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- “Puff-puff-puff-puff, chuff-chuff-chuff-chuff, wheeeeeeeesh! Whoo-whoo!”
- ― Stafford mimicking a steam engine
Steamie Stafford is the sixth episode of the seventeenth series.
Plot
One day, Stafford observes some children cheering for Thomas, but as he rolls silently past, they do not cheer for him. Instead, Stafford overhears the children saying that it is strange he does not make any sounds. This upsets Stafford who starts wishing he could make steam engine sounds like the other engines.
Stafford arrives at the shunting yards where he has to collect timber to take to the docks. He watches Thomas and Percy, wishing he could make puffing noises like them. Thomas sees that Stafford looks miserable and asks him what the matter is. Stafford explains that he wants to puff like a steam engine, so Thomas and Percy teach him some steam engine sounds.
Stafford rolls along the line imitating a steam engine. Everyone likes hearing his new sounds. A zoo keeper at the Animal Park calls out to tell Stafford that he sounds just like a steam engine. Stafford is very pleased that his noises are doing the trick.
At the docks, Stafford's timber is unloaded. Just then, Henry pulls in and lets off steam. Stafford is impressed and decides that he will make a wheeshing sound just like steam engines do. Stafford sets off back to the yard, still making his new noises. Then, Gordon steams by and blows his whistle. Stafford is envious of Gordon's whistle and decides that he will imitate that noise, too. On his way back to the yards, Stafford passes the children again. This time, the children are very impressed by Stafford's loud steam engine noises.
At the yard, Stafford is charging his batteries when the Fat Controller arrives. He tells Stafford that Farmer McColl needs his help immediately. Stafford is excited and couples up to some livestock wagons. Then, Stafford races away still making his steam engine sounds.
As Stafford draws up to Farmer McColl's Farm, he makes a loud whistling noise which scares Farmer McColl's sheep. The sheep bound quickly away up the hill. Farmer McColl is most annoyed with Stafford. He explains that he had requested Stafford's help because he is a quiet engine. Stafford offers to help, but Farmer McColl has already gone to chase after his lambs. Stafford feels terrible and decides that sometimes it is best to be a quiet electric engine after all. Suddenly, he hears the lambs bleating in the distance. Stafford is alarmed because Farmer McColl has gone the wrong way. Stafford rolls quietly to find Farmer McColl. When he does, he explains that he knows where the lambs are. Farmer McColl is pleased and together, he and Stafford set off to locate them. This time, Stafford remains quiet and does not try to be like a steam engine.
Soon, the lambs are found and locked securely in the livestock wagons. Stafford then takes the lambs to their new field. Farmer McColl is very happy and tells Stafford that his lambs really like him because he is nice and quiet.
As the sun sets, Stafford rolls happily and quietly back to his shed. Along the way he meets Thomas and Percy who are surprised that he is no longer making his steam engine noises. Stafford explains that he is no longer making those sounds as he is now proud to be quiet Stafford, the Electric Shunting Engine.
Characters
- Thomas
- Percy
- Stafford
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Farmer McColl
- Headkeeper Jack
- The Schoolchildren
- The Blond-haired Boy
- Henry (does not speak)
- Gordon (does not speak)
- Edward (cameo)
- James (cameo)
- Rosie (cameo)
- Annie and Clarabel (cameos)
- Cranky (cameo)
- Sir Topham Hatt's Assistants (cameos)
Locations
Cast
UK
- Ben Small as Thomas
- Keith Wickham as Percy, Stafford and the Fat Controller
- Matt Wilkinson as Farmer McColl and Headkeeper Jack
- Teresa Gallagher as the Children
US
- Martin Sherman as Thomas and Percy
- Keith Wickham as Stafford
- Kerry Shale as Sir Topham Hatt and Headkeeper Jack
- William Hope as Farmer McColl
- Jules de Jongh as the Children
Trivia
- Going by production order, this is the first episode of the seventeenth series.
- Stafford breaks the fourth wall by winking at the audience, making it the first time in the series where a character other than the narrator breaks the fourth wall.
- This is the first episode of a few things:
- The first episode written by Laura Beaumont, as well as the first co-written by Paul Larson and Beaumont.
- The first episode since the second series finale episode, Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree, to have the same narrator for the UK and a US dub, not counting that Pierce Brosnan was to be the narrator for both dubs of the twelfth series and the times Michael Angelis narrated episodes for the US in production order.
- The first episode animated by Arc Productions and directed by David Baas in production order.
- The first episode narrated by Mark Moraghan in both the UK and US, Lars Mikkelsen in Denmark, Robert Dreija in Latvia, Denis Bespaliy in Russia and Yuriy Hrebelʹnyk in Ukraine in production order.
- The first episode since the twelfth series episode, Percy and the Bandstand written by Paul Larson, though he is a co-writer with Laura Beaumont.
- The first time Paul Larson co-writes an episode with another writer since the eighth series episode, Thomas and the Firework Display.
- This is Sam Wilkinson's favourite episode he worked on.
- In the Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Baltic Russian and one of the Vietnamese voice-overs, the UK dub can be heard in the background as a dubbing track was not used.
Goofs
- When Stafford turns away from Thomas and Percy, the points are set in the wrong direction.
- In the first shot of Henry arriving at the docks, he is not pulling anything, but in the very next shot, he is.
- Cranky's ladder is on the wrong side.
- When Thomas and Edward go under the bridge at Wellsworth, the middle track is floating, Thomas is not coupled to Annie and he is missing a buffer.
- Throughout the episode, the lambs are depicted as fully grown sheep.
- When Stafford passes Edward, no steam emits from his whistle.
- When Stafford says hello to Thomas, Annie does not have any pupils.
Merchandise
In Other Languages
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Home Media Releases
UKDVD PacksUS
AUS
GERTHAJPNCHN |
| #01 Kevin's Cranky Friend | #10 Not Now, Charlie! | #19 The Missing Christmas Decorations |
| #02 Scruff's Makeover | #11 The Lost Puff | #20 The Frozen Turntable |
| #03 Wayward Winston | #12 The Thomas Way | #21 Away from the Sea |
| #04 Gordon Runs Dry | #13 The Phantom Express | #22 Gone Fishing |
| #05 Calm Down Caitlin | #14 Percy's Lucky Day | #23 The Afternoon Tea Express |
| #06 Steamie Stafford | #15 Bill or Ben? | #24 The Smelly Kipper |
| #07 Henry's Hero | #16 Too Many Fire Engines | #25 No More Mr. Nice Engine |
| #08 Luke's New Friend | #17 No Snow for Thomas | #26 Thomas' Shortcut |
| #09 The Switch | #18 Santa's Little Engine | |