| This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the 2008 or 2012 magazine story. |
- “Workmen, fit the whistle! The whistle is clearly wonky!”
- ― Victor
Wonky Whistle is the seventeenth episode of the fifteenth series.
Plot
It is the day of the country show on Sodor and Thomas is at the Steamworks having his whistle replaced. Then the Fat Controller arrives to tell Thomas that he is to pick up Farmer McColl's animals and take them to the country show. He also tells Thomas to whistle to everyone and tell them about the show. Thomas is excited and tells Kevin to hurry up, but Victor warns Thomas that he must wait for his whistle to be fixed, and instructs the workmen to fix it. Just as the workmen are about to straighten Thomas' whistle, he speeds off, and as he leaves, Thomas blows his whistle, which makes a horrible noise. The noise startles Kevin, who rolls into a wall.
At Farmer McColl's farm, Thomas collects Farmer McColl's ducks, Katy the sheepdog, and his prize cow. However, Thomas eagerly races off before the van's door is properly shut. Thomas decides to puff to the bridge; he is sure there will be a lot of people there that he can inform about the country show. Once there, Thomas tells them to visit the country show and blows his wonky whistle. The noise scares Katy, who leaps from the van and runs off. The people on the bridge call after Thomas, but he thinks they are waving hello. Thomas decides to visit Maithwaite station, and on the way he sees Bertie at a crossing. Thomas is sure his passengers will want to know about the show. He tells them all and then whistles, scaring the ducks out of the van. Bertie calls after Thomas, but Thomas thinks Bertie is tooting hello and carries on to Maithwaite station, where he blows his whistle once again. This time it frightens the prize cow, who runs out of the van and across the platform. The stationmaster shouts after Thomas, but once again, Thomas thinks he is calling hello.
Soon Thomas arrives at the country show. Thomas is surprised to see that there is no one at the show. But not as surprised as Farmer McColl when he opens Thomas' van. Thomas is upset, he was told to tell everyone about the show and to deliver the animals, but has done neither properly. Thomas blows his wonky whistle and scares some sheep, who run out of their pen. Farmer McColl waves and shouts at Thomas as he runs after the runaway sheep. Thomas concludes that his wonky whistle has scared the sheep and must have scared the other animals away too.
Thomas races to the Steamworks to have his whistle straightened, and then goes to Farmer McColl's farm to collect the animals' favourite foods. Thomas then collects Katy the sheepdog, the ducks, and the prize cow. Eventually, Thomas arrives back at the country show where Katy rounds up the runaway sheep. Then Thomas goes around the Island telling everyone about the country show again. Back at the showground, the country show is crowded with people. The Fat Controller is delighted and gives Thomas one last job: to declare the show open by blowing his whistle, to which everyone celebrates and cheers.
Characters
- Thomas
- Victor
- Bertie
- Kevin
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Farmer McColl
- The Maithwaite Stationmaster
- A Steamworks Worker
- Henry (cameo)
- Flynn (cameo)
- Lady Hatt (cameo)
- Stephen Hatt (cameo)
- Bridget Hatt (cameo)
- Jem Cole (cameo)
- Dowager Hatt (cameo)
- Allicia Botti (cameo)
- The Mayor of Sodor (cameo)
- The Duke and Duchess of Boxford (cameos)
- Some Sodor Brass Band Members (cameos)
- Mr. Bubbles (cameo)
- Sir Topham Hatt's Assistants (cameos)
- A Railway Inspector (cameo)
- The Railway Coal Inspector (cameo)
- The Dairy Manager (cameo)
- The Dairy Employees (cameos)
- The Blond-haired Engineer (cameo)
- The Teacher (cameo)
- The Photographer (cameo)
- The Tree Specialists (cameos)
- The Fireman (cameo)
- The Bargeman (cameo)
- The Bird Watcher (cameo)
- The Ginger-haired Boy (cameo)
- The Blond-haired Boy (cameo)
- The Schoolchildren (cameo)
- Sodor United Football Team (cameos)
- The Island Inspector (cameo)
- One of Dowager Hatt's Friends (cameo)
- The Great Composer (cameo)
- The Welsh Bird Watcher (cameo)
- The Lady with the Big Hat (cameo)
- Edward (stock footage cameo)
- James (stock footage cameo)
- Percy (stock footage cameo)
- Toby (stock footage cameo)
- Hiro (stock footage cameo)
- Bash (stock footage cameo)
- Mavis (stock footage cameo)
- Emily (portrait cameo)
Locations
- Whispering Woods
- McColl Farm
- Sodor Steamworks
- Rail Under Road Bridge and Signalbox
- Three-Track Level Crossing
- Maithwaite
- Sodor Slate Quarry (stock footage)
Cast
UK
- Ben Small as Thomas
- Rupert Degas as Bertie
- William Hope as the Steamworks Worker and the Farmhands
- Keith Wickham as the Fat Controller
- Matt Wilkinson as Victor, Kevin, Farmer McColl and the Maithwaite Stationmaster
US
- Martin Sherman as Thomas
- David Bedella as Victor
- Rupert Degas as Bertie
- William Hope as Farmer McColl, the Maithwaite Stationmaster, the Steamworks Worker and the Farmhands
- Kerry Shale as Kevin and Sir Topham Hatt
Trivia
- Stock footage from Buzzy Bees, Hiro Helps Out, Pingy Pongy Pick Up, Being Percy, and Toby and Bash is used.
