Ho Ho Snowman

"Oh, me. Oh, my. A giggling, jiggling snowman!"

- Henry

Ho Ho Snowman is the fifth episode of the sixteenth season.

Plot
It is wintertime on the Island of Sodor and snow covers the ground. Thomas and Charlie are shunting Troublesome Trucks at the bottom of Gordon's Hill. They are having great fun bashing the trucks. Thomas then leaves reluctantly to have his snowplough fitted. Henry trundles slowly over Gordon's Hill and stops next to Charlie. Henry tells Charlie that he does not like snow as he is worried he will topple off the tracks if he goes fast with a long train. Because of this, he has to make more journeys to the Docks. Henry turns down the offer of a joke from Charlie to cheer him up and sadly puffs away. Charlie is sure he can show Henry that snow is fun.

Charlie knows where there is a big snowman next to Henry's line to the Docks. He chuffs into a siding behind the snowman and hides behind some trucks. As Henry puffs close, Charlie tells a joke. Henry falls for Charlie's trick and thinks it is the snowman. Henry does not laugh at the snowman's joke and whooshes away, scared of the talking snowman. Charlie is puzzled and decides that next time Henry passes, he will tell a funnier joke. When Henry returns, the snowman tells Henry another joke. Henry does not find this joke funny either and races away. Charlie does not give up and has another joke to try when Henry returns. Sure enough, Henry does return. This time Charlie tells his funniest joke yet. Henry is so nervous that he reverses hastily away. Charlie puffs out of his hiding place and races after Henry.

Charlie looks for Henry everywhere and eventually finds him hidden in his berth at Tidmouth Sheds. Charlie confesses that he was the talking snowman and apologises. He tells Henry that he only wanted to make him see that snow is fun. Emily and Edward interrupt and tell Charlie that, like Henry, they do not find the snow fun either. Charlie realises that everyone has their own opinion on snow and promises not to try and change Henry's mind about it and offers to be Henry's back engine in order to make Henry's delivery on time. Henry is happy and comes out of the shed.

Henry and Charlie chuff carefully with their train destined for Brendam. Along the way, they puff past children playing in the snow. Henry chuckles at their games. Next, they pass two robins that are singing sweetly in the snow. Henry likes hearing their song. Then they chuff through the Town Square where they see a brightly lit Christmas tree. Henry gasps with delight. After the coal is delivered, Charlie thanks Henry for showing him different things that are fun in the snow. They soon approach the snowman that Charlie had hidden behind. Henry wants to hear one of Charlie's jokes. This time, Henry finds the joke funny and both engines chuckle loudly. Henry is sure that the snowman smiled too.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Emily
 * Charlie
 * Gordon (does not speak)
 * Percy (cameo)
 * Rosie (cameo)
 * Hiro (cameo)
 * The Bird Watcher (cameo)
 * The Ginger-haired Boy (cameo)
 * Bash and Dash (mentioned)
 * Ferdinand (mentioned)
 * Sir Topham Hatt (mentioned)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Gordon's Hill
 * Sodor Steamworks
 * Knapford
 * Town Square
 * Maithwaite

Trivia

 * This episode marks two first things:
 * The Troublesome Trucks' first speaking roles since the twelfth season episode, Percy and the Bandstand.
 * The first appearance of the troublesome trucks' faces since the thirteenth season episode, Splish Splash Splosh.
 * In the Norwegian version of this episode, the UK audio of the Troublesome Trucks groaning is heard.

Goofs

 * Charlie and Henry went in opposite directions, but arrived at the same location.
 * When Henry and Charlie pass the Town Square, the Bird Watcher can be seen on the steps of the pedestrian bridge. But when the camera cuts to a close up of Henry moving along the platform, he is gone.

UK

 * Merry Christmas, Thomas!
 * The Complete Sixteenth Series

DVD Boxsets

 * Festive Favourites

US

 * A Very Thomas Christmas
 * Season 16 (Digital Download)

GER

 * The Christmas Tree Search

CHN

 * Race to the Rescue

THA

 * Ho Ho Snowman