Thomas and Bertie

"But to beat you over that hill, I'd have to grow wings and be an aeroplane!"

- Bertie

Thomas and Bertie, retitled Thomas and Bertie's Great Race in American releases, is the fourteenth episode of the first season. In the US, it aired on the Shining Time Station episodes Agree to Disagree in 1989 and Field Day in 1991.

Plot
Thomas meets Bertie, the bus who took his passengers home after he crashed into a snowdrift. Bertie claims to be faster than Thomas; Thomas denies his claim and to settle the matter, they decide to have a race. Bertie manages to stay in front for the majority of the race, but Thomas passes him at the tunnel and barely wins.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Bertie
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Mrs. Kyndley (cameo)
 * The Storyteller (cameo)
 * Terence (mentioned)
 * The Fat Controller (mentioned)

Locations

 * Elsbridge
 * Ffarquhar
 * Dryaw
 * Lower Arlesburgh
 * The Windmill

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Tank Engine Thomas Again.
 * Stock footage from Thomas and Gordon and Thomas and the Guard is used.
 * In both Ringo Starr versions, Thomas and Bertie whistle and honk at each other respectively in the very first shot. This is absent in the George Carlin version.

Goofs

 * Thomas has one of Percy's faces on when he puffs into Elsbridge.
 * The plane seen as Thomas leaves Dryaw has a clear disc for it's propeller.
 * The narrator says, "...the road left the railway...", but there was a road right next to Thomas.
 * At one point, Thomas is on Toby's old tramway.
 * Annie and Clarabel keep changing positions throughout the race and both are facing the wrong way at some point.
 * When Thomas meets Bertie, his number sticker is peeling up.
 * When Thomas and Bertie start their race, a camera's shadow can be seen.
 * Studio equipment can be seen when Thomas pulls into Ffarquhar.
 * The narrator says Bertie was fuming at the gates, but Bertie looks happy.

Episode
Video:Thomas and Bertie - British narration|UK narration Video:Thomas & Bertie's Great Race - Ringo Starr American narration|Ringo Starr US narration Video:Thomas & Bertie's Great Race - George Carlin American narration|George Carlin narration