Mind that Bike

"So I did help him, but by accident as you might say!"

- Percy

Mind that Bike is the twenty-sixth episode of the fourth season. It first aired on Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales in 1996 in the US.

Plot
Tom Tipper the postman is ill and when he returns he finds his van has been replaced by a bicycle due to maintenance costs. Tom is later called away, and he carelessly props his bike against Percy's mail vans. Percy's driver does not realise and, as Percy starts, the bike falls onto the line and is crushed. Tom is dismayed, but when the postmaster finds out, Tom is given a new van, to his delight.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Percy
 * Tom Tipper
 * Bertie (does not speak)
 * James (cameo)
 * Duck (cameo)
 * Oliver (cameo)
 * Annie and Clarabel (cameo)
 * Toad (cameo)
 * Bulgy (cameo)
 * The Refreshment Lady (cameo)
 * Sir Topham Hatt (mentioned)

Locations

 * Callan
 * Bulgy's Bridge
 * Lakeside
 * Rheneas
 * Elsbridge (deleted scene)

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Really Useful Engines.
 * This was the final episode narrated by George Carlin.
 * This was the final episode to be based on a story from The Railway Series.
 * The man at Lakeside, whom Tom Tipper hands the post to, somewhat resembles Michael Angelis.
 * In Germany, this episode is called "Who Brings the Mail?". In the Netherlands, it is named "Beware the Bicycle". The Italian title is "Tom Tipper the Postman". In Sweden, it is called "Blessing in Disguise".
 * George Carlin gives Tom an Irish accent.

Goofs

 * When Tom Tipper's van passes Bertie, his undercarriage is loose and a wire is visible.
 * After Percy crushes the bike there's a shot of his cab, judging by the amount of space and the shape of the windows, it's really Duck's cab.
 * As Percy steams into Callan for the last time, Oliver can be seen on a siding near the viewer's right side. However, thirteen seconds later into the episode, Oliver puffs past with a goods train. There is no way Oliver could have arranged a train in so short a timeframe.
 * When Tom drives away in his new van a fifth wheel is visible underneath.
 * Tom Tipper is called to the Fat Controller's office, though his office is not at Callan.
 * In both narrations, the narrators change tense throughout the episode.
 * Brakevans should have been added to Thomas and Percy's trains.
 * When Tom Tipper says "This is going to make me later still." he is smiling.
 * The hub caps on Tom Tipper's post van change colors from red to black throughout the episode.