Three Cheers for Thomas

"Three cheers for Thomas, the number one engine!""But I still won the race!"

- The children and Bertie cheering for Thomas

Three Cheers for Thomas, retitled Hooray for Thomas in American releases, is the twenty-sixth episode of the seventh season.

Plot
Thomas has to take some children to their annual sports day. When they arrive, a boy tells Thomas that he hopes he's number one and wins a medal. Thomas agrees it's magnificent to win a medal, and later imagines himself with a medal around his boiler.

Later, Thomas and Bertie are at the sheds, when Percy arrives. He tells the two he is taking Sir Topham Hatt to the venue. Thomas tells him he can see the egg and spoon race there, where children race with eggs on spoons. The winner of the race gets a medal. Thomas tells Percy and Bertie he wishes he could have a medal and Percy tells him he would have to win a race. Bertie challenges Thomas to a race to the next station. Thomas accepts the challenge and the race begins.

Bertie edges in front at first, but manages to get stuck behind a slowing Trevor and Thomas takes the lead. However, he does not keep the lead for long, as he has to stop to pick up passengers. Bertie regains the lead as he rumbles over the bridge. Then, Bertie has to stop at a level crossing and Thomas takes the lead once more.

Thomas is almost at the station when he spots a signalman with a red flag in his hand and Sir Topham Hatt. Sir Topham explains that the medals were left in his office and asks Thomas to retrieve them. Thomas, no longer caring about the race, puffs away to retrieve the medals.

Down the line, Bertie arrives at the station having won the race. Bertie waits keenly for Thomas, but he never comes. Thomas is steaming back for the medals. He arrives at Knapford, where the stationmaster gives Thomas' driver the medals. Thomas arrives at the venue, with the medals, just in time for the medals to be handed out.

The next day, Thomas is at Maithwaite station when Sir Topham Hatt and Bertie arrive with a surprise for Thomas. A boy gives Thomas his own medal and wraps it around his boiler. Sir Topham Hatt and the boy express their gratitude for Thomas' hard work during sports day and they thought Thomas deserved a medal all for himself. Thomas thanks them for the medal and all the children give him "three cheers".

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Percy
 * Bertie
 * Harold
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
 * Trevor (cameo)
 * Butch (cameo)
 * Tiger Moth (cameo)
 * Stephen Hatt (cameo)
 * Bridget Hatt (cameo)
 * Jem Cole (cameo)
 * Farmer Trotter (cameo)
 * Nancy (cameo)
 * Miss Jenny (cameo)
 * James (stock footage cameo)
 * Harvey (deleted scene)

Locations

 * Knapford
 * Dryaw
 * The Windmill
 * Three Tier Bridge
 * Maithwaite
 * Wellsworth
 * Sports Field Halt
 * Balladrine
 * Callendale Fishing Yard
 * McColl Farm
 * The Lighthouse

Trivia

 * Stock footage from James and the Red Balloon, Make Someone Happy, It's Only Snow, Percy Gets it Right, James and the Queen of Sodor, and Bulgy Rides Again is used.
 * A London, Midland, and Scottish Railway poster is seen at Maithwaite.
 * This is the second time Thomas and Bertie have a race, the first time was in Thomas and Bertie.
 * The majority of the footage of Thomas puffing along seems to be sped up, even after the race.
 * This was the last episode of several things:
 * The last episode of the classic series.
 * The last episode to be narrated by Håkan Mohede in Sweden and Tommy Kenter in Denmark, and the last episode until the thirteenth season to be narrated in Welsh.
 * The last episode to be directed by David Mitton.
 * The last produced by Phil Fehrle.
 * The last to have music composed by Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell in the UK.
 * The final episode to have the classic series opening scene in the UK.
 * The last made by Gullane Entertainment.
 * The last with Peter Urie as executive producer.
 * Britt Allcroft's final episode as creative consultant and the final episode to have her involved in production.
 * An instrumental version of Let's Have a Race can be heard during Thomas and Bertie's race in the UK version.
 * A shortened version of this episode was made into a picture-read story for the passport in the My Journey with Thomas the Tank Engine book, titled Thomas and the Race.
 * It is likely the ending of this episode was filmed around the same time as A Visit from Thomas as Miss Jenny can be seen waving on the platform.

Goofs

 * After Thomas stops to pick up passengers, his siderods change position.
 * In the rear shot of Trevor, the left wheels of his cart are not moving.
 * Percy said he was taking the Fat Controller to the sports day, but when Thomas was stopped at the level crossing, the Fat Controller is seen in his car.
 * As Thomas races through Dryaw, a strange white object (presumably a film glitch) is seen as he goes off screen.
 * When all the children surround Bertie, his right eye is wonky.
 * Thomas is racing Bertie to the station where Sports Day is being held, but for some reason Bertie races to Wellsworth instead.
 * In the episode, there is a water tower right next to the shed that Thomas, Percy, and Bertie were at, but in a deleted scene with Harvey, the tower has moved up and moved to the other side of the tracks.
 * In Michael Angelis' remastered narration, when Thomas is given his medal, Percy's whistle sound is heard, but he is nowhere to be seen.
 * Because stock footage is used, a close-up of Sir Topham Hatt is at Maithwaite.