Wonky Whistle

"Workmen, fix that whistle. The whistle is clearly wonky!"

- Victor

Wonky Whistle is the seventeenth episode of the fifteenth season.

Plot
It is the day of the country show on Sodor and Thomas is at the Steamworks having his whistle replaced. Then the Fat Controller arrives to tell Thomas that he is to pick up Farmer McColl's animals and take them to the country show. He also tells Thomas to whistle to everyone and tell them about the show. Thomas is excited and tells Kevin to hurry up. The workmen soon fix the whistle, but it is wonky and are just about to straighten it, when Thomas speeds off. As he leaves, Thomas blows his whistle which makes a horrible noise. The noise startles Kevin, who rolls into a wall.

At McColl Farm, Thomas collects Farmer McColl's ducks, Katie the sheepdog, and his prize cow. Unfortunately, Thomas eagerly races off before the van's door is properly shut. Thomas decides to puff to the bridge; he is sure there will be a lot of people there that he can inform about the country show. Once there, Thomas tells them to visit the country show and blows his wonky whistle. This noise scares Katie, who leaps from the van and runs off. The people on the bridge call after Thomas, but he thinks they are waving hello. Thomas decides to visit Maithwaite station, but on the way he sees Bertie at a crossing. Thomas is sure his passengers will want to know about the show. He tells them all and then whistles, scaring the ducks out of the van. Bertie calls after Thomas, but Thomas thinks Bertie is tooting hello and carries on to Maithwaite station, where he blows his whistle once again. This time it frightens the prize cow, who runs out of the van and across the platform. The stationmaster shouts after Thomas, but once again, Thomas thinks he is calling hello.

Soon Thomas arrives at the country show. Thomas is surprised to see that there is no one at the show. But not as surprised as Farmer McColl when he opens Thomas' van. Thomas is upset, he was told to tell everyone about the show and to deliver the animals, but has done neither properly. Thomas blows his wonky whistle and scares some sheep, who run out of their pen. Farmer McColl waves and shouts at Thomas as he runs after the runaway sheep. Thomas concludes that his wonky whistle has scared the sheep and must have scared the other animals away too.

Thomas races to the Steamworks to have his whistle straightened and then chuffs to McColl Farm to collect the animals' favourite foods. First Thomas collects Katie the sheepdog, then the ducks, and finally the prize cow. Eventually, Thomas arrives back at the country show where Katie rounds up the runaway sheep. Then Thomas goes around the Island telling everyone about the country show again. Back at the showground, the country show is crowded with people. The Fat Controller is delighted and gives Thomas one last job: to declare the show open by blowing his whistle. The country show officially opened and everyone cheered - even Katie wagged her tail.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Victor
 * Bertie
 * Kevin
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Farmer McColl
 * The Maithwaite Stationmaster
 * Edward (cameo)
 * Henry (cameo)
 * James (cameo)
 * Percy (cameo)
 * Toby (cameo)
 * Hiro (cameo)
 * Bash (cameo)
 * Mavis (cameo)
 * Flynn (cameo)
 * Stephen Hatt (cameo)
 * Bridget Hatt (cameo)
 * Dowager Hatt (cameo)
 * Jem Cole (cameo)
 * Alicia Botti (cameo)
 * The Mayor of Sodor (cameo)
 * The Duchess of Boxford (cameo)
 * Sodor Brass Band (cameo)
 * The Teacher (cameo)
 * The Photographer (cameo)
 * Two Tree Specialists (cameo)
 * The Fireman (cameo)
 * The Bargeman (cameo)
 * Mr. Bubbles (cameo)
 * The Bird Watcher (cameo)
 * The Railway Inspector (cameo)
 * The Railway Coal Inspector (cameo)
 * Two Sodor United Players (cameo)
 * One of Dowager Hatt's Friends (cameo)

Locations

 * Sodor Steamworks
 * Maithwaite
 * McColl Farm
 * Sodor Slate Quarry

Trivia

 * Two farmhands, a Steamworks worker, and several other people speak; it is currently unknown who voiced them.
 * Stock footage from Buzzy Bees, Hiro Helps Out, Being Percy, and Toby and Bash is used.
 * This could have been inspired from Thomas Helps Out
 * This episode aired before Day of the Diesels premiered, meaning the audience would not know who Flynn is.
 * Farmer McColl's dog is revealed to be named Katie.

Goofs

 * Thomas should have asked the workmen to hurry up with fixing his whistle, not Victor.
 * The workmen should not have worked on Thomas while his boiler was still hot.
 * Thomas' driver should have known better than to leave when the workmen were still on his tanks.
 * The animals should have been transported in separate vans.
 * Brakevans should have been added to Thomas, Henry, James, and Percy's trains.
 * Thomas, his driver, or fireman should have been able to tell that the whistle was wonky the first time it was blown.
 * In the close-up of Thomas after he puffs under the bridge, his whistle is not wonky.
 * In reality, a steam whistle that is "wonky" does not sound like a slide-whistle. It would be a weakened version of the whistle's correct sound mixed with the hissing of escaping steam.
 * In the US after Thomas realizes the animals are gone, he says "Sir Topham Hatt wanted me to tell everyone" but his mouth moves to say "The Fat Controller".
 * When Thomas arrives back at Maithwaite for a second time, Flynn's railway wheels are not on the rails, as his tyres seem to be sitting on the ground.
 * Bertie has Caroline's horn sound.

Merchandise

 * Wooden Railway (Thomas' Country Show Delivery)
 * Take-n-Play (Thomas at the Fair)