Mind that Bike

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

- Percy

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

Plot
Tom Tipper is the local Sodor postman who takes the mail from Thomas and Percy's post trains to deliver to the residents of Sodor. He is very friendly and always helps to load the mail vans, but knows he could never do his job without his trusty post van.

One morning, Tom is unwell and his replacement, who is forced to ride a bicycle, leaves the mail to be unloaded without a word. Percy's driver attributes his bad mood to having to use the bike. When Tom does return, Percy discovers that he, too, has been given a bicycle as his van was considered too costly to maintain. Due to this, Tom no longer has time to help load the trains, which makes him very upset. Percy wishes he could cheer Tom up, but is unsure how.

Just as Tom is about to leave, he is called to The Fat Controller's office. Knowing this will make him very late, he rushes off and, in his haste, leaves his bike propped up against Percy's mail vans, despite the tank engine's attempts to stop him. Percy's driver is unaware of this and as Percy starts, the bike falls onto the line and is crushed beneath the vans.

When Tom returns, Percy apologises for ruining his bike. Tom assures him it is not his fault, but laments the fact he will now have to deliver all the mail on foot. When Percy returns the next day, however, he finds that Tom has received a brand new van. Tom explains that the postmaster, after learning about what had happened, decided that the van was worth the expense after all, and cheerfully goes back to his work. Percy is delighted that he was able to help his friend after all, albeit by accident.

Characters

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

Locations

 * Road Beside Rail and Canal Runby
 * Callan
 * Toryreck
 * Bulgy's Bridge
 * The Seaside Village
 * Lakeside
 * Rheneas
 * Elsbridge (deleted scene)
 * Sir Topham Hatt's Office (mentioned)

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Really Useful Engines.
 * This was the last episode of several things:
 * The last episode adapted from a story written by Christopher Awdry.
 * The last episode narrated by George Carlin in the US, as well as Trine Lossius Borg in Norway and Jang Gwang in South Korea, Mykola Koziy in Ukraine until the seventeenth season as well as Povl Dissing in Denmark and Aku Laitinen in Finland until the eighth season.
 * The last episode shown on Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales.
 * The last production based on a story from the Railway Series until The Adventure Begins.
 * The last episode to be based on a story from the Railway Series until the twentieth season episode, Tit for Tat.
 * The last episode to introduce a character from the Railway Series until Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure.
 * The last appearance of Bulgy until the seventh season episode, Bulgy Rides Again.
 * The last appearance of Tom Tipper until the tenth season episode, The Green Controller.
 * This was the first season finale that was not Christmas-themed.
 * Tom Tipper delivers mail to a man who resembles Michael Angelis.

Goofs

 * Throughout the episode, Bertie has Bulgy's horn sound.
 * When Tom Tipper's van passes Bertie, his undercarriage is loose and a wire is visible.
 * In the sixth shot of the episode, the camera lens is visible in the top left corner.
 * After Percy crushes the bike there is a shot of his cab, judging by the amount of space and the shape of the windows, it is really Duck's cab.
 * When Tom drives away in his new van, part of the driving mechanism is visible underneath.
 * In both narrations, the narrators change tense throughout the episode.
 * When Tom Tipper says "This is going to make me later still," he is smiling. This also happens when he props his bike up against one of Percy's mail trucks.
 * After Percy arrives at Callan when he saw the dumped bags, his cab roof was loose.
 * The hub caps on Tom Tipper's post van change from red to black throughout the episode.
 * The roof on Tom Tipper's post van change from white to black throughout the episode.
 * The font on the station signs change throughout the episode.
 * When Callan is in view from the stone bridge, on Thomas' line there is a van and a brake van in front of him.
 * Near the end of the episode when Percy arrives at Callan, Oliver can be seen on a siding. But a few seconds later, he passes Percy with a train.

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Story and Song Collection
 * The Complete Series 4

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection

AUS

 * Thomas and the Special Letter and other stories (Australian VHS) (Direct-to-Home Video)
 * Story and Song Collection
 * The Complete Series 4

DVD Packs

 * Classic Collection
 * Complete Series 1-10
 * Series Three and Series Four Double Pack

US

 * Thomas Meets the Queen and Other Stories
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 4

NZ

 * Thomas and the Special Letter and other stories
 * Story and Song Collection

WAL

 * Help and 15 other stories

JPN

 * New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.4 (Direct-to-Home Video)
 * Best of Percy
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.3
 * People of Sodor Island

PHL

 * A Better View for Gordon (DVD)

GER

 * Full Steam Ahead!

DVD Boxsets

 * Thomas and His Friends Box Set 2

NL

 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Thomas, Percy and Gordon
 * Thomas and the Special Letter (Dutch DVD)

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends
 * Thomas and Friends - Season 4 (Ukrainian DVD)

ITA

 * Here Comes the Queen

NOR

 * Songs and Tales (Norwegian VHS/DVD)

DK

 * The Brave Engine and Other Stories

SWE

 * The Engine and the Gremlins

MYS

 * Lady Hatt's Birthday Party and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Thomas and the Special Letter and Other Adventures

GR

 * Adventures at the Railway Station

DVD Boxsets

 * 3 DVD Boxset 2

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4 (DVD)

THA

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 11 (Thai DVD)
 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 15 (Thai DVD)
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