Special Attraction

"Oooogh! I'm sinking!" "Serves you right! You were always barging in and moaning!"

- Bulstrode and the troublesome trucks

Special Attraction is the twenty-fifth episode of the fourth season.

Plot
One day, Toby is sent to a seaside village to be their "special attraction," as they have one every year, but when he gets there, he learns there is no room for him in the parade.

Toby chuffs back to the junction, and when Percy sees how sad Toby is, he wants to know why, but before Toby can get the reason, the Fat Controller tells Percy to take care of some important work in the harbour, and his driver says that it will be trouble with Bulstrode, a disagreeable barge who never stops complaining.

At the harbour, Bulstrode and the trucks are arguing about who is in the wrong place. Then, when Percy arrives, the trucks want to be shunted into a siding to load Bulstrode up, so he can leave.

However, Percy cannot stop in time and he ends up sending the trucks toppling off the wharf and right into Bulstrode's hull; which nearly sinks him much to the other trucks' amusement. After being emptied, a disgraced Bulstrode is towed to a beach for visiting children to play in.

When Percy returns, Toby is over his disappointment and tells Percy that his driver says that both of them are Special Attractions after all everywhere they go.

Characters

 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Bulstrode
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Trevor (cameo)
 * Big Mickey (cameo)
 * Jem Cole (cameo)
 * The Vicar of Wellsworth (cameo)
 * Farmer Trotter (cameo)
 * Refreshment Lady (cameo)
 * One Little Boy (cameo)
 * The Dryaw Policeman (cameo)
 * The Crovan's Gate Policeman (cameo)
 * Coast Guard ​(faceless; cameo)
 * Izzy Gomez ​(faceless; cameo)

Locations

 * Elsbridge
 * Knapford Harbour
 * Tidmouth Beach
 * Gordon's Hill
 * The Lighthouse
 * The Seaside Village
 * Norramby Church Station
 * Road Beside Rail and Canal Runby (deleted scene)

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the stories Toby's Seaside Holiday and Bulstrode from The Railway Series book, Toby, Trucks and Trouble.
 * The models for O.J., Izzy Gomez, Big Mickey, the Bigg City Port Fire Station, and a three berth garage from TUGS are seen.
 * This episode marks the first and only appearance of Bulstrode to date, although his model and face were used in later episodes.
 * This was the last episode to be featured on Shining Time Station, as the remainder of the fourth season would air on Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales.
 * In the US Narration, after Bulstrode says "Come on! Come on!" George Carlin hiccups.
 * This episode marks the last appearance of Elsbridge to date, not counting a deleted scene in the next episode, though it would later be mentioned in the nineteenth season episode, Wild Water Rescue.
 * This episode also marks the last appearance of Knapford Harbour to date.
 * This marks the last episode of Kōhei Miyauchi voicing Sir Topham Hatt in the Japanese narration before his passing.

Goofs

 * Studio equipment can be seen when Toby puffs through the seaside.
 * Before Percy's driver takes him down to the docks, he has dark brown hair. But as Percy puffed away, his driver has a different head mask and light brown hair colour.
 * When the troublesome trucks say "There's no engine and we can only go where we're put! You're in the wrong place, not us!" one has wonky eyes and another truck's face is loose.
 * When Percy's trucks land in Bulstrode's hull, Percy's wheels derail and he is crooked on his chassis.
 * The buffers Percy hits are placed quite a distance ahead of where the track actually ends.
 * In a close-up of Toby at the seaside, his left window (viewer's right) appears to be burnt.
 * In the close up of the truck's wheels when they wail "Help! Help!" the track bounces slightly.
 * When Percy reverses with the trucks, they are facing him. But when he is lining them up, they are facing away from him.
 * When the trucks burst through the buffers, they come off the rails, but in another shot they derail again.
 * When Percy whistles just before buffering up to the trucks, a fast puffing noise can be heard.

Merchandise

 * My Thomas Story Library - Bulstrode (discontinued)

UK

 * Thomas' Train and 17 other stories (Direct-to-Home Video)
 * Thomas and Stepney and other Stories (Direct-to-Home Video)
 * Children's Pre-School Favourites
 * The Complete Series 4

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection

AUS

 * Thomas and Stepney and other Stories (Direct-to-Home Video)
 * All Aboard October!
 * The Complete Series 4

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * Classic Collection
 * Series Three and Series Four Double Pack

US

 * The Gallant Old Engine and Other Thomas Stories/Henry and the Elephant
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 4

NZ

 * Thomas and Stepney and other Stories

NOR

 * Thomas and Stepney (Norwegian VHS)

WAL

 * Help and 15 other stories

JPN

 * New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.4 (Direct-to-Home Video)
 * Sing-Along and Stories (Japanese VHS/DVD)
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.1
 * To Transport a Lot Today

PHL

 * Thomas and Friends Collection
 * Thomas and the Special Letter (Philippine DVD)

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends
 * Thomas and Friends - Season 4 (Ukrainian DVD)

DK

 * The Brave Engine and Other Stories

MYS

 * Lady Hatt's Birthday Party and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Thomas and the Special Letter and Other Adventures

ITA

 * Here Comes the Queen

SWE

 * The Engine and the Gremlins

NL

 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Edward, Toby and the Diesels
 * Thomas and the Special Letter (Dutch DVD)

GR

 * Adventures at the Railway Station

DVD Boxsets

 * 3 DVD Boxset 2

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4 (DVD)

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 15 (Thai DVD)
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 11 (Thai DVD)

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