- “Don't you know? Percy told me, Edward told him, James told Edward, and you told James!”
- ― Emily
Thomas and the New Engine is the eleventh episode of the ninth season.
Plot
Thomas is warned by a signalman about a broken bridge, so Thomas goes to collect some steel ironworks. At the yards, Neville is with 'Arry and Bert. He reverses up to his trucks and bumps into them. This gives 'Arry and Bert a chance to laugh at him and tease him about it. At that moment, Thomas arrives, sees Neville with 'Arry and Bert, and thinks that Neville is friends with the Diesel engines.
At Knapford, Thomas meets James, and tells him about seeing Neville laughing with 'Arry and Bert. Then, as Thomas leaves, Edward arrives so James tells him about Neville. Later, whilst taking on water, Edward tells Percy that Neville is friends with the Diesels and does not want to be with steamies. Then, when Percy meets Emily at a red signal, he warns her not to go near Neville as 'Arry and Bert had told him to biff into all of the steamies.
At Abbey station, Thomas is just told by the Fat Controller to warn engines not to cross the broken bridge when he hears a steam engine's whistle - it turns out to be Neville pulling Annie and Clarabel. Thomas is cross with Neville for pulling his coaches. Emily then arrives. She is also cross with Neville as she thinks that he is going to biff into all the steam engines, much to the surprise of Thomas.
After Neville leaves, Thomas is puzzled and asks Emily where she got information from. This makes Emily confused, but she finally explains what had happened. Toby then arrived explaining what he heard from Henry, who saw 'Arry and Bert picking on Neville. Thomas and Emily are very shocked and realised they had made a mistake. Thomas then realises that Neville is heading for the broken bridge, so he pumps his pistons to Neville's rescue. Unfortunately, Neville had already crashed through the barricade and was already hanging over the edge of the broken bridge. But soon Thomas arrives, just in time to save Neville, Annie, and Clarabel. Thomas apologises to Neville for believing silly stories about him, and Neville is happy to have finally made friends with Thomas.
Characters
- Thomas
- Edward
- James
- Percy
- Toby
- Emily
- Neville
- 'Arry and Bert
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Henry (does not speak)
- Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
- Gordon (cameo)
- George (cameo)
Locations
- Tidmouth Sheds
- Knapford
- Abbey
- Shunting Yards
- Bluff's Cove Junction
- Maithwaite
- Gordon's Hill (deleted scene)
Trivia
- Neville is seen at Abbey without Annie and Clarabel in a promotional image.
- In Japan, this episode is called "Neville the New Engine". In Denmark and Finland, this episode is titled "Thomas and the New Locomotive". The Hungarian title is "Thomas and the New Locomotives".
- In some descriptions of Thomas and the New Engine, Neville was described as actually being a Diesel.
- Going by production order, this is the fourteenth episode of the ninth season.
Goofs
- As the broken bridge was ahead of the signal box, Thomas should have gone backwards to the ironworks.
- It's the signalman's job to make sure the engines don't go down the broken bridge's line, not Thomas'.
- It would be dangerous for James to go under the broken bridge, especially with Neville hanging over the edge.
- Edward is amongst the engines who spread the rumour about Neville, but he's supposed to be one of the kinder engines.
- In Calling All Engines!, the bridge section was too heavy for Thomas to take on his own. But, in this episode, Thomas takes a bridge section without any trouble at all.
- When Percy talks to Emily at the signal, his face mask is on crooked.
- A brakevan should have been added to Thomas' train.
- The narrator says that "The stationmaster blew his whistle", but it is the guard who blows the whistle.
Gallery
