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- "Sharing your work makes things much easier, but sharing the fun is the best fun of all!"
- ― Thomas after sharing his load with Percy and James
Thomas and the Circus is the sixteenth episode of the eighth series.
Plot
The circus is coming to the Island of Sodor and all the engines are excited and want to take the circus train. The Fat Controller gives Thomas the job to take the circus train and tells him to share the load with another engine if the train gets too heavy. When Thomas leaves, Percy and James are hoping to pull the circus with Thomas soon.
When Thomas arrives at the docks, he is amazed by all the circus trucks he can see. When Thomas backs up to Annie and Clarabel, Salty rolls up and asks Thomas if he wants him to help. Thomas knows the train is heavy and remembers what the Fat Controller said, but he decides to pull the train by himself so that he can keep all the glory. Thomas puffs along the countryside and is having so much fun as the people at the station cheer for him. Thomas stops by a bridge where Percy is waiting and some children wave to Thomas. Percy asks Thomas if he needs help, but Thomas says no, as he wants to have the fun to himself and puffs on, leaving a disappointed Percy.
But Thomas starts to get tired as he notices how heavy the train is. Thomas then sees James, who offers to help, but Thomas still wants to pull it on his own. Soon, Thomas is not having fun anymore pulling the train by himself and it gets worse when Thomas' side rods break from the strain of pulling the heavy train, forcing him to stop.
While the driver calls for help, the performers unsuccessfully try to cheer Thomas up by practising in a nearby field, but to no avail as Thomas began thinking about how he should have shared the heavy train with Percy and James earlier. Percy and James arrive with hay for the horses and Thomas' new side rods. Thomas says to them that he wished he asked them to share the train with him. Percy and James agree to help Thomas so that they can have fun together and they both watch the performers while Thomas is fitted with his new side rods. Percy and James are coupled up, and they help Thomas with the train. While they watch the circus tent being put up, Thomas thanks his friends and admits that sharing the fun is the best fun of all.
Characters
- Thomas
- James
- Percy
- Salty
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
- Cranky (does not speak)
- Sodor Brass Band (do not speak)
- The Circus Clowns (do not speak)
- The Ringmaster (does not speak)
- The Horse Riders (do not speak)
- Kuffy the Clown (not named; does not speak)
- Edward (cameo)
- Henry (cameo)
- Gordon (cameo)
- Emily (cameo)
- Caroline (cameo)
- Stephen Hatt (cameo)
- Bridget Hatt (cameo)
- Refreshment Lady (cameo)
- The Captain (cameo)
- The Storyteller (cameo)
- Toad (faceless, cameo)
- Big Mickey (faceless, cameo)
- The Horrid Lorries (faceless, cameo)
Locations
- Tidmouth Sheds
- Brendam Docks
- Maron
- Kirk Ronan Junction
- Wellsworth
- Gordon's Hill
- Maithwaite
- The Windmill
- The School
- The Sheep Field (deleted scene)
- Elsbridge (dropped)[1]
Trivia
- Going by production order, this is the fourteenth episode of the eighth series.
- This was the first in the second batch of thirteen eighth series episodes to air on CITV in July 2006, as they were broadcast in production order after the first batch aired in January 2005.
- According to a prop listing sold on the Prop Gallery[1], Elsbridge was originally intended to appear in this episode, but that scene was later dropped. Had it not been so, this would have marked the station's first appearance since the fourth series episode, Special Attraction (not counting being mentioned on the timetable in the fifth series episode, Oliver's Find and a deleted scene in the fourth series episode, Mind that Bike), the station's only appearance in the eighth series and the last appearance of the station (not counting the name on signpost in Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure and being on map in the nineteenth series episode, Goodbye Fat Controller), although it was mentioned in the nineteenth series episode, Wild Water Rescue.
- Stock footage from Percy's Big Mistake is used.
- This marks the second time of a two things:
- The second time Thomas breaks his side rods. The first being Elizabeth the Vintage Lorry.
- The second time Percy being the middle engine. The first being Middle Engine.
- This marks Caroline's first appearance since the fifth series episode, Toby's Discovery.
- A poster of Papa Lazarou can be seen on a container.
- Throughout the entire episode, an instrumental rendition of Ain't We Got Fun by Robert Hartshorne is heard.
- The models of the Ringmaster and five clowns are currently owned by Twitter user EmeraldTender.
- Some of the Circus tents are currently owned by former Youtube user CatcusOucho.
Goofs
- At the beginning of the episode, Thomas passes through Wellsworth, but in the next shot he is going through Maron instead.
- In the overhead shot of Thomas passing through Maron, the line ahead is leading to bushes.
- Toad's model was erroneously used to represent a GWR 16 Ton van throughout the episode. The difference can be spotted by Toad's markings on the side.
- Bridget and Stephen Hatt are seen as two of the children on the bridge waving to Thomas, but they were just seen at Maron station in the previous scene.
- A wire is visible underneath Thomas when he is repaired and puffs away.
- The sound of Thomas' traction rods breaking happens long before they do on screen.
- The brake van is slightly off the rails when James is pushing him.
Merchandise
- Books - Thomas and the Circus and Thomas Gives the Circus (China only)
- Capsule Plarail - the Clowns
- Hornby - Circus trucks
- Motor Road and Rail - Percy and Circus Wagons
In Other Languages
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Home Media Releases
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References
| #01 Thomas and the Tuba | #10 Emily's New Route | #19 Fish |
| #02 Percy's New Whistle | #11 Thomas and the Firework Display | #20 Emily's Adventure |
| #03 Thomas to the Rescue | #12 Gordon Takes Charge | #21 Halloween |
| #04 Henry and the Wishing Tree | #13 Spic and Span | #22 You Can Do It, Toby! |
| #05 James Gets a New Coat | #14 Edward the Great | #23 James Goes Too Far |
| #06 Thomas Saves the Day | #15 Squeak, Rattle and Roll | #24 Chickens to School |
| #07 Percy's Big Mistake | #16 Thomas and the Circus | #25 Too Hot for Thomas |
| #08 Thomas, Emily and the Snowplough | #17 Thomas Gets It Right | #26 Percy and the Magic Carpet |
| #09 Don't Tell Thomas | #18 As Good as Gordon | |