Double Trouble

"Please, Sir. We can't stay long. The children mustn't be late for the party.""Oh, party, schmarty, Thomas. We have plenty of time! You worry too much!"

- Thomas and Sir Lowham Hatt

Double Trouble is the fourth episode of the thirteenth season.

Plot
It is the Fat Controller's birthday, and Thomas is sent to Maithwaite early to collect the Fat Controller and Lady Hatt to take them to the party. However, when Thomas arrives, he is very surprised to see the Fat Controller already there - and that he has a moustache and calls Thomas his friend. The Fat Controller is very jolly too and tells Thomas to take him to Whispering Woods. Thomas finds the Fat Controller's behaviour very strange and wants to ask him about his moustache, but he does not so as not to look so silly.

At Whispering Woods, the Fat Controller decides to play hide and seek with the children, much to the confusion of Thomas and Edward as they know the Fat Controller does not usually play with children. Once the Fat Controller is back on board Annie, he tells Edward to let the children have some more play time even though Edward is taking them to the party. Then, when Thomas stops at Bluff's Cove Junction, the Fat Controller jumps out and goes up to the signalbox and messes around with the levers, causing Gordon who is taking the important visitors to the party to go on an old line. Thomas finds this very strange indeed, but once again, he does not ask the Fat Controller about his behaviour because he does not want to look silly.

Thomas goes back to Maithwaite where the stationmaster scolds him for being late. The Fat Controller and Lady Hatt waited for Thomas, but as he didn't turn up, they had to take Bertie, who, unfortunately, had broken down. Thomas is very confused, but realises that his passenger cannot be the Fat Controller; so he asks the question that he wanted to ask all day, and, to Thomas' surprise the passenger reveals himself to be Sir Lowham Hatt, the Fat Controller's brother. Sir Lowham Hatt wants to have some more fun, but Thomas knows that this is not the time for playing games, as they are late.

Thomas finds Bertie broken down, and the Fat Controller is cross with him until he sees his brother and scolds him instead for causing so much confusion and delay. Once the Hatt family are at the party, Thomas finds Edward and Gordon and helps them get to the party just in time. At the party, the Hatt brothers have fun, which makes Thomas happy.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Gordon
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Sir Lowham Hatt
 * The Maithwaite Stationmaster
 * Lady Hatt (does not speak)
 * Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
 * Bertie (does not speak)
 * James (cameo)
 * Percy (cameo)

Locations

 * Knapford
 * Maithwaite
 * Whispering Woods
 * Bluff's Cove Junction

Trivia

 * There are some slight differences in narration between the UK and US versions when Sir Lowham Hatt reveals his true identity. In the UK version, he says "I'm his brother!"; whereas in the US version, he says "...Sir Topham's brother!" instead.
 * This episode marks the first and only appearance of Sir Lowham Hatt.
 * In Germany, this episode is called "The Double". The Japanese title is "Prank Birthday Beauty". In Finland it is called "The Control Chief's Brother". The Danish title is "The Control Chief's Double". It is called "A Birthday Party with a Surprise" in Italy.

Goofs

 * The signalman should have known better than to let Sir Lowham change the points.
 * Bertie's radiator is missing.
 * The points change way too quickly after Thomas tells Gordon to go to the party.
 * Edward should have been on the track nearest the woods since he stopped to let the children out.
 * The children's parents should have been around to supervise them.
 * In the UK version, at Maithwaite, Thomas calls Sir Lowham "Fat Controller". This is a nickname. Thomas should have called him "Sir Topham Hatt" to his face.
 * No explanation is given as to what happened to Bertie.
 * Clarabel is facing forwards in some shots and backwards in the others.
 * Brakevans should have been added to James and Edward's trains.
 * Annie and Clarabel's eyes are closed when Thomas arrives at the party.

Quotes

 * Gordon: Oh the indignity!