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- “Don't blame me. If we hurried across the viaduct, it might collapse and then you'd have no passengers at all. What would you do then?"
"Run my train on time for one thing.” - ― Henry and Thomas
Better Late than Never is the fifteenth episode of the second series. It is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book More About Thomas the Tank Engine.
Plot
Work has become difficult for the engines on the Island of Sodor as the main line viaduct is being repaired with the arches needing to be strengthened. As the Fat Controller is unwilling to close the railway during repairs, the work is taking a long time and all engines crossing the viaduct must cross slowly and carefully so as to safely avoid it collapsing under them. Because of the delay, the engines are often late making it to the junction station where Thomas waits for his passengers. One day, Thomas is very cross and grumbles about this to Henry, who defends himself by saying that they have to go at a reduced speed during the repair work. Thomas, however, dismisses this actual circumstance as a bad excuse and sets off leaving Henry at a loss for words.
Normally, when Thomas stops at Tidmouth Station, Bertie arrives soon after and his passengers go straight from him to their train. But because the larger engines are late for Thomas, Bertie's passengers now often find themselves waiting for him at the platform, which makes Bertie cross with Thomas. When Thomas finally arrives, Bertie tells him that he thought he could go faster than that and suggests to Thomas that they should have another race, jokingly adding that he could now beat him. Thomas, feeling insulted, furiously lets off steam and blames the main line engines for "dithering" on the viaduct and blaming the Fat Controller's workmen. He claims that their reasons are only an excuse for laziness and then fumes away.
One day, James arrives later than ever at Elsbridge and apologises to Thomas, stating that a hold-up at the big station combined with the viaduct's repair work contributed to his lateness. Thomas has no interest in excuses as usual and grumbles as he leaves to try to make up for lost time. He attempts to reach the top station as fast as he can, but is unable to make up very much time. However, things change when Thomas suddenly meets Bertie at the level crossing with his radiator steaming. Thomas asks Bertie what the matter is and tells him that he is late, but he replies that he feels dreadful and his driver cannot repair him. Thomas running so late brings a bit of relief, as he can now pick up the passengers at this point instead of leaving them stranded. He no longer feels cross and is sorry for Bertie and promises to send for help at the next station. Thomas leaves with Bertie's passengers on board and brings them home safely.
"There are times when being late isn't such a bad thing after all."
Once Bertie is repaired, he and Thomas make up for their argument and both agree that sometimes being late is not such a bad thing after all and they then return to work.
Characters
- Thomas
- Henry
- James
- Bertie
- Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
- Edward (cameo)
- Jeremiah Jobling (cameo)
- One Little Boy (cameo)
- Trevor (stock footage cameo)
- Sir Topham Hatt (mentioned)
Locations
- The Viaduct
- Elsbridge
- Tidmouth
- Hackenbeck Tunnel (stock footage)
- Finney's Farm (stock footage)
Trivia
- A deleted scene from Thomas and Trevor, and stock footage from Thomas and the Guard and Thomas and Bertie are used.
- In the original version, stock footage from Thomas' Train is used.
- In the restored version, mirrored stock footage from Thomas and the Guard is used.
- In North America, this episode aired before Saved from Scrap; this means that the North American audience would not know who Trevor is.
- This episode marks the first time Bertie breaks down.
- This episode marks Bertie's last speaking role in the Clearwater Features era.
- For the remainder of the second series, the viaduct is always seen undergoing repairs.
- Christopher Awdry's credit for the episode was originally shown when the episode was compiled with Break Van, later versions throughout the 1990s, most notably on VHS and Cartoon Network, used the end credits from Duck Takes Charge. However, in the remastered and restored versions of this episode, Christopher was given credit for that episode instead.
- A scene from this episode is shown in the 2006 British Drama film, After Thomas.
- In the Shining Time Station episode, Mr. Conductor's Big Sleepwalk, the final scene was cut.
- In the Nick Jr. US dub of the Shining Time Station episode, Mr. Conductor's Big Sleepwalk, a few scenes and lines were cut:
- Since the scene of Henry crossing the viaduct was a few seconds short, George Carlin's lines were cut and the last of the music was relocated to that scene.
- The scene of Edward crossing the viaduct a second time is cut.
- When Thomas told Bertie he is late, it goes right to the close-up of Bertie skipping the last few seconds of the previous scene and music.
- George Carlin's line: "With a last cheerful greeting, the two friends went back to work", was cut as well as the last close-up of Bertie and the last two scenes.
- The JEI TV version of the Korean dub added subtitles to inform viewers what a radiator is.
- This episode was never released on home video in South Korea.
Goofs
- Edward has Thomas' whistle sound at the very beginning.
- When Edward goes over the viaduct for second time, the normal puffing sound effect plays, despite moving slowly on the viaduct.
- In many scenes, Clarabel is facing the wrong way.
- When Thomas says "Time's time", his eyes are misaligned.
- Thomas has to wait for James and Henry at the junction; they are supposedly bringing Thomas' passengers but, for unknown reason, James is pulling vans instead of coaches and Henry has no train.
- In the scene where Bertie arrives at the station while waiting for Thomas, his eyes are slightly misaligned.
- The narrator says that Bertie is cross, but he is sad. This is mainly because his angry face hadn't been made yet at the time.
- Bertie's face is loose when he says, "Late again!" and is clearly being held in position by blu-tack.
- When Thomas stops at the station, there are passengers at the platform. But when Bertie pulls up to tease Thomas, said passengers are nowhere to be seen.
- Due to the stock footage of Thomas and the Guard, when Thomas says "Come along!" to his coaches, he is smiling instead of looking angry.
- In Ringo Starr's US dub, when Thomas says, "They dither about on the viaduct and then blame Sir Topham Hatt's workmen," an echo from the UK one can be heard in the background.
- The scenes where Thomas leaves the level crossing to help Bertie and Bertie driving next to Thomas at Tidmouth Station are left unrestored in the remastered versions.
- At the end of the episode, when Thomas leaves the station, the track noticeably moves slightly by itself.
In Other Languages
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Home Video Releases
Episode
References
| #01 Thomas, Percy and the Coal | #10 The Runaway | #19 Daisy |
| #02 Cows | #11 Percy Takes the Plunge | #20 Percy's Predicament |
| #03 Bertie's Chase | #12 Pop Goes the Diesel | #21 The Diseasel |
| #04 Saved from Scrap | #13 Dirty Work | #22 Wrong Road |
| #05 Old Iron | #14 A Close Shave | #23 Edward's Exploit |
| #06 Thomas and Trevor | #15 Better Late than Never | #24 Ghost Train |
| #07 Percy and the Signal | #16 Break Van | #25 Woolly Bear |
| #08 Duck Takes Charge | #17 The Deputation | #26 Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree |
| #09 Percy and Harold | #18 Thomas Comes to Breakfast | Cancelled: The Missing Coach |
| Cancelled: Gordon Goes Foreign | ||