Thomas and the Rainbow

"The old story was right, there is something magical at the end of a rainbow - my friends!"

- Thomas seeing the end of the rainbow

Thomas and the Rainbow is the second episode of the ninth season.

Plot
After an overnight storm knocks the telephone poles down, the Fat Controller gives Thomas the task to take engineers to fix them. Thomas goes to Brendam Docks with Annie and Clarabel and whilst the engineers climb aboard his train, he sees a rainbow in the sky. Edward, who is shunting trucks nearby, tells Thomas that according to legend "you will find something magical at the end of a rainbow". This prompts Thomas to find the end of the rainbow.

During his journey, Thomas meets Percy at a junction, but doesn't have time to talk to his best friend as he wants to find the end of the rainbow. Climbing up Gordon's Hill, the end of the rainbow seems to be at the summit; but when Thomas gets there, the rainbow had moved. After dropping off some engineers by a bridge, Thomas ignores some children's call of "hello" as he carries on finding the rainbow. Unfortunately, Thomas gets so carried away trying to find the end of the rainbow that he ignores Henry's call for assistance with his trucks and Toby's warning that something is blocking the track ahead. It turns out to be a broken telephone pole, which Thomas runs into and derails.

Now Thomas cannot finish his job and, as all the telephone poles aren't fixed, his driver can't telephone for help. However, Thomas sees Percy passing by on another line and whistles for help to him, but Percy doesn't respond; Thomas thinks that Percy isn't listening because he didn't have time to talk to Percy. But Percy had heard Thomas' call for help and sends the message down then line. The message eventually reaches Harvey, who sets off to the rescue.

Finally Harvey arrives and gets Thomas, Annie, and Clarabel back on the rails; he also tells Thomas that all of his friends worked together in rescuing him. Thomas carries on with his work, but now ignores the rainbow. Once all the telephone poles are fixed, Thomas goes home to Tidmouth Sheds to find the end of the rainbow. The something magical is his friends.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Harvey
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Henry (does not speak)
 * James (does not speak)
 * Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
 * Bertie (does not speak)
 * Harold (does not speak)
 * Gordon (cameo)
 * Emily (cameo)
 * Salty (cameo)
 * Trevor (cameo)
 * Cranky (cameo)
 * Tiger Moth (cameo)
 * Stephen Hatt (cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Brendam Docks
 * Kirk Ronan Junction
 * Gordon's Hill
 * Neville's Bridge
 * Stepney's Branch Line
 * Shen Valley
 * The Ruined Castle
 * Dryaw
 * Wellsworth

Trivia

 * In the US, this episode aired before Calling All Engines! was released, meaning that the audience would not know about the new Tidmouth Sheds.
 * Going by production order, this is the first episode of the ninth season.
 * The episode was nominated for a BAFTA award.

Goofs

 * At the beginning of the episode, Henry has Gordon's whistle sound.
 * In the shot of the workman getting into Annie, a wire can be seen in her window.
 * When Bertie tells the children about Thomas' accident, he is smiling.
 * When Thomas passes Henry, all three signals are up, but Thomas passes the signal at danger.