- "Samson here, sir, at your service! Brought more stone from the quarry, sir, as requested."
- ― Samson
Saving Time is the sixth episode of the twentieth series.
Plot
Samson arrives at the shunting yards and tells Thomas, Stanley and Diesel that he has been given an important job by the Fat Controller. He is to collect stone from the Blue Mountain Quarry and deliver it to Brendam Docks quickly and efficiently. But Thomas tells him that he has been given the same job, leaving Samson cross and Diesel laughing at him.
Samson arrives at the quarry, where Thomas is already collecting his trucks. He loads his own trucks with stone, and then chooses to take even more, claiming it will save time. Sir Handel and Peter Sam are skeptical about this, but Samson does not listen and slowly hauls his long heavy train out of the quarry.
But Samson's troubles begin when he reaches Gordon's Hill. He builds up speed, but cannot make it more than halfway up before his heavy train pulls him back down. He tries again, this time backing up to get a good run up, but fails again. Thomas arrives, having already finished his first delivery, and Samson asks him to be his back engine and give him a push. So Thomas switches track and couples up to Samson's brake van. But as they are backing up, Paxton approaches Thomas and is forced to stop. Luckily, Paxton helps push Thomas and Samson up and over the hill. But once on the other side, Samson refuses to stop and let Thomas be uncoupled, since they are already late.
The Fat Controller is cross when Samson and Thomas arrive at the docks. Not only is Samson pulling far too many trucks, but he is keeping Thomas from doing his job. Samson apologises on Thomas' behalf and says that he was trying to save time, but the Fat Controller tells Samson that he is only causing confusion and delay instead.
Later at the Blue Mountain Quarry, Samson apologises to Thomas and decides to pull a shorter train this time. But Thomas is surprised to see Samson pulling only one truck, which he claims will save time in the long run.
Characters
- Thomas
- Stanley
- Samson
- Paxton
- Sir Handel
- Peter Sam
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Diesel (moans and laughs only)
- Skarloey (cameo)
- Rheneas (cameo)
- Duncan (cameo)
- Luke (cameo)
- Cranky (cameo)
- Owen (cameo)
- The Dock Manager (cameo)
- Big Mickey (faceless, cameo)
- Gordon (mentioned)
Locations
Cast
UK
- John Hasler as Thomas
- Matt Wilkinson as Stanley
- Robert Wilfort as Samson
- Kerry Shale as Diesel
- Steven Kynman as Paxton and Peter Sam
- Keith Wickham as Sir Handel and the Fat Controller
US
- Joseph May as Thomas
- Rob Rackstraw as Stanley
- Robert Wilfort as Samson
- Kerry Shale as Diesel
- Steven Kynman as Paxton and Peter Sam
- Keith Wickham as Sir Handel and Sir Topham Hatt
Trivia
- Going by production order, this is the ninth episode of the twentieth series.
- Starting with this episode onwards, barring his next appearance, Rob Rackstraw starts voicing Stanley in the US dub.
- This episode marked the first of a few things:
- Sir Handel's first speaking role in an episode since the seventeenth series episode Luke's New Friend.
- Duncan's first time he is seen at the Blue Mountain Quarry.
- The first episode in where Luke appears, but does not speak.
- The first CGI episode in where Duncan appears, but does not speak.
- Samson's line, "They don't call me Samson for nothing" may be a reference to the biblical figure Samson, who was known for being strong.
- Apart from moaning and laughter, Diesel does not have any dialogue in this episode.
- This episode marks Paxton and Peter Sam's only speaking roles in the twentieth series, as well as Peter Sam's last speaking role until the twenty-third series episode Diesel Do Right.
- It also marks Samson's last episodic appearance without Bradford as well.
- Samson's train consists of a total of eighteen stone trucks.
Goofs
- When Samson crosses Vicarstown Bridge at the beginning, the lighting is not rendered properly as the shadow effect is missing on his face.
- In the first two shots of the Blue Mountain Quarry, Sir Handel changes position.
- When Samson crosses over the points next to Owen's platform while pulling the trucks out of the quarry, his wheels phase through the point blades.
- During the shot from Samson's point of view, going up Gordon's Hill and back down it, there appears to be a speck on the screen in the bottom right corner.
In Other Languages
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Home Media Releases
UK
US
Ultimate Friendship Adventures (Direct-to-Home Video)
Season 20
IDN
ITA/LATAM/BRA
#01 Sidney Sings | #11 Letters to Santa | #21 Henry in the Dark |
#02 Toby's New Friend | #12 Love Me Tender | #22 Three Steam Engines Gruff |
#03 Henry Gets the Express | #13 The Railcar and the Coaches | #23 Engine of the Future |
#04 Diesel and the Ducklings | #14 Mucking About | #24 Hugo and the Airship |
#05 Bradford the Brake Van | #15 Cautious Connor | #25 The Missing Breakdown Train |
#06 Saving Time | #16 All in Vain | #26 Skiff and the Mermaid |
#07 Ryan and Daisy | #17 Buckled Tracks and Bumpy Trucks | #27 The Christmas Coffeepot |
#08 Pouty James | #18 Tit for Tat | #28 Over the Hill |
#09 Blown Away | #19 Mike's Whistle | |
#10 The Way She Does It | #20 Useful Railway | |