The sixth episode was called Thomas and the Trucks. Thomas became a bit worried. He knew that this was most definitely his first encounter with trucks, and this was a memory he didn't like.

Edward knew the same. He had also gotten a reprimanding from the Fat Controller after that incident.

In the end, nobody wanted to say anything (it was still too early considering they had just stopped discussing the previous episode where Thomas had forgotten the coaches) and decided just to watch this episode.


Thomas the Tank Engine wouldn't stop being a nuisance.

"You never did," muttered James.

Night after night, he kept the other engines awake. "I'm tired of pushing coaches; I want to see the world."

The other engines didn't take much notice, for Thomas was a little engine with a long tongue.

"Some things never change," said Gordon. "Shut up and watch!" hissed Oliver and Percy, annoyed.

But one night, Edward came to the shed. He was a kind little engine and felt sorry for Thomas.

The two aforementioned engines smiled at one another, like the aging father and the son who still had much to learn.

"I've got some trucks to take home tomorrow. If you take them instead of me, I'll push coaches in the Yard. "Thank you," said Thomas, "that will be nice."

Gordon and James chuckled. "You wouldn't laugh if it was you," said Edward, "Especially you, James." The red engine fell silent at this.

The next morning, Edward and Thomas asked their drivers, and when they said 'Yes', Thomas ran off happily to find trucks.

"The memories," said Edward lightly and happily. "It's always nice to teach other engines about things and see them grow wiser and experienced."


Now trucks are silly and noisy. They talk a lot and don't attend to what they are doing. And I'm sorry to say that they play tricks on an engine that's not used to them.

Every engine present knew those words to be the plain and simple truth.

Edward knew all about trucks, and warned Thomas to be careful, but Thomas was too excited to listen.

Gordon grinned. James as well, though he was thinking now, because of Edward's words.

The shunter fastened the coupling. And when the signal dropped, Thomas was ready. The guard blew his whistle. "Peep, peep!" answered Thomas and started off. But the trucks weren't ready.

"Oh dear," said Henry.

"Oh! Oh! Oh!" they screamed. "Wait, Thomas, wait!" But Thomas wouldn't wait. "Come on, come on!" he puffed. "All right, all right, don't fuss, alright, don't fuss," grumbled the trucks.

Oliver looked at Thomas with an understanding look. He had had his own bad experiences with trucks, and he knew what Thomas felt at that time.

On the screen, a ditty by O'Donnell and Campbell (who were gaining great reputations in the eyes of the engines) began playing-a remix of the intro music.

Thomas began going faster and faster. "Whee!" he whistled as he rushed through Henry's Tunnel.

"How come it's a CCT van now?" asked Emily. "It was two small vans when he got in the Tunnel, now it's a CCT van and a smaller van."

Nobody could answer her.

"Hurry, hurry!" called Thomas. He was feeling very proud of himself, but the trucks grew crosser and crosser.

"We've all been there," said Mavis. "Hmm," agreed Toby.

At last, Thomas slowed down, as he came to Gordon's Hill.

"Rules are rules," said Duck in a deadpan manner.

"Steady now, steady," warned the driver, as they reached the top.

Thomas smiled weakly. It had felt like a triumph to reach the top of Gordon's Hill.


He began to put on the brakes. "We're stopping, we're stopping!" called Thomas. "No, no! No, no!" answered the trucks, bumping into each other. "Go on! Go on!"

Thomas, Percy, Edward, Henry, Toby, Duck, Annie and Clarabel, Oliver, Mavis and the Scottish Twins grew worried looks. Even James began to look at Thomas in a sympathetic way.

And before the driver could stop them, they had pushed Thomas down the hill, and were laughing and rattling behind him. Poor Thomas tried to stop them from making him go too fast. "Stop pushing! Stop pushing!" he hissed, but the trucks took no notice. "Go on! Go on!" they giggled in their silly way.

Everyone was now worried for Thomas. Percy, Oliver and Emily were hoping there hadn't been a crash.

"There's the station! Oh dear, what shall I do?" he cried.

Percy closed his eyes tightly.

He rattled straight through and swerved into the goods yard. Thomas shut his eyes. "I must stop!"

As it showed Thomas hitting the buffers softly, the engines sighed, relieved.

When he opened his eyes, he saw he had stopped just in front of the buffers.

"Thank goodness," said Annie. "I agree there," said Clarabel.

There watching him was the Fat Controller. "What are you doing here, Thomas?" he asked.

"I brought Edward's trucks," Thomas answered. "Why did you come so fast?"

"I didn't mean to-I was pushed," said Thomas. "You've got a lot to learn about trucks then, little Thomas. After pushing them about here for a few weeks, you'll know almost as much about them as Edward. Then you'll be a Really Useful Engine."


The credits began, and everyone had something to talk about.

"I cannot believe that you stopped at the buffers, Thomas," said Oliver. "You could've derailed!"

"I know," said Thomas. "I was lucky."

"Yes, yes you were," said Gordon in a more sombre tone.

"At least you learnt from that mistake," said Edward. "Yes, I did," replied Thomas. "And you earned your Branchline too," said the Fat Controller. "Speaking of which…."

"The next one is how you got your branchline!" cheered Percy excitedly. James looked at Thomas and smiled apologetically. Thomas returned it.

AN: I think the engines would easily notice the famous changing trucks in this episode.

And the next one, ladies and gentlemen-Thomas and the Breakdown Train!