| This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the book. |
- “I hope the photographer will take some photographs of me delivering the mail!"
"I'll be photographed because I am the brightest red engine on the island!"
"And I will be photographed because I am the number one tank engine!"
"No Thomas, I will be photographed more than you because I am Gordon! I'm fastest and best and pull the express!” - ― Percy, James, Thomas and Gordon arguing over who will have their picture taken
Flash Bang Wallop! is the sixth episode of the sixteenth series.
Plot
One morning, the engines are at Tidmouth Sheds when the Fat Controller arrives, holding a big book. The book is entitled Great Railways and is full of photographs of engines on the Mainland. The Fat Controller goes on to tell the engines that a photographer is coming to the island to take some photographs for a book featuring Sodor's engines. When the Fat Controller leaves, the engines chat excitedly about having their photos taken for the book. Gordon is sure that he will have the most photographs taken, but Thomas is determined to prove Gordon wrong and get into as many photos as he can.
Later, Thomas is transporting some pigs to Farmer Trotter's pig farm and spots the photographer about to take a photograph of Percy. Thomas speeds up and blocks Percy out of the photograph. Percy is surprised and swerves into a siding and ends up in a big pile of coal. Thomas carries on, unaware of Percy's accident. On his way to the farm, Thomas passes through Maron as Gordon thunders past with the express. Thomas is sure that Gordon will not have been in a photograph yet and decides to find the photographer to have another photo taken. At a junction, the photographer is waiting to take a photograph of James. Thomas wants to be in James' photograph and speeds up, resulting in Thomas blocking James out of the photo. James is surprised and veers into a siding, destroying a set of buffers and derailing. Thomas is so busy feeling pleased with himself, he does not notice James' derailment.
Thomas arrives at Farmer Trotter's pig farm and Gordon steams by, boasting that he has been in two photographs. Thomas is now more determined to be featured in even more photographs. Thomas sets off to find the photographer and soon spots him standing on a bridge about to take a photograph of Henry. Thomas charges towards the bridge, trying to get into Henry's shot. The photographer is startled and drops his camera, which smashes on the ground. The photographer is distraught. The Fat Controller steps down from Henry's cab. The Fat Controller is furious and tells Thomas about all the trouble that he has caused. Thomas is apologetic as now none of the engines can be photographed. The photographer tells Thomas that he has a spare camera at Brendam Docks, but there is not enough time to collect it. Thomas promises to fetch the camera and bring it back to the photographer in time.
At the docks, Thomas picks up the camera and heads back to the photographer. On the way back, Thomas sees Percy in the heap of coal. Thomas promises to come back and help his friend after he has delivered the camera. Next, he meets James and promises to rescue him as well. At the bridge, the spare camera is handed to the photographer who thanks Thomas before the little engine sets off to help his friends. He finds Rocky, who is being pushed to the docks by Edward. Thomas asks if Rocky can help him. Rocky is pleased to help and Thomas and Rocky set off to rescue James. Rocky lifts James back onto the rails and Thomas and Rocky race away to help Percy. Soon, a grateful Percy is back on the rails too.
That evening, Thomas returns to Tidmouth Sheds exhausted. Gordon is sure that he is in more photographs than Thomas. The little tank engine does not care; he has helped his friends and that is more important than being in a photograph.
A few days later, the engines are all gathered at Knapford. The photographer is there, holding a big book. The book is entitled Sodor: The Great Railway and he presents it to the Fat Controller. Thomas gasps when he sees the cover of the book. It features a photograph of him and Rocky rescuing Percy. Thomas decides that a photo of him and his best friend is the best photograph of all and all the engines whistle in agreement.
Characters
- Thomas
- Edward
- Henry
- Gordon
- James
- Percy
- Rocky
- Sir Topham Hatt
- The Photographer
- Farmer Trotter (does not speak)
- Toby (cameo)
- Emily (cameo)
- Rosie (cameo)
- Stanley (cameo)
- Hiro (cameo)
- Scruff (cameo)
- Henrietta (cameo)
- Sir Topham Hatt's Assistants (cameos)
- The Great Railway Show Judge (cameo)
- City of Truro (picture cameo)
Locations
- Knapford
- MC BUNN
- Brendam Docks
- Sodor Shipping Company
- Woodland Track
- Tidmouth Sheds
- The Works
- Maron
- Kirk Ronan Junction
- Farmer Trotter's Pig Farm
- Rail Under Road Bridge and Signalbox
- Three-Track Level Crossing (stock footage)
- The Mainland (mentioned)
Cast
UK
- Ben Small as Thomas
- Keith Wickham as Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy and Sir Topham Hatt
- Matt Wilkinson as Rocky and the Photographer
US
- Martin Sherman as Thomas and Percy
- William Hope as Edward and Rocky
- Kerry Shale as Henry, Gordon, James, Sir Topham Hatt and the Photographer
Trivia
- One of the photographs in the "Great Railways" book is of an R.R.'s Class 14A 2-6-2+2-6-2 Beyer-Garratt and another is of City of Truro. The front cover shows a Fowler 0-4-0 Diesel-mechanical locomotive.
- Stock footage from Up, Up and Away! is used.
- This episode's title is based on the song "Flash Bang Wallop" by British rock musician, Tommy Steele.
- Even though he only appears in the book, this marks City of Truro's first appearance since the eighth series episode, Edward the Great, where he appeared in a picture inside one of Spencer's coaches.
Goofs
- When Thomas collects Rocky, the points are set against him. This also happens when Percy enters the siding.
- When the engines gather at Knapford station near the end of the episode, the brown and white house on the far right-hand side of the screen is layered behind the house which is supposed to be behind it.
Merchandise
- Wooden Railway - Thomas' Pig Pick Up 2-pack and Farmhouse Pig Parade set (contains Thomas, a truck, a farmhouse and a bridge)
- Books - Go Go Thomas!/Express Coming Through! and Flash! Bang! Wallop!
- Magazine Stories - Flash! Crash! Wallop!
In Other Languages
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 预备 就位 笑一个 |
| Czech | Kuk, bum, bác |
| French | Thomas veut se faire prendre en photo |
| German | Bitte lächeln! |
| Hungarian | Villan, kattan és megvan |
| Italian | La Foto più Bella del Mondo |
| Japanese | トーマスとしゃしん |
| Korean | 번쩍! 펑! 찰칵! |
| Norwegian | Blink, flæsj, tjoho! |
| Polish | Ale masz Zdjęcie! |
| Portuguese | Mirar, Apertar e Tirar! |
| Romanian | Atenție la Poză! |
| Russian | Лучшая Фотография |
| Spanish | ¡Flash, Bang, Voilá! |
| Thai | ภาพถ่ายสุดวุ่นวาย |
Home Media Releases
| #01 Race to the Rescue | #08 Thomas Toots the Crows | #15 Muddy Matters |
| #02 Ol' Wheezy Wobbles | #09 Bust My Buffers! | #16 Whiff's Wish |
| #03 Express Coming Through | #10 Percy and the Calliope | #17 Welcome Stafford |
| #04 Percy and the Monster of Brendam | #11 Thomas and the Sounds of Sodor | #18 Don't Bother Victor! |
| #05 Ho Ho Snowman | #12 Salty's Surprise | #19 Happy Birthday Sir! |
| #06 Flash Bang Wallop! | #13 Sodor Surprise Day | #20 The Christmas Tree Express |
| #07 Thomas and the Rubbish Train | #14 Emily's Winter Party Special | |