Bertie's Chase is the third episode of the second season. It first aired on Shining Time Station in the episode Washout in 1991 and the Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales episode Splish Splash Splosh in 1996.
Plot
One morning, Edward is waiting at Wellsworth to pick up passengers from Thomas’ train and is growing impatient. His fireman gets up on the cab roof but says he can only see Bertie. They decide to leave, not knowing that Bertie has Thomas’ passengers on board since Thomas' fireman is ill. He tries to stop them as they leave the station, but it is too late. Bertie's driver tells him that they must keep their promise to Thomas and they start to chase Edward.
I'll catch Edward or bust!
Bertie tries to catch up with Edward but to no avail. At last, he reaches the top of a hill and sees Edward at Suddery, stopped at the level crossing. Bertie tears down the hill at top speed, but the crossing gates close and Edward puffs away, just as Bertie comes into the yard.
Bertie is now very upset and very tired. He apologises to the passengers, who tell him not to worry. They encourage him to start after Edward again. Bertie is not so sure, but his driver says that there is a good chance of catching Edward, as Bertie can climb hills better than him. After checking with the stationmaster, Bertie sets off again.
As they carry on, Edward comes to a hill. The coaches start grumbling, but soon they reach the top. Still having no idea about Bertie, they run smoothly into the next station. The guard blows his whistle but as the driver looks back, he can not see a green flag. Suddenly, Bertie comes into the station yard and the stationmaster tells the driver and guard what happened. Edward apologises to Bertie, who claims everything was his fault. Edward says goodbye and continues with his journey while Bertie goes to find Thomas at Tidmouth. Thomas thanks him for being such a good friend.
Characters
- Thomas
- Edward
- Bertie
- Jeremiah Jobling (not named)
- Mrs. Kyndley (not named)
- Jem Cole (cameo)
- The Barber (cameo)
Locations
- Wellsworth
- Lower Suddery
- Tidmouth
- Suddery
- Suddery Junction
- The Branch Line Bridge
- Hackenbeck Tunnel (stock footage)
Trivia
- This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Edward the Blue Engine.
- Stock footage from Thomas and Bertie is used.
- In the original Shining Time Station airing of this episode, the episode opened with Bertie arriving at the crossing, possibly due to time constraints. The same thing occurs in the James in a Mess book for unknown reasons. In Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales, the original beginning of the episode first aired.
- In a deleted scene photo of Bertie at the level crossing, he has a face mask with eyebrows.
- Edward's fireman utters a part from the famous nursery rhyme "Oh Dear! What Can the Matter Be?" originally from 1780, which was composed in England. In the Latin American version, he utters a part from the famous song "El Día que me quieras" composed by Carlos Gardel in 1934.
Goofs
- Whilst the fireman is climbing out of the window, a gap can be seen where the cab roof has come loose.
- When the fireman is on Edward's roof, paint chips on the cab are visible and Edward's whistle is out of scale. Also, the windows were dirty, while in the previous scene they were clean.
- When Edward leaves the station, smoke rises in between the coaches.
- When Bertie passes the village, a piece of camera equipment can be seen at the top of the screen.
- In some scenes, Bertie drives in the middle of the road.
- When Bertie passes by Thomas' branchline, we can see studio equipment at the top left corner of the screen.
- When Bertie reaches the top of the hill, his wheel is crooked.
- The woman in green's hat changes from green to brown.
- When Bertie passes Edward under the bridge, Edward's coaches slow almost to a stop.
- Blu-tak can be seen under one of the passengers when Bertie's driver speaks to the stationmaster.
- In the close-up of Edward after Bertie brings him the passengers, a speck of dirt is on his face.
- When Edward reaches the last station, his whistle is tilted. Also, the coaches stop before he does.
- When Bertie is going downhill, he passes Edward twice by the side. This due to the fact that the producers did not want to make Bertie catch up with Edward at the Lower Suddery crossing in time.
- Thomas' eyes are wonky when Bertie sees him.
- In the beginning when Edward's crew are talking, there is a gash on one of their foreheads.
In Other Languages
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Home Media Releases
| #01 Thomas, Percy and the Coal | #10 The Runaway | #19 Daisy |
| #02 Cows | #11 Percy Takes the Plunge | #20 Percy's Predicament |
| #03 Bertie's Chase | #12 Pop Goes the Diesel | #21 The Diseasel |
| #04 Saved from Scrap | #13 Dirty Work | #22 Wrong Road |
| #05 Old Iron | #14 A Close Shave | #23 Edward's Exploit |
| #06 Thomas and Trevor | #15 Better Late than Never | #24 Ghost Train |
| #07 Percy and the Signal | #16 Break Van | #25 Woolly Bear |
| #08 Duck Takes Charge | #17 The Deputation | #26 Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree |
| #09 Percy and Harold | #18 Thomas Comes to Breakfast | Cancelled: The Missing Coach |
| Cancelled: Gordon Goes Foreign | ||