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- “I want to fish."
"Engines don't go fishing!"
"Silly stick-in-the-muds.” - ―Thomas and James
Thomas Goes Fishing is the twelfth episode of the first series.
Plot
"Engines don't go fishing!"
One day, Thomas arrives at the Station by the river to find the water tower is out of order. Thomas is cross, but his crew decide to get water from the river.
The crew find an old bucket and rope and hurry to the bridge. Once there, they lower the bucket down to the river. Unfortunately the bucket has five holes and water leaks out fast, meaning that they have to hurry and get it into Thomas' tank before it drains out. The crew repeat this several times before at last Thomas' thirst is quenched.
Before long, Thomas develops a sudden pain in his boiler. Steam rushes from his safety valve, and Thomas is alarmed that he may burst. The crew dampens the fire and they struggle on to Ffarquhar. Annie and Clarabel are uncoupled and Thomas, still aching, is stopped in a siding as the guard phones an inspector and the Fat Controller. Workmen put signs saying "DANGER KEEP AWAY" all around Thomas. The inspector and the Fat Controller arrive, who consul Thomas of the situation. The driver explains what happened, and the inspector determines that the feed pipe is blocked.
When the inspector looks inside Thomas' tank, he climbs down and asks the Fat Controller to take a look in the tank as well. The Fat Controller agrees and looks in. He nearly falls off in surprise and asks the inspector if he saw fish, which shocks Thomas. The Fat Controller asks Thomas' driver how the fish got there and the driver determines the fish were collected while they were in the process of filling the tank. The Fat Controller jokes that Thomas got to go fishing after all, but as fish do not suit him they must be removed at once. Thomas' crew, the Inspector and the Fat Controller carefully fish them out with, the Fat Controller instructing them how to do it. Once all the fish are caught, they have a picnic supper of fish and chips. The Fat Controller reminds Thomas that fish do not suit him and he must never do it again. Having learned his lesson, Thomas concludes that he now understands why engines do not go fishing as it is too uncomfortable.
Characters
- Thomas
- James
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Engine Inspector
- Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
Locations
Trivia
- This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Tank Engine Thomas Again.
- Stock footage from Thomas and the Trucks and edited stock footage from Thomas' Train is used.
- This is the first episode to have the same title in both the US and the UK.
- The episode can be seen in a Japanese game, Magical Adventure.
- In the Welsh narration, only one of the "DANGER KEEP AWAY" signs is translated into Welsh, while the others remain printed in English.
Goofs
- Some of the gold paint on James' dome is faded.
- In one scene, Annie and Clarabel are facing the wrong way.
- The narrator says the bucket has five holes, but a close-up shot shows six holes on the bucket.
- When the bucket is lifted from the river, the water is shown to be brown and muddy. However, when the water is poured into Thomas's tank, the water appears to be clean.
- Thick pencil marks are visible on the "DANGER KEEP AWAY" signs.
- In George Carlin's narration and in international versions, when the Fat Controller says "That was good!" Ringo Starr's "Mmm!" can be faintly heard in the background.
- When the men are first seen with the "DANGER" signs, the red lining around Thomas' number is peeling away.
- In the restored version, studio equipment can be seen when Thomas says "Bother! I'm thirsty!" and when the inspector looks inside Thomas' tank.
- When Thomas puffs on to the siding, steam continues to vent from the tracks even after he leaves, but in the next shot, it all disappears. Later, when the inspector clambers up to check Thomas' tanks, Thomas abruptly stops hissing steam, but when the inspector comes down, he is hissing steam again and once the Fat Controller climbs up, the steam vanishes. Then, when the Fat Controller asks Thomas' driver how the fish got there, the steam reappears. Throughout all of this, the hissing sound continues even when Thomas is not letting off steam.
- When Thomas is at Elsbridge, the siding usually seen at the water column is not there, except in the close-up of the out of order sign. When it is seen, it ends in the grass.
- There is a tiny hole in Thomas' smokebox when the Inspector looks into his tank.
- When the bucket is pulled in and out of the water, you can see the string attached to it leading into Thomas' cab.
- Thomas is wearing Percy's tired face mask in four shots.
Merchandise
- Books - Thomas Goes Fishing
- Buzz Books - Thomas Goes Fishing
- Board Books - Thomas Goes Fishing
- Ladybird Books - Thomas Goes Fishing and James and the Troublesome Trucks
- Pop-Up Books - Thomas the Tank Engine Goes Fishing
- Activity Books - Thomas Goes Fishing
- Engine Adventures - Thomas
In Other Languages
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Home Media Releases
Video Games
| #01 Thomas and Gordon | #10 James and the Express | #19 The Flying Kipper |
| #02 Edward and Gordon | #11 Thomas and the Guard | #20 Whistles and Sneezes |
| #03 The Sad Story of Henry | #12 Thomas Goes Fishing | #21 Toby and the Stout Gentleman |
| #04 Edward, Gordon and Henry | #13 Thomas, Terence and the Snow | #22 Thomas in Trouble |
| #05 Thomas' Train | #14 Thomas and Bertie | #23 Dirty Objects |
| #06 Thomas and the Trucks | #15 Tenders and Turntables | #24 Off the Rails |
| #07 Thomas and the Breakdown Train | #16 Trouble in the Shed | #25 Down the Mine |
| #08 James and the Coaches | #17 Percy Runs Away | #26 Thomas' Christmas Party |
| #09 Troublesome Trucks | #18 Coal | |
