Thomas and Bertie and Thomas Down the Mine

Thomas and Bertie and Thomas Down the Mine is the fourth Ladybird book, based on the episodes Thomas and Bertie and Down the Mine. It is illustrated using photographs from the television series.

Plot
Thomas meets Bertie at the bus depot, and each thinks that they can go faster than the other. So they challenge each other to a race. Thomas cannot go fast at first, so Bertie gets ahead, but Thomas sails through the level crossing, where Bertie is waiting. Thomas then has to wait at a station, leaving Bertie far ahead. But soon afterwards, Bertie has to wait at a traffic light and then they draw level. Thomas reaches his full speed, and is too fast for Bertie. Thomas wins the race, and both Thomas and Bertie are congratulated. But the Fat Controller does not like Thomas and Bertie to race at dangerous speeds, so they cannot have another race. A while later, Thomas meets Gordon at the junction, and teases Gordon about his dip in the ditch, saying he smells like ditchwater. Annie and Clarabel are shocked, but Thomas laughs at his own joke, and goes away to a mine. He finally succeeds in getting past the danger board and lands in a mine! The Fat Controller calls Gordon to pull him out, and the two engines form an Alliance.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Bertie
 * Sir Topham Hatt

Trivia

 * Photographs from Thomas and Bertie, Down the Mine, and James and the Coaches are used.
 * A cassette tape narrated by Ringo Starr was included with some releases of the book.
 * A promotional copy of the book came with Hornby's 1988 Thomas and Bertie set.