A Smooth Ride

"I can do it! I can do it! To the top! To the top!"

- Sir Handel

A Smooth Ride is the second episode of the tenth series.

Plot
Sir Handel arrives at the Transfer Yards after working all summer at the stone quarry. Mr. Percival is happy to see him back and tells him to take some apples from the orchard to the middle station and give a smooth ride. Sir Handel collects the trucks and starts his journey for the middle station. He runs the train around the lake, across the stone bridge, and starts to puff up a hill. Sir Handel realises that he is rattling and rocking, so he stops. Peter Sam arrives behind Sir Handel and is concerned as to why Sir Handel has stopped. Sir Handel tells him about his problem, and Peter Sam feels sorry for his friend. Sir Handel asks if he can be pushed up the hill, and Peter Sam agrees and helps Sir Handel up to the summit. At the middle station, Sir Handel is praised by Mr. Percival, so he does not tell him about his problem. Then Mr. Percival tells him to take sheep from the farm to their new field.

Sir Handel starts to worry; the sheep require a smooth ride too. When Sir Handel gets to the farm, the farmer warns him about being smooth. Once again, Sir Handel rattles and rocks at the approach of a hill and stops. Duncan arrives behind Sir Handel. Sir Handel tells Duncan about his problem. Duncan understands and helps Sir Handel in getting the sheep to their field.

Sir Handel returns to the Transfer Yards where Mr. and Mrs. Percival are waiting. Mr. Percival is very pleased with Sir Handel's work so far, and he has a surprise job for him; it is Mrs. Percival's birthday and Mr. Percival wants Sir Handel to take them to the summit of Culdee Fell for a picnic. This makes Sir Handel very worried as he knows how steep the gradient to Culdee Fell is. When Sir Handel is climbing up Culdee Fell, he is determined to do it, but he rattles and rocks again. The picnic inside the carriage opens and food spills out. Mr. and Mrs. Percival are being bumped around in the carriage as well. When Sir Handel finally stops, Mr. Percival is concerned about Sir Handel and suggests that he should send him back to the stone quarry where only bumpy engines work. Sir Handel owns up to his problem, but Mr. Percival makes a phone call.

Mighty Mac helps Sir Handel back to the Transfer Yards and Sir Handel is now sure that he is going back to the stone quarry. However, when they arrive, he sees Thomas with Mr. Percival who states that he is not sending Sir Handel back to the stone quarry; he has asked a fitter to fix him. Sir Handel smiles from buffer to buffer. After his repairs, Sir Handel is able to climb up the summit of Culdee Fell smoothly. The children in his carriages cheer for him, and Sir Handel gives them the smoothest ride of all.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Sir Handel
 * Peter Sam
 * Mr. Percival
 * Duncan
 * Mighty Mac
 * Mrs. Percival
 * Bridget Hatt

Locations

 * Valley View
 * Culdee Fell Hill
 * Cattle Creek
 * Rheneas Viaduct
 * The Transfer Yards
 * Skarloey Apple Orchard
 * Narrow Gauge Bridge
 * Tea Room Station
 * Hill Farm
 * Skarloey Slate Quarry

Trivia

 * Inside the coach, two London Midland and Scottish Railway posters are seen.
 * This episode marks the first of three things:
 * Sir Handel's first speaking and leading role since the fourth series episode, Steam Roller.
 * The first episode written by Simon Nicholson since the sixth series episode, A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter.
 * The first appearance of the Tea Room Station since the seventh series episode, Trusty Rusty.

Goofs

 * When the narrator reads the episode title, Sir Handel takes the same route and trucks as he does when he delivers the apples.
 * The US dub refers Sir Handel's number as big instead of small.
 * When Sir Handel stops to talk with Mr. Percival, wires are visible inside his cab.
 * Mighty Mac mysteriously turns around while taking Sir Handel to the transfer yards.
 * When Sir Handel's wheels spin, one derails.
 * The narrator said that the children in his carriages cheered, but Sir Handel had only one coach.
 * The narrator says "shutter" instead of "shudder."
 * In the US dub, the trucks of apples are referred to as such at one point.
 * When Sir Handel breaks down, he makes diesel noises despite being a steam engine.

Merchandise

 * Take Along - Sir Handel and apple car

Home Media Releases
{{Scroll box|

UK

 * Thomas and the Treasure/A Smooth Ride
 * The Complete Series 10

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection

US/CAN

 * Carnival Capers

DVD Boxsets

 * Whistle Express Collection!
 * Celebrate with Thomas

AUS

 * The Complete Series 10

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * The Essential Collection
 * Series Nine and Series Ten Double Pack
 * The Complete Series Ten and Hero of the Rails Double Pack

GER

 * Thomas on a Treasure Hunt

DVD Boxsets

 * Adventure on Rails!

NL/NOR/SWE/DK/FIN

 * Thomas and the Jet Plane

DVD Boxsets

 * Danish DVD Boxset

HUN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 11 - The Airplane

MYS

 * Thomas and the Jet Plane and Other Adventures
 * Magical Collection
 * Skarloey the Brave and Other Adventures

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 40

POL

 * Thomas and Wind

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 10 Vol.1
 * Thomas' Surprise!

SPN

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 9

DVD Boxsets

 * Second Series

KOR

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

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 29
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 21

TWN
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 17

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