Thomas and the Circus

"Sharing your work makes things much easier, but sharing the fun is the best fun of all!"

- Thomas after sharing his load

Thomas and the Circus is the sixteenth episode of the eighth season.

Plot
Thomas is told to take the circus train and to share the load with another engine because of its weight, but Thomas is so excited to be pulling the train that he wants the glory all to himself, and turns down offers of help from Salty, Percy and James. This turns out to be a bad decision when Thomas' siderods break from the strain. Luckily, Percy and James come to help and the three deliver the circus to the grounds on time.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * James
 * Percy
 * Salty
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
 * Cranky (does not speak)
 * Kuffy (not named, does not speak)
 * Edward (cameo)
 * Henry (cameo)
 * Gordon (cameo)
 * Emily (cameo)
 * Caroline (cameo)
 * Stephen Hatt (cameo)
 * Bridget Hatt (cameo)
 * The Refreshment Lady (cameo)
 * Sodor Brass Band (cameo)
 * Toad (faceless, cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Brendam Docks
 * Maron
 * Bluff's Cove Junction
 * Wellsworth
 * Gordon's Hill
 * Maithwaite
 * The Windmill
 * The School

Trivia

 * Stock footage from Percy's Big Mistake is used.
 * The music video Pride shows a deleted scene of Salty pulling Annie and Clarabel at Brendam docks.
 * A faceless Toad model is Thomas' brakevan.
 * In Germany, this episode is called "Shared Fun Is Double the Fun". It is called "Circus" in Denmark. In Japan, it is called "Circus and Thomas".

Goofs

 * A wire is visible under Thomas when he is repaired and puffs away.
 * The narrator says that James took the performers, but he is at the back and Annie and Clarabel, who are carrying the performers, are at the front.
 * Even if Thomas wanted to share the load with Percy, Percy would not have been able to work with Thomas because he was pulling the Mail Coaches.
 * The sound of Thomas' traction rods breaking happens long before they do on screen.
 * Percy somehow gets into the middle of the circus train.
 * It would have been smarter to put Annie and Clarabel at the rear of the train so that Clarabel could be used as a brake coach.