Thomas and Bertie

"Well done, Thomas! That was fun, but to beat you over that hill, I should have to grow wings and be an aeroplane!"

- Bertie

Thomas and Bertie, retitled Thomas and Bertie's Great Race in North American releases, is the fourteenth episode of the first series.

Plot
Thomas is waiting at a junction when a bus drives up alongside him. The bus introduces himself as Bertie, who remembers Thomas from the time he took his passengers home after Thomas crashed into a snowdrift and tells Thomas that he has come to help his passengers today. Thomas claims that he can go faster than Bertie. Bertie then challenges Thomas to a race. Their drivers agree and Thomas and Bertie begin their race. As it takes Thomas a while to build up speed, Bertie draws in front at the beginning of the race until he reaches the level crossing, where Thomas passes him and takes the lead. After that the road leaves the railway and Thomas stops at the next station to collect passengers. He tells them to get in quickly and as he starts off again, he sees Bertie zooming over the bridge and retaking the lead. Thomas tries to catch up, but he has to stop at the junction because the signal is up. Bertie continues on gleefully and Thomas now feels sure that he will lose the race, but he feels better after a drink and is ready to continue just as the signal drops.

While crossing the bridge, Thomas finds that he still has a chance to win, seeing Bertie waiting on a traffic light. As Bertie starts again, Thomas reaches full speed and takes the lead as he passes Bertie at the tunnel and makes it to the last station, winning the race. Everyone cheers for Thomas, but they also give Bertie a big cheer. Bertie congratulates Thomas and tells that he would have had to be an aeroplane to beat him over the hill.

The two friends often talk about their race, but the passengers do not like to bounce around and the Fat Controller warns Thomas about running at dangerous speeds. Although it does not seem likely the two will ever race again, they secretly hope to have another someday.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Bertie
 * Mrs. Kyndley (cameo)
 * The Ffarquhar Stationmaster (cameo)
 * The Storyteller (cameo)
 * Terence (mentioned)
 * Sir Topham Hatt (mentioned)

Locations

 * Elsbridge
 * Ffarquhar
 * Dryaw
 * River Els
 * The Windmill
 * Terence's Field
 * Hackenbeck Tunnel
 * Knapford Bus Yard
 * Rail Under Road Bridge and Signalbox
 * Lower Arlesburgh

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.
 * The shot of Thomas passing the windmill was featured in the show's original opening.
 * Thomas' line "Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!" in both Ringo Starr's UK and US dubs is recycled from Thomas' Train.
 * The episode can be seen in a Japanese PC game, Magical Adventure.
 * At one point, Thomas is on Toby's old tramway.
 * This marks the last appearance of Terence's Field until the twenty-first series episode, Terence Breaks the Ice, not counting stock footage in the second series episode, Better Late Than Never.
 * The house by the level crossing is really the Lower Arlesburgh station building.

Goofs

 * When Thomas and Bertie are about to start their race, in the bottom left corner of the screen, a camera shadow can be seen.
 * Thomas has Percy's tired face mask on when he puffs into Elsbridge.
 * The narrator says "After that, the road left the railway so they couldn't see Bertie," but there is a road right next to Thomas.
 * The plane seen taking off as Thomas and his coaches leave Dryaw suddenly stops moving before they have passed the camera.
 * In a close-up of Bertie, he has no driver.
 * In the shot of Thomas racing past Lower Arlesburgh, the end of the set is visible in the background.
 * In the shot of Thomas entering the tunnel, in the top left corner, studio equipment can be seen.
 * Annie and Clarabel keep changing position throughout the race.
 * In the restored version, studio equipment can be seen when Thomas pulls into Ffarquhar after the race.
 * In a close-up of Thomas, we can see a camera capture on his coupling.
 * 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.
 * When Thomas stops at Elsbridge, he passes the end of the platform, but when he is drinking water, he has moved backwards.
 * In the final scene, studio equipment can be seen in the top left corner.

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Further Adventures of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends
 * Troublesome Trucks and other stories
 * Troublesome Trucks, Coal and other stories
 * Thomas and the Breakdown Train and Other Stories
 * Bumper Special
 * Thomas and Gordon, Troublesome Trucks and other stories
 * Thomas Gets Bumped and 17 Other Stories
 * Playtime
 * My Little Thomas and Bertie Adventures
 * The Tomica World Show (VHS)
 * The Complete Series 1
 * Thomas and Bertie (DVD)

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection

WAL

 * Troublesome Trucks and 8 Other Stories

US

 * James Learns a Lesson and Other Stories
 * Thomas and Bertie's Great Race and Other Adventures
 * 10 Years of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends
 * Thomas' Trainyard Adventures
 * The Early Years
 * Engine Friends
 * Thomas and Friends Classic Volume 1

VHS/DVD Boxsets

 * Special Video Collector's Set
 * Best Tales on the Tracks
 * Ultimate Thomas Collection
 * Totally Thomas Volume 7
 * Totally Thomas Volume 9

AUS

 * Troublesome Trucks and other stories
 * Playtime
 * The Complete Series 1
 * My First Thomas with Thomas

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10 (Boxset)
 * My First Thomas
 * My First Thomas (3 Disc Set)
 * Classic Collection
 * Series One and Series Two Double Pack

NZ

 * James and the Express and other stories
 * Troublesome Trucks and other stories
 * Playtime
 * Bumper Video Collection Volume 1

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 4
 * Best of Thomas
 * Let's Sing Thomas Songs Together Vol.3
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.8
 * Nice to Meet You Thomas!
 * Keep It Up Thomas!
 * The Complete DVD Box 1
 * Thomas and Bertie's Race
 * Magical Adventure

PHL

 * Thomas and Friends Collection
 * Thomas, Terence and the Snow (DVD)

FRA

 * The Magic of Sodor

GER

 * Thomas and His Friends Vol. 2
 * Thomas and the Guard and 4 Other Adventures
 * It's Great to be a Locomotive!
 * Thomas in Trouble

DVD Boxsets

 * Thomas and His Friends Box Set 1

SE

 * Thomas in Trouble (Swedish VHS/DVD)

NL

 * The Great Race! (Dutch DVD)
 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Thomas

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends

NOR

 * Thomas-Festival (Norwegian VHS)
 * Thomas the Tank Engine 2 (Scandinavian VHS/DVD)
 * Sports Special

FIN/ISL

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 2 (Scandinavian VHS/DVD)

DNK

 * Thomas in Trouble and Other Stories (Danish DVD)

IND

 * Thomas and Bertie Adventures

ITA

 * Trouble in Store

HRV

 * Thomas and Brakesman

ROM

 * Thomas and Percy (Romanian DVD)

DVD Packs

 * Triple Pack 1

SER

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 1

SVN

 * Thomas and Conductors (Slovenian DVD)

GR

 * The Adventures of Thomas (VHS)

MYS

 * Thomas, Terence and the Snow and Other Adventures
 * Thomas and Gordon and Other Adventures

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4 (DVD)

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 2 (Thai DVD)

TWN
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 2 (Taiwanese DVD)

Bertie, der Bus La Gran Carrera de Thomas y Bertie תומס וברטי トーマスとバーティーのきょうそう Tomek i Bercia Томас и Бэрти