| This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the 2011 magazine story or the 2022 magazine story. |
- "I guess you can call it 'Wheelie Useful'!"
- ― Thomas
The Water Wheel is the fifteenth episode of the twenty-second series.
Plot
Thomas is given a water wheel to take to Tu Zi Quan to replace the old, broken one so as to bring water to the paddy fields. Although Thomas doubts that it looks strong enough, Hong-Mei tells him that it is made from bamboo, which is light but very strong and used for a number of things.
After Hong-Mei, An An and Yin-Long tell Thomas about the importance of the water wheel, he decides to take a shortcut to get it delivered quickly. Unfortunately, it is through a low bridge which accidentally knocks the wheel off Thomas' flatbed without him knowing until it bounces right in front of him and Yong Bao.
The water wheel then races along the Chinese countryside with Thomas going after it. It even ends up swinging on the Chinese Breakdown Crane, on a mountain and then down a river. Thomas, disappointed at having lost the water wheel, arrives sadly at the paddy fields. While Thomas attempts to explain what happened, the workers notice the water wheel flowing down the river. This is praised by the workers, who think that Thomas thought about having the wheel flow down the river and ask him to help them pull it into place. Thomas does so and is impressed by the strength of the bamboo and its really usefulness.
Characters
- Thomas
- Yong Bao
- Hong-Mei
- The Chinese Diesel Shunter
- The Male Chinese Breakdown Crane
- An An and Yin-Long
- The Grey Tender Engine (cameo)
- Annie and Clarabel (cameos)
Locations
Cast
UK
- John Hasler as Thomas
- Dan Li as Yong Bao
- Chipo Chung as Hong-Mei and the Chinese Women
- Su-Lin Looi as the Chinese Diesel Shunter
- Siu-see Hung as An An
- Windson Liong as Yin-Long, the Chinese Breakdown Crane and the Chinese Men
US
- Joseph May as Thomas
- Dan Li as Yong Bao
- Chipo Chung as Hong-Mei and the Chinese Women
- Su-Lin Looi as the Chinese Diesel Shunter
- Siu-see Hung as An An
- Windson Liong as Yin-Long, the Chinese Breakdown Crane and the Chinese Men
Trivia
- Going by production order, this is the twenty-first episode of the twenty-second series.
- This episode has a similar plot to the twelfth series episode, Steady Eddie and Thomas Thinks Bamboo is Really Useful from the Really Useful Around the World series.
- This episode marks the Chinese Diesel Shunter and the Male Chinese Breakdown Crane's only appearances in the twenty-second series, their first and only appearances in an episode and their last appearances; however, the Female Chinese Breakdown Crane does not appear.
- This episode focuses on Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation as it was part of Mattel's partnership with the United Nations to promote 6 of the chosen Sustainable Development Goals.
- On the Nick Jr. US airing of this episode, it was paired with the twenty-second series episode An Engine of Many Colours.
Merchandise
- Magazine Stories - The Water Wheel (2022/2025)
In Other Languages
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Brazilian Portuguese | A Roda d'Água |
| Danish | Vandmølle |
| Dutch | Het Waterrad |
| Finnish | Vesipyörä |
| German | Das Wasserrad |
| Hebrew | גלגל המים |
| Hungarian | A vízkerék |
| Italian | Il Mulino ad'acqua |
| Japanese | ちゅうごくのすいしゃ |
| Korean | 소중한 물레바퀴 |
| Latin American Spanish | La Rueda de Agua |
| Norwegian | Vannhjulet |
| Russian | Водяное колесо |
| Serbian | Vodenični točak |
| Spanish | El Molino de Agua |
| Swedish | Vattenhjulet |
| Thai | กังหันน้ำ |
| Turkish | Su Çarkı |
| Vietnamese | Bánh Xe Nước |
Home Media Releases
UK/AUS
GER
| #01 Number One Engine | #10 Outback Thomas | #19 Cyclone Thomas |
| #02 Forever and Ever | #11 School of Duck | #20 Kangaroo Christmas |
| #03 Confusion Without Delay | #12 Tiger Trouble | #21 Thomas and the Dragon |
| #04 Trusty Trunky | #13 Seeing Is Believing | #22 Rosie is Red |
| #05 What Rebecca Does | #14 Apology Impossible | #23 The Case of the Puzzling Parts |
| #06 Thomas Goes to Bollywood | #15 The Water Wheel | #24 Banjo and the Bushfire |
| #07 Thomas in the Wild | #16 Samson and the Fireworks | #25 Counting on Nia |
| #08 Thomas and the Monkey Palace | #17 Runaway Truck | #26 Hunt the Truck |
| #09 An Engine of Many Colours | #18 Thomas' Animal Ark | |