The Party Surprise

"What a wonderful party!"

- Colin

The Party Surprise is the ninth episode of the twelfth season.

Plot
Every year, a winter holiday party is held at Mr. Percival's house. Colin the crane lives at the wharf, and is upset that he cannot go. While Colin is loading cargo into barges, Mr. Percival is visiting Mountain Village Station, and is set to return in time for Freddie to take him to the party. Freddie, however, feels sorry for Colin, and decides to ask Mr. Percival if they could hold the party at the wharf instead, so Colin could join in.

However, he sees Peter Sam and Rusty carrying party supplies. Not wanting the supplies to reach Mr. Percival's house, he tells the two engines that the party is now at the wharf, and asks them to leave their trucks and inform the other engines. Freddie shunts the trucks by Colin, asking him not to touch them until he returns. Freddie then hurries to Mountain Village Station to find Mr. Percival, only to discover he's already left.

Mr. Percival sees the cargo in front of Colin and, not knowing they are the party supplies, demands CoLin to load them immediately. Freddie returns to see them floating away on a barge. Realising his mistake, he hurries to Mr. Percival and explains everything. Mr. Percival agrees to hold the party at the wharf, and Colin soon unloads the party supplies from the barge. Freddie collects Mr. Percival, his family, and the children from the house. The party is a wonderful success and Colin is grateful to Freddie.

Characters

 * Peter Sam
 * Freddie
 * Rusty
 * Colin
 * Mr. Percival
 * The Bargeman
 * Thomas (does not speak)
 * Mrs. Percival (does not speak)
 * Skarloey (cameo)
 * Rheneas (cameo)
 * Sir Handel (cameo)
 * Duncan (cameo)
 * Mighty Mac (cameo)
 * The Percival Children (cameo)
 * The Blond-haired Boy (cameo)
 * The Ginger-haired Boy (cameo)

Locations

 * The Wharf
 * Mountain Village Station
 * The Depot
 * Mr. Percival's House

Trivia

 * Freddie gains an Irish accent in the UK narration.
 * This is the first and only appearance of Colin to date.
 * This episode aired before Fearless Freddie and Mighty Mac in Australia, meaning the audience wouldn't know who Freddie, Mighty Mac and Mr. Percival are.
 * This episode marked the last of several things:
 * The last episode until the sixteenth season episode, Percy and the Monster of Brendam in which Thomas does not have a speaking role.
 * Mighty Mac's last appearance to date.

Goofs

 * When Freddie sees Peter Sam from the main Wharf station, he catches up to him. But when he does, he ends up in the same place with Peter Sam.
 * Mr. Percival says "All this cargo must be loaded before the party" when he meant to say that the cargo must be unloaded.
 * Freddie's voice in the US narration switches after Mr. Percival approves having the party at the Wharf.
 * At the party, Rheneas has Skarloey's CGI face.

Merchandise

 * My Thomas Story Library - Colin (discontinued)
 * Magazine Stories - The Party Surprise!
 * TrackMaster - Colin in "The Party Surprise" set

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * The Complete Twelfth Series
 * The Birthday Express

DVD Boxsets

 * 10 DVD Boxset (2015)

US

 * Railway Friends
 * The Birthday Express

DVD Boxsets

 * Adventure Pack
 * Full Steam Ahead
 * Extraordinary Engines and Railway Friends Double Pack

AUS

 * The Party Surprise
 * The Complete Twelfth Series

DVD Boxsets

 * The Essential Collection (5 DVD Boxset)

THA

 * The Party Surprise
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 43 (Thai DVD)

KOR

 * The Emergence of the New Tram Flora

MYS

 * The Party Surprise and Other Adventures

FRA

 * A New Arrival

Latin America

 * Railway Friends

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 23 (Hong Kong DVD)}}