Fish

"Hello Duck! Going fishing? I'd take care If I were you." "Why?" "Well for one thing, if fish get into an engines boiler, they always cause trouble. And for another, fish can be awfully smelly. And I know what I'm talking about. Good night."

- Thomas advising Duck

Fish is the twenty-fourth episode of the fourth season. In the US, it first aired on Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales in 1996.

Plot
A special load of fish is ordered and extra vans are needed for "The Flying Kipper" and, to Henry's annoyance, the only ones available are old and dirty. Duck shunts them into position and moments later, Thomas arrives with the post train and he warns him to take care, reminding him of his own experience with fish. Henry is still complaining about his extra load, but his driver tells him that at least another engine will be there to help.

At Wellsworth, Duck waits for Henry and when he arrives he moves to the back to help him to the top of Gordon's Hill. While Duck is pushing him up the hill, the tail-lamp falls off. After that, Henry slows down while Duck suddenly loses sight of the train and as he frantically runs after it he crashes into the last van, causing loads of fish to spill out and bringing the train to a halt.

The mess is cleared up in the morning, and the missing tail lamp is found at the bottom the hill. The Fat Controller tells Duck that the accident was not his fault and that the crew should have fitted the tail lamp on properly, and Duck reflects that Thomas' earlier advice about fish was right.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Henry
 * Duck
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Edward (does not speak)
 * James (cameo)
 * Percy (cameo)
 * Skarloey (stock footage cameo)
 * Rheneas (stock footage cameo)

Locations

 * Lakeside
 * Tidmouth Harbour
 * Wellsworth
 * Gordon's Hill
 * The Lighthouse
 * The Seaside Village
 * Road Beside Rail and Canal Runby

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Really Useful Engines.
 * This marks Duck's last major appearance until the seventeenth season episode, The Thomas Way.
 * Stock footage from A Bad Day for Sir Handel is used.
 * A reference to the first season episode Thomas Goes Fishing is made.
 * Crates labelled "Fulton's" can be seen during the episode; these are either a reference to Fulton's Fish Market in New York City or set dressing props from the sister television series TUGS.

Goofs

 * Duck's eyes are wonky in some scenes.
 * Throughout the episode, Thomas has Edward's whistle sound.
 * Thomas' eyes are wonky in the first close up shot of him.
 * When the narrator says "Henry was pulling his train harder than he realised", Henry's eyes are wonky.
 * Henry's lamp is not on his lamp iron.
 * In a close up shot of Duck, his lamp has no light.

Quotes
Duck: Thank you sir, Thomas told me to be careful about fish. They got me in a right pickle, didn't they?