The Runaway Elephant

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The Runaway Elephant
Episode Overview
Writer	George Tarry
Director	David Mitton
Producer	Phil Fehrle
Narrator	Michael Angelis (UK) Michael Brandon (US)
Release Details
Series	7
Series no.	7.16
Number	172
Released	27th October 2003 (UK) 1st March 2004 (CAN) 7th April 2004 (KOR) 5th June 2004 (JPN) 2nd November 2004 (AUS) 7th February 2006 (US; VHS/DVD) 21st September 2009 (HUN)
Episode Guide
← Previous	Something Fishy
Next →	Peace and Quiet

“Hooray for Duncan's mistake!”

―The narrow gauge engines

The Runaway Elephant is the sixteenth episode of the seventh series.

Plot

A new park is being opened and Duncan is bossing the other engines about and telling them to do their work quicker. When Duncan finishes his jobs, he is asked to take an elephant statue down to the park, but carelessly leaves without a brake van. As a result, Duncan is unable to slow down and thus runs out of control until he finally derails after hitting the buffers at the park, which catapults the elephant statue into the pond. The Fat Controller then scolds Duncan for his carelessness. Thankfully, Duncan is repaired in time for the opening, but is surprised to find the elephant still in the pond due to general favour of the elephant's position, and embarrassed to be lauded by the others for his fortunate mistake.

Characters

• Skarloey
• Rheneas
• Peter Sam
• Rusty
• Duncan
• Sir Topham Hatt
• Lady Hatt
• Headmaster Hastings (cameo)
• Cyril the Fogman (deleted scene cameo)

Locations

• The Depot
• West Lakeside Junction
• Whispering Waterfall
• Elephant Park
• Rumblin Bridge
• Tea Room Station
• The Old Trestle Bridge
• Rocky Ridge Line
• Hawin Ab

Trivia

• Going by production order, this is the twenty-third episode of the seventh series.
• A deleted scene from The Grand Opening is used.
• This is the fourth and final episode to use a rendition of the William Tell Overture (Finale) and the second time it was used in the seventh series. The first being Busy Going Backwards, the second being Thomas the Jet Engine and the third being Rheneas and the Roller Coaster. Like the aforementioned episodes, this was only in the UK and international versions, and unlike the previous episodes, the music was only played briefly.
• The events of this episode were later mentioned by Duncan in the eighteenth series episode Emily Saves the World.
• The small scale elephant statue prop is currently owned by Twitter user IsaacM6991.
• This is the last episode of the Thomas & Friends model series where Duncan has his wincing facemask.

Goofs

• When Duncan arrives at the sidings to collect the statue, the trucks that were previously there when he was at the station have disappeared. Also, Duncan arrived from a dead end.
• Just before Duncan arrives at the station to collect the statue, he can be seen standing completely still in the right corner on his line for a few seconds.
• In one scene, Duncan's driver changes appearance.
• When Duncan rushes past Rusty, the narrator says: '"Slow down!" whistled Rusty,' but Rusty is a diesel engine and diesels have horns. Also, the line behind Rusty leads to bushes.
• When the narrator says that people waved and cars tooted, Elizabeth and the Fat Controller's Car's horn sounds are heard, but they are nowhere to be seen.

Quotes

• Skarloey: Duncan thinks he's fast. But he's just a bossy boiler.
• Rusty: Better safe than fast.

_____________________________________________________

• Stationmaster: You must wait for the brake van. The statue is very heavy.
• Duncan: Nonsense. I pushed heavy loads in plenty of times.
• Driver: Let's go, Duncan, but we must be careful.

_____________________________________________________

• Rusty: Slow down!
• Duncan: I CAN'T! (Duncan speeds past)

Merchandise

• TrackMaster (discontinued)
• Magazine Stories - Elephants and Engines

In Other Languages

View content
Language Title Chinese Mandarin 逃走的大象 Czech Slon na útěku Danish Den flyvende elefant Hungarian Az elefánt Italian Duncan e l'elefante Japanese にげたぞう Korean 코끼리 둥상 Polish Słoń Uciekinier Romanian Elefantul Fugar Russian Слон-беглец Serbian Pobegli slon Swedish Elefant på irrvägar Turkish Kaçak Fil Welsh Llyn Eliffant

Home Media Releases

UK Pulling Together! The Complete Series 7 DVD Boxsets Classic Collection Pulling Together!/The Chocolate Crunch Double Pack WAL Machines Co-Extract US Thomas and the Really Brave Engines and Other Adventures Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 7 DVD Boxsets Discovery on the Rails Thomas and the Toy Workshop/Thomas and the Really Brave Engines and Other Adventures Double Feature Play Date Pack Totally Thomas Volume 4 AUS The Complete Series 7 DVD Boxsets Complete Series 1-10 Series Seven and Series Eight Double Pack MYS The Spotless Record and Other Adventures Something Fishy and Other Adventures Back to School Compilation SWE The Snow Engine JPN Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.5 Animals and Fun Run! Big Race on the Island of Sodor DK Snow Engine and Other Stories DVD Boxsets Danish DVD Boxset ITA Hooray for Thomas KOR The Story of Getting to Know Nature THA Thomas and Friends - Volume 25 HK Thomas and Friends Volume 18 (VCD) Thomas and Friends Volume 4 (DVD) TWN Thomas and Friends Volume 17

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Series 7

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#01 Emily's New Coaches	#10 Toby's Windmill	#19 Bulgy Rides Again
#02 Percy Gets it Right	#11 Bad Day at Castle Loch	#20 Harold and the Flying Horse
#03 Bill, Ben and Fergus	#12 Rheneas and the Roller Coaster	#21 The Grand Opening
#04 The Old Bridge	#13 Salty's Stormy Tale	#22 Best Dressed Engine
#05 Edward's Brass Band	#14 Snow Engine	#23 Gordon and Spencer
#06 What's the Matter with Henry?	#15 Something Fishy	#24 Not So Hasty Puddings
#07 James and the Queen of Sodor	#16 The Runaway Elephant	#25 Trusty Rusty
#08 The Refreshment Lady's Tea Shop	#17 Peace and Quiet	#26 Three Cheers for Thomas
#09 The Spotless Record	#18 Fergus Breaks the Rules