Thomas in Charge

"Thomas, you are a really useful engine. I am very proud of you!" "And I am very pleased to see such a busy engine. I wasn't sure, but now I know the Fat Controller's Railway is the best!"

- The Fat Controller and the Railway Inspector

Thomas in Charge is the tenth episode of the fourteenth season.

Plot
One beautiful morning, Thomas puffs into the docks where he meets Gordon with the express. He tells Thomas that he is to take a railway inspector on a tour of the Island with the Fat Controller. The tour is to end at the docks and the Fat Controller tells Thomas to be very busy shunting coal trucks when they arrive. Then, Thomas has an idea. He thinks if he gets more of his friends to help, the inspector would be impressed with the busy engines.

Thomas chuffs to Maron where he meets Percy who is waiting for his mail trucks to be loaded. He asks Percy to come to the docks to shunt trucks. Percy is unsure at first, but when he hears it will please the inspector, he agrees and leaves his empty mail trucks at Maron. Just as the two friends leave, Gordon with the Fat Controller and Railway Inspector arrive. The inspector is not impressed by the quiet station.

Meanwhile, Thomas and Percy puff through the Slate Quarry. Thomas asks Mavis to come and shunt at the docks too. Mavis tells Thomas she is busy, but when she hears that it will please the inspector, she agrees. Just as Thomas and Mavis leave, Gordon arrives with the Fat Controller and the inspector. They expect to see Mavis busily working, but, instead, the quarry is almost deserted.

At the docks, Thomas, Mavis, and Percy are shunting coal trucks when Thomas hears Gordon's whistle. Percy and Mavis both push the coal trucks to impress the inspector but they collide, sending coal dust flying all over the Fat Controller and the inspector. The coal dust goes down Gordon's funnel and he cannot puff. Thomas is very apologetic and promises to get Gordon fixed so that the inspector can tour the Island again.

Gordon is soon fixed and Thomas heads back to the docks. At the docks, Thomas busily sets to work shunting trucks and does not see Gordon arrive with the Fat Controller and the inspector. The inspector is very impressed to see such a busy engine and deems the Fat Controller's Railway to be the best. Both Thomas and the Fat Controller are very proud.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * Percy
 * Mavis
 * Victor
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Railway Inspector
 * Edward (cameo)
 * Emily (cameo)
 * Diesel (cameo)
 * 'Arry and Bert (cameo)
 * Kevin (cameo)
 * Cranky (cameo)

Locations

 * Brendam Docks
 * Maron
 * Sodor Slate Quarry
 * Sodor Steamworks
 * Knapford (mentioned)

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the eleventh episode of the fourteenth season.
 * In the US narration, the Railway Inspector is called "the Railroad Inspector".
 * In Norway, this episode is called "Thomas Takes Charge". The German title is "The Railway Inspector". It is called "Thomas the Manager" in Latin America. "Thomas Organises" is the name of the Welsh title.

Goofs

 * Why did the Fat Controller climb into Gordon's cab instead of one of the coaches?
 * Why does Thomas tell Percy and Mavis to push when he can clearly see that they will collide with each other?
 * Thomas tells the Fat Controller that they can go on the tour of Sodor after Gordon is mended, but they have already toured Sodor once. He should have said "tour Sodor again".
 * In the UK narration, the inspector should not have referred to the railway as "the Fat Controller's railway".
 * Brakevans should have been added to Percy, Edward, Emily, and Mavis' trains.
 * In real life, Percy and Mavis would have schedules and would not follow Thomas.
 * In the US, when Gordon says "I'm waiting for Sir Topham Hatt" his mouth moves to say "The Fat Controller". This also happens when Thomas says "Sir Topham Hatt isn't proud".
 * Even though the Railway Inspector is called "the Railroad Inspector" in the US, every time someone mentions him onscreen the persons' mouth moves to say "Railway Inspector".
 * Thomas is able to push Gordon on his own, who is much bigger than him, but in Edward, Gordon, and Henry, Henry needed Edward's help to push Gordon, who is about the same size as him. This same mistake was made in Something in the Air as well, where Thomas was able to pull Henry, on his own, as well.

Merchandise

 * Books - Busy Engines and Thomas in Charge/Sodor's Steamworks