- “Aaah! That was your fault!
No, it wasn't: it was yours.” - ― Sir Handel and George
Steam Roller is the twelfth episode of the fourth season. In the US, it first aired on Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales episode, For the Birds in 1996.
Plot
Sir Handel has recently had some unusual new wheels fitted and he gets teased about them by the others. Peter Sam refers to the time when he got a new funnel and was teased about it, until the other engines learned how useful it is. Sir Handel claims that he can go faster than the others. Skarloey, attempting to bring Sir Handel down to size, tells him of an anti-railway steamroller named George, whom Sir Handel vows to pay out. Sir Handel is later bringing a special train home when he meets George on the road alongside the railway, making it near impossible for him to pass. After the steamroller refuses to move aside, the two have a shouting match which ends when George crashes into Sir Handel's train. The next day, a fence is put up and George is taken away. Sir Handel claims credit, but loses his pride when some boys start lauding him with his race with the steamroller.
Characters
- Skarloey
- Sir Handel
- Peter Sam
- Rusty
- George
- The Little Boys
- The Policeman
- Thomas (cameo)
- James (cameo)
- Percy (cameo)
- Rheneas (cameo)
- Duncan (cameo)
- Duke (cameo)
- Bertie (cameo)
- Stephen Hatt (cameo)
Locations
- Skarloey Railway Engine Sheds
- Ben Glas
Trivia
- This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Gallant Old Engine.
- This episode marks Sir Handel's last speaking role until the tenth season episode, A Smooth Ride.
- Rheneas appears even though he is supposed to be at the works.
Goofs
- Thomas has James' whistle sound at the beginning.
- Skarloey's white stripe on his boiler is crooked.
- Throughout the episode, red wires are visible on George.
- In the first shot of George, his face is crooked.
- George's face is out of place in the first two scenes of him at the level crossing.
- When Sir Handel goes over the crossing, the sign post moves slightly. This also happens when George goes over the crossing.
- On his way back to the sheds, Sir Handel passes a red signal.
- When George crashes into the trucks, a workman figure on the left of the screen has fallen onto the stone wall.
- The two times Sir Handel is at the railway sheds he is covered in soot, but the two times he is at the level crossing he is spotless.
- When George is backing up before making rude remarks about the engines, there is a pile of asphalt in front of him. However, in the next shot, it is a pile of gravel.
Merchandise
- My Thomas Story Library - George (discontinued)
In Other Languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Norwegian | Dampveivalsen | The Steam Roller |
| Italian | Rullo compressore | Steamroller |
| German | Die Dampfwalze | The Steamroller |
| Spanish | La Gran Carrera | The Great Race |
| Welsh | Olwynion mawr | Big Wheels |
| Finnish | Höyryjyrä | Steamroller |
| Japanese | スチームローラー | Steam Roller |
| Hungarian | Az Úthenger | The Drum |
| Russian | Паровой каток | Steamroller |
| Ukrainian | Паровий Каток | Steam Roller |
| Polish | Walec | Roller |
| Danish | Damptromlen | Steamroller |
| Dutch | Stoomwals | Steamroller |
| Slovenian | Parni valjar | Steam Roller |
| Chinese | 压路机 | Roller |
| Czech | Parní Válec | Steam Roller |
| Romanian | Utilajul de Netezit | Smoothing Machine |
| Slovak | Parný Valec | Steam Roller |
| Swedish | Ångvält | Steamroller |
| Brazilian Portuguese | O rolo compressor | The Steamroller |
| Greek | ισοπεδωτικά | Levelling |
| Korean | 헨델 경의 바퀴 자랑 | Sir Handel's Wheel Boasts |
| Thai | หัวรถจักรน้อยแข่งกับรถบดถนน | Engine Little Race on Rollers |