Thomas and the Tuba

"Hmm. Look and Listen. If he's a tuba player, he might be playing the tuba."

- Harvey

Thomas and the Tuba is the first episode of the eighth season.

Plot
Thomas is happy that he is to collect the brass band, much to the annoyance of James and Gordon. When Thomas arrives at Knapford with Annie and Clarabel, he is very excited; so excited that he accidentally leaves the tuba player behind and it is only when he arrives at Maithwaite that the band leader realizes this. Thomas goes off to find the tuba player, unaware that the tuba player is at the bus stop under the railway bridge.

Bertie takes the tuba player as far as he can and then Elizabeth gives him a lift. Thomas is in such a rush looking for the tuba player that when he flies through the crossing, he does not see Elizabeth with the tuba player. Elizabeth takes the tuba player to the windmill where Trevor gives him a ride. Once again, Thomas is rushing about and does not see or hear the tuba player aboard Trevor when he passes them.

Thomas is looking around Knapford Yards between trucks and inside coaches when he crashes into Percy and his trucks of bunting. Harvey arrives and Thomas tells him what happened; Harvey advises him to look and listen. So, taking Harvey's advice, Thomas searches more carefully until he hears the tuba player aboard Trevor and then takes him to Lady Hatt's birthday party.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Percy
 * Harvey
 * Bertie
 * Elizabeth
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Sodor Brass Band
 * Gordon (does not speak)
 * James (does not speak)
 * Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
 * Trevor (does not speak)
 * Lady Hatt (does not speak)
 * George (cameo)
 * Butch (cameo)
 * Stephen Hatt (cameo)
 * Bridget Hatt (cameo)
 * Jem Cole (cameo)
 * Refreshment Lady (cameo)
 * The Storyteller (cameo)

Locations

 * Ffarquhar
 * Maithwaite
 * Knapford
 * Bulgy's Bridge
 * Shunting Yards
 * The Windmill

Trivia

 * This was the first episode of several things:
 * The first episode of the New Series.
 * The first episode directed by Steve Asquith since the sixth season.
 * The first made by HiT Entertainment.
 * The first produced by Simon Spencer.
 * The first episode not to have Britt Allcroft or David Mitton involved in production.
 * The first episode narrated by Sky du Mont in Germany, Arturo Mercado Jr. in Latin America, Daniel Vulcu in Romania, Ian MacAmhlaigh in Scotland, Ron Druyan in Israel, Claes Ljungmark in Sweden, Dário de Castro in Brazil and Kalle Øby in Norway. This is also the first episode narrated by Povl Dissing in Denmark and Aku Laitinen in Finland since the fourth season.
 * The first episode increased to about seven minutes.
 * In the All Aboard with the Steam Team DVD release and the Nick Jr. broadcasts, Bertie's eye movements are animated differently to the US version and the other UK versions.
 * Trevor's large scale model made for Jack and the Sodor Construction Company series is used in a close up shot.
 * Going by production order, this is the twentieth episode of the eighth season.
 * The tuba player's instrument is a euphonium.

Goofs

 * The narrator calls Elizabeth's dumper a flatbed.
 * The narrator says that Thomas and the trucks of bunting were derailed, but Thomas is still on the track.
 * In some close-ups of Elizabeth, her eye mechanism is visible in her cab.
 * Trevor's eyes are wonky when Thomas leaves for Maithwaite.
 * Thomas travels through the same factory complex twice; once when he looks inside the Express Coaches, and once when he passes George.

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * All Aboard with the Steam Team
 * The Complete Eighth Series
 * Funtastic Children's Collection

DVD Boxsets

 * 5 Adventurous DVDs
 * Classic Collection
 * Triple Pack
 * The Ultimate Collection

US

 * Songs from the Station

DVD Boxsets

 * 4-Disc DVD Box Set
 * 60th Anniversary DVD
 * Great Destinations!
 * Train Loads of Stories

NL

 * A New Look for James

AUS

 * All Aboard with the Steam Team
 * The Complete Eighth Series

DVD Boxsets

 * 60th Anniversary - Limited Edition Boxset
 * Complete Series 1-10
 * The Essential Collection (5 DVD Boxset)
 * The Great Adventures of Thomas and Friends

GER

 * Powerful Locomotives Traveling

MYS

 * Don't Tell Thomas and Other Adventures
 * Emily's New Route and Other Adventures

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 38 (Thai DVD)

FIN/DK/NOR/SWE

 * Ready to Go!/All Aboard!

POL

 * Thomas Comes to the Rescue

HUN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 4 - Gordon, a Role Model

DVD Boxsets

 * Thomas the Tank Engine & Gift Keys extension box

ROM

 * Steam Locomotives
 * Thomas and Friends - Vol. 4 (Romanian DVD)

DVD Packs

 * Triple Pack 2
 * Six DVD Set

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 8 Vol.4

SPN

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 1 (Spanish DVD)

TWN
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 22 (Taiwanese DVD)