Henry's Forest

"Listen. Can you hear a strange whistling sound?" "It's the wind blowing outside our shed, but I've never heard it like this before." "You know, if Gordon wasn't here now, I'd say it was him thundering by with the express!"

- Thomas, Toby, and James

Henry's Forest is the ninth episode of the third season. In the US, the episode first aired on the Shining Time Station episode Crackpot.

Plot
Henry has lived on the Island of Sodor for many years and wouldn't want to live anywhere else. He likes every part of it, but there is one place that he enjoys visiting more than any other, this place is known as the forest. Henry remembers the day long ago when he and Toby had brought some new trees to be planted, and Terence and Trevor had helped to haul them into place.

One night, everything changes as a storm rages across the island. All the engines in the sheds are talking about the wind blowing outside the shed, except for Henry, who hoped that the wind wouldn't harm the forest. By morning, the winds had gone, but severe damage had been done to the forest. Henry is sent to help Donald clear the line of trees. Henry feels very devastated by all the damage done in the forest, and now wonders what will happen to all the animals who have lived there.

Henry's trucks are loaded with logs to be taken to the timber mill, where they're to be turned into furniture and other things. Henry takes consolation in the fact the wood will be put to good use, but is still sad to lose part of the place that meant so much to him. Thomas and Toby feel sorry for Henry and wish there was something they could do to make things better again. Toby later meets The Fat Controller at the yards, who notices that the tram engine looks glum. Toby tells him and he and Henry are very sad about the trees, and that the forest was a special place to Henry. The Fat Controller tells Toby that he'll soon put things right, and then he sends Toby to collect some trucks, loaded with small trees all ready for planting.

When Henry returns to the forest, he is surprised to see Terence and Trevor, busily helping workmen to plant the trees. Terence tells Henry that they're beginning again, and that the hillside will look better than ever before. Now when Henry stops by the forest, he can see the new trees growing strong and tall, and always, he is happy in his forest.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Henry
 * James
 * Toby
 * Terence
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Gordon (does not speak)
 * Donald (does not speak)
 * Trevor (does not speak)
 * Douglas (cameo)
 * Jem Cole (cameo)
 * Farmer Trotter (cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Henry's Forest
 * The Lumber Mill
 * The Watermill
 * The Lighthouse
 * Hawin Croka
 * Wellsworth (deleted scene)

Trivia

 * The Reverend W. Awdry is known for criticising this episode for its lack of reality. The major flaws he found were Henry's driver letting him visit the forest without alerting a signalman (Rule 55), paving the way for a severe crash with an unaware locomotive, and the number of trees so close to the line that could catch fire from a spark from an engine's funnel. Britt Allcroft, the episodes adapter, countered the second flaw by claiming to have seen many other railways do the same thing.
 * This episode was adapted from Andrew Brenner's magazine story of the same name and Clearing Up.
 * A photograph from this episode was released as a Royal Mail stamp in 2011 to mark the Reverend Awdry Centenary.
 * From this episode onwards, Trevor's eyes move with a motor.

Goofs

 * When James says "You know? ..." Henry's tender is missing.
 * In the side view of Toby in the sheds his face is tilted.
 * Sir Topham Hatt has a black car.
 * In a deleted scene, Henry's eyes are wonky.
 * At the beginning of the episode, Henry passes the watermill, but that is on Thomas' Branch Line.
 * In the close up of Henry wearing his sad face in the sheds, his eyes and brake pipe are wonky.
 * Donald and Douglas were not present at Tidmouth Sheds during the storm, and no explanation is given as to how they ended up there the next morning.
 * Henry is also seen one of the end berths on the left at Tidmouth Sheds, but when on the turntable the next morning, he is shown to be nearer the middle.