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- “You said you would bring the best present of all. Now, Mr. Percival has no presents at all and we're all late!”
- ― Sir Handel
The Man in the Hills is the sixteenth episode of the twelfth season.
Plot
Thomas arrives at the Wharf with a birthday tent for Mr. Percival's birthday party. Sir Handel tells him about someone known as "the man of the hills". Thomas is very excited, and thinks that finding him would make the birthday surprise even more spectacular. Freddie and Skarloey attempt to help him, but Thomas is too excited to listen.
Later, Thomas returns with two men in white: a dairyman and Dusty Miller, both he mistaken to be "the man in the hills". After they explain Thomas' mix-up, Sir Handel realises that Thomas' mistake has set them behind schedule. Everyone is very cross with Thomas, but he is determined to set things right. As the sun sets, Thomas is doing the last of his jobs before heading off when he meets up with Freddie, who has forgiven him and leads Thomas down a line he hasn't been down before.
Thomas is surprised by what he sees: a white sketch of a man on a rock, who is the real "man in the hills". Excited, Thomas brings everyone to the rock, and joins in as the celebration begins.
Characters
- Thomas
- Skarloey
- Rheneas
- Sir Handel
- Duncan
- Freddie
- Rusty
- The Dairy Manager
- Dusty Miller (not named)
- Mr. Percival (does not speak)
- Peter Sam (cameo)
- Mrs. Percival (cameo)
- The Percival Children (cameo)
- Sir Topham Hatt (mentioned)
Locations
- The Wharf
- Sodor Flour Mill
- Hillside Mill
- Sodor Dairy
- The Man in the Hills
- Green Hills Junction
- Stepney's Branch Line
Trivia
- The "Man in the Hills" is based upon the Long Man of Wilmington, which is on a steep hillside north west of Eastbourne, East Sussex in Southern England.
- Going by production order, this is the eleventh episode of the twelfth season.
- This episode marks the last of a few things:
- Freddie's last appearance to date.
- Sir Handel and Peter Sam's last appearance and Rusty's last speaking role until Blue Mountain Mystery.
Goofs
- When Thomas arrives at the Dairy, his steam platform is visible.
- Thomas lacks his crew when the dairy man and the miller climb into his cab and in the shot of the cake inside his cab.
Merchandise
- Wooden Railway (discontinued)
In Other Languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| German | Der Mann in den Bergen | The Man in the Mountains |
| French | L'homme de la colline | The Man on the Hill |
| Italian | L'uomo delle Colline | The Man of the Hills |
| Indonesian | Pria di Bukit | Men on the Hill |
| Spanish | El Hombre de las Colinas | The Man of the Hills |
| Czech | Muž z hor | Man of the Mountains |
| Slovak | Muž z hôr | A Man from the Mountains |
| Chinese | 山中人 | Mountain Man |
| Thai | ชายลึกลับในหุบเขา | Man of the Mystery Valley |
| Croatian | Čovjek s brda | The Man from the Hills |
Home Media Releases
UK
AUS
- The Complete Twelfth Series
DVD Boxsets
US
- Percy and the Bandstand
- The Birthday Express
DVD Boxsets
FRA
MYS
GER
TWN
- Thomas and Friends Volume 45 (Taiwanese DVD)
THA
Gallery
Merchandise Gallery
