Cranky at the End of the Line

"He thinks if he works twice as fast, the Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt won't replace him with a... big new fancy crane." "Replace him with a what?" "A big new fancy crane." "A big shoe zebra plane?" "No! A big new fancy crane!" "A pig stew dancing lane?!" "A BIG NEW FANCY CRANE!!!"

- Salty whispering to Edward

Cranky at the End of the Line is the eighth episode of the twenty-first series. It is also the 500th episode of the television series.

Plot
After Cranky starts creaking, the engines begin teasing him about his age and about the thought that he might by replaced at the docks by a big new fancy crane. In an attempt to impress the Fat Controller, Cranky begins working twice as hard and through the night in an attempt to get him to change his mind. Unfortunately, this just ends up with Cranky making more mistakes than before. This leads the Fat Controller to travel with Thomas and Edward go to the Mainland Crane Works to get a big, new, fancy crane. This ends up shocking the two engines, who later return from the crane works whilst Cranky is asleep.

When Cranky wakes up, he frantically tries getting back to work when he sees the Fat Controller and a big, new, fancy crane called Carly. After begging the Fat Controller to not replace him, he tells Cranky that he actually brought Carly in to help Cranky, seeing how frantically he has been working. When Carly starts to work, she begins creaking like Cranky has been. She explains that this is just because of how she is made of metal and all she needs is some oil. Hearing this and realising how much of a great new addition Carly will be, Cranky sets out to work with his new friend.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Percy
 * Emily
 * Porter
 * Salty
 * Cranky
 * Carly
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Dock Manager
 * Some Dock Workers
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Big Mickey
 * The Ginger-haired Boy
 * The Female Puppet Show Entertainer

Locations

 * Island of Sodor
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Knapford
 * Brendam Docks
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * Crocks Scrap Yard
 * The Mainland
 * The Craneworks

UK, AUS, NZ and MYS

 * John Hasler as Thomas
 * Keith Wickham as Edward, Henry, Salty, the Fat Controller and Some Workmen
 * Nigel Pilkington as Percy
 * Teresa Gallagher as Emily
 * Matt Wilkinson as Cranky and the Dock Manager
 * Lucy Montgomery as Carly
 * Kerry Shale as a Workman
 * David Menkin as Porter

US and CAN

 * Joseph May as Thomas
 * William Hope as Edward and the Dock Manager
 * Kerry Shale as Henry and a Workman
 * Christopher Ragland as Percy
 * Jules de Jongh as Emily
 * David Menkin as Porter
 * Keith Wickham as Salty, Sir Topham Hatt and Some Workmen
 * Glenn Wrage as Cranky
 * Lucy Montgomery as Carly

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the thirteenth episode of the twenty-first series. Because of this, it, New Crane on the Dock, A Shed for Edward, all of which feature Carly, and the latter's predecessor are after Emily in the Middle and The Big Freeze, which are the seventh and eighth episodes in production order, respectively. As Carly is absent from her gantry rails at Brendam Docks in those two episodes, and Big Mickey is missing his face in the former, these four episodes take place after them.
 * Porter's nickname for Cranky, Creaky Cranky, is a reference to the episode of the same name.
 * This and Pouty James are the only episodes where David Menkin voices Porter in the UK dub.
 * This is the first episode in the series to be fully animated by Jam Filled.
 * When Cranky makes a mess in front of the Fat Controller and Salty, soundbytes from the nineteenth series episodes Who's Geoffrey? and The Beast of Sodor were used.
 * The rail section Carly is situated on is seen in all episodes of this series prior to this episode in production order that show Brendam Docks.
 * A shortened version of the episode, narrated by Joseph May as Thomas, can be found on the official YouTube channel and formerly on the Nick Jr. US website.
 * Cranky worrying that he would be replaced is similar to how Salty felt about Porter in the seventeenth series episode, Away From the Sea.

Goofs

 * David Menkin is not credited in the UK credits for voicing Porter.
 * Steven Kynman is credited in the UK credits despite none of his characters speaking in that dub. This is likely because he was supposed to voice Porter in the UK dub.
 * A section of Carly's rails run underneath Big Mickey.
 * In the US Prime Video version, the UK dub is used instead of the US dub. Because of this, the subtitles still say Sir Topham Hatt whenever the Fat Controller is said.
 * In one shot of Carly, her hook is attached very similarly to Cranky's with one cable and no pulleys. In the rest of her scenes, she has her standard hook setup.

Quotes
The Fat Controller, Cranky, Dock Worker and The Dock Manager
 * The Fat Controller: Uh? (Groans) What on earth is going on?
 * Cranky: Hello, sir, how are you? I'm fine. Better than fine. Busy, busy, busy - that's me! Can't stop, work to do! Lifting and loading, loading and lifting just like always! Busy, busy, busy! (Gasps)
 * The Fat Controller: (Stutters)
 * Dock Worker: (Sobbing noise)
 * The Fat Controller: Oh dear, oh dear.
 * The Dock Manager: Sir! I must speak to you about Cranky! He's been working all night...
 * Cranky: Oh, no...

UK

 * Danger at the Docks
 * The Complete Series 21

Cranky at the End of the Line El Fin del Camino para Cranky Przepracowany Karolek Крюк помощи