The Early Bird

"What's that noise, boss?" "Who knows, Kevin, who knows? Some early bird!"

- Kevin and Victor

The Early Bird is the sixth episode of the thirteenth series.

Plot
Percy is at the Sodor Steamworks for repairs, so the Fat Controller puts Thomas in charge of the mail run. Thomas is excited to do it, but Gordon tells him to ask Percy for advice on how. Thomas ignores Gordon and heads back to Tidmouth Sheds.

Early next morning, Thomas delivers mail to the Quarry, Brendam Docks and the Steamworks. To alert managers at each location, he blows his whistle loudly, and unknowingly wakes up Mavis, Cranky, Victor and Kevin. On his way back, Thomas is surprised to see Mavis and Cranky making mistakes with their work, unaware that they have fallen asleep as a result of being woken too early.

When Thomas returns to Tidmouth Sheds, the Fat Controller severely speaks to him for blowing his whistle too loudly as Mavis and Cranky have made mistakes. Thomas feels bad, though he is given a second chance to take the train again as Percy is still under repair. Gordon overhears the conversation, and recommends, again, that Thomas should ask Percy for advice. This time, Thomas puffs to the steamworks to ask Percy, and he tells Thomas to deliver the mail quietly and to not blow his whistle this time.

So when Thomas takes his second mail train, he quietly makes his deliveries and does not whistle. Percy had woken up early to see him and congratulates Thomas on a job well done -- but Thomas has fallen asleep.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Mavis
 * Victor
 * Kevin
 * Cranky
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Dock Manager
 * Ffarquhar Quarry Manager
 * Sir Topham Hatt's Assistants
 * Big Mickey
 * Annie and Clarabel

Locations

 * Three-Track Level Crossing
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Knapford Iron Bridge
 * Knapford Yards
 * Sodor Steamworks
 * Victor's Shed
 * Tower Windmill
 * Sodor Slate Quarry
 * Brendam Docks
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * Brendam Warehouse
 * McColl Farm
 * The Viaduct
 * Hawin Ab
 * The Poppy Field

UK, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and South Africa

 * Ben Small as Thomas
 * Keith Wickham as Gordon, James, Percy and the Fat Controller
 * Teresa Gallagher as Mavis
 * Matt Wilkinson as Victor, Cranky and Kevin

US and Canada

 * Martin Sherman as Thomas and Percy
 * Kerry Shale as Gordon James, Kevin and Sir Topham Hatt
 * Jules de Jongh as Mavis
 * David Bedella as Victor
 * Glenn Wrage as Cranky

Trivia

 * This episode's plot is similar to the eleventh series episode, Edward and the Mail.
 * This episode's title is a reference to the saying, "The Early Bird Gets the Worm."
 * Stock footage from Hero of the Rails is used.
 * This is the only episode written by David Richard Fox.
 * In Poland, this episode premiered before Hero of the Rails, so the audience would not know about Victor, Kevin or the Sodor Steamworks.
 * On the Korean DVD subtitles, the word "Slate" is not translated.
 * The theme throughout the whole episode was a re-composed version of the opening theme from The Runaway Elephant.

Goofs

 * As Gordon pulls the express, the brake coach is at the front of the train, instead of the rear.
 * The quarry walls at Ffarquhar Quarry have tints of pink.
 * As Thomas puffs away from Mavis' shed, the track she is on ends abruptly.
 * When Thomas spins round on the turntable, its rails seem to go round with it.
 * On the Korean subtitles of this episode's DVD releases, when Thomas accidentally wakes up Mavis, the word "whistle" is translated as "경적" (horn) but almost all the other scenes were translated it correctly as "기적" (whistle).
 * When Thomas wakes up to deliver the mail, the US dub refers to the mail cars with the UK term "trucks".

Merchandise

 * Magazine Stories - Early Bird, Early Bird and Early Bird!

Home Media Releases
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UK/IRL

 * Creaky Cranky
 * The Complete Series 13

DVD Boxsets

 * 10 DVD Boxset
 * Steam Team Collection

US

 * Creaky Cranky
 * Thomas' Railway Adventures!

CAN

 * Creaky Cranky

DVD Packs

 * Steam Team Collection

AUS

 * Merry Winter Wish

MYS/NOR/DK/SWE/FIN/ITA

 * Creaky Cranky

FRA

 * Splish, Splash, Splosh!
 * Series 13

JPN

 * Playing in the Water and Fun with Thomas
 * Go to Fujikyuko Line with Thomas
 * Everyone Is Ready! Sodor Island All Stars

CHN

 * Percy's Parcel

GER

 * Thomas and the Piglets

DVD Boxsets

 * With 15 Great Stories

THA

 * Thomas and the Pigs

KOR
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 * Thomas and Friends Five Specials Set

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