Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia
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This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the vinyl record, the Malaysian VCD, the Philippine VCD/DVD, the Ladybird book, the Buzz Book or the magazine story.
For other uses, see Terence.
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“Pooh! Snow is silly soft stuff - it won't stop me!”
― Thomas

Thomas, Terence and the Snow, retitled Terence the Tractor on North American releases, is the thirteenth episode of the first series. It is based on the story of the same name from the Railway Series book Tank Engine Thomas Again.

Plot

Autumn has arrived on the Island of Sodor, turning the fields and trees from green to brown. One day, Thomas is running along his branch line when he spots a tractor ploughing the fields. The tractor introduces himself as Terence, whom Thomas cheekily tells that he has ugly wheels. The tractor explains his wheels are caterpillars and allow him to go anywhere he wishes. Thomas is indignant, telling Terence he likes his rails as he leaves.

Soon, winter comes with dark clouds full of snow. Thomas' driver is worried that a heavy snowfall is coming but Thomas is not scared of snow, calling it "silly soft stuff". He successfully finishes a journey at the last station only to find his snowplough waiting for him, much to his annoyance. Thomas' driver explains that he will need to wear it for the next journey but Thomas is certain snow will not stop him. Thomas finds his snowplough to be heavy and uncomfortable and he shakes and bangs it throughout his journey. By the end of the day, the plough is so badly damaged that his driver has to remove it. He scolds Thomas for his naughtiness as he shuts the doors to the shed for the night.

The next morning, Thomas' crew arrive early to try and mend the snowplough but cannot make it fit. Thomas is very pleased that he does not have to wear it and boasts to Annie and Clarabel, who are worried about the snow. Thomas' driver is also worried, knowing the snow will be deep in the valley. Thomas is not concerned at all and rushes into a tunnel thinking of how clever he is, only to find a massive snowdrift at the other end of the tunnel which he runs straight into. He tries to reverse out of the drift but his wheels cannot get any traction on the slippery rails. The guard goes for help as Thomas' crew and the passengers try to dig him out but this only causes more snow to fall until he is nearly buried. Thomas is very upset, believing he will stay there until he is frozen, realising that it is his fault for not wearing his snowplough and begins to cry.

A bus arrives to pick up the passengers and then Terence comes to rescue Thomas. After taking the now-empty Annie and Clarabel away, Terence returns for Thomas, whose wheels are clear of the snow but is still unable to move due to the slippery rails. A chain is attached between Terence and Thomas and, with much tugging and wheel-slip, Terence finally pulls Thomas free of the large drift. Thomas is now able to move on his own again and couples up to Annie and Clarabel. He thanks Terence for rescuing him and praises his caterpillar wheels. Thomas' driver hopes that Thomas has learned his lesson and will act more sensible in the future. Thomas promises to try, as he humbly and slowly heads back to the sheds.

Characters

Locations

Trivia

  • When the series first premiered on ITV, a small clip of this episode was used in the middle of interviews with the Reverend W. Awdry and Ringo Starr on Good Morning Britain.
  • This is the first episode of several things:
    • The first appearance of Terence in the television series.
    • The first episode to feature talking non-rail vehicles.
    • The first time Thomas' catchphrase "Cinders and ashes!" is said.
    • The first time the phrase "You're a very naughty engine!" is said.
    • The first episode known to have been dubbed in Ukrainian.
    • The episode's US title is the first to be named after a single character. The second series episode Daisy is the first in the UK.
    • The first time that Thomas cries.
    • The first time that an engine cries after getting into an accident, the second is the twelfth series episode, Excellent Emily.
  • Stock footage from Thomas and the Guard is used.
  • George Carlin's dub of this episode was never featured on Shining Time Station. It first appeared on the Thomas and Bertie's Great Race and Other Adventures VHS in 1993.
  • A truck next to Thomas has "N.E." written on it in a rare picture of him, Annie and Clarabel at Tidmouth.
  • Numerous deleted and extended scenes are used in the music video, Don't Judge a Book By its Cover. The deleted scenes were also used in the Viewmaster Slides.
  • The events of this episode were referenced and recreated in the twenty-first series episode Terence Breaks the Ice.
  • The beginning of the close-up of Terence pulling Thomas out of the snowdrift is extended in the restored version.
  • The clip of Thomas getting stuck in the snow was featured in a Christmas special of "Telly Addicts" in 1990.
  • Bertie the Bus makes an unnamed appearance in this episode; he would be properly introduced in the next episode. He can also be seen passing Thomas, Annie and Clarabel and even Terence during Autumn in the deleted photo.
  • This episode and Thomas and Bertie was the second in four pairings, airing on 6th August 1990 at the same time when the Buzz Books were made available.
  • The JEI TV version of the Korean dub added subtitles to inform viewers what a snowplough is.
  • This episode was never released on VHS or DVD in South Korea.

