Too Many Fire Engines

"Cinders and ashes!" "You mean gunpowder and chemicals!"

- Thomas and Stephen watching the fireworks

Too Many Fire Engines is the sixteenth episode of the seventeenth season.

Plot
One day, Thomas is taking the Fat Controller, along with a team of railway inspectors around Sodor. The inspectors are pleased with what they've seen so far, and the Fat Controller tells Thomas to go to the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre. Thomas quickly sets off.

At the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre, Belle and Flynn are trying to see who can shoot water further as they wait for the railway inspectors to arrive. Flynn is just about to shoot water out of his cannons, when Thomas arrives with the railway inspectors. The Fat Controller explains how Belle has water cannons fitted to her boiler to fight fires. The inspectors are impressed, so the Fat Controller continues, saying how Flynn can run on both rails and roads. The railway inspectors are even more impressed, but wonder if there really needs to be two fire engines, which makes Belle and Flynn worry. But the Fat Controller suggests otherwise, which makes the pair of fire engines relieved just as the emergency bell rings. Butch arrives and explains that there's a fire in a shed near Wellsworth. Belle races off to put out the fire, but Flynn uses his road wheels instead, due to the road route being faster.

As Flynn reaches the shed, one of his tyres flattens and he has to stop. Flynn watches helplessly as Belle puts the fire out by herself. Thomas, Annie, Clarabel, and the railway inspectors all congratulate Belle for her excellent skills, but Flynn is very disappointed. Butch arrives to tow him back to the Rescue Centre, and tries to encourage him, which makes the fire engine feel better.

A few days later, the alarm sounds again. Rocky tells Flynn that Harold has spotted a forest fire near Arlesdale End. Flynn is unsure at first, until Rocky reminds him that he's the only fire engine available. Flynn sets off on the rails to prevent another flat tyre. He races by Wellsworth, passing Thomas with his coaches. Unknown to Flynn, Belle had already gone to the scene of the fire. As Flynn nears Arlesdale End, he sees the smoke, but it seems to turn into steam. As he rounds a bend, he sees that Belle had already put it out. Flynn is disappointed again and starts to believe that the railway inspectors were right.

A few days later, Thomas arrives at Flynn's shed and tells him that the Fat Controller wants him to go to the Ulfstead Castle Fireworks display, to watch out for fire, but Flynn refuses to go, saying Belle can go instead. Thomas goes off and tells Belle to go instead. That night, Thomas arrives with visitors at Ulfstead Castle to watch the fireworks. Belle is there too, watching in case of a fire.

Meanwhile, Flynn is sulking in his shed, just as Butch arrives and warns him of a fire. At first, Flynn is reluctant, until Butch tells him that the fire's at Brendam Docks and that Belle can't go; she has to stay at the castle. Now, Flynn is motivated to go and leaves at once.

At the Docks, the dock workers are desperately trying to put out the fire, just as Flynn arrives and quickly puts it out. Flynn feels proud and realises that the Fat Controller does need two fire engines, after all.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Belle
 * Stephen
 * Flynn
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Rocky
 * Butch
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Railway Inspectors
 * Harold (does not speak)
 * James (cameo)
 * Percy (cameo)
 * Millie (cameo)
 * Salty (cameo)
 * Cranky (cameo)
 * Sir Robert Norramby (cameo)
 * The Bird Watcher (cameo)

Some dockworkers also speak.

Locations

 * Sodor Search and Rescue Centre
 * Wellsworth
 * Ulfstead Castle
 * Brendam
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * Arlesdale End (mentioned)

Trivia

 * Ben Small takes over the role of Flynn in this episode. Steven Kynman also takes over the role of Butch in the US version.
 * In the UK version, the fade effects are missing.
 * In the UK, the air date of this episode was held back until the 5th November to coincide with Guy Fawkes Night.
 * Going by production order, this is the sixth episode of the seventeenth season.

Goofs

 * When Flynn sets off for Wellsworth, he does not have his trailer. However, he mysteriously gains it on his way there.
 * Salty's face does not appear to be animated when Flynn arrives at the docks.
 * How did Rocky and Butch get the emergency alerts?
 * When Belle leaves to go to the first fire, there is nobody in her cab.
 * Flynn should have converted to road wheels on the level crossing when leaving for the first fire.
 * When Flynn diverts to the other track towards Belle, the points are set in the opposite direction.
 * How can Butch lift Flynn with his trailer still attached?
 * When Flynn shows the inspectors how he can switch from rail to road, Annie and Clarabel disappear.
 * After Belle and Flynn have shot water at the tree on the slope, Belle lowers her water cannons, but in the next shot of her, they are still raised, and then in the next shot they are down again.
 * In the first head shot of Thomas, he begins to move. Then in the shot directly after that, he begins to move again.
 * The inside of Belle's cab is not rendered properly when she is fighting the fire at Arlesdale End.
 * Why would the railway inspectors think that two fire engines is too much? Even if Sodor is a small island, one fire engine wouldn't possibly be enough if there was more than one emergency on the island.

Magazine stories

 * Too Many Fire Engines!