| This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the Thai DVD. |
- “Hello, Thomas! Your brakes don't sound good.”
- ― Stanley
Thomas Puts the Brakes On is the seventeenth episode of the twelfth series.
Plot
The Sodor River Bridge is being repaired and Thomas has been helping with it. He now has one more delivery: four sets of special blocks made specifically for the bridge. The Fat Controller warns Thomas that there are no more like it anywhere and Thomas sets off for the bridge. As he chuffs to it, he applies his brakes at a red signal next to Stanley. His brakes are squeaking loudly and it takes a while to brake. Stanley offers to take the blocks for him, but Thomas is determined.
Along the way, Emily warns Thomas to slow down because of a sharp bend. Thomas applies his brakes, but the squeak is much longer and his brakes do not work right. Hitting a bump, some sets of the special blocks bounce off of his flatbed. However, Thomas is too concerned about his brakes to notice and he keeps on puffing. He soon decides to go slowly, but as he goes down Gordon's Hill, he rushes down it because of the weight of his delivery. Gordon comes with the express and tells Thomas to slow down. Thomas puts the brakes on, but as before, there is a squeak and the brakes do not work. Worse still, the squeak is louder. Thomas veers into an emergency siding and bashes the buffers. More blocks fall off, though Thomas is still too concerned about his brakes to notice.
Thomas soon sees the bridge up ahead and is excited. But as he chuffs down, his brakes fail altogether. Thomas clatters off the track and onto the broken part of the bridge. The flatbed hits Thomas' rear buffers, knocking the rest of the blocks into the river. This is where Thomas discovers that he lost all of his blocks. Stanley helps Thomas back onto the track and they set off to recover the blocks. With Murdoch taking Rocky, the blocks are recovered and Thomas goes to the works. When Thomas returns to the bridge, his brakes do not squeak and he instantly stops. Thomas and Stanley are pleased and spend the day on the newly-built bridge.
Characters
- Thomas
- Gordon
- Emily
- Stanley
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Murdoch (does not speak)
- Rocky (does not speak)
- Sir Topham Hatt's Assistants (cameos)
Locations
- Sodor River Bridge
- Knapford Yards
- Gordon's Hill (stock footage)
- The Lumber Mill (deleted scene)
Trivia
- Behind the scenes footage for The Great Discovery showed Pierce Brosnan narrating this episode.
- Stock footage from the eleventh series episodes, Dream On, Don't be Silly, Billy and edited stock footage from Thomas and the Billboard was used.
- This episode marks the last of several things:
- Murdoch's last appearance.
- The last appearances of Gordon and Rocky in the model series,
- Not counting the stock footage appearance in Percy and the Bandstand, Emily's last appearance for the new footage in the model series.
- The last appearance of Thomas' shocked face, Stanley's happy face, Murdoch's smiling face and Rocky's smiling, content and sad faces.
- The last appearance of River Hoo.
- This episode marks the last of a few things for Stanley:
- His final episode with a leading role, both in the model series and in the entire show.
- His last appearance until the special, Misty Island Rescue.
- His last appearance in an episode until the fourteenth series episode, Thomas' Tall Friend.
- His last speaking role until the special, Day of the Diesels.
- His last speaking role in an episode until the fifteenth series episode, Surprise, Surprise.
- His last appearance in the model series.
- This episode aired before The Great Discovery premiered in the UK, meaning the British audience would not have known about Stanley.
- This episode marks the second time that Stanley has used a chain to pull Thomas back on the rails, the first being in The Great Discovery.
Goofs
- In the close up of Thomas looking worried at the signal he is slightly tilted on his chassis.
- When Thomas stops at the signal he is ahead of Stanley, but when he sets off he appears to have moved back a bit.
- Thomas' eyes are misaligned when he passes Emily.
- When the first blocks fell off the flatbed, Thomas is no longer bouncing, but the sound effect can still be heard.
- A string can be seen pulling Gordon when he passes Thomas.
- Rocky's eyes are misaligned when Thomas passes him.
- When Thomas derails at the bridge:
- The chain between Thomas and the flatbed gets longer.
- Stanley's CGI face fades away, and his tracker can also be faintly seen.
- The narrator says his flatbed hit his buffers, when it actually hit the rear of his bunker.
- Stanley's piston rod is crooked when he pulls Thomas from the bridge.
- When Stanley goes to collect the bricks on the hill, a track disappears.
- The brake van at the end of Thomas' train disappears when Stanley shunts Thomas back to the yard. In the same scene, one of Thomas' eyes is also missing.
- In some scenes throughout, Thomas's lamp is crooked.
Merchandise
- Books - Thomas and the Bumpy Ride and Thomas' Mixed-Up Day/Thomas Puts the Brakes On
- Magazines - Put the brakes on, Thomas!
In Other Languages
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Brazilian Portuguese | Thomas Aperta os Freios |
| Chinese Mandarin | 托马斯踩刹车 |
| Croatian | Tomica i Kočnice |
| Czech | Tomáš Brzdí |
| Finnish | Tuomaksen Töyssyinen Matka Jarruvikoja |
| French | Un Drôle de Bruit |
| German | Quietschende Bremsen |
| Indonesian | Thomas Menggunakan Rem |
| Italian | Problemi di Freni |
| Korean | 요란스러운 브레이크 (Kids 1) 고장 난 브레이크 (EBS) |
| Latin American Spanish | Thomas Frena a Tiempo |
| Polish | Tomek i Hamowanie |
Home Media Releases
UK/AUSAUS DVD BoxsetsUS/CAN/LATAM/BRAUS DVD Boxsets
MYSZAFRA/GERTHAKORTWNHK |
| #01 Thomas and the Billboard | #08 Excellent Emily | #15 Gordon Takes a Shortcut |
| #02 Steady Eddie | #09 The Party Surprise | #16 The Man in the Hills |
| #03 Rosie's Funfair Special | #10 Saved You! | #17 Thomas Puts the Brakes On |
| #04 Mountain Marvel | #11 Duncan and the Hot Air Balloon | #18 Percy and the Bandstand |
| #05 Henry Gets It Wrong | #12 James Works It Out | #19 Push Me, Pull You |
| #06 Heave Ho Thomas! | #13 Tram Trouble | #20 Best Friends |
| #07 Toby's Special Surprise | #14 Don't Go Back | |