Time for Trouble

"You know little Toby, I'm an important engine, everyone knows it. I'm as regular as clockwork! Never late, always on time!" "Says you!"

- James boasting to Toby

Time for Trouble is the third episode of the third season. It first aired on Shining Time Station in the episode Jingle, Jingle, Jingle in 1991.

Plot
Gordon is exhausted and James is given his work while he has a rest. James becomes more boastful than ever and brags about his importance to Toby, who is in need of repairs. Toby puffs away to the Works, but when he takes on water at Maron he's told to clear the path for James. Toby struggles to Cronk to stock up, but runs out of water. Toby's driver hitches a ride in Henrietta back to Maron, and tells a furious James of the problem. James huffily pushes Toby to the Works, where several children joke that Toby was needed to help James with the Express, prompting the red engine to disappear in a cloud of steam.

Characters

 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Henrietta (does not speak)
 * Thomas (cameo)
 * Edward (cameo)
 * Annie and Clarabel (cameo)
 * Stephen Hatt (cameo)
 * Bridget Hatt (cameo)
 * Mrs. Kyndley (cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Hault
 * Wellsworth
 * The Viaduct
 * Lower Tidmouth
 * Maron
 * Knapford
 * Knapford Yards
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * The Windmill
 * The Works (mentioned)

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story Double Header from The Railway Series book, The Eight Famous Engines.
 * At the end of the UK version, James exclaims "Ha! Ha!", but in the US version he says "Huh!".
 * In some UK releases, the narration is out of sync.
 * In a rare picture, when Percy comes to Toby's rescue, he is on the line next to Toby.
 * In a rare picture, Toby is seen going under the bridge instead of over it.
 * In a deleted scene, James' face is crooked. In the same picture, Toby's face is loose too.

Goofs

 * In the first shot, Edward's eyes are wonky and in the following shot, Gordon's eyes are wonky, too.
 * Toby starts to move before James does, even though he has no steam.
 * James takes Toby to Knapford, not the Works.
 * No explanation is given as to how Percy had the time to reach Vicarstown and approach Toby from the other direction in the time it took Toby to get to the point between Maron and Cronk.
 * Percy's whistle is now one tone lower. Throughout the rest of the season his whistle sound changes several times.
 * Why would Thomas need a brakevan if he had Clarabel?