Heroes

"Oh thank you sir! Being called heroes! Well it's - it's -" "It's a really nice surprise!"

- Bill and Ben

Heroes is the twenty-fourth episode of the third season.

Plot
Bill and Ben are working at the quarry and are bored of doing the same thing. Ben asks Bill if he can hear something different, to which Bill replies that he cannot hear anything different. Ben then states that everything sounds and looks the same and that they need a surprise. Bill is puzzled but before Ben can say more, the Quarry-master comes with a message from the Fat Controller that they have to go to the harbour.

Bill and Ben hurry to the harbour worried that they did something wrong and blame each other on the way. When they arrive, the Fat Controller says for them to shunt trucks at the station while Edward is taking the children on a trip. Bill and Ben then meet Gordon who tells them to behave since they are on the main line. Ben jokingly says the sight of Gordon made them think that the harbour was the scrapyard. Gordon is furious and orders the twins to make sure the Express is ready by tonight.

The twins start shunting, stating that they know all about trucks, when they really do not. The trucks claim that they want to help Bill and Ben to organise the harbour. The twins accept the offer, unaware that the trucks are playing tricks on them. As a result, when evening falls the yard has become a mess causing the twins to be late at bringing Gordon's coaches to the station.

The next day, the twins are back in the quarry when a sudden landslide begins. The alarm starts and the quarry-master alerts everyone to clear the quarry. Bill and Ben wait as the workmen board their trucks. As Bill leaves with his load, one man who has been left behind shouts for help. Ben waits until the man is safely aboard his train, and the quarry yard is evacuated in time for the destruction to ensue. Seeing the damage moments later, Bill and Ben hope that the Fat Controller will understand that it was not their fault. The next day, the Fat Controller arrives on board Edward and praises the twins as heroes for saving the workmen. Bill and Ben think that being called "heroes" is quite a nice surprise.

Characters

 * Gordon
 * Bill and Ben
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Quarry-master
 * Edward (does not speak)
 * Jem Cole (cameo)
 * Farmer Trotter (cameo)

Locations

 * Sodor China Clay Company
 * Arlesburgh Harbour
 * Sodor Trading Co.
 * The Waterfall (deleted scene)
 * The Scrapyard (mentioned)

Trivia

 * This episode is adapted from the magazine stories, In a Muddle and Heroes by Andrew Brenner.
 * The fanfare heard in the climax of the episode is almost identical to one heard in TUGS.
 * The roof of the building is made of cardboard, as seen when it absorbs the water from the water tower.
 * A steamboat and a large building from Tugs appears at the docks.
 * This is the only episode to feature a 6 plank truck with a face, it can be seen behind one of the twins when the yard is in a muddle, it can be spotted better in a deleted panning shot in the music video Troublesome Trucks.

Goofs

 * In the second shot of Bill and Ben shunting trucks at the harbour, a truck with half a load of coal is visible. When the twins shunt this truck the load shifts, revealing it to be a solid prop made to look like coal.
 * When the quarry master comes to tell the twins to go and work at the harbour, the coat on his small scale model is a different colour than the one on his large scale model.
 * When the narrator says "The twins had let the trucks tell them where to put things," the camera shakes.
 * The restored version in Japanese reveals Thomas in the English end credits before cutting to the character gallery.
 * One of the trucks has its face is on its back end and in addition, its eyes are scratched.
 * The narrator said that Ben was the one who waited for the man to climb aboard, when it was actually Bill.

Merchandise

 * My Thomas Story Library - Bill and Ben (discontinued)

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Escape and other stories
 * Thomas' Train and 17 other stories
 * Truck Loads of Fun
 * The Complete Series 3

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection
 * Bumper Party Collection! and Truck Loads of Fun Double Pack

US

 * Shining Time Station Vol. 7: Mr. Conductor's Evil Twin
 * James Goes Buzz Buzz and Other Thomas Stories
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 3

DVD Packs

 * Totally Thomas Volume 7
 * James Goes Buzz Buzz/Thomas and the Special Letter Double Feature
 * Ultimate Thomas Collection

AUS

 * Escape and other stories
 * Truck Loads of Fun
 * The Complete Series 3
 * My First Thomas with The Twin Engines

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * Trainloads of Thomas Fun
 * 60th Anniversary - Limited Edition Boxset
 * Essential Collection (Five Disc Collection)
 * Classic Collection
 * Series Three and Series Four Double Pack

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.17
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.5
 * The Engine Twins
 * The Complete DVD Box 1

NZ

 * Escape and other stories

GR

 * The Twin Engines Were Confused!

DVD Boxsets

 * 3 DVD Boxset 2

KOR

 * For the Story of Determination

NOR

 * Edward, Trevor and the Useful Party (Norwegian VHS)
 * Favourites From Thomas and Friends (Norwegian VHS/DVD)

FIN

 * Edward, Trevor and the Useful Party

GER

 * Heroes (German VHS)
 * Show What You Can!

DVD Boxsets

 * Thomas and His Friends Box Set 2

DK

 * The Great Escape and Other Stories

MYS

 * One Good Turn and Other Adventures
 * Percy, James and the Fruitful Day and Other Thomas Adventures

IN

 * Oliver Owns Up and Other Stories

NL

 * Merry Christmas!
 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Edward, Toby and the Diesels

SVN

 * Percy, James and the Successful Day (Slovenian DVD)

ITA

 * Locomotive in Trouble

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends

SER

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 7

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4 (DVD)

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 11 (Thai DVD)

TWN
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 8 (Taiwanese DVD)

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