Special Funnel

"Peter Sam's said again and again, his new funnel will put ours to shame. He went into the tunnel: lost his old funnel. Now his famous new funnel's a drain!"

- Sir Handel

Special Funnel is the eleventh episode of the fourth season. In the US, it first aired in the Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales episode, Missing Whistles.

Plot
It is wintertime on Sodor and Peter Sam is still awaiting his new funnel, which, in the manager's words, will be "something special". The other engines make fun of his talk about the new funnel. The weather soon becomes bad and there is a washout near the tunnel, so Rusty brings workmen to fix the bridge. As days go by, the weather changes and becomes frosty and much colder. A few days later, the bridge is mended and Peter Sam is chuffing down the line with the morning passenger train. As he puffs through Rheneas Tunnel, his cracked funnel is knocked off by a large icicle hanging from the roof of the tunnel and he has to use a discarded drainpipe for a funnel. The engines laugh at Peter Sam when they see his "new funnel" is a drainpipe. Peter Sam's new funnel eventually arrives and he discovers it makes his work much easier. The engines do not make fun of Peter Sam's funnel anymore, because they wish they had one like it.

Characters

 * Sir Handel
 * Peter Sam
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Rusty (does not speak)
 * Skarloey (cameo)
 * Rheneas (cameo)
 * Duncan (cameo)
 * Duke (cameo)

Locations

 * Skarloey Railway Engine Sheds
 * Rheneas Tunnel
 * Sodor Castle
 * Glennock
 * Rheneas
 * Hawin Doorey
 * Skarloey Railway Mountain Line
 * Rheneas Bridge

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Gallant Old Engine.
 * In a rare still, Peter Sam still has his funnel on after leaving the tunnel. In the same picture, there is not any snow and he is pulling three coaches instead of two.
 * In the US, this episode aired before Rusty Helps Peter Sam, so American viewers would not know who Rusty was or how Peter Sam's funnel got damaged.
 * In the original version made in 1994, the music at the start is missing.
 * Stock footage from Granpuff is used.
 * This was the first episode that did not feature any standard gauge engines in any way.
 * In a deleted scene, Peter Sam is wearing one of Sir Handel's facemasks.
 * On early UK releases of Rock 'n' Roll and other Stories, Sir Handel's song is heard later.

Goofs

 * In the close-up of Peter Sam's funnels, his face is a different size. This is because a larger model for close-ups is used.
 * During the top shot of Peter Sam entering the tunnel, the steam goes off too late.
 * When Peter Sam pulls into the sheds, the "wheeshing" sound is heard just before the steam.
 * Peter Sam's funnel is completely knocked off, yet when he receives his new one, the base is still remaining.
 * As Peter Sam passes Skarloey and Rheneas, a studio camera's shadow is seen.
 * The narrator said that the drain pipe was wired to Peter Sam's boiler, but it was actually attached to his smoke box by rope.
 * In the close up of Sir Handel, his eyes are wonky.
 * In a rare picture, Skarloey's tank is slightly bent.
 * Rusty's driver was smiling when he brought the bad news about the washout.
 * In the last shot, either Skarloey or Rheneas has Duke's whistle sound.

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Rock 'n' Roll and other Stories
 * Thomas' Train and 17 other stories
 * Your Favourite Story Collection
 * The Complete Fourth Series
 * Seasonal Scrapes

WAL

 * Thomas the Tank Engine: Bumper Special 2

US

 * Thomas Meets the Queen and Other Stories
 * Thomas' Christmas Wonderland and other Thomas Adventures
 * Ultimate Christmas

NOR

 * On New Adventures

JPN

 * New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.6
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.6
 * Thomas and the Mountain Railway Engines
 * Fun Stories Popped Out from Picture Book

GER
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 * The 9 Best Christmas Stories