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- "He runs a famous branch line. Did you know that?"
"Huh! It may be famous but my branch is first on the line. Everyone knows that too!" - ― Percy and Thomas
Thomas and Stepney is the sixteenth episode of the fourth series. It is based on the stories Bluebells of England and Stepney's Special from The Railway Series book Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine.
Plot
One day, Thomas is feeling very happy. At a seaside station, he asks Percy whether he agrees that his branch line is the pride of the line but Percy hesitates to agree, telling Thomas that there is another engine named Stepney with a branch line as famous as his. Although he is far away, the Fat Controller says that he may visit someday.
Meanwhile, Stepney has been purposefully running the Bluebell Railway but is disappointed that his line is not very long. He later sees Rusty, who saved him from scrap and tells Rusty that, although everyone has been kind to him, he wishes he could go on a long journey. Rusty suggests that Stepney can talk to his driver about it. Stepney soon finds out that his driver feels the same way. That evening, his driver tells him that he has been invited to visit the engines on the Fat Controller's railway and Stepney and his driver head off the following morning.
The engines have heard about Stepney's upcoming arrival and begin to talk about Stepney at Knapford. Thomas, however, is jealous about how Stepney's branch line is as famous as his own and leaves to fetch his coaches. Percy, then, sees a large crowd gathered on the fifth platform and wonders why they are all at the station if there is no train. The crowd has gathered to greet Stepney and, before long, the signal drops and an engine's whistle is heard in the distance. Stepney soon arrives at the station where he receives a big welcome. Edward hopes that Stepney will meet Thomas, as they both have branch lines to be proud of. Stepney, then, goes off to shunt coaches in the yard with Duck all afternoon.
That night, Thomas sees Stepney and Duck but does not stop to talk as he does not want to be late to pull his final branch line train. Just after Thomas leaves, Stepney and Duck hear shouting at the station with the order to stop all trains. The signalman answers the telephone to find that a special train has been ordered. Thomas, whose final branch line train is now being delayed, wonders what is going on. His driver tells him that he is being shunted to let another train pass. Thomas, then, sees Stepney pulling two coaches, running through the station and vanishing into the night.
The next morning, Thomas is fuming about being shunted on his own branch line but Stepney arrives and apologises. He explains that, the previous evening, just as Thomas left Stepney and Duck, an important passenger chartered a special train which Duck kindly let Stepney take. Stepney says he had a splendid run but Thomas, now understanding the situation, interrupts and says that Stepney was nervous since he did not know the line. Stepney is very glad Thomas understands him and calls him "an expert". Thomas is no longer jealous and cross and he proceeds to tell Stepney all about his branch line.
Characters
- Thomas
- Edward
- Percy
- Douglas
- Stepney
- Rusty
- The Man with Grey Trench Coat and Hat
- Duck (does not speak)
- Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
- The Important Passenger (does not speak)
- Henry (cameo)
- Gordon (cameo)
- James (cameo)
- The Vicar of Wellsworth (cameo)
- Farmer Trotter (cameo)
- Two Railway Society members (cameos)
- Mr. Walsh (cameo)
- The Boy and the Father (cameos)
- Sir Topham Hatt (mentioned)
- Stepney's Manager (mentioned)
Locations
Trivia
- A deleted scene from the previous episode is used.
- This is the third episode that Douglas has a speaking role while Donald does not.
- The area where Thomas travels in the first scene is the same set Sir Handel and George had their altercation in Steam Roller but with standard gauge track instead of narrow gauge track and no road alongside the railway.
- The music cue that plays when Percy leaves the First Seaside Station is similar to the ending of I'm a Little Teapot.
- When Stepney arrives at Knapford, in the UK and international dubs, the engines whistle to welcome him. However, their whistles are absent in the US dub.
- In the UK and international dubs, when the special is ordered, music and the guard's whistle is heard. The music is absent in the US dub and there is a bell ringing in the US dub, while a guard's whistle is heard in the UK and international dubs. Towards the end of the episode, the background shunting noise is cut off and some whistle sounds are also barely audible in the US dub. The alarm sound in the US dub of this episode was later re-used for Fireman Sam.
- A grey warehouse from Tugs appears at the shunting yards.
- This episode was shown alongside Thomas and the Special Letter in an airing of Storytime with Thomas.
- On PBS Kids Sprout airings, this episode used the 1998 remastered opening credits.
- This is the only episode to feature Callandale.
Goofs
- When Thomas puffs past the field at the beginning, studio equipment is visible in the top-right corner and Clarabel is also facing the wrong way.
- In the close up of Thomas at the Seaside Station, Percy's right lamp iron is bent.
- In the US dub:
- Stepney has Smudger's whistle sound in most of the episode, his usual one is heard once.
- Percy has Thomas' whistle higher pitched.
- While the engines wait for Stepney, a tar tanker is visible perching on another tar wagon behind Gordon and Henry.
- Douglas's eyes are misaligned when he says, "Here he comes!"
- In the UK and US dubs, Stepney has Duke's whistle sound when he is working with Duck.
- Duck's lamp is slightly facing to the left (viewers' right) and the wire used to operate it is visible.
- When Thomas says, "Why are we waiting? My passengers are being delayed," a black box is attached to his cab.
- In the close-up of Thomas' driver, Annie is facing the wrong way.
- When Thomas sets off for his last train, something with black wires can be seen attached to Annie.
- When Thomas is still fuming the next morning, Stepney's train can be seen waiting in the background.
- Annie and Clarabel's roofs are crooked at the end of the episode.
In Other Languages
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Home Video Releases
Episode
US narrationReference
| #01 Granpuff | #10 Rock 'n' Roll | #19 Henry and the Elephant |
| #02 Sleeping Beauty | #11 Special Funnel | #20 Toad Stands By |
| #03 Bulldog | #12 Steam Roller | #21 Bulls Eyes |
| #04 You Can't Win | #13 Passengers and Polish | #22 Thomas and the Special Letter |
| #05 Four Little Engines | #14 Gallant Old Engine | #23 Paint Pots and Queens |
| #06 A Bad Day for Sir Handel | #15 Rusty to the Rescue | #24 Fish |
| #07 Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady | #16 Thomas and Stepney | #25 Special Attraction |
| #08 Trucks | #17 Train Stops Play | #26 Mind that Bike |
| #09 Home at Last | #18 Bowled Out | |