Train Stops Play

"They have their uses. They can save the wear on a poor car's wheels!"

- Caroline changing her opinion on trains

Train Stops Play is the seventeenth episode of the fourth season. It first aired on Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales in 1996 in the US.

Plot
Stepney is puffing past a cricket field with some "empties" when a batter hits a "six" and their only ball lands in a truck. Stepney does not realise and, when his driver sees Caroline racing after them with the desperate cricketers inside, he mistakes them for joyriders and speeds up, much to Caroline's annoyance. At last, Caroline arrives at the station and the men get their ball back, but Stepney's driver notes Caroline looks exhausted and suggests that Caroline be rolled onto a flatbed. The cricketers ride back in a brakevan and Stepney and his crew watch the end of the game.

Characters

 * Percy
 * Stepney
 * Caroline
 * Thomas (does not speak)
 * Toby (does not speak)
 * Henry (cameo)
 * James (cameo)
 * Duck (cameo)
 * Donald or Douglas (cameo)
 * Bulgy (cameo)
 * The Vicar of Wellsworth (cameo)
 * Farmer Trotter (cameo)
 * The Hot Air Balloon (possible deleted scene cameo)

Locations

 * Bulgy's Bridge
 * Knapford Harbour
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Shunting Yards
 * Elsbridge Cricket Field

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine.
 * In Germany, this episode is called "No Game Without the Ball". In the Netherlands, it is named "Train Catches Ball". In Italy, it is "Interrupted Game". In Japan, this episode is called "Suspended Game". The Welsh title is "No Ball - No Game". It is called "Ball Game Off" in Finland.
 * In the UK, Caroline says "Hurrah!" when noticing that Stepney had gone through the tunnel. In the US, she says "Yaa-hoo!"

Goofs

 * After Percy arrives with his trucks, his roof is lifted.
 * As Stepney arrives at Knapford Harbour, Thomas is seen leaving with some trucks, but he was still at Tidmouth Sheds when Stepney left. Also, his first truck derails before it goes off screen.
 * Studio equipment is visible in the shots of the cricket field.
 * Stepney has Rheneas' whistle sound.
 * At Knapford Harbour, Henry and James' eyes are wonky.