James and Percy to the task of making extra coal deliveries across the island. Thomas jokingly warns Percy to be careful of Jack Frost, which Percy takes seriously, but James rubs off as nonsense. Later that night, when Percy is taking coal to Lower Suddery, he finds himself stranded in the snow and becomes coated in ice, moments before James passes and mistakes him for the mysterious Jack Frost.

[edit] Gordon Takes a Tumble

Gordon’s dignity gets the better of him when he looks down his nose at Salty for being a goods engine. But Salty laughs, saying that Gordon is simply getting ‘too big for his buffers’. That night, mist from the mainland causes confusion and delay at the harbour, and Gordon finds that he must take an overnight goods train at the last minute. Determined to show Salty that he can handle trucks he impatiently sets off, but when he is accidentally diverted onto an old branch line the next morning, he lands himself in trouble when the rails can’t take his weight. Gordon emerges from the accident a wiser engine.

[edit] Percy's Chocolate Crunch

A water shortage on the island has reduced the engines' privileges to one washdown a day. This makes Percy rather upset. However, despite the dirty conditions of the railway, he tries to work cooperatively with the Troublesome Trucks. And of course, they only make things worse. Percy is pushed under a coal chute (right as the operator starts pouring the coal), and gusts of wind from Harold the Helicopter's rotor sends piles of ashes flying...right onto Percy! To help cope with the frustration, Percy takes some sugar vans that must be delivered to the Mr. Jolly's chocolate factory. He approaches the factory on the sloped tracks that go up to the loading and delivery dock, which are coated with oil from a leaky freight car. Percy applies his brakes, but the oil makes him skid past the dock and right into the factory wall! There are a series of gloops and splats from the heart of the factory, and Percy pops out the other end, covered in chocolate! He is brought back to the sheds on a flatcar, and surprises the engines. They all poke fun at him and his "tasteful" appearance, but Sir Topham Hatt does just the opposite; he praises Percy for working hard, rewarding him with his washdown, and a new coat of paint!

[edit] Buffer Bother

Bill and Ben are being inspected by Sir Topham Hatt, where it is discovered that Ben's buffers are damaged. He is sent to the works to get new ones, and Bill is extremely jealous. Mavis tells Bill to be glad that he is in perfect order, but he doesn't listen. When the trucks tease him, Bill becomes so angry that while trying to bump a freight car, he ends up in a ditch! Ben arrives just in time to hear Bill say "Bust my buffers!", and Bill's buffers are damaged. After Bill comes back from the works, the twins agree that they do everything together, especially getting into trouble!

[edit] Toby Had a Little Lamb

Toby is flagged down by Farmer McColl on the way home during a furious winter blizzard and learns that some baby lambs are stranded on the hillside. A vet is needed right away, and so the Fat Controller sends him out on Duck. But Duck’s snowplough is useless against the thick snow. Toby remembers his old branch line route and volunteers to take the vet out in search of the lambs. After a challenging journey, they find the lambs and bring them safety home aboard Henrietta. Farmer McColl gratefully thanks Toby for his bravery.

[edit] Thomas, Percy and the Squeak

The famous opera singer Alicia Botti is to give a concert and Thomas is selected to collect her from the docks. He becomes conceited and makes Percy miss his wash-down. But on the way to the docks, Thomas hears a strange squeaking sound coming from his train. It is not until Alicia boards the train that it is revealed to be a mouse and she refuses to board. When Percy arrives, still dirty having missed the wash-down, she decides to ride him instead (being grubby makes him look like a real engine!). That night, as Alicia gives her concert, the mouse makes a home in Tidmouth sheds.

[edit] Thomas and the Jet Engine

Gordon boasts about his speed and the engines wish that for once, they could out beat him. Thomas is later summoned to the dockyard to collect a jet engine, which he must take to the airfield. This makes him feel so important that he becomes impatient, which upsets Cranky. Cranky’s hook accidentally knocks the switch on the jet engine, sending Thomas shooting off down the line, propelled by the powerful engine. Along the way, Thomas speeds straight past Gordon, leaving the big engine in a state of shock.