Goofs

  • In some close-ups of Thomas, he is not pulling Annie and Clarabel.
  • In Thomas' first point of view shot:
    • The edge of the set can be seen in front of them.
    • A hand shadow is briefly seen before the shot changes.
  • Thomas' wheels are not moving for a few seconds in the first close up of him when puffing through the snow.
  • As the shot fades from the close up of Thomas to where he is coming towards Ffarquhar, studio equipment can be seen on the top right.
  • When Thomas is at Ffarquhar, Clarabel is the leading carriage.
  • Thomas, Annie and Clarabel are not at the station in the close-up of his snowplough.
  • For a split second, when Thomas "shook and banged" his plough, his wheels are moving slower than the background.
  • When Thomas collects Annie and Clarabel, a troublesome truck is next to him. When he puffs off, a brake van has mysteriously appeared in front of it.
  • When Thomas leaves Knapford, Annie and Clarabel's nameplates are missing.
  • In the shot after Thomas pulling out of Knapford Station, the end of the set is visible.
  • When Thomas says "Cinders and ashes!", Clarabel appears to be derailed.
  • The hill next to Thomas is gone in the close-up of his driver.
  • After Thomas ploughs through the snowdrift, Clarabel is smiling when she is supposed to be upset.
  • In the close up of Thomas after he crashed into the snowdrift, his eyes are misaligned.
  • When Terence is turning around to pull the coaches away, Annie suddenly becomes the rear coach. She is also frowning when she should be smiling.
  • In the close up of Terence when he begins to pull Thomas out of the snowdrift, the tracks underneath him are missing.
  • When Thomas is pulled clear of the snow drift, most of the snow on him vanishes.
  • At the end of the episode:
    • The coupling sound is heard before Thomas couples up to Annie.
    • Steam is venting all over the tracks and air when Thomas backs away from Terence with Annie and Clarabel.

In Other Languages

View content
Language Title
Brazilian Portuguese Terence, o trator
Chinese Mandarin 托马斯 特伦斯和雪
Croatian Tomica, zoran i snijeg
Czech Tomáš, Terenc a sníh
Danish Thomas, Terence og sneen
Dutch Thomas, Terence en de sneeuw
Finnish Tuomas, Tero ja lumi
French Thomas, Thierry et la neige
German Terence, der Traktor
Greek Ο Τόμας και ο Τέρενς
Hebrew תומס, טרנס והשלג
Hungarian Thomas, Terence és a hó
Icelandic Tommi, Trusti og snjórinn
Italian Thomas, Terence e la neve
Japanese トラクターのテレンス
Korean 토마스와 테렌스
Latin American Spanish Terence el tractor
Norwegian Thomas, Terence og snøen
Polish Tomek, Terence i śnieg (Original)
Tomek, Tobiasz i śnieg (Alternate)
Romanian Thomas, Terence şi zăpada
Romansh Tumasch, Terence e la naiv
Russian Томас, Теренс и снег
Serbian Tomas, Terens i sneg
Slovak Thomas, Terenc a sneh
Slovenian Tomaž, Lozje in sneg
Swedish Thomas och Terence i snön
Turkish Thomas, Terence ve Kar
Ukrainian Теренц і сніг
Welsh Tomos, Terence a'r Eira

Merchandise

Home Video Releases

UK

UK VHS/DVD Boxsets

WAL

US

CAN

  • James Learns a Lesson and Other Stories (Ringo Starr's US dub)
  • Thomas' Christmas Party and Other Favorite Stories
  • 10 Years of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends
  • Thomas' Christmas Wonderland and Other Thomas Adventures
  • The Early Years (UK dub)
  • Ultimate Christmas

US/CAN VHS/DVD Packs

AUS

AUS DVD Packs

NZ

ZA

IND

MYS

PHL

LATAM

BRA

ITA

FRA

ROM

ROM DVD Pack

NL

NL DVD Boxsets

GER

GER DVD Boxset

NOR

DK

SWE/FIN

ICE

  • Thomas the Tank Engine 2

SVN

HRV

SRP

GRC

GRC DVD Boxset

TUR

THA

JPN

JPN DVD Boxset

CHN

HK

Episode

References



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