Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday

"It's sure nice to be away from the railway for once." "And far cleaner."

- Sir Topham and Lady Hatt

Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday is the twentieth episode of the fifth series. In the US, it aired with Lady Hatt's Birthday Party in an episode of Storytime with Thomas.

Plot
The Hatts are going on holiday, but when they exit Annie and Clarabel at Tidmouth Hault, Lady Hatt complains about feeling hot and tired, and states about turning the two coaches into beach huts. Thomas is insulted and his driver assures him that the coaches will never be retired, rather to be improved.

The next day, Percy takes the family to Dryaw Airfield, for them to board Harold. Their flight is delayed, however, by a low-flying biplane called Tiger Moth, but they soon get to their retreat. After staying there for several days, Harold arrives to tell them that Tiger Moth has gone missing. The Fat Controller joins the search and in the end they find Tiger Moth crashed in a haystack. The Fat Controller scolds the pilot for his recklessness, seeing to have him and his plane grounded and continues his holiday, boating on a canal. However, they become bogged down in mud and after being unable to be pulled out by other boats, Percy helps them back to Tidmouth Hault.

At the station, Thomas, Annie and Clarabel (with new aesthetic improvements) are waiting for them. Lady Hatt comments that the coaches appear more suitable than their previous appearance, while no one says a word about it. That evening, Thomas agrees with his coaches that no matter what they look like, they will always be Really Useful.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Harold
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Lady Hatt
 * Harold's Pilots
 * Tiger Moth's Pilot
 * Stephen Hatt
 * Bridget Hatt
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Henrietta
 * Tiger Moth
 * Duck
 * Jem Cole
 * Nancy
 * The Railway Society
 * The Portly Man
 * Harry Topper

Locations

 * Norramby Fishing Village
 * The Sodor Inn
 * Norramby Church Station
 * Callan
 * Dryaw
 * Dryaw Airfield
 * Dryaw Canal Runby
 * Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday House
 * The Dam
 * The Hay Farm
 * Maithwaite
 * Tidmouth Hault
 * Tidmouth Hault Sheds
 * The Workmen's Hut
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Skarloey

Trivia

 * According to a film slate:
 * The scenes on the Dryaw Station set were filmed on the 12th of November 1997.
 * The scenes on Callan Station set were filmed on the 14th of November 1997.
 * Stock footage from Trucks and Thomas and the Rumours is used, as well as a mirrored scene from the latter.
 * Deleted shots of Percy at Callan (and later arriving to help the Fat Controller and his family out of the mudbank) and some deleted close-up shots of Toby picking the Fat Controller and his family up from Maithwaite indicate that they both may have intended to have speaking roles.
 * As seen in several deleted scenes, Thomas was originally going to pick up the Fat Controller and his family from Callan at the start of the episode.
 * In the US dub, Annie and Clarabel gain Southern accents.
 * This episode marks the first of a few things:
 * Tiger Moth’s first appearance.
 * The first time in the model series that a character's model is replaced within an episode rather than a series, with Annie and Clarabel's refurbished appearances debuting in this episodes following their tenmille kits from the earlier scenes. Their resin models would later appear in the 2000 film Thomas and the Magic Railroad, and the sixth to twelfth series.
 * In the last shot at the end of the episode, Thomas is wearing his original smiling face from the third and fourth series. This marks the last time it was used onscreen. As well as the last appearance of his concerned face with raised eyebrows as from the sixth series onwards, his faces would have mostly triangular eyebrows.
 * This episode marks the only appearance of the Dryaw Canal Runby in the fifth series as well as its last, not counting stock footage in Toby's Windmill.
 * This is the last episode where a brake van is seen at the end of an engine's passenger train until the twenty-fourth series episode, A New Arrival, as well as the last production where this happens until the Meet the Steam Team video, Meet Nia (not counting the song, Percy's Seaside Trip).
 * In a deleted scene, the barn that Thomas (then later Gordon) crashed into in Bye George! is shown.

Goofs

 * Lady Hatt's small-scale model has longer hair than her large-scale model.
 * Harold's tail rotor is on the other side because mirrored stock footage is used.
 * When Toby stops next to the Sodor Maid, his steam disappears, indicating a film cut.

Quotes

 * Lady Hatt: Those coaches are old and uncomfortable. Why don't you use them as beach huts instead?
 * Thomas: [offended] You won't let them turn Annie and Clarabel into beach huts, will you?
 * Driver: Of course not, Thomas, but I must admit they could be smartened up.




 * [Tiger Moth flies dangerously past Harold and the Hatts]


 * The Fat Controller: (taking cover) W(-w-w)hat was that?!
 * Harold: That's Tiger Moth. It's rude and flies much too low.
 * The Fat Controller: So I can see! Please take us up, Harold, before there's another disturbance.




 * [Harold returns to the Hatts' holiday home with bad news]
 * Harold's pilot: It's Tiger Moth. It's gone missing. Do you wish to join the search with us?
 * The Fat Controller: I think I'd better.
 * [Harold takes off to find Tiger Moth, he is later found stuck nose-down in a haystack]
 * The Fat Controller: There's Tiger Moth! [later speaks to the pilot] You were showing off and flying dangerously. I will speak to your controller and request that you are grounded.
 * Tiger Moth's pilot: Yes, sir!
 * The Fat Controller: Now if you'll excuse me, I shall return to my holiday.
 * Tiger Moth's pilot: Jolly good idea, sir!




 * [after the Hatts' boat stuck in the mud bank]


 * The Fat Controller: (as the boat gets stuck in mudbank) (Oh,) Botheration! We're stuck!
 * Narrator: And they were. Other boats try to pull them off the mud bank, but it was no use.
 * [Percy arrives at the scene of the incident]


 * Percy's driver: Is there anything we can do to help?
 * The Fat Controller: Yes, indeed, there is. [cut to the family's boat now on Percy's flatbed] This is the life, isn't it, (my) dear?!




 * [after Annie and Clarabel are refurbished]
 * Lady Hatt: My! What splendid coaches! So much more suitable than those old beach huts on wheels!
 * Narrator: No one said a word.




 * Annie and Clarabel: It's very nice to get compliments, but no matter what we look like, we'll always be useful, won't we, Thomas?
 * Thomas: Of course!

Home Media Releases
{{Scroll box|

UK

 * Happy Holidays
 * The Complete Series 5

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection

US

 * Spills and Chills and Other Thomas Thrills
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 5

CAN

 * Spills and Chills and Other Thomas Thrills

DVD Boxsets

 * Totally Thomas Volume 1
 * New Friends for Thomas/Spills and Chills Double Feature

AUS

 * Happy Holidays
 * The Complete Series 5
 * My First Thomas with The Fat Controller

DVD Packs

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * My First Thomas
 * Classic Collection
 * Series Five and Series Six Double Pack

NZ

 * Happy Holidays

ZA

 * Thomas and the Rumours

JPN

 * New Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.5
 * People of Sodor Island
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.3
 * Friends Love Story

PHL

 * Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday

GRC

 * Time for Work

DK

 * Forward and Backward and Other Stories

MYS

 * Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Put Upon Percy and Other Adventures

ITA

 * Back All!

NOR

 * The Old Coach

SWE

 * Hidden in Snow

SVN

 * Thomas and the Christmas Tree

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 13
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 11

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 18
 * Superstar Children's Favourites Vol. 6

TWN
}}
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 14

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