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Thomas and the Evil Diesel, retitled Thomas and the Naughty Diesel in American releases, is a book written by Christopher Awdry. It was later retitled Thomas and Diesel and included My First Thomas-style illustrations.

Plot

One morning, Percy is ill and has to go to the Works for repairs. The Fat Controller knows he has to borrow another engine to help out on Thomas' Branch Line, and unfortunately, Diesel is the only one available. He returns to Sodor to help out with the goods work on Thomas' Branch Line and, as expected, causes trouble for the engines by destroying the oldest and rudest truck in Ffarquhar Yards when the trucks end up making fun of him for causing trouble back then. The Fat Controller is cross and immediately arranges for Diesel to go back home.

Two days later, Thomas has an accident when Daisy drips her oil on the track he is taking. Annie and Clarabel's back wheels come off the rails at the special points at Dryaw. Diesel knows that the line Thomas is on is the only way he can get back home, so he comes to the rescue. Clarabel thanks him and asks the Fat Controller to forgive him, to which he rightfully does so, as the other engines do too. It seems that even Diesel has some good in him somewhere and all the other engines are glad to see him again the next time he comes to Sodor.

Characters

Locations

Trivia

  • The Random House version has less realistic illustrations and toned down dialogue, as well as out of scale vans. This release also had the works renamed the "Train Doctor", and features Diesel pushing Thomas and his coaches from behind instead of pulling them.
  • This marks Diesel's second appearance on Sodor.
  • This book was written by request of the television series producers, but was never adapted into an episode. However, Diesel being the only spare engine available was a plot device that Britt Allcroft would use in the television series for the third series episode Diesel Does it Again which may have replaced the events of this story in the television series as Diesel's second appearance on Sodor. The sixth series episode The World's Strongest Engine also uses this plot device.
  • The Random House version, narrated by Robin Smith, was used as a bonus feature on the DVDs, Thomas Comes to Breakfast and Other Thomas Adventures and The Early Years (Disc 3).
  • Despite the book getting a new cover design in 2013, the rest of the book remained unaltered.

Goofs

  • Throughout the book, Annie is illustrated with ticket windows similar to Clarabel.
  • In the twentieth illustration, Clarabel is missing her ticket windows.
  • In the Random House version, the Troublesome Trucks are smaller than Diesel.
  • In the Random House version, the mud is on the hill on the tracks, meaning Thomas, Annie, Clarabel and Diesel would have had to pass through it to get up the hill. In addition, the oil is before the mud so Clarabel could not have gotten stuck in it. 
  • In the My First Thomas version, Diesel is in a dark green livery.

In Other Languages

Language Title
Korean 토머스와 나쁜 디젤
Welsh Tomos a'r Dîsl Du

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