Tit for Tat

Tit for Tat is an episode from the twentieth season.

Plot
One day, two visitors come to the Island of Sodor to take pictures of interesting engines. They spend the whole day on Thomas' branch line, but Thomas is jealous that they are taking pictures of Toby rather than him. He is satisfied at the end of the day, when they take a picture of him at Ffarquhar. They then tell him that they are visiting the miniature engines next, but as it is cloudy, they decide to wait until the rain stops. The next morning, the small engines' drivers are polishing them for the visitors. They tell the engines that one of the visitors is an author, while the other takes moving photographs. Bert, confused, believes that this means that he will be physically put in a book.

As Bert prepares to take a passenger train to the other end of the line, the two clergymen meet him at the station and compliment him. Bert, flattered, offers to let the visitors ride in his tender. They tell him that they would be willing to do so later, as the sun is shining brightly and they would like to take some pictures. Bert greets them when he sees them above the line later, but is offended when they do not wave. His driver tells him that the two men cannot wave and get good pictures, which alleviates Bert's annoyance.

There are still large amounts of muddy puddles on the ground from the storm the night prior. As the two clergymen pass Bert in their car, they run over him and splash him with muddy water. Bert is infuriated, believing they did this on purpose, and becomes even more angry when they take a picture of him with mud on his face.

Even after Bert's driver cleans his face off, he is still dirty. Bert decides to pay the visitors back. As the fat clergyman asks Bert if he can have the previously-offered ride in his tender, Bert is about to refuse, but his driver quickly intervenes and allows the visitor to get in the tender.

As they are travelling along the line, Bert decides to make his move and pay the visitor out. He slows down on his way up a hill, then blows steam onto a tree, causing the water on the leaves to drench his driver and the fat clergyman.

The Small Controller is furious and sends Bert to his shed. The visitors, feeling sorry for him, apologize for splashing him, telling him that they were overly excited about getting pictures of him. They then decide to make it up to him by cleaning him up.

When Mike and Rex return to the sheds, having heard that he had an argument with the two visitors, Bert tells them that the visitors were actually rather nice. He also informs the two engines that the visitors told him that they plan to write about him in a book and show him off on television. Mike and Rex, on the other hand, are both doubtful.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * James
 * Bert
 * Rex
 * Mike
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Fergus Duncan
 * The Thin Clergyman
 * The Fat Clergyman
 * Bert's Driver
 * Toby (does not speak)
 * Skarloey (cameo)
 * Henrietta (cameo)
 * The Teacher (cameo)

Locations

 * Kirk Ronan Junction
 * Ffarquhar
 * Thomas' Branch Line
 * Crovan's Gate
 * Arlesburgh West

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story of the same name from the Railway Series book, Small Railway Engines.
 * This is the first episode of a few things:
 * The first adaptation of a Railway Series story since the fourth season episode Mind that Bike.
 * The first episode where The Thin Clergyman appears in an episode and the first appearances of The Fat Clergyman and The Small Controller in an episode.
 * The first episode to mention both the Railway Series and Television Series.
 * Both Bert and the narrator break the fourth wall.