Don't Tell Thomas

"Is that part of the surprise?" "That is for me to know and you to find out."

- Thomas and Emily

Don't Tell Thomas is the ninth episode of the eighth series.

Plot
It is winter on the Island of Sodor and Christmas is coming, which Thomas enjoys annually. Stationmasters are decorating the stations and the children are building snowmen. However, there has been heavy snow, so Thomas has had to work hard to clear all the lines. Thanks to him, all of the engines' journeys and jobs are done on time. They are all so pleased, that they want to thank Thomas for his work with a surprise party.

After clearing the last lines of track, Thomas looks forward to seeing his friends, whom he misses. Thomas puffs into the station and sees Harold and Toby. When Thomas tries to say hello, Harold warns Toby not to let Thomas know about the planned surprise party. Thomas feels left out for not being part of the secret. When he arrives at another station, he sees Percy with colourful presents loaded in his trucks. Thomas asks him if they are part of the surprise but Percy - though bursting to tell Thomas about it - puffs away immediately to avoid ruining the surprise, making Thomas cross.

Later that afternoon, Thomas waits at a signal and sees Emily with a Christmas tree loaded on her flatbed. Thomas asks her if it is part of the surprise, but Emily tells him that it is something for her to know and for him to find out. She then puffs away. Thomas decides to find out the surprise all by himself and follows her on the same line. When Emily turns towards one of the branch lines, Thomas attempts to approach. However, the points change, making him stay on the main line, much to his annoyance, thinking that he will never know what the surprise is.

Back at Tidmouth Sheds, everyone is excited about the surprise. Just as Thomas arrives, James and Henry warn the other engines not to tell him about it. Therefore, Thomas is still furious and upset that he does not know what it is, so he just exits to sulk in a siding. Later, it is time to show Thomas the surprise, but the engines are unsure where Thomas has gone. Edward asks Harold to find Thomas, which he does and tells Thomas about the surprise is for him as a thank you for Thomas helping them out. He then tells Thomas to go to Wellsworth, where he collects the children. Thomas soon arrives at a country village station and sees the whole station decorated out to be a Christmas party, which is being held especially for him.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * James
 * Percy
 * Emily
 * Harold
 * Toby
 * Gordon
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Harold's Pilots

Locations

 * Wellsworth
 * Maron
 * Maithwaite
 * The Runby Bridge
 * Dryaw
 * Dryaw Airfield
 * Main Line Junction
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * The Country Village Station

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the sixteenth episode of the eighth series.
 * A CGI Series re-enactment of this episode was meant to appear in the fifteenth series episode, Percy the Snowman, but was dropped for unknown reasons.
 * This was the first episode of the series to feature every member of the Steam Team together.
 * This marks the only episode of a few things:
 * The only episode of the eighth series in which the Fat Controller does not appear.
 * Harold's only appearance in the eighth series.

Goofs

 * Emily has Henry's whistle sound throughout the episode.
 * During the scene of Gordon, Emily, and James passing each at the beginning, after James' train moves offscreen, Emily and her coaches can be seen stopping all of a sudden.
 * In one shot at the sheds when the engines are discussing Thomas' surprise, Thomas can be seen next to Percy in widescreen releases.
 * When the camera turns above Annie and Clarabel, its shadow can be seen.
 * When Thomas is ploughing the snow, a piece of string can be faintly seen in the snow pulling him along the track.
 * When Harold is telling Thomas about the surprise, his eyes are wonky.

Merchandise

 * Books - Don't Tell Thomas

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Peep! Peep! Hurray! Three Cheers for Thomas
 * The Complete Series 8
 * Christmas Express

DVD Boxsets

 * Triple Pack
 * The Ultimate Collection
 * 5 Adventurous DVDs
 * Classic Collection
 * Ultimate Christmas Gift Set

AUS

 * Peep! Peep! Hurray! Three Cheers for Thomas
 * The Complete Series 8

DVD Boxsets

 * 60th Anniversary - Limited Edition Boxset
 * Trainloads of Thomas Fun
 * HiT Children's Favourites
 * Complete Series 1-10
 * The Essential Collection
 * Series Seven and Series Eight Double Pack

US/CAN

 * Thomas' Sodor Celebration!
 * Holiday Express

DVD Packs

 * Celebrate with Thomas
 * 60th Anniversary DVD
 * Steamies vs. Diesels and Other Thomas Adventures/Thomas' Sodor Celebration!
 * Fun Pack
 * Holiday Favorites
 * Thomas' Holiday Collection
 * All-Aboard for Adventure!

MYS

 * Holiday Express
 * Don't Tell Thomas and Other Adventures
 * Percy and the Magic Carpet and Other Adventures

CHN

 * Holiday Express

TWN

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 10

SWE/DK

 * Thomas the Hero

ZA

 * Hide and Peep

DVD Boxsets

 * 5 DVD Boxset

NOR

 * Thomas the Hero
 * Christmas Special

FIN

 * Thomas Saves the Day

ROM

 * Beep! Beep! Hooray!
 * Thomas and Friends - Vol. 4

DVD Packs

 * Triple Pack 3
 * Six DVD Set

CZ

 * Hip! Hip! Hurrah! Thomas and the Circus

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 8 Vol.1

KOR

 * Thomas the Little Engine and Friends Season 3 Vol. 2

IDN

 * You Can Do It, Toby! and other stories

GER

 * So Many Surprises

POL

 * Thomas and Circus

HUN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 4 - Gordon, the Role Model

DVD Boxsets

 * Thomas the Tank Engine & Gift Keys extension box

SPN

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 2

DVD Boxsets

 * First Season

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 37
 * Holiday Express

HK
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 22

Episode
No le Cuenten a Thomas אל תספרו לתומס Nie Mówcie Tomkowi Не говорите Томасу