Bowled Out

Bowled Out is the eighteenth episode of the fourth season. It first aired on Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales in 1996 in the US.

Plot
An engine shortage has arisen and the only engine available is a diesel, who insults the engines almost immediately after arriving. The engines are furious, but cannot think of a plan for revenge. There's no need though, because the diesel sucks an inspector's bowler hat through an air-intake vent just after starting. Duck and Stepney take his train, and reach Crovan's Gate in record time. Stepney leaves the next day, and while a grand ceremony is held in his honour, the diesel creeps sulkily away with only two things left to remember him by: a bad smell, and a battered bowler hat.

Characters

 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Duck
 * Donald and Douglas
 * Stepney
 * The Diesel
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Thomas (cameo)
 * Edward (cameo)
 * Percy (cameo)
 * Skarloey (cameo)
 * Sir Handel (cameo)
 * Rusty (cameo)
 * Bertie (cameo)
 * Annie and Clarabel (cameo)
 * Stephen Hatt (cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Wellsworth
 * Gordon's Hill
 * Crovan's Gate
 * Skarloey Railway Engine Sheds

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine.
 * The goods train next to James is being pushed by a crew member, as a shadow is seen.
 * This is the only episode to have the Diesel in a major role.

Goofs

 * When the Diesel arrives, James swaps tracks from the left of Donald and Douglas to the right and then back again.
 * A pipe can be seen on the Diesel's air-intake in the close-up of the inspector's hat.
 * When the Diesel breaks down, he has his air-intake covered, but when the inspector notices his hat, his air-intake cover is off.
 * In the shot of Duck and Stepney puffing up Gordon's Hill, look at the middle coach and you'll see a red and blue wire. In the same shot, the track in front of the engines appears to sink just before they roll over it.
 * Stepney says "James says he's as sick as boiler sludge and sulking in the shed!" but Gordon should have said that, since Duck and Stepney arrived after James left.
 * The Diesel shouldn't have been allowed to leave without permission.
 * James has Stepney's US whistle sound when he leaves the station.