[edit] Edward the Very Useful Engine

Edward occasionally acts as banker for heavy trains on the main line in need of assistance on hills, but Gordon feels that he is unreliable and should be retired. This worries Percy, who speaks to the Fat Controller. Edward is sent to help Stepney on the new loop line and Duck is drafted in to take his place. But when Duck’s good train and Gordon’s Express find themselves at a standstill on the hill, only Edward can help get both trains through. Gordon realizes afterwards that Edward is not as unreliable as he thought.

[edit] Dunkin' Duncan

Skarloey, Rheneas and Rusty arrive at the slate mine to help with an important operation with the incline, but Duncan is impatient and wants to get the work done faster. Despite warning from the others that safety should come first, he goes out of his way to prove them wrong and to show off his strength and speed. But disaster strikes when the crew forget to uncouple him from the trucks at the bottom of the incline. Fortunately, his driver jumped clear. A dip in a muddy pond soon makes Duncan apologise for being bossy.

[edit] Rusty Saves the Day

Skarloey and Rheneas’ old branch line is closed down due to a lack of maintenance, meaning that they are forced to work at the quarry. Rusty takes pity on them and longs to help them out, but his chance comes when a two-week blasting operation means that the engines must find other work. The Fat Controller agrees to the restoring of the old line, but if the work is not done in two weeks time, it must be abandoned. With the unexpected help of Elizabeth, the three engines put all their effort and teamwork into the project, and the line is restored just in time.

[edit] Faulty Whistles

When Peter Sam’s whistle is accidentally knocked off by a low-hanging branch, Duncan enforces that no engine could be considered proper without a whistle. Whilst taking a special goods train, including a new organ for the schoolmaster, he sets out to prove his point about whistles. But he uses it so much that it flies off into a field and cannot be found. Duncan cannot go on without it, but the schoolmaster suggests the humorous idea of using the organ as a substitute. The others made a joke about it, but even Duncan finds the situation amusing.

[edit] Characters Introduced

[edit] Notes

  • The last regular road characters are introduced in this season.
  • Though Season 4 was the last season to feature stories that are obviously adapted from The Railway Series, the story "Faulty Whistles" seems to be a less-than-discreet borrowing from the story "Mike's Whistle," from Small Railway Engines.
  • This is the only season within the series proper to feature the Pack (ie. not including spin-off releases).
  • This is the first season to have a rollover accident.
  • This is John Wright's last season as editor. He has been doing a good jobs since Season 3.
  • This is Alec Baldwin's last season to narrate Thomas Stories.

[edit] Featured Characters

[edit] Sodor Construction Company ("The Pack")


The world of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
view • talk • edit
Book series: The Railway Series
TV Series: Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Series particulars
List of Railway Series Books
TV Series Seasons: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10
Movie and spin-off releases: Thomas and the Magic Railroad • Calling All Engines • On Site with Thomas
Characters
Thomas • Edward • Henry • Gordon • James • Percy • Toby • Duck • Donald and Douglas • Emily
The Fat Controller • Bertie • Terence • Trevor • Harold

The Railway Series: Major characters • Minor characters • Unfeatured characters
TV Series: Major characters • Minor Characters • Rolling Stock • Non-rail vehicles • People & animals
Movies: Movie-only characters
Locations
Island of Sodor
Railways: North Western • Skarloey • Arlesdale • Culdee Fell • Mid Sodor • Sodor & Mainland • "Other"

Other locations - The Railway Series • TV Series
Significant people and organisations
Rev. W.V. Awdry (series creator) • Christopher Awdry
Britt Allcroft • Gullane Entertainment • HIT Entertainment
Other relevant pages
WikiProject Thomas
The Railway Stories (audiobooks) • Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends merchandise • Video releases
Shining Time Station • TUGS
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