Thomas and the Circus

"Sharing your work makes things much easier, but sharing the fun is the best fun of all!"

- Thomas after sharing his load

Thomas and the Circus is the sixteenth (fourteenth in Australia) episode of the eighth season.

Plot
The circus is coming to the Island of Sodor and all the engines were excited and wanted to take the circus train. Sir Topham Hatt gave Thomas the job to take the circus train and told him to share the load with another engine if the train was too heavy. When Thomas left, James and Percy are hoping to pull the circus with Thomas soon.

When Thomas arrived at the docks, he was amazed by all the circus trucks he could see. When Thomas backed up to Annie and Clarabel, Salty rolled up and asked Thomas if he wanted him to help. Even though Thomas knew the train was heavy and what Sir Topham Hatt said, he wanted to pull the train by himself and the glory to himself. Thomas puffed along the countryside and was having so much fun as the people at the station cheered for him. Thomas stopped by a bridge where Percy was waiting and the children waved to Thomas. Percy asked Thomas he needed help, but Thomas said no as he wanted to have the fun to himself and puffed on leaving a disappointed Percy.

But Thomas started to get tired as he noticed how heavy the train is. When he saw James, he asked Thomas if he wanted any help, but Thomas still wanted to pull it on his own. But Thomas wasn't having fun anymore pulling the train by himself and got worse when Thomas broke his siderods from the strain of pulling the heavy train and had to stop.

While the driver calls for help, the performers tried to cheer Thomas up, but he didn't cheered up a bit. Percy and James arrived with hay for the horses and Thomas' new siderods. Thomas said to them that he wished he asked them to share the train with them. Percy and James agreed to help Thomas that way they could have fun together and they both watched the performers while Thomas was fitted into his new siderods. Percy and James were coupled up and they helped Thomas with the train. While they watched the circus tent being put up, Thomas thanked his friends and admits that sharing the fun is the best fun of all.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * James
 * Percy
 * Salty
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
 * Cranky (does not speak)
 * Kuffy the Clown (not named; does not speak)
 * Edward (cameo)
 * Henry (cameo)
 * Gordon (cameo)
 * Emily (cameo)
 * Caroline (cameo)
 * Stephen Hatt (cameo)
 * Bridget Hatt (cameo)
 * Jeremiah Jobling (cameo)
 * Refreshment Lady (cameo)
 * Sodor Brass Band (cameo)
 * Toad (faceless; cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Brendam Docks
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * Maron
 * Kirk Ronan Junction
 * Wellsworth
 * Gordon's Hill
 * Maithwaite
 * The Windmill
 * The School

Trivia

 * Stock footage from Percy's Big Mistake is used.
 * Going by production order, this is the fourteenth episode of the eighth season.
 * This episode marks Caroline's first appearance since the fifth season episode, Toby's Discovery.
 * A faceless Toad model is the brake van for Thomas' train.

Goofs

 * A wire is visible underneath Thomas when he is repaired and puffs away.
 * The sound of Thomas' traction rods breaking happens long before they do on screen.
 * When James is pushing the brake van, he is pushing it slightly up off the rails.
 * Bridget and Stephen Hatt are seen as two of the children on the bridge waving to Thomas, but they were just seen at Maron station in the previous scene.
 * In the overhead shot of Thomas passing through Maron, the line ahead is leading to bushes.

Merchandise

 * Books - Thomas and the Circus and Thomas Gives the Circus (China only)
 * Capsule Plarail - the Clowns

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Peep! Peep! Hurray! Three Cheers for Thomas
 * The Complete Series 8
 * Party Time! Children's Favourites

DVD Boxsets

 * 5 Adventurous DVDs
 * Classic Collection
 * Triple Pack
 * The Ultimate Collection
 * Party Pack

AUS

 * Peep! Peep! Hurray! Three Cheers for Thomas
 * The Complete Series 8
 * 3 Great Adventures
 * It's Party Time!

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * 60th Anniversary - Limited Edition Boxset
 * Trainloads of Thomas Fun
 * The Essential Collection
 * Series Seven and Series Eight Double Pack

US

 * Thomas' Sodor Celebration!

DVD Boxsets

 * Fun Pack
 * Celebrate with Thomas
 * 60th Anniversary DVD
 * Steamies vs. Diesels and Other Thomas Adventures/Thomas' Sodor Celebration!

SA

 * Happy Little Helpers

IDN

 * You Can Do It, Toby! and other stories

GER

 * Powerful Locomotives Traveling

SPN

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 3 (Spanish DVD)

DVD Boxsets

 * First Season (Spanish DVD)

DK/NOR/SWE

 * Thomas the Hero

FIN

 * Thomas Saves the Day

ROM

 * Beep! Beep! Hooray!
 * Thomas and Friends - Vol. 1 (Romanian DVD)

DVD Packs

 * Triple Pack 3
 * Six DVD Set

CZ

 * Hip! Hip! Hurrah! Thomas and the Circus

MYS

 * Percy and the Magic Carpet and Other Adventures
 * Spic and Span and Other Adventures
 * Tooty Holiday Compilation

POL

 * Thomas and Circus

HUN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 3 - Thomas and the Circus

DVD Boxsets

 * Thomas the Tank Engine & Gift Keys extension box

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 36 (Thai DVD)

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 8 Vol.6

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 19 (Hong Kong DVD)}}