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- “Silly hens, silly passengers! You can have them both!”
- ― Bulgy
Bulgy Rides Again is the nineteenth episode of the seventh season.
Plot
When some holiday makers are coming to Sodor, Thomas and Emily are at the foundry for maintenance and find that there is no one to run the branch line during the summer holidays and the Fat Controller needs to find a way to carry more passengers. After Thomas said that this was "A double-decker problem," it gives the Fat Controller an idea by going to Bulgy, the double-decker bus who was turned into a hen house after an accident with the bridge. The Fat Controller gives Bulgy another chance to be back on the road and Bulgy is delighted.
Bulgy arrives at the foundry, meeting Thomas and Emily and telling them that he's going back on the road. When Emily thinks that he should help the new farmer to deliver his vegetables around the island, Bulgy insists on taking passengers instead. After being repainted, his driver takes him back to his field, where his previous residents, the hens, think he looks splendid. While Bulgy is sleeping, the hens miss their home. One by one they creep aboard and sleep in his luggage racks.
The next day, Bulgy picks up some passengers to take to the station, driving so smoothly that the hens don't wake up. Everything is going fine, until he has some trouble getting past Trevor. When Bulgy turns, he almost hits the Post Van and swerves; it suddenly wakes up the hens, which frighten the passengers and cover them with feathers and eggs. The passengers are angry over this incident and want to complain to the Fat Controller. Bulgy tells them that it was not his fault.
When Bulgy is sent to be cleaned, he is angry at both the hens and the passengers. Emily tells him that the farmer stills needs help to sell his vegetables in and Bulgy thinks being a vegetable bus is a good idea, and Thomas adds that he and Emily are now maintained and ready to carry passengers again. As a result, Bulgy is repainted green and turned into a mobile vegetable stand. Bulgy could not be happier, as now he does not have to put up with hens or passengers.
Characters
- Thomas
- James
- Emily
- Bulgy
- Sir Topham Hatt
- The Storyteller (not named)
- One member of the Railway Board (not named)
- Trevor (does not speak)
- Henry (cameo)
- Gordon (cameo)
- Percy (cameo)
- Arthur (cameo)
- Annie and Clarabel (cameo)
- Lady Hatt (cameo)
- Bridget Hatt (cameo)
- Mrs. Kyndley (cameo)
- Jem Cole (cameo)
- Farmer Trotter (cameo)
- Refreshment Lady (cameo)
- Cyril the Fogman (cameo)
- Oliver (stock footage cameo)
- Peter Sam (stock footage cameo)
- Lakesider III (stock footage cameo)
Locations
- Bulgy's Field
- Knapford Sheds
- Henry's Tunnel
- Maron
- Rolf's Castle
- Wellsworth
- The Works
- Balladrine
- Tidmouth Bay (stock footage)
- Lakeside (stock footage)
- Neptune Refreshments (stock footage)
- Bulgy's Bridge (stock footage)
Trivia
- Going by production order, this is the eighth episode of the seventh season.
- This episode marks Bulgy's first appearance since the fourth season episode Mind that Bike, his first speaking role since his introduction in the third season episode Bulgy, as well as his last speaking role until the twenty-first season episode, Unscheduled Stops.
- The episode marks the last time Peter Sam is seen with his old funnel, which was seen via stock footage.
- After Bulgy is refitted, both the signs on his top decker are "Railway Bus" signs.
- Stock footage from Bulgy, Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady, and Percy's Chocolate Crunch is used, as are deleted scenes from Bulgy and No Sleep for Cranky.
- A reference to Bulgy is made.
- The US version uses the original music instead of the new music on Thomas and the Jet Engine and Other Adventures.
- Michael Brandon's narration with new music on the episode has only been broadcast on television. It was released for digital download on Amazon.
- In the UK narration, Bulgy has developed a nasal voice.
- This is one of several episodes from the seventh season to have its title card read on Nick Jr. and PBS airings.
Goofs
- Oliver has Percy's whistle sound.
- Because stock footage is used, Peter Sam has his old funnel.
- Bulgy overtakes Trevor then swerves to avoid the mail van. In the next shot, Trevor and the mail van are nowhere to be seen and Bulgy appears to have backed up quite a bit.
- When Bulgy says, "A vegetable bus? That's not such a bad idea!" a crew member's movements are reflected in his front driver-side window and Bulgy's face is slightly crooked.
- When Trevor overtakes Bulgy after the hens wake up, Trevor's noise is suddenly absent when the passengers get a close-up; then, in the very next shot when Bulgy sulks, "It's not my fault!" Trevor is audible again.
- The storyteller's hat is severely damaged in one scene.
- The mail van does not appear to have a driver.
- When the passengers evacuate Bulgy, they are dirty, but when Bulgy sulks "It's not my fault!" they are spotless.
- The small scale model of Bulgy's driver has a moustache, but his large scale model is clean shaven.
- When the Fat Controller comes to talk to Bulgy about his restoration, Bulgy is not in as much disrepair as he was at the end of Bulgy.
- The first scenes of the foundry take place at Knapford Sheds, but when Bulgy returns after his mishap with the hens, the foundry has been relocated at Wellsworth.
- Bulgy's eye mechanism can be seen in his wheel arch when he says, "Thank you, sir! I'll be the best bus ever!"
- Sir Topham Hatt's car and Bulgy have the same horn sound.
- When Bulgy departs with his passengers, he leaves the storyteller behind. However, after the hens frighten the passengers, she can be seen aboard his bus.
Merchandise
- Motor Road and Rail (discontinued)
- TrackMaster (discontinued)
- Tomica (discontinued)
- Capsule Plarail
- Nakayoshi (discontinued)
- Books - Bulgy Rides Again and Thomas and the Double-Decker Bus (Germany only)
- Magazine Stories - Bulgy's Back!
In Other Languages
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Home Media Releases
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UKDVD Packs
WALUS
DVD BoxsetsAUS
DVD Packs
SWEJPNDKDVD BoxsetsMYS
ITAKORTHATWN |
| #01 Emily's New Coaches | #10 Toby's Windmill | #19 Bulgy Rides Again |
| #02 Percy Gets It Right | #11 Bad Day at Castle Loch | #20 Harold and the Flying Horse |
| #03 Bill, Ben and Fergus | #12 Rheneas and the Roller Coaster | #21 The Grand Opening |
| #04 The Old Bridge | #13 Salty's Stormy Tale | #22 Best Dressed Engine |
| #05 Edward's Brass Band | #14 Snow Engine | #23 Gordon and Spencer |
| #06 What's the Matter with Henry? | #15 Something Fishy | #24 Not So Hasty Puddings |
| #07 James and the Queen of Sodor | #16 The Runaway Elephant | #25 Trusty Rusty |
| #08 The Refreshment Lady's Tea Shop | #17 Peace and Quiet | #26 Three Cheers for Thomas |
| #09 The Spotless Record | #18 Fergus Breaks the Rules | |