Fergus Breaks the Rules

"The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt wants you to work at the Smelter's." "Me? But I'm the pride of the Cement Works." "Not anymore. The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt says I'm better than you." "It's not fair! I love working here!"

- Diesel and Fergus

Fergus Breaks the Rules, retitled Thomas and the Search for Fergus in one American release, is the eighteenth episode of the seventh series.

Plot
Fergus, the railway traction engine, is the pride of the Sodor Cement Works and he knows and obeys all the rules. One day, Diesel is brought to the Cement works; the Fat Controller explains that he needs Diesel to help there for a while and tells Fergus to show him around. Fergus unhappily obliges, as he knows that Diesel is trouble.

As Diesel is being careless while he works, he becomes annoyed with Fergus telling him to "Do it right!" Later on, Diesel lies to Fergus about the Fat Controller sending him to work at the scrapyards. When Fergus arrives, He is frightened by the sounds and machinery in the smelting shed. 'Arry and Bert arrive and frighten the traction engine so much that he runs away.

The Fat Controller receives a call that Fergus is missing and so sends Thomas to search for him. Thomas finds Fergus hiding in a siding near the abandoned mine and takes him to the smelter's yards, where the Fat Controller is waiting. Thomas explains what happened with Diesel, and the Fat Controller proudly tells Fergus to return to the Cement Works, and that Diesel shall be sent to work at the smelters instead. Fergus is very happy to go back to being the pride of the Cement Works.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Fergus
 * Diesel
 * 'Arry and Bert
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Percy
 * Farmer Trotter
 * The Second Butler
 * Two Railway Board members
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Donald or Douglas
 * City of Truro
 * Toad
 * Trevor

Locations

 * The Sheep Field
 * Sodor Cement Works
 * Heavy Industrial Area
 * Sodor Ironworks
 * Topham Hall
 * Callan Castle
 * Castle Loch Causeway
 * Maithwaite Quarry Mine
 * Oliver's Shed

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the nineteenth episode of the seventh series.
 * This episode marks the last of a few things:
 * The last appearances of Fergus and the Maithwaite Quarry Mine.
 * The last episode until the twelfth series episode, Rosie's Funfair Special to feature a standard gauge engine outside of the Steam Team as the lead character.
 * Diesel's last appearance in the Gullane era.
 * This is the only appearance of a few things:
 * Not counting deleted scenes in Something Fishy and Peace and Quiet, this marks the first and only appearance of the Sodor Cement Works in an episode. It would later appear in a ninth series learning segment, Where Can Neville Find Salty?.
 * Diesel's only appearance in the seventh series.
 * 'Arry and Bert's only speaking roles in the seventh series.
 * This episode's plot is similar to The parable of the lost sheep from the bible.
 * Some scrap models of Thomas, Gordon, James, Donald or Douglas, Toad and City of Truro are seen in the smelter's as well as two of the scrapped tenders from the third series episode, Tender Engines.
 * This is one of several episodes from the seventh series to have its title card read on Nick Jr. and PBS ninth series airings, some of them being read as "Thomas and the Search for Fergus".
 * Michael Brandon's dub was used for the UK HiT Favourites DVD, The Groovy Collection.
 * Elizabeth's Shed appears at the quarry Fergus hides in.
 * In two deleted scenes of Fergus arriving at the Smelter's Yard and Thomas bringing him back to see the Fat Controller, the jet engine from Thomas the Jet Engine makes an appearance, with its fume pipe being reused as a pipe.
 * Extended stock footage from Bill, Ben and Fergus is used.
 * This is the first episode that Diesel's annoyed face from the third series appears on screen.

Goofs

 * When Thomas and Fergus arrive at the smelters, Thomas' eyes are wonky.
 * Just before 'Arry and Bert come into view, a crew member's hand can be seen holding them back and then releasing them.
 * A red wire can be seen underneath Fergus when he first arrived at the smelter's yard.
 * When Fergus arrives at the smelters and escapes, his lamp is on his right side. When he hides in the siding, his lamp is on his left side.
 * During some scenes at the quarry, Fergus' right front buffer is crooked.
 * In the UK dub, when the Fat Controller reminds Fergus that he is the pride of the cement works, his line is not in sync with the zoom in.
 * When 'Arry and Bert come into view, Bert's eyes are wonky.

Quotes
______________________________________________________________
 * Diesel: The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt wants you to work at the Smelter's.
 * Fergus: Me? But I'm the pride of the Cement Works.
 * Diesel: Not anymore. The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt says I'm better than you.
 * Fergus: It's not fair! I love working here!
 * [after Thomas has saved Fergus]
 * The Fat Controller: Fergus, explain yourself.
 * Fergus: I ran away. It's scary here.
 * Thomas: Diesel told Fergus that you wanted him at the Smelter's forever.
 * The Fat Controller: Nonsense, Fergus. You are the pride of the Cement Works. I shall send Diesel to the Smelter's, and you can go back to the Cement Works tomorrow.
 * Fergus: Oh, thank you, sir.

Merchandise

 * Magazine Stories - Fergus Runs Away
 * Books - Thomas and the Runaway

Home Media Releases
{{Scroll box|

UK

 * Pulling Together!
 * The Complete Series 7
 * The Groovy Collection

DVD Packs

 * Classic Collection
 * Pulling Together!/The Chocolate Crunch Double Pack

WAL

 * Machines Co-Extract

US

 * Thomas and the Really Brave Engines and Other Adventures
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 7

CAN

 * Thomas and the Really Brave Engines and Other Adventures

DVD Boxsets

 * Discovery on the Rails
 * Thomas and the Toy Workshop/Thomas and the Really Brave Engines and Other Adventures Double Feature
 * Play Date Pack
 * Totally Thomas Volume 4

AUS

 * The Complete Series 7

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * Series Seven and Series Eight Double Pack

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.2
 * Operation Mischief!!

KOR

 * Character Special Edition Series Vol. 1
 * A Story That Builds Confidence

DK

 * Snow Engine and Other Stories

DVD Boxsets

 * Danish DVD Boxset

MYS

 * Best of Thomas Collection
 * Fergus Breaks the Rules and Other Adventures
 * Something Fishy and Other Adventures

SWE

 * The Snow Engine

ITA

 * Hooray for Thomas

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 18
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 3

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 25

TWN
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 17

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