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Thomas and the Guard

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This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the Norwegian/Swedish/Finnish/Dutch VHS/DVD, the Croatian DVD or the magazine story.

“I've lost my nice guard, I've lost my nice guard!
"We haven't a guard! We haven't a guard!”
―Annie and Clarabel

Thomas and the Guard, retitled Thomas and the Conductor in American releases, is the eleventh episode of the first series. It is based on the story of the same name from the Railway Series book Tank Engine Thomas Again.

Plot

Thomas the Tank Engine is enjoying his new life running the branch line, of which he is very proud and considers the most important part of the railway. His two coaches, Annie and Clarabel, agree with him. Thomas loves his coaches very much, even though they are old and need new paint. When taking trains, Annie only takes passengers, but Clarabel takes passengers, luggage and the guard. Thomas and his coaches often sing to each other while taking trains and journeys often proceed smoothly. Annie and Clarabel know how important pleasing the Fat Controller is to Thomas and whenever he is cross, he is not cross with them.

One day, Thomas waits impatiently at the station for Henry's train coming from The Loop Line, which is late again which angers him greatly. Eventually Henry feebly arrives, complaining that his system is out of order. As far as Thomas is concerned, Henry's only problem is his own laziness. Thomas, desperate to leave, starts as soon as the guard blows the whistle, but Thomas leaves the platform before the guard is aboard. The guard waves his red flag, but it is no use as Thomas is already hurrying down the line.

Thomas sings to his coaches as usual, but Clarabel does not sing as she is upset that her guard has been left behind. Annie is upset as well and tries to tell Thomas that the guard is missing, but he is in too much of a hurry to listen. The two coaches try to apply their brakes, but they cannot without the guard. Eventually, Thomas stops when he reaches a red signal and he and his crew wait for the guard to tell them what is the matter, but of course he has been left behind which only Annie and Clarabel know, they finally tell Thomas once he asks.

Soon the passengers notice the guard running down on the tracks as fast as he can. When he reaches the train, he is very hot, he has a drink to cool down and tells everyone what happened. Thomas apologises for the incident, the guard accepts the apology and points out that the signal has dropped, then Thomas and his coaches proceed the trip. With the guard back aboard, both Thomas and his coaches feel much better and manage to reach the end of the line in record time.

Characters

Locations

Trivia

  • Pre-filmed footage from Thomas Goes Fishing and Thomas and Bertie, stock footage from Thomas and the Breakdown Train, and mirrored stock footage from Thomas' Train are used.
  • The shots of Thomas passing under the bridge before entering the tunnel and arriving at Ffarquhar station were used for the original opening credits.
  • This is the first episode where the outro music is not used during the ending.
  • Likely due to broadcasting concerns and because "fat" is a much more pejorative term in the US and Canada than in the UK and Australia, Thomas' line "You're too fat!" is changed to "You're too slow!" in both US dubs.
  • This episode is the first to be introduced individually by Rod Hull and Emu on 2nd December 1985.

Goofs

  • In the opening shot and towards the end of the restored version, studio equipment is visible in the top-left corner.
  • In many scenes, Annie and Clarabel are facing the wrong way.
  • In one scene, Annie and Clarabel are not behind Thomas.
  • When Henry puffs into the junction, his brake coach is facing the wrong way.
  • When Thomas says "You're too fat!" His eyes are a little wonky.
  • Due to stock footage, in one close-up of Thomas his coaches are not coupled behind him.
  • When Thomas says "Bother that signal! What's the matter?" the background is different showing a set of buffers, but previously, there was just bushes. This can be identified more in a deleted alternate scene which had Thomas facing the signal from the opposite direction.
  • In the close-up of Thomas' driver, his cap's brim is broken.
  • The guard only has his red flag when he is said to have had two flags.
  • The guard's facial hair changes from having a full beard to being clean shaven between scenes.
  • Before the episode ends, a camera connector is on Thomas' front coupling rod.
  • In the close-up of the guard waving his red flag, Henry and his train are not in the background.
  • In the pre-filmed footage from Thomas and Bertie, as Thomas, Annie and Clarabel enter the tunnel, the camera equipment can be seen in the top-left corner, it is also not cut properly as Bertie can be seen for a split second.
  • In the first close-up of Thomas' whistle, the hill beside him is gone. The same thing happens in the close-ups of the guard.
  • Some of the figurines have blu tack beneath their feet.
  • Annie is still sad when the guard catches up to Thomas.

Merchandise

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Books

Name Published Publisher Highlights Photo
The Sad Story of Henry and Thomas's Train and Thomas and the Guard
1988
Ladybird Books
  • Ladybird book
  • Also features The Sad Story of Henry and Thomas' Train
TheSadStoryofHenry,Thomas'sTrainandThomasandtheGuard(LadybirdBook).jpg
Annie and Clarabel
2006
Egmont
MyThomasStoryLibraryAnnieandClarabel.png

In Other Languages

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Language Title
Brazilian Portuguese Thomas e seu Condutor
Chinese Mandarin 托马斯和车长
Croatian Tomica i Kočničar
Czech Tomáš a Průvodčí
Danish Thomas og Vagten
Dutch Thomas en de Conducteur
Finnish Tuomas-Veturi ja Junailija
French Thomas et le Chef de Train
German Thomas und der Schaffner
Greek Ο Τόμας και ο Φύλακας
Hebrew תומס והשומר
Hungarian Thomas és a Kísérő
Icelandic Tommi og Vörðurinn
Italian Thomas e il Capotreno
Japanese とりのこされたしゃしょう
Korean 토마스와 차장 아저씨
Latin American Spanish Thomas y el Conductor
Norwegian Thomas og Konduktøren
Polish Tomek i Konduktor
Romanian Thomas şi Conductorul
Russian Томас и проводник
Serbian Tomas i Redar
Slovak Thomas a Sprievodca
Slovenian Tomaž in Sprevodnik
Swedish Thomas och Konduktören
Turkish Thomas ve Nöbetçi
Welsh Tomos a'r Giard

Home Media Releases

UK

DVD Boxsets

WAL

  • Troublesome Trucks and 8 Other Stories

US

VHS/DVD Packs

AUS

DVD Boxsets

NZ

FRA

JPN

PHL

GER

HRV

NOR

FIN/ISL

  • Thomas the Tank Engine 1 (Scandinavian VHS/DVD)

ZA

NL

SWE

ITA

ROM

DVD Packs

SER

SVN

IND

CHN

DNK

HK

THA

MYS

Series 1

Series 2 >>

#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
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