Santa's Little Engine

"It's Thomas the red-nosed engine!"

- Sir Robert Norramby

Santa's Little Engine is the eighteenth episode of the seventeenth season.

Plot
Sir Robert Norramby wants the Fat Controller to act as Santa Claus for the last day of the Ulfstead Christmas Fair. The Fat Controller agrees, until the earl wants him to travel in an old fashioned sleigh. The Fat Controller is sure he doesn't know how to drive a sleigh and tries to make Winston look like one. This fails and Sir Robert sends Thomas to bring a real sleigh. After the sleigh is unloaded, Thomas accidentally bumps into it. The sleigh slips down the hill, but Thomas goes after it. When fallen branches encircle his funnel, Thomas looks like a proper reindeer! Sir Robert gives him a red nose and Thomas and the Fat Controller go to the fair wishing all the children a very merry Christmas.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Stephen
 * Winston
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Cranky
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Sir Robert Norramby
 * A Workman
 * Victor (does not speak)
 * Kevin (does not speak)
 * Edward (cameo)
 * James (cameo)
 * Millie (cameo)
 * The Bird Watcher (cameo)
 * The Teacher (cameo)
 * The Ginger-haired Boy (cameo)
 * The Blonde-haired Boy (cameo)

Locations

 * Ulfstead Castle
 * Sodor Steamworks
 * Brendam Docks
 * Town Hall

Merchandise

 * Wooden Railway
 * Take-n-Play

Trivia

 * The title of this episode is based on 'Santa's Little Helper'.
 * Going by production order, this is the twenty-sixth episode of the seventeenth season.
 * This is the second time in which an engine was called a "red-nosed engine" as well as the second to reference "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." The first time being the third season episode, Buzz, Buzz.

Goofs

 * At several points, the shading effect on Thomas' whistle is not rendered properly, so it appears white.
 * It would be impossible for Sir Topham Hatt's sleigh to switch tracks as the skids are not connected to the rails.
 * Thomas somehow turns around when he leaves Ulfstead Castle and when he arrives pulling the sleigh.
 * It is unknown how Thomas recovers the sleigh.