Narrator quotes from Thomas & Friends

What's the matter?

The brakes are on. Leak in the pipe, most likely. You've banged the coaches enough to make a leak in anything!

How shall we mend it?

We'll do it with newspaper and a leather bootlace.

Well, where is the bootlace coming from?

Ask the passengers.

[to a smartly-dressed passenger] You have a leather bootlace there I see, sir. Please give it to me.

I won't.

Then I'm afraid the train will just stop where it is.

The passengers all said what a bad railway it was. Then they told the man how bad he was instead. Everyone was very cross. At last, he handed his laces over.

I see you are sorry, James. I hope now that you will be a better engine. You have given me a lot of trouble. People are laughing at my railway, and I don't like that at all.

I'm very sorry, Sir. I will try hard to behave.

That's a good engine! I want you to pull some trucks for me.

James was delighted and puffed away.

Here are your trucks, James. Have you got some bootlaces ready?

And he ran off laughing.

Oh! Oh! Oh! We want a proper engine, not a red monster.

Hello, Gordon. Is it tomorrow?

Gordon didn't answer. He just let off steam feebly.

Did you lose your way, Gordon?

No. It was lost for me. I was switched off the main line onto the loop. I had to go all around and back again!

Perhaps it was instinct.

Meanwhile, all the passengers hurried to the booking office.

We want our money back!

But the Fat Director climbed on a trolley and blew the guard’s whistle so loudly, that they all stopped to look at him. Then he promised them a new train at once.

I want to fish!

But they all had the same answer.

Engines don't go fishing.

Silly stick-in-the-muds.

Inspector, can you see... fish?

Thomas was horrified upon hearing such news.

Gracious, goodness me! How did the fish get there, Driver?

We must've fished them from the river with our bucket.

Well, Thomas, so you and your Driver have been fishing. But fish don't suit you. We must get them out.

They all took turns at fishing in Thomas' tank, while The Fat Controller looked on and told them how to do it. When they had caught all the fish, they had a lovely picnic supper of fish and chips.

[finishes meal] Mmm! That was good! But fish don't suit you, Thomas, so you mustn't do it again.

No, Sir, I won't. Engines don't go fishing. It's too uncomfortable.

Hello. Who are you?

I'm Bertie. Who are you?

I'm Thomas. I run this Branch Line.

So you're Thomas eh? I remember now. You got stuck in the snow. I took your passengers, and Terence the Tractor pulled you out. I've come to help you with your passengers today.

Help me? I can go faster than you.

You can't.

I can.

I'll race you.

Their drivers agreed to the race going ahead. The stationmaster said:

Are you ready? GO!

Well, well! Are you playing roundabouts?

Poor James feeling quite giddy rolled off to the shed without a word. That night, the three engines had an indignation meeting.

It's shameful to treat tender engines like this, Gordon has to go backwards and people think he's a tank engine, James spins around like a top and everyone laughs at us! And to add to that, the Fat Controller makes us all shunt in dirty sidings.

Blegh! Listen.

He whispered something to the others.

We'll do it tomorrow. The Fat Controller will look silly.

The engines had decided to go on strike.

[pulls out of the harbor] Come on! Come on! Don't be silly! Don't be silly!

Trock-trick! Trock-trick! All right! All right!

That's better. That's better.

Clouds of smoke and steam poured from his funnel into the cold air, and the fire's light shone brightly.

Hurry, hurry, hurry!

They were going well. The light grew better. Signal lights shown green as they passed.

Henry has plenty of ashes. Please keep all windows shut till we pass the bridge. Henry's as excited as we are. Aren't you, old fellow?

Henry was feeling "stuffed-up".

Hip-Hip-Hooray!

But Toby didn't sing.

Electric, indeed. Electric, indeed.

Where's your cowcatcher?

But I don't catch cows, sir.

Don't be funny.

He looked at Thomas' wheels.

No side plates either.

And he wrote in his notebook.

Engines going on public roads must have their wheels covered and a cowcatcher in front to protect people and animals from being dragged under the wheels if they stray onto the line. [directly to Thomas] You haven't, so you are dangerous.

Rubbish! We've been along here hundreds of times and never had an accident.

That makes it worse.

He wrote "Regular Lawbreaker" in his book. Thomas puffed sadly away.

At the station, Thomas' driver told the Fat Controller what had happened.

Dangerous to the public, indeed! We'll see about that!

The Fat Controller spoke to the Policeman. But however much he argued with him, it was no good.

The law is the law, and we can't change it.

The Fat Controller felt exhausted.

I'm sorry, Driver. It's no use arguing with policemen. We will have to make those "cowcatcher" things for Thomas, I suppose.

Everyone will laugh, Sir! They'll say I look like a tram!

The Fat Controller stared, then he laughed.

Well done, Thomas! Why didn't I think of it before?! We need a tram engine! When I was on my holiday, I met a nice little engine called Toby. He takes trucks from the farms, but the lorries are taking over most of his work and he needs a change. He has cowcatchers and sideplates. I'll write to his controller at once.

[eyes Toby and Henrietta] Ugh! What dirty objects!

At last, Toby lost patience.

[offended] James, why are you red?

I am a splendid engine. Ready for anything. You never see my paint dirty.

Oh! That's why you once needed bootlaces, to be ready, I suppose.

Look here, Percy. Whatever is that dirty object?

That's James. Didn't you know?

It's James' shape. But James is a splendid red engine, and you never see his paint dirty.

James pretended he hadn't heard.

PEW! What a funny smell! Can you smell a smell?

I can't smell a smell.

A funny, musty sort of smell.

No one noticed it 'til you did. It must be yours.

Not long ago, he had fallen into a dirty ditch. Thomas enjoyed teasing him about it.

Annie, Clarabel, do you know what I think it is? It's ditch water!