Thomas Tries His Best

"You wouldn't have a problem if you were an express engine. You'd go really fast and get the job done in double-quick time like me! I'll be in time to see the fair/carnival!"

- Gordon

Thomas Tries His Best is the thirteenth episode of the ninth series.

Plot
The engines are very busy delivering items to help set up the fair and all are looking forward to it, especially Thomas. However, he is told by the Fat Controller to take some of Farmer McColl's chickens from Dryaw to Brendam Docks. When Thomas arrives at Dryaw, Farmer McColl is not there; his truck has a flat tyre, so Thomas must wait. Then, James arrives and tells Thomas that he could go over to the fair and be back before Farmer McColl turns up. Thomas agrees with James and leaves Dryaw to see the children at the fair.

However, Thomas begins to worry that Farmer McColl might come whilst he is gone or Thomas will be held up by a red signal on the way back, which would make the Fat Controller cross if he is late with the chickens. Thomas puts his job first and reverses back to Dryaw. By the time Farmer McColl arrives at Dryaw with the chickens, it is already evening. Once the chickens are loaded up in his vans, Thomas leaves for Brendam Docks.

At Abbey, Thomas meets Gordon, who tells Thomas that if he goes fast he will be on time to see the fair. So when their signals turn green, Gordon departs with the express, closely followed by Thomas who speeds away. However, Gordon's next signal is green whilst Thomas' is red. Thomas brakes hard and the chickens get very cross. As soon as he stops, Thomas remembers that he was told to go slowly with the chickens, which he does for the rest of the journey. By the time he gets to Brendam Docks, it is already night and Thomas knows he will not be able to go to the fair.

However, Thomas is asked to get a new generator for the fair. Once there, the generator is unloaded and put to work, bringing the fair back to life. Thomas is very happy that, against all the uncertainties, he is at the fair.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Dockyard Manager
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Percy
 * Cranky
 * Farmer McColl
 * Emily
 * Toby
 * Henrietta
 * Butch
 * Stephen Hatt
 * Bridget Hatt
 * Big Mickey

Locations

 * Kellsthorpe Road
 * Knapford Yards
 * Maithwaite
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * The Church Runby
 * Dryaw
 * Dryaw Airfield
 * Brendam Docks
 * Abbey
 * Peel Godred

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the twentieth episode of the ninth series.
 * A deleted scene is shown in a tenth series interactive segment, Farmer McColl's Farm from Sodor's Special Places in the half-hour airing, Friendship. In the deleted scene, at night, Emily, who was meant to have a larger role in the episode, having been to the fair and wanting to help, meets Thomas, who still desperately wants to go to the fair, at a signal and tells him she would take his train to the farm so he can go. Unaware that the vans are loaded with chickens, Emily speeds away, much to the discomfