The Real Number One

"I haven't felt... or looked like the number one train all day!" "But Thomas, you're not number one because of a number painted on your side. You're number one because I can count on you."

- Thomas and Sir Topham Hatt

The Real Number One is the twenty-fourth episode of the first series.

Plot
One morning, Thomas, Percy, and Diesel are racing across the Island. Their prizes are their deliveries for the day. Thomas ends up winning, with Diesel in second place, and Percy in third. Thomas is assigned special lights for Vicarstown, Diesel is assigned a tractor for McColl's Farm, and Percy is assigned paint. As Percy enters the turntable to start his delivery, Thomas flips the switch, and Percy is turned continuously. Eventually, the red paint can opens and paint is splattered everywhere, including on Thomas' number one's. Thomas wants to get repainted as soon as possible, but Gordon reminds him that the lights need to be delivered to Vicarstown before sundown. As Gordon takes Percy to get refilled with red paint, Diesel teases Thomas, exclaiming that he is not the number one engine anymore, much to Thomas' annoyance.

Thomas misses his turn to Vicarstown, now feeling even worse about his number. While Thomas tries to reassure himself, he rides onto a broken piece of track, launching some of the lightbulbs of his flatbed, lowering his self-esteem even more. Then, at a level crossing, the Troublesome Trucks whiff dust into Thomas' face. While on the journey to Vicarstown, Thomas encounters Percy, who is stuck on a hill. Thomas helps him up the hill, and some of his confidence is restored. Later, he flips a switch for Kana, who asks him why he isn't number one. Thomas is annoyed by this, but continues his journey.

Further up the line, Thomas finds Carly, who's hook is stuck up in a tree after trying to help a squirrel. Thomas looks up at the sun and decides he has enough time to help Carly and get to Vicarstown. After helping her, Thomas falls down a hillside, and when he gets back up, Carly asks him why his number one is covered in paint. Thomas is now extremely annoyed by this. Later on in his journey, he finds Diesel, who is stuck in a mud pit. Reluctantly, Thomas helps Diesel get back on track, and Diesel apologizes about what he said earlier in the day. But then, the evening whistle blows, meaning that Thomas is late, so he hurries down the line to back up for lost time.

By the time Thomas finally arrives at Vicarstown, it is already dark. Sir Topham Hatt is on the platform, waiting for Thomas. When Sir Topham Hatt sees Thomas feeling sad, Thomas explains that he hasn't felt like the number one engine all day. But Sir Topham Hatt reminds him that he isn't number one because of a number one painted on his side, but that Thomas is number one because he can count on him. Thomas, feeling slightly better now, heads back to Tidmouth Sheds.

When he finally arrives, Percy, Diesel, Kana and Carly are there to tell Thomas thank you for helping them that day. Thomas says it's nothing, but still wishes he could have a wash, to which Sandy gives him one.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * Percy
 * Diesel
 * Carly
 * Kana
 * Troublesome Trucks
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Sandy
 * James
 * Farmer McColl

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * McColl Farm
 * Vicarstown
 * The Tunnel of Zoom

US and CAN

 * Meesha Contreras as Thomas
 * Neil Crone as Gordon
 * Charlie Zeltzer as Percy
 * Shomoy James Mitchell as Diesel
 * Ava Ro as Kana
 * Jenna Warren as Carly
 * Glee Dango as Sandy
 * Cory Doran and Jamie Watson as the Troublesome Trucks
 * Bruce Dow as Sir Topham Hatt

UK

 * Aaron Barashi as Thomas
 * Will Harrison-Wallace as Gordon
 * Henri Charles as Percy
 * Henry Harrison as Diesel
 * Eva Mohamed as Carly
 * Chloe Raphael as Kana
 * Holly Dixon as Sandy
 * Jai Armstrong as the Troublesome Trucks
 * Bruce Dow as Sir Topham Hatt

Trivia

 * This is the last episode to be solely directed by Jason Groh. From Roller Coasting onwards, he would co-direct all his episodes with Sean Jeffrey.

Goofs

 * Thomas arrives at Vicarstown on the opposite track from the platform, but changes tracks before Sir Topham Hatt grabs a lantern from his train.