Up, Up and Away!

"Big balloons make my boiler bubble Thomas!"

- Percy

"All the Hatts were hatless!"

- The narrator

Up, Up and Away! is the eighth episode of the fifteenth season.

Plot
Thomas and Percy are charged with the task of transporting Mr. Bubbles' giant balloon to the show-ground. Thomas decides that they should puff along the woodland track, but Percy thinks the balloon might rub up against a branch and pop. So he suggests that they take their special along the coastal line. Thomas worries that the balloon might blow away along the windy coast, but does not want to upset his best friend. Along the coast track, Thomas' worries become true and the balloon is blown high into the sky. Thomas thinks they should race after it, but Percy suggests that they wait for the balloon to return to them. Thomas does not want to upset his friend, so he agrees. Then Gordon arrives on his way to pick up Sir Topham, Lady and Dowager Hatt. Gordon tells the two engines that the balloon will not return to them and that the wind will blow it away for good - and that is exactly what happens.

The two friends puff back to the docks to collect another big balloon from Mr. Bubbles. Soon they were clattering along the line when they arrive at a tunnel. Thomas can see that the tunnel is too small for the giant balloon, but Percy is sure that they can pull the balloon through it. Although Thomas disagrees, he does not want to upset Percy and they try to force the balloon through. Unfortunately, it gets wedged in the tunnel and Gordon arrives with the Hatt family aboard; the balloon had blocked his tracks. Percy is upset, so Thomas decides to leave the balloon and the pair go back to the docks to fetch another one from Mr. Bubbles.

By now, the two engines are running very late. They race as fast as they can when, suddenly, they spot Gordon racing towards them. The pair stop urgently and the balloon is freed. It travels high into the sky before slowly deflating - knocking off Sir Topham, Lady and Dowager Hatt's hats off. The Fat Controller demands an explanation. Thomas explains that he did not use his common sense and did what Percy wanted so that he would not be upset, but now he is anyway. Percy tells Thomas that he cannot be upset by his best friend and then suggests that they puff back to the docks and pick up yet another balloon. Thomas disagrees and tells Percy that first they should ask the drivers to pick up the Hatt's hats. Next Thomas decides that they must clear the tunnel by bursting the jammed balloon before finally returning to the docks to pick up another balloon from an exhausted Mr. Bubbles.

This time, they take the woodland track to the show. Percy admits that Thomas was right, it is the best track to take. During Mr. Bubbles' performance at the Balloon Show, one of the balloons Thomas and Percy lost earlier floats down to everyone's amazement.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * Percy
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Lady Hatt
 * Dowager Hatt
 * Mr. Bubbles
 * Edward (cameo)
 * Henry (cameo)
 * James (cameo)
 * Emily (cameo)
 * Cranky (cameo)
 * Mr. Percival (cameo)
 * Sodor Brass Band (cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Brendam Docks
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * Kirk Ronan Junction
 * Whistling Woods
 * Whispering Woods Halt

Trivia

 * A shortened version of the episode was uploaded to the show's official page on the PBS Kids website. Mark Moraghan also re-narrated the episode.
 * The TrackMaster version wrongly depicts the big balloon as being red.

Goofs

 * When the third balloon deflates and finally lands, Thomas is uncoupled from the conflat.
 * In one shot of Thomas and Percy puffing with the second balloon, they pass a red signal.

Merchandise

 * TrackMaster - Up, Up and Away Percy
 * Books - Up, Up and Away! and Thomas' Tall Friend (China only)
 * Magazine Stories - Up, Up and Away! (magazine story)

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * The Complete Fifteenth Series
 * Fantastic Friends
 * Up, Up and Away! (DVD)

DVD Packs

 * 10 DVD Boxset (2014)
 * Really Useful Collection

US/Malaysia

 * Up, Up and Away!

AUS

 * Rescue On the Rails

GER

 * The Rescue Locomotives

THA

 * Edward the Hero

CHN
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 * Happy Hiro