Thomas' Shortcut

"Don't be cross, Thomas. Should I tell you my secret?" "What secret?" "I've been re-routed. Now I take a shortcut. So my route is much quicker!"

- Bertie and Thomas

Thomas' Shortcut is a seventeenth season episode.

Plot
Thomas is puffing along his branch line, when Bertie pulls up along side him, and teases him by calling him slow coach. Thomas them gets cross, and decides to go faster. Thomas arrives at Dryaw station two minutes early. Bertie tells him that he would've been late unless he had hurried him. Thomas disagrees, as he always gets his passengers to the station on time, yet Bertie seems to always be beating Thomas to the level crossing, so the two engines decide to race again. Sometimes when they race, Bertie is quicker, especially when Thomas has to stop for sheep on the line, and sometimes Thomas is quicker, especially when Bertie has to stop for road maintenance.

Thomas gets closer and closer to the level crossing, thinking he is going to win, when suddenly, the gates open, and Bertie zooms through. Later, the two friends are at Dryaw station, when Bertie reveals that he's been re-routed, so now he takes a shortcut, which is why he is always winning the races. That night at Tidmouth Sheds, Thomas tells Percy about Bertie being re-routed, and Percy tells him that maybe he should take a shortcut, too, and Thomas thinks that's a great idea.The next day, Thomas sets off on his branch line, looking for a shortcut, when he comes to a junction, where the points have already been switched. Thomas puffs onto the track, only to find himself coming back out onto his branch line.

Thomas comes to another junction, where he once again puffs onto the track there. However, this time he ends up in an old goods yard. The passengers are cross, but Thomas keeps looking. Soon, he comes up to yet another junction, with a track leading right into the woods. Thomas thinks that this must be a shortcut, and once again, he puffs onto the track there. Meanwhile, Bertie is waiting impatiently at the level crossing, and decides to take off. Thomas continues puffing along the overgrown track, which is leading him to a destination, when suddenly, Thomas crashes straight through some buffers, where he finds himself dangling over the road. The passengers are very disappointed, as now will be late.

Just then, Bertie pulls up right by him, and offers to take Thomas' passengers for him, the passengers agree, and they all board Bertie, who then sets off immediately. It is sundown when Harvey arrives to lift Thomas back onto the rails. The Fat Controller arrives as well, who confronts Thomas for making his passengers late. Thomas promises to stick to his branch line from now on. A few days later, Thomas is back, and Annie and Clarabel are delighted to see him. Bertie races away, and calls him slow coach again. Thomas and Bertie still like to have races, and sometimes Thomas even wins.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Percy
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Bertie
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Harvey (does not speak)
 * Henry (cameo)
 * Gordon (cameo)
 * James (cameo)
 * Emily (cameo)
 * Stafford (cameo)
 * Paxton (cameo)
 * Farmer McColl (cameo)
 * The Bird Watcher (cameo)
 * The Teacher (cameo)
 * Dowager Hatt's Friends (cameo)

Locations

 * Knapford
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Dryaw

Trivia

 * In Japan this episode is titled "Thomas Searches the Line".
 * This is the third time Thomas and Bertie have a race, the first time being Thomas and Bertie and the second time being Three Cheers for Thomas.

Goofs

 * Some passengers can be seen on a platform at a station and then later be seen on Thomas' train. This happens several times throughout the episode.
 * During the shot of Clarabel in the old goods yard, a woman can be seen angrily pointing at her watch inside Clarabel. In the next shot the same woman can be seen sitting further up the train by the Bird Watcher.
 * Thomas cannot choose the tracks he takes; a signalman sets the point for a set route.
 * Each time Thomas chooses another track, the points are set against him.
 * During their first race, Thomas should have had the right of way at the level crossing and not Bertie.
 * Why was Bertie waiting at the level crossing for Thomas to get there?
 * Harvey didn't need to use his hook when pulling Annie & Clarabel out of the way, as he could have simply been coupled up to Clarabel.

Magazine stories

 * Thomas Takes a Shortcut