James in the Dark

"Lamps just make engines look silly. Goodbye, Henry!" "I'm not Henry - I'm Thomas!"

- James mistaking Thomas for Henry

James in the Dark is the second episode of the fourteenth season.

Plot
James refuses to be fitted with an old-fashioned lamp to help him see in the dark. However, the stubborn engine begins to regret his short-sighted decision when he is called upon to pick up opera singer Alicia Botti, the Mayor of Sodor, and the Brass Band for an evening concert, but accidentally collects Farmer Trotter, Farmer McColl, and their animals instead.

James knows what must be done. Thomas and Edward collect the important passengers, whilst James hastily takes the farmers to the docks. He then quickly puffs back to the Town Hall and helps Thomas and Edward light up Alicia's concert. James could not feel prouder to have his beaming lamp.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * James
 * Victor
 * Kevin
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Alicia Botti (vocalises)
 * Henry (does not speak)
 * Farmer McColl (does not speak)
 * Farmer Trotter (does not speak)
 * Sodor Brass Band (does not speak)
 * Rosie (cameo)
 * Hiro (cameo)
 * Diesel (cameo)
 * Annie and Clarabel (cameo)
 * Cranky (cameo)
 * The bird watcher (cameo)
 * The teacher (cameo)
 * Percy (mentioned)
 * The Mayor of Sodor (mentioned)

Locations

 * Town Hall
 * Knapford
 * Sodor Steamworks
 * Maithwaite
 * Farmer Trotter's Pig Farm
 * Brendam
 * The Fenland Track
 * The Coal Hopper
 * The Watermill

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the third episode of the fourteenth season.
 * The headlamp given to James is normally used on vintage cars of the early 1900s.

Goofs

 * It is against the rules for James to not have a lamp in the dark and his crew should have known this.
 * Sir Topham says "It'll be very dark tonight, you must have a lamp fitted", but the engines should have lamps at night regardless of how dark it is.
 * It is said that the worker tried to fit a lamp to James' boiler, but he actually tries to fit it to James' running board. Also, it is said that the worker tried to fit the lamp to his funnel, but he actually attempts to fit it on top of his smokebox, and when it is said that the lamp is tried on James' buffer, it is actually fitted to his lamp iron.
 * Farmer McColl and Farmer Trotter should have known better than to board James' train with their animals.
 * James should have recognised his friends' voices even if he did not see them.
 * James should have been able to see more than he did.
 * Cranky can be seen sleeping at the docks, but it has been said on at least a couple occasions that he never sleeps.
 * There is no explanation as to why James is given an odd looking lamp.
 * James acts as if this was his first time running at night. But he has done so many times before.
 * Throughout the episode, the engine's fireboxes do not glow.
 * Shining a lamp on Alicia Botti would have made no difference, as a spotlight was already on her. And she certainly would not have been seen for miles.
 * For some reason, the station lamps at Maithwaite are not on.
 * Farmer McColl has railway access at his farm, so there was no need for him to take his animals to the station.
 * Brakevans should have been added to James, Henry, Rosie, and Diesel's trains.

Merchandise

 * Wooden Railway - James Lights the Way