Thomas and Bertie

"Well done, Thomas! That was fun, 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.
 * In the UK version, when Thomas reaches the station the narrator says "I've done it! I've done it!". In the US version he says "We've done it! We've done it!"
 * The shot of Thomas passing the windmill was featured in the show's original opening.
 * The Italian title is called "The Train and the Bus". The German title is "Bertie, the Bus". In Japan, this episode is called "Thomas and Bertie's Competition".

Goofs

 * Thomas has one of Percy's face masks on when he puffs into Elsbridge.
 * The plane seen as Thomas leaves Dryaw has a clear disc for its 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 position throughout the race.
 * 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.
 * Because stock footage is used, sometimes Annie and Clarabel are not behind Thomas.

Merchandise

 * Hornby - Thomas and Bertie Set
 * Motor Road and Rail - The Big Race set - Thomas and Bertie set
 * Wooden Railway - Thomas and Bertie Story Pack - Lets Have a Race set