Time for a Story

"WOAH! Cinders and Ashes!"

- Thomas

Time For a Story is the ninth episode of the thirteenth season.

Plot
A batch of new story books are to be delivered to the library for the school children's storytime and the Fat Controller gives this special job to Thomas. Thomas goes to Maithwaite to collect the trucks full of books, but he is so excited about the children's storytime that he leaves too soon and doesn't wait for the stationmaster to cover the books to keep them inside the trucks. On his way to the library, Thomas sees a red signal ahead and goes down the branch line before he reaches the signal, so not to be late for storytime. However, Thomas soon pays the price for his impatience when he ignores warning signs about track repairs and hits the bumpy track, causing his trucks to derail, crash into Farmer McColl's Field, and spill the books all over the field.

Thomas feels bad for being impatient, but he has an idea. Seeing how bright the colourful books are in the field, Thomas decides that instead of bringing the books to the children, he will bring the children to the books. So, he collects Annie and Clarabel and then, collects the schoolchildren and their teacher. Once back at Farmer McColl's Field, Thomas listens to the teacher telling a story about a boy who learned patience.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Victor
 * Kevin
 * Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
 * Edward (cameo)
 * Gordon (cameo)
 * Henry (cameo)
 * Toby (cameo)
 * Emily (cameo)
 * Farmer McColl (mentioned)
 * The Maithwaite stationmaster
 * The teacher

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Maithwaite
 * Farmer McColl's Field
 * Town Hall
 * Sodor Steamworks

Trivia

 * The storybook truck has been released in the Take-n-Play range.

Goofs

 * The way the trucks derail is unrealistic.
 * It is said that the children were going to have a "storytime picnic", but no picnic was seen.
 * The trucks somehow change tracks at Maithwaite before Thomas couples up to them.
 * The storybooks should have been transported in vans - not open-topped trucks.
 * The driver should have made Thomas stop.
 * Thomas should have at least asked Farmer McColl for permission to hold the storytime picnic in his field.
 * The teacher doesn't actually read from the book, she just keeps turning the page.
 * The book pages are blank.
 * The workmen were mending part of the track on the branch line. So, it would've been more sensible to have the warning signs for the track repairs at the junction.
 * In some shots, the tracks are completely smooth, yet Thomas and the trucks still bounce.
 * The sign used to warn of track repairs is actually used by road crews in the UK, not track crews.
 * Thomas puffs down the branchline despite the points being switched against him.
 * When the turntable spins around, not only is it going too fast, but the bottom of the well spins as well!
 * In the US version, the Maithwaite stationmaster is given a different voice than that in Double Trouble.