A Bad Day for Sir Handel

"Whatever next! Those aren't coaches, they're cattle trucks!" "Ooh! What a horrid engine!" "It's not what I'm used to!"

- Sir Handel insulting the coaches

A Bad Day for Sir Handel is the sixth episode of the fourth season. In the US, it first aired in the Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales episode For The Birds in 1996 and aired on the last airing of Storytime with Thomas on fox family.

Plot
As always, Skarloey and Rheneas like working on the railway that weaves around the lakes and long mountain sides. Their coaches are filled with visitors and both engines are proud to run the line, no matter the weather. They will never let their passengers down, but they, however, are old and they tire themselves out easily. Their drivers understand this and they then tell them that there is more than enough work for them on the railway and the manager is sending two more engines to help run the line. Both Skarloey and Rheneas are pleased with the news and they promise that they will give them a big welcome.

The new engines, Peter Sam and Sir Handel arrive on the Skarloey Railway. Peter Sam is kind, but Sir Handel is bad-tempered and insults Skarloey and the sheds. Sir Handel is chosen to pull a passenger train to the top station. He reluctantly does so grudgingly due to wanting a rest and after insulting the coaches by calling them "cattle trucks"

Sir Handel becomes more kind and meets Gordon at Crovan's Gate with his knowledge of coaches, makes his way to the top station. There, he is angry to discover by his driver that he is expected to go to the quarry and collect trucks and refuses to do so, punctuating his point by deliberately derailing himself (as there was a small rock adjoined near the tracks). In the end, Peter Sam helps Sir Handel back on the rails

That evening, the Fat Controller scolds him for his naughty actions and puts Sir Handel in the shed as punishment, until he can trust him to behave better again.

Characters

 * Gordon
 * Sir Handel
 * Peter Sam
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Skarloey (does not speak)
 * Rheneas (does not speak)
 * Thomas (cameo)
 * Percy (cameo)

Locations

 * Crovan's Gate
 * Skarloey Railway Engine Sheds
 * Lakeside
 * Lakeside Bridge
 * Lakeside Junction
 * Sodor Castle
 * Skarloey
 * Skarloey Bridge
 * Skarloey Railway Mountain Line

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story Sir Handel from The Railway Series book, Four Little Engines.
 * Some TUGS models can be seen in this episode at Lakeside, notably Lakesider III.
 * When broadcast on Miramax, the episode has no narration.

Goofs

 * This episode was broadcast out of production order as Skarloey is in this episode despite being sent to the works.
 * Gordon is missing his brake pipe.
 * In the UK version, when Sir Handel backs onto his coaches and stops, he can still be heard puffing for another four seconds.
 * The red coach Sir Handel backs onto has a face, but when Sir Handel arrives at Crovan's Gate, the coach's face disappears.
 * Gordon has Duck's whistle sound. From this point onward, he'll have it for the rest of the season.
 * When Sir Handel goes off-camera on the mountain ledge, the steam platform blows steam too late.
 * When the Fat Controller says "You're a very naughty engine," a fly crawls on the workbench beside Sir Handel.
 * Sir Handel and Rheneas swap whistle sounds.
 * In a picture of a deleted scene, a wire is visible beneath Sir Handel.

Merchandise

 * My Thomas Story Library - Sir Handel (discontinued)

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Rock 'n' Roll and other Stories
 * Biggest Party Video Ever!
 * The Complete Fourth Series
 * Classic Collection

WAL

 * Thomas the Tank Engine: Bumper Special 2

US

 * Rusty to the Rescue and Other Thomas Stories
 * Season 4 (Digital Download)

DVD Boxsets

 * Adventure On the Tracks

JPN

 * Thomas and the Mountain Railway Engines
 * New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.3
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.3

AUS

 * Rock 'n' Roll and other Stories
 * Rescues on the Railways
 * The Complete Fourth Series

DVD Packs

 * Complete Series 1-10

UKR

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

MYS

 * Four Little Engines and Other Thomas Adventures
 * One Good Turn and Other Adventures

PHL

 * Four Little Engines (Philippine DVD)
 * Rock N' Roll (Filipino DVD)

DK

 * Four Little Locomotives and Other Stories

GR

 * A Day at the Station

DVD Boxsets

 * 3 DVD Boxset 2

IN

 * Oliver Owns Up and Other Stories

NL

 * Rock 'n Roll (Dutch DVD)
 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Thomas

NOR

 * On New Adventures

ITA

 * The Sleeping Beauty

FIN

 * Rock 'n' Roll Locomotive (Finnish DVD)

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4 (DVD)

TWN

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 9 (Taiwanese DVD)

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 12 (Thai DVD)
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