Thomas and the Golden Eagle

"Seeing two golden eagles is a wonderful thing!" "But not as wonderful as helping a friend."

- Percy and Thomas

Thomas and the Golden Eagle is the twenty-fourth episode of the ninth series.

Plot
A golden eagle has been spotted at Bluff's Cove and Thomas and Percy are hoping to take the birdwatchers to see the golden eagle, but are disappointed when Percy has to take milk to the dairy and Thomas has to take stone to the docks as Emily is chosen to pull the train for the birdwatchers. Thomas arrives at the quarry and is surprised by how long his train is.

On the way to docks, Thomas stops at a junction where Percy is, and Emily passes by with birdwatchers. Thomas has an idea so that he and Percy can see the eagle; Percy takes some of Thomas' trucks to Brendam while Thomas goes to Bluff's Cove and later, he can collect half of his trucks to the docks while Percy takes his turn to see the golden eagle. Thomas leaves his trucks in a siding and goes to Bluff's Cove as Percy backs up to Thomas' train and heads to the docks.

But when Thomas arrives at Bluff's Cove, he is disappointed when he cannot see the golden eagle, but Bertie comes with news that the eagle has been spotted near Gordon's Hill, prompting Thomas to go on a wild goose chase looking for the golden eagle. But all the excitement makes Thomas forget all about his trucks of stone to take to the docks and Percy. Percy collects the milk after delivering Thomas' trucks and heads for the dairy, but he sees that Thomas has not delivered the rest of his trucks to the docks. Percy does not want Thomas to get in trouble, so he takes the last of the trucks to the docks just in time and heads for the dairy.

Thomas heads up to Gordon's Hill and waits for the golden eagle, but is upset to find that it has gone. Suddenly, Thomas remembers that he did not pick up his stone trucks to take to the docks and Percy. Thomas races to the siding to collect his trucks, but they are nowhere to be seen. Thomas finds Percy, who explains that he delivered the last of his trucks, but now he cannot deliver the milk because he has run out of coal. Bertie stops by and brings news that the golden eagle has been spotted, but Thomas refuses as he has to help Percy deliver the milk or he will get into trouble. Thomas delivers the milk to the dairy and collects Percy.

On the way to the coaling plant, the two are amazed to see not one, but two golden eagles perched on a cliff face. The two engines think the eagles are wonderful, but not as wonderful as helping friends.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Percy
 * Bertie
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Gordon
 * Emily
 * Henry
 * James
 * Molly
 * Cranky
 * The Dairy Manager
 * The Dairy Employees

Locations

 * Brendam Docks
 * McColl Farm
 * Bluff's Cove
 * Kirk Ronan Junction
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Gordon's Hill
 * Sodor Dairy
 * The Valley Cliffs
 * Ffarquhar Quarry
 * Mavis' Shed
 * Three-Track Road Bridge
 * The Coaling Plant

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the twenty-sixth episode of the ninth series and the series finale of the ninth series.
 * At various points during the episode, a ditty that mixes both Thomas and Percy's themes can be heard.
 * This episode marks Bertie's only speaking role in the ninth series.
 * Abi Grant stated on her website that this was one of her favourite episodes.
 * At the beginning of this episode, 7 different bird species are seen on a telephone line. Left to right are: a pigeon, an unknown crested brown bird, a Green Woodpecker, a Grey Herron, a brown bird, a yellow and green bird (possibly a lovebird) and a bluebird. This line of birds may have been inspired by PIXAR's short film, For the Birds.
 * The Green Woodpecker later reappears in CGI in the eighteenth series episode, Thomas and the Emergency Cable.

Goofs

 * Thomas' side rods change position every time the camera angle changes, probably because the crew changed his faces, when he and Percy are talking at Kirk Ronan Junction.
 * A mechanism can be seen underneath Thomas when he climbs Gordon's Hill.
 * Percy is buffered up to Thomas when they stop at the Valley Cliffs and see the Golden Eagle. But in the next scene, Percy (without any coal to move) is some distance away from Thomas.
 * When Thomas arrives at the Sodor Dairy with Percy's milk tankers, the end of the set can be seen.

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Together on the Tracks
 * The Complete Series 9

DVD Boxsets

 * 5 Exciting DVDs
 * The Ultimate Collection
 * Classic Collection

AUS

 * Together on the Tracks
 * The Complete Series 9
 * The Best of Thomas and Friends - Volume 2
 * 3 Great Adventures

DVD Boxsets

 * 3 Disc Set
 * 5 DVD Collection
 * Complete Series 1-10
 * The Essential Collection
 * Series Nine and Series Ten Double Pack
 * Series Nine and The Great Discovery Double Pack

US/CAN

 * Come Ride the Rails
 * Animal Tales

DVD Boxsets

 * Discovery on the Rails
 * Let's Explore with Thomas
 * Steam Engine Stories

NOR/SWE/DK/FIN

 * We're Together

CZ

 * Together on Track

NL

 * Thomas and the Jet Plane

HUN

 * Thomas' Day Off

MYS

 * Thomas' Day Off and Other Adventures
 * Skarloey the Brave and Other Adventures

GER

 * The Most Courageous Locomotive in the World

ZA

 * Thomas and the Golden Eagle

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 9 Vol.5
 * Welcome to Splendid Sodor Island!!

SPN

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 5

DVD Boxsets

 * First Season

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 33

KOR

 * Thomas the Little Engine and Friends Season 4 Vol. 3

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 29
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 19

TWN
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 16

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