The Man in the Hills

"You said you would bring the best present of all. Now, Mr. Percival has no presents at all and we're all late!"

- Sir Handel

The Man in the Hills is the sixteenth episode of the twelfth season.

Plot
Thomas arrives at the Wharf with a birthday tent for Mr. Percival's birthday party. Sir Handel tells Thomas about the "Man in the Hills", a tall white man who has never been seen before. Thomas decides to find the "Man in the Hills", but ignores Freddie and Rheneas' advice to help. Thomas takes the dairy manager and the miller to the wharf, but discovers that neither are the "Man in the Hills". Worse still, the dairy manager and the miller still have to make the food for the party. Quickly, Thomas tells Skarloey and Rheneas to take the birthday tent whilst he takes the miller and the dairy manager back to their workplaces. On his way back with the food, Thomas takes a short-cut and, at Green Hills Junction, discovers a chalk figure in the hillside - the Man in the Hills. Thomas tells Freddie to gather Mr. Percival and the engines together and bring them to see the Man in the Hills.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Skarloey
 * Rheneas
 * Sir Handel
 * Duncan
 * Freddie
 * Rusty
 * Dusty Miller (not named)
 * Mr. Percival (does not speak)
 * Peter Sam (cameo)
 * Mrs. Percival (cameo)
 * The Percival Children (cameo)
 * Sir Topham Hatt (mentioned)

Locations

 * The Wharf
 * Sodor Flour Mill
 * Hillside Mill
 * Sodor Dairy
 * The Man in the Hills
 * Green Hills Junction
 * Stepney's Branch Line

Trivia

 * The "Man in the Hills" is based upon the Long Man of Wilmington, which is on a steep hillside north west of Eastbourne, East Sussex in Southern England.
 * Going by production order, this is the eleventh episode of the twelfth season.
 * This episode marks the last of a few things:
 * Freddie's last appearance to date.
 * Sir Handel and Peter Sam's last appearance and Rusty's last speaking role until Blue Mountain Mystery.

Goofs

 * Thomas lacks a crew when the dairy man and the miller climb into his cab and in the shot of the cake inside his cab.

Merchandise

 * Wooden Railway (discontinued)

UK

 * The Complete Twelfth Series
 * The Birthday Express

AUS

 * The Complete Twelfth Series

DVD Boxsets

 * 10 DVD Boxset (2015)
 * The Essential Collection (5 DVD Boxset)

US

 * Percy and the Bandstand
 * The Birthday Express

DVD Boxsets

 * Adventure Pack

FRA

 * Best Friends (French DVD)

GER

 * Best Friends (German DVD)