Trucks

"Now if you were ill you couldn't shunt trucks, could you?"

- Gordon speaking to Sir Handel

Trucks!, retitled Rusty Helps Peter Sam in some American releases, is the eighth episode of the fourth season. It first aired in the US in the Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales episode, Wildlife in 1996.

Plot
Harold the helicopter, returning from his daily inspection, spots a little diesel coming round the mountain. The diesel is Rusty, come to help on the Skarloey Railway, and despite his friendliness, Rusty has little time to chat, and regards Harold as being cheeky. Peter Sam and Sir Handel are glad to see Rusty, but Sir Handel remains his usual grumpy self. The trucks dislike Sir Handel, and repeatedly play tricks on him, making him dislike working with them.

One day, Gordon advises Sir Handel, that if he were ill, he couldn't shunt trucks. Sir Handel takes the hint, and when he feigns an illness the next day. Peter Sam and Rusty are allocated his trucks, but Peter Sam doesn't mind the extra work. They take the trucks to the slate quarry, and the incline, a contraption that winches loaded trucks down a steep hill, the leverage pulling empty ones up, ready to be loaded with slate tiles. Peter Sam waits for his full ones at the bottom of the hill. But the loaded trucks mistake him for Sir Handel, and break their metal chain coupling, zooming down the slope and smashing into Peter Sam.

Rusty helps Peter Sam out of his mess, but the damage Peter Sam sustains cracks his funnel and dents his boiler. The Fat Controller punishes Sir Handel for lying, by making him do his, and Peter Sam's work. After clearing away the wreckage, Rusty heads back home, where he spots Harold again. This time Rusty mimics Harold from their previous meeting and uses his phrase, "Well done, cheers, and keep up the good work!", before puffing away

Characters

 * Peter Sam
 * Rusty
 * Harold
 * Sir Handel
 * Gordon
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Thomas (cameo)
 * Percy (cameo)
 * Rheneas (cameo)
 * Duke (cameo)
 * Jeremiah Jobling (cameo)

Locations

 * Skarloey Railway Slate Quarry
 * Skarloey Railway Engine Sheds
 * Rheneas Viaduct
 * Skarloey
 * Skarloey Railway Mountain Line

Trivia

 * The events of the episode takes place after Four Little Engines.
 * This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, The Little Old Engine.
 * In the original UK VHS release, the heavy impact of the trucks hitting Peter Sam is much louder than the re-released version of the episode. Some lines are also indicated that they were later redubbed or moved in later.
 * On the Thomas' Trackside Tunes and other Thomas Adventures VHS/DVD and PBS Kids Sprout airings, this episode is called "Trucks" instead of the American title.
 * In the US version, much of the music and whistle sounds are missing and Peter Sam's whistle is much higher pitched than usual after the crash.

Goofs

 * When Harold speaks to Rusty, his battery latch is visible underneath him.
 * When Sir Handel shunts trucks, the sound is noticeably off.
 * As Peter Sam puffs away with the trucks and coaches, he has Skarloey's whistle sound.
 * When the rope is connected to the empty trucks, it becomes taut like it is being pulled, but in the next scene, the trucks at the top of the slope are stationary.
 * The trucks' faces are missing when they crash into Peter Sam.
 * When Sir Handel says "I didn't think", his left eye sticks and drops back into his head.
 * Before Peter Sam leaves the yard with his coaches and trucks, a small hair can be seen by his wheels.
 * Before Peter Sam is pulled out of the wreckage, his funnel isn't cracked like it is later.
 * When the narrator says "He did so next morning." Percy quickly passes the little engines. In the next shot however, he is passing them again.
 * In a few rare pictures, Harold's spinning rotors are a transparent disk, unlike in the actual episode.
 * In the UK version, Gordon has Duck's whistle sound, Sir Handel has Rheneas', and Rheneas has Duke's.
 * In the US version, George Carlin says "Peter Sam shut his eye", leaving the 's' off the word "eyes".

UK

 * Rock 'n' Roll and other Stories
 * Biggest Party Video Ever!
 * The Complete Fourth Series

WAL

 * Thomas the Tank Engine: Bumper Special 2

US

 * Rusty to the Rescue and Other Thomas Stories
 * Thomas' Trackside Tunes and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Thomas' Magical Musical Ride

JPN

 * New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.5
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.5
 * Thomas and the Mountain Railway Engines

GER

 * Heroes on Rails

GR

 * A Day at the Station

DVD Boxsets

 * 3 DVD Boxset 2

NOR

 * On New Adventures

Episode

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