The Runaway Elephant

"Hooray for Duncan's mistake!"

- The narrow gauge engines

The Runaway Elephant is the sixteenth episode of the seventh series.

Plot
A new park is being opened on the Narrow Gauge Railway, and Duncan is bossing the other engines about and telling them to do their work quicker. Skarloey complains to Rusty about him being bossy. But Rusty reassures him that it is better being safe than being fast.

When Duncan finishes his jobs, The Fat Controller asks him to take an elephant statue down to the park. The stationmaster tells him to wait for a brake van, but Duncan claims he does not need one as he has pushed heavier loads plenty of times. So, he sets off with the statue. As usual, Duncan is being careless and boasts that he will get the job done first. He starts to speed up as a result. His driver attempts to brake, but Duncan is unable to slow down and thus runs out of control, almost colliding with a tractor, and rockets past Rusty who shouts at him to slow down. Duncan arrives at the Elephant Park and crashes into the buffers, which catapults the elephant statue into the pond.

The Fat Controller ends up scolding Duncan for his carelessness and for not waiting for the brake van. Thankfully, Duncan is repaired in time for the opening, but is surprised to find the elephant still in the pond due to general favour of the elephant's position and embarrassed to be lauded by the others for his fortunate mistake.

Characters

 * Skarloey
 * Rheneas
 * Peter Sam
 * Duncan
 * Rusty
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Lady Hatt
 * Headmaster Hastings

Locations

 * The Depot
 * West Lakeside Junction
 * Whispering Waterfall
 * Elephant Park
 * Rumblin Bridge
 * Tea Room Station
 * The Old Trestle Bridge
 * Rocky Ridge Line
 * Hawin Ab

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the twenty-third episode of the seventh series.
 * A deleted scene from The Grand Opening is used.
 * This is the fourth and final episode to use a rendition of the William Tell Overture (Finale) and the second time it was used in the seventh series. The first being Busy Going Backwards, the second being Thomas the Jet Engine and the third being Rheneas and the Roller Coaster. Like the aforementioned episode, this was only in the UK and international dubs, and unlike the previous episodes, the music was only played briefly.
 * This is the first episode since the fourth series episode Gallent Old Engine in which Duncan speaks in a Scottish accent in the US dub. His previous three appearances in the last two seasons had speak in a Liverpudlian accent and in a standard American accent with an obnoxious tone.
 * The events of this episode were later mentioned by Duncan in the eighteenth series episode, Emily Saves the World.
 * The small scale elephant statue prop was formerly owned by Twitter user IsaacM6991, but it is now in posession of Twitter user ModelsThomas.
 * Not counting a deleted scene from The Magic Lamp, this is the last episode of the Thomas & Friends model series where Duncan's wincing face is shown on screen.

Goofs

 * Just before Duncan arrives at the station to collect the statue, he can be seen standing completely still in the right corner on his line for a few seconds.
 * When Duncan arrives at the sidings to collect the statue, the trucks that were previously there when he was at the station have disappeared. Also, Duncan arrived from a dead end.
 * In one scene, Duncan's driver changes appearance.
 * When the narrator says that people waved and cars tooted, Elizabeth and the Fat Controller's Car's horn sounds are heard, but they are nowhere to be seen.
 * When Duncan rushes past Rusty, the narrator says: '"Slow down!" whistled Rusty,' but Rusty is a diesel engine and diesels have horns. Also, the line behind Rusty leads to bushes.

Quotes
_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________
 * Skarloey: Duncan thinks he's fast. But he's just a bossy boiler.
 * Rusty: Better safe than fast.
 * Stationmaster: You must wait for the brake van. The statue is very heavy.
 * Duncan: Nonsense. I pushed heavy loads in plenty of times.
 * Driver: Let's go, Duncan, but we must be careful.
 * Rusty: Slow down!
 * Duncan: I CAN'T! (speeds past)

Merchandise

 * TrackMaster
 * Magazine Stories - Elephants and Engines

Home Media Releases
{{Scroll box|

UK

 * Pulling Together!
 * The Complete Series 7

DVD Boxsets

 * 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

MYS

 * The Spotless Record and Other Adventures
 * Something Fishy and Other Adventures
 * Back to School Compilation

SWE

 * The Snow Engine

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.5
 * Fun Animals on Sodor Island
 * Run! Big Race on the Island of Sodor

DK

 * Snow Engine and Other Stories

DVD Boxsets

 * Danish DVD Boxset

ITA

 * Hooray for Thomas

KOR

 * The Story of Getting to Know Nature

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 25

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 18
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 4

TWN
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 17

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