Thomas and the Circus

"Sharing your work makes things much easier, but sharing the fun is the best fun of all!"

- Thomas after sharing his load with James and Percy

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, James and Percy 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 try to cheer Thomas up by practicing, but he does not cheer up a bit, as Thomas began thinking about how he should have shared the heavy train with Percy and James earlier. James and Percy 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. James and Percy agree to help Thomas so that they can have fun together and they both watch the performers while Thomas is fitted with his new siderods. James and Percy 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
 * Cranky
 * Sodor Brass Band
 * The Clowns
 * Kuffy the Clown
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * Emily
 * Caroline
 * Stephen Hatt
 * Bridget Hatt
 * Refreshment Lady
 * Mrs. Last
 * One Railway Society member
 * The Captain
 * The Storyteller
 * Toad
 * Big Mickey

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Brendam Docks
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * Maron
 * Kirk Ronan Junction
 * Wellsworth
 * Wellsworth Yards
 * Wellsworth Bridge
 * Gordon's Hill
 * Maithwaite
 * The Windmill
 * Dryaw School
 * Elsbridge

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, Elsbridge was originally intended to appear in this episode, but that scene was later cut. Had it not been so, this would have marked the station's first appearance since the fourth series, the station's only appearance in the eighth series and the last appearance of the station, but 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 episode marks Mrs. Last and Jeremiah Jobling's final appearances.
 * This marks Caroline's first appearance since the fifth series episode, Toby's Discovery.
 * A faceless Toad model is the brake van for Thomas' train.
 * 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.

Goofs

 * At the beginning of the episode, Thomas passes through Wellsworth, but in the next shot he is going through Maron instead.
 * 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.
 * When James is pushing the brake van, he is pushing it slightly up off the rails.
 * 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.
 * In the overhead shot of Thomas passing through Maron, the line ahead is leading to bushes.

Merchandise

 * Books - Thomas and the Circus and Thomas Gives the Circus
 * Capsule Plarail - the Clowns
 * Hornby - Circus trucks
 * Motor Road and Rail - Percy and Circus Wagons

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Peep! Peep! Hurray! Three Cheers for Thomas
 * The Complete Series 8
 * Party Time! Children's Favourites

DVD Boxsets

 * 5 Adventurous DVDs
 * Classic Collection
 * Triple Pack
 * The Ultimate Collection
 * Party Pack

AUS

 * Peep! Peep! Hurray! Three Cheers for Thomas
 * The Complete Series 8
 * 3 Great Adventures
 * It's Party Time!

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * 60th Anniversary - Limited Edition Boxset
 * Trainloads of Thomas Fun
 * HiT Favourites 2 - 3 Disc Collection
 * HiT Favourites - 3 Disc Set
 * The Essential Collection
 * Series Seven and Series Eight Double Pack

US/CAN

 * Thomas' Sodor Celebration!
 * Thomas and Friends 2007 DVD Sampler

DVD Boxsets

 * Fun Pack
 * Celebrate with Thomas
 * 60th Anniversary DVD
 * Steamies vs. Diesels and Other Thomas Adventures/Thomas' Sodor Celebration!
 * All-Aboard for Adventure!

ZA

 * Happy Little Helpers

DVD Boxsets

 * 5 DVD Boxset

IDN

 * You Can Do It, Toby! and other stories

GER

 * Powerful Locomotives Traveling

SPN

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 3

DVD Boxsets

 * First Season

NOR/SWE/DK

 * Thomas the Hero

FIN

 * Thomas Saves the Day

ROM

 * Beep! Beep! Hooray!
 * Thomas and Friends - Vol. 1

DVD Packs

 * Triple Pack 3
 * Six DVD Set

CZ

 * Hip! Hip! Hurrah! Thomas and the Circus

MYS

 * Percy and the Magic Carpet and Other Adventures
 * Spic and Span and Other Adventures
 * Tooty Holiday Compilation

POL

 * Thomas and Circus

HUN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 3 - Thomas and the Circus

DVD Boxsets

 * Thomas the Tank Engine & Gift Keys extension box

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 36

TWN

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 9

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 8 Vol.6

KOR

 * Thomas the Little Engine and Friends Season 3 Vol. 2

HK
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 21
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 19

Thomas y el Circo תומס והקרקס Tomek i Cyrk Томас и цирк