Thomas Gets it Right

"I'm as red as a rocket and twice as grand!"

- James boasting to Thomas

Thomas Gets It Right is the seventeenth episode of the eighth season.

Plot
An overnight storm has swept across Sodor and caused a lot of damage. The Fat Controller assigns his engines jobs to help clean up the mess. James and Gordon hope to make as many journeys as possible, as does Thomas. Whilst Gordon goes to the timber yard, James collects workmen and Toby goes to the builders for new roof tiles. Thomas is sent to Maron where Farmer McColl is waiting with boxes of newly-laid eggs. Once the eggs are loaded into the van, Thomas is keen to be off, but Farmer McColl is going with him as his eggs must be delivered safely and Thomas must go slowly. This is the last thing Thomas wants; a slow journey which might take him all day. Thomas gives a sad toot of his whistle and pulls away very slowly with the eggs.

However, Thomas stops at a crossover to let Gordon pass with the express; he has already done his timber delivery, which makes Thomas sad. At Maithwaite, four boxes of eggs are unloaded for the village store and James, delivering workmen to mend the station roof, tells Thomas that he is on his third journey. Thomas carries on, feeling miserable. Thomas soon sees Toby taking on coal. Even the little tram is on his second journey.

Thomas cannot bear it any longer. It is not fair that the other engines can go faster than he can, so he decides to be fast and careful. Thomas goes too fast and Farmer McColl tells him to slow down, but he does not listen and clatters over some points, causing some eggs to fall off the pile and break on the floor of the van. Farmer McColl orders Thomas to stop, which he does. Thomas apologises to Farmer McColl for being careless and, now realising the fragileness of his cargo, promises to stay slow and steady for the rest of the day.

On his way to the docks, Thomas hears an impatient whistle blowing behind him; it is James wanting him to speed up. But Thomas ignores James and carries on slowly. That night, the Fat Controller is pleased with his engines, but Thomas feels unhappy that he only made one journey and broke some eggs. The Fat Controller tells Thomas that Farmer McColl gave him the broken eggs for his breakfast and that Thomas was still really useful for doing his job right.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Toby
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Farmer McColl
 * Edward (cameo)
 * Henry (cameo)
 * Percy (cameo)
 * Harvey (cameo)
 * Emily (cameo)

Locations

 * Maithwaite
 * Knapford
 * Maron
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * The Lumber Mill
 * McColl Farm
 * Three Tier Bridge
 * Brendam (mentioned)

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the eleventh episode of the eighth season.

Goofs

 * Thomas is only pulling one truck, but it is referred to as "trucks".
 * The paint on the stationmaster/guard's face is scraped when the workmen were loading the eggs.
 * When Thomas first puffs off with the eggs, Farmer McColl is not in his cab.
 * Gordon's eyes are wonky in the first scene.