- “The visitors will wait a long time for their afternoon tea if Stephen is given the job!"
"I'll have you know they used to call me the Rocket, because I was so speedy!"
"Ha! Compared to a horse and cart, maybe!” - ― Spencer and Stephen
The Afternoon Tea Express is the twenty-third episode of the seventeenth season.
Plot
Stephen becomes very excited when the Earl gives him the special job of collecting the ingredients for the afternoon teas at the Castle. But Spencer teases him about being too old and slow. Stephen is cross, but is soon steaming around Sodor picking up all the ingredients. But soon, Gordon puffs up behind him, and tells him to hurry up. He then pushes Stephen quickly along the rails up to the junction to Ulfstead Castle. Spencer is surprised to see Stephen back so soon.
Stephen pretends to have been really fast. Over the next few days, Stephen is pushed by, Thomas, James and Emily, making him super fast. But when he is collecting jam for the Earl, Lady Hatt and the Fat Controller, none of the engines are there to push him. However, he finds Spencer, who pushes him the fastest up to the castle. But he goes so fast, he can't stop and biffs into the buffers at Ulfstead Castle, making the jam fly all over the Earl, Lady Hatt and the Fat Controller.
After he apologised, he takes the visitors to the castle on a tour of Sodor whilst getting more jam, and realises that going slow is not that bad after all.
Characters
- Gordon
- Spencer
- Stephen
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Sir Robert Norramby
- Lady Hatt
- Thomas (does not speak)
- James (does not speak)
- Emily (does not speak)
- The Duke and Duchess of Boxford (do not speak)
- Millie (cameo)
- Annie and Clarabel (cameo)
- Cranky (cameo)
- The Teacher (cameo)
- The Bird Watcher (cameo)
- Dowager Hatt's Friends (cameo)
Locations
Trivia
- Going by production order, this is the fourteenth episode of the seventeenth season.
Goofs
- Stephen has his old, black funnel.
- Gordon should have had the right of way on the main line. Stephen should have been switched to another line to let Gordon pass.
- Stephen's trucks swap places during his journey.
- At some point, Stephen could've easily been damaged, especially when Spencer was pushing him.
- Stephen's wheels should've very well been ground down when he was braking as long and as hard as he did, as his wheels are mostly made of wood (save for the rimming, which is most likely made of steel). They very well could have also caught fire.
- If only four barrels of jam were spilt, Stephen did not have to go all the way back to the docks to pick up more, when there were still plenty of undamaged ones.
- When Stephen and Spencer arrive back at the castle, they should have derailed on the sharp curves at the entrance due to their speed.
Merchandise
Take-n-Play
- Stephen's Sticky Delivery
Books
Gallery
