Emily and the Special Coaches

"Because Gordon's not the only one who's set a new record, I've set one too."

- Diesel

Emily and the Special Coaches, retitled Emily and the Special Cars  in North American releases, is the twenty-first episode of the tenth series.

Plot
All the engines are excited because Gordon has broken a speed record for pulling the Express. The Fat Controller has told Emily to collect some special coaches to present to Gordon in honour of his achievement. While on her way to collect the coaches, Emily is approached by Diesel at a water tower when he states that Gordon is not the only one who is special. Emily, however, insults him and steams off, leaving Diesel to angrily rattle away.

Later, Emily arrives at the shunting yards to find that the coaches are already gone. Thomas explains that Diesel tricked him into thinking it was Diesel's job to take the coaches and not Emily's. She goes in search of Diesel and the coaches all across the island.

She finds Diesel at Kirk Ronan Junction, but does not want to hear Diesel's explanation for stealing the coaches. Because of this, Diesel refuses to return them. Emily tries to chase him down and retake the coaches, but to no avail. At Maithwaite, Emily tells the Fat Controller about what has happened.

Meanwhile, Diesel has hidden the coaches in a siding, but he becomes sick and sluggish, and he starts to slow down. Emily and the Fat Controller find Diesel and demand that Diesel show them where the coaches are. At the siding, Emily is reunited with the coaches but notices that Diesel is billowing black smoke. After explaining that his engine has worn out, Emily blames him for running around with the coaches. Diesel also explains that he did this because she would not listen to him. When she does, he tells Emily that he has broken the record for shunting the most trucks in a day. He then splutters away, leaving Emily feeling guilty.

After delivering the coaches to Knapford, Emily tells the Fat Controller about her plan to reward Diesel for his record. After he agrees with the plan, Emily goes off to find Diesel and tells him to go to Knapford. Later during Gordon's ceremony, the Fat Controller presents him with the coaches but Emily also presents Diesel with a new motor. Emily learns that both diesel and steam engines are special.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * Emily
 * Diesel
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Henry
 * Percy
 * Molly
 * Refreshment Lady
 * Sir Topham Hatt's Brown-haired Assistant

Locations

 * Knapford
 * Wellsworth Bridge
 * Kirk Ronan Junction
 * The Bridge over the Rocky River
 * Maithwaite
 * Sodor Fuel Depot
 * The Windmill

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the ninth episode of the tenth series.
 * A callback to the episode It's Good to be Gordon, which is the previous episode in production order, is made in that Gordon has finally broken the speed record.
 * Henry's original perspex model was used at the beginning of the episode.
 * Stock footage from the eighth series episode, Squeak, Rattle and Roll is used.
 * This episode marks the first time Diesel is seen pulling coaches.
 * This is one of the two episodes to feature Diesel's unused ill face from the fourth series, the other being Thomas and the Stinky Cheese.
 * A recap version of the episode was used in the Sodor's Special Places segment, Knapford Station (Part 1) before the full episode aired and it also shows the extended scene of Diesel sadly leaving when Emily knew what Diesel was trying to say.
 * The US dub of this episode was never released on home media.
 * This episode marks the only appearances of a few things:
 * Diesel's only appearance in the tenth series.
 * The only appearance of Gordon's special coaches.
 * Emily's only starring role in the tenth series.

Goofs

 * In the UK dub, the narrator calls the coaches "trucks" when he says Diesel showed them to Emily in the siding.
 * Diesel's depressed face mask is crooked when the narrator says "But he wasn't feeling well, he started to slow down" and when Diesel talks to the Fat Controller.
 * When Emily arrives at Knapford, her steam platform is visible.
 * In one close-up of Emily at Knapford Station, her front buffers are not hooked up to Diesel's engine load, but later are hooked up.
 * When Gordon is at Knapford with his special coaches, the tracks behind him have dead ends at the bushes.
 * Diesel's new engine seems to be bigger than himself.

Merchandise

 * Books - Thomas, Emily and the Special Coaches, Thomas, Emily and the Special Coaches, Emily's Special Surprise and Bad! The Special Compartment is Gone
 * Magazine Stories - Emily's Present

Home Media Releases
{{Scroll box|

UK

 * Carnival Capers
 * The Complete Series 10

DVD Packs

 * Classic Collection

AUS

 * Carnival Capers
 * The Complete Series 10
 * My First Thomas with Diesel

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * My First Thomas
 * The Essential Collection
 * The Great Adventures of Thomas and Friends
 * Series Nine and Series Ten Double Pack
 * The Complete Series Ten and Hero of the Rails Double Pack
 * Carnival Capers and Bashing Crashing Benny Double Pack

POL

 * Club Colors

HUN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 12 - The Most Important Task

NOR/SWE/DK/FIN

 * Percy and the Funfair

DVD Boxsets

 * Danish DVD Boxset

NL

 * The Great Race on Sodor

ARA

 * Hero of the Rails

SPN

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 10

DVD Boxsets

 * Second Season

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 42

MYS

 * Emily and the Special Coaches and Other Adventures
 * Railway Adventures
 * Toby's Afternoon Off and Other Adventures

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 10 Vol.3

KOR

 * Thomas the Little Engine and Friends Season 5 Vol. 1

TWN
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 18

Emily y los Vagones Especiales אמילי והקרונות המיוחדים エミリーととくべつなきゃくしゃ Emilka i Specjalne Wagony Эмили и фирменные вагоны