- This episode aired in both territories before Day of the Diesels premiered, meaning that the audience may not know who Flynn is.
- Farmer McColl's dog is revealed to be named Katie.
- The Fat Controller's caravan from Misty Island Rescue can be seen at the country show.
- Among the fans of Thomas & Friends, this episode was considered, "the worst episode of the whole show."
- William Hope joins the UK voice cast.
- The people at the fair are standing in the same positions as they were in the sixteenth series episode, Muddy Matters.
- This is the only episode written by Neil Ben.
- This episode features the most amount of character cameos, at 40. However, if human characters don't count, then there would be 9 vehicle cameos.
Goofs
- In two shots after Thomas has puffed under the bridge, his whistle is not wonky.
- In the US version when Thomas realises that the animals are gone, he says: "Sir Topham Hatt wanted me to tell everyone." But his lips move to say: "The Fat Controller."
- When Thomas arrives back at Maithwaite for the second time, Flynn's railway wheels are not on the rails, as his tyres seem to be sitting on the ground.
- William Hope is not credited in the UK credits despite voicing the workman at the steamworks.
- When Thomas leaves the Steamworks with his wonky whistle, his wheels are moving slower than he is.
Merchandise
- Wooden Railway (Thomas' Country Show Delivery)
- Take-n-Play (Thomas at the Fair)
- Books - Strange Whistle
- Magazine Stories - Wonky Whistle
In Other Languages
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Brazilian Portuguese | Apito Frouxo |
| Catalan | El xiulet torçat |
| Chinese | 怪声汽笛 |
| Czech | Rozviklaná píšťala |
| Finnish | Hutera Pilli |
| French | Un sifflet qui fait peur! |
| German | Die kaputte Pfeife |
| Hebrew | משרוקית רופפת |
| Hungarian | A suta síp |
| Italian | Il Fischio Stonato |
| Japanese | グラグラのきてき |
| Korean | 삐뚤어진 기적 |
| Norwegian | Den skjeve fløyta |
| Polish | Zepsuty Gwizdek |
| Romanian | Fluierul Stricat |
| Russian | Неисправный свисток |
| Spanish | El Silbato Flojo |
| Thai | เสียงหวูดสั่น |
| Turkish | Yamuk Düdük |
Home Media Releases
UKDVD BoxsetsUS/Malaysia
AUSCHNGERTHA |
| #01 Gordon and Ferdinand | #08 Up, Up and Away! | #15 Big Belle |
| #02 Toby and Bash | #09 Henry's Happy Coal | #16 Kevin the Steamie |
| #03 Emily and Dash | #10 Let It Snow | #17 Wonky Whistle |
| #04 Percy's New Friends | #11 Surprise, Surprise | #18 Percy the Snowman |
| #05 Edward the Hero | #12 Spencer the Grand | #19 Tree Trouble |
| #06 James to the Rescue | #13 Stop that Bus! | #20 Fiery Flynn |
| #07 Happy Hiro | #14 Stuck on You | |