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- "Ha ha ha, he he he, a very special job for me.
All the way to Brendam Docks, to fetch a very special box!" - ― Sidney, singing his song
Sidney Sings is the first episode of the twentieth series.
Plot
One day, Sidney is taking a train of empty trucks to the Blue Mountain Quarry, when he comes across Percy being placed on a flatbed after having an accident. Percy tells Sidney that he damaged his wheels in the crash and tries to remind him about the time Sidney needed new wheels, but Sidney does not remember this. He offers to take Percy to be repaired, only for Thomas to remind him of his current job. Sidney then leaves to take his trucks to the quarry but goes the wrong way.
A few days later, Sidney is at Knapford Station, when the Fat Controller shows up. He informs Sidney that Percy's new wheels have arrived and he wants him to go to the Docks and bring them to the Steamworks. Sidney fears that he will forget about his job, so Thomas suggests that he sing a song to remind him about it. Sidney likes the idea, and begins singing a little song to himself as he leaves the station.
Sidney arrives at Wellsworth Station, where Gordon is waiting with the express. Sidney tells Gordon about his special job, but Gordon teases and laughs at him and then leaves. Sidney sets off down the line, but as he does, he forgets what his song and job were. After some thinking, he comes to the conclusion that he has to pick up an old boiler from the rubbish dump and sets off at once.
At the dump, Whiff is shunting trucks of rubbish, when Sidney arrives. Sidney tells Whiff about his job, but Whiff tells him that the rubbish dump has no boilers. He tells Sidney that elephants never forget anything, which makes Sidney believe that he has to pick up an elephant from the Animal Park. He leaves the rubbish dump and arrives at the Animal Park, but finds no elephants.
Sidney returns to Knapford, where he finds a group of passengers complaining about their train being late. Sidney believes that this is his special job and takes the passengers to Brendam Docks. When he arrives, he finds the Fat Controller waiting for him and the Fat Controller reminds him about Percy and his new set of wheels. Sidney takes the new wheels to the Steamworks, cheerfully singing along the way.
By the time Sidney arrives at the Steamworks, it is already evening. When Percy asks him about his whereabouts, Sidney does not remember, but tells Percy that he has brought his new wheels and asks Percy if he thought he would have forgot. The two engines laugh together, although Sidney is confused as to why they are laughing.
Characters
- Thomas
- Gordon
- Percy
- Whiff
- Sidney
- Annie and Clarabel
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Sir Robert Norramby
- The Birdwatcher
- One of Dowager Hatt's Friends
- The Welsh Birdwatcher
- Norman (stock footage)
- Emily (cameo)
- Scruff (cameo)
- Rocky (cameo)
- The Mayor of Sodor (cameo)
- The Teacher (cameo)
- The Ginger-haired Boy (cameo)
- The Lady with the Big Hat (cameo)
- Albert's Wife (cameo)
- Diesel (stock footage cameo)
- Paxton (stock footage cameo)
Locations
- Ulfstead Castle
- Gordon's Hill
- Knapford
- Wellsworth
- The Poppy Field
- Sodor Animal Park
- Whiff's Waste Dump
- Brendam Docks
- Sodor Steamworks
- Vicarstown Dieselworks (stock footage)
- Tidmouth Sheds (stock footage)
- Blue Mountain Quarry (mentioned)
Cast
UK
- John Hasler as Thomas
- Keith Wickham as Gordon, Whiff, Norman, the Fat Controller, the Birdwatcher, one of Dowager Hatt's Friends, the Welsh Birdwatcher and a Passenger
- Nigel Pilkington as Percy
- Bob Golding as Sidney
- Teresa Gallagher as Annie and Clarabel
- Mike Grady as Sir Robert Norramby
US
- Joseph May as Thomas
- Kerry Shale as Gordon
- Christopher Ragland as Percy
- William Hope as Whiff
- Bob Golding as Sidney
- Teresa Gallagher as Annie and Clarabel
- Keith Wickham as Norman, Sir Topham Hatt, the Birdwatcher, one of Dowager Hatt's Friends, the Welsh Birdwatcher and a Passenger
- Mike Grady as Sir Robert Norramby
Trivia
- In an interview on 21 April 2015, writer Lee Pressman revealed that he had written this episode earlier that week.
- This episode is the only episode of the twentieth series where the number in production order is the same as the number in airdate order. This is because the second, seventeenth and eighteenth episodes were all either held back or brought forward to air in December 2016, the Extraordinary Engines episodes were held back until after the bulk of the series and The Christmas Coffeepot and Over the Hill were held back to air in December 2017, along with the winter episodes of the twenty-first series.
- This episode is one of seven in the twentieth series produced by Robert Anderson, the rest being produced by Tracy Blagdon, along with Letters to Santa, Toby's New Friend, Henry Gets the Express, Henry in the Dark, Three Steam Engines Gruff and The Christmas Coffeepot. This episode is among the former four that have a copyright date of 2015, while the latter three are dated 2016 like all the other episodes in this series.
- Stock footage from the seventeenth series episode The Missing Christmas Decorations is used and a reference to the said episode is made as well. Keith Wickham and Martin Sherman's lines for Percy in said stock footage are re-dubbed by Nigel Pilkington and Christopher Ragland, respectively.
- Sidney's song is similar to Little Brown Jug, composed by Joseph Winner in 1869. Instrumental versions of the song can be heard throughout the episode.
- This episode marks the last of two things:
- Norman's (via stock footage) last speaking role until the twenty-third series episode, Diesel Do Right.
- The last appearance of Sodor Animal Park until the twenty-second series episode, Thomas' Animal Ark.
- This episode marks Norman (via stock footage) and Sidney's only speaking roles in the twentieth series.
- When Sidney leaves Knapford, he passes a bunch of poppy flowers. Poppy flowers are often a symbol of remembrance, which is ironic as Sidney is forgetful.
- The shot of Percy in the Steamworks parallels a similar shot of Sidney from the seventeenth series episode The Missing Christmas Decorations. Sidney also brings Percy his new wheels similarly to how Percy brought Sidney his new wheels in the aforementioned episode.
- This episode marks the first of several things:
- The first episode to have music composed by Chris Renshaw after Robert Hartshorne and Peter Hartshorne's contracts ended after the nineteenth series.
- The first appearance of the red express coaches in an episode since the twelfth series episode, Toby's Special Surprise.
- The first appearance of the Poppy Field since the special, Day of the Diesels.
- Sidney's first appearance in an episode since the eighteenth series episode, Disappearing Diesels.
- The first episode where Percy is voiced by Héctor Ireta de Alba in the Latin American dub.
- The first episode where Sidney is voiced by Tomohiro Tsuboi in the Japanese dub, taking over the role from Ken Sanders in the eighteenth series and Shōto Kashii in The Great Race.
- The first episode narrated by Pepa Castro in Spain.
- Jane Sobol's first episode as supervising producer.
- The first time Norman (via stock footage) speaks in an episode since the seventeenth series episode, The Frozen Turntable.
Goofs
- When Thomas, Annie and Clarabel are at Knapford, they have no shadow on them from the overhead canopy.
- When Sidney goes to the Steamworks after finally arriving at the docks, his flatbed and brake van disappear.
- Big Mickey is missing from his position at Brendam Docks.
In Other Languages
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Home Media Releases
UK
US
IDN
ITA/LATAM/BRA
- Season 20
| #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 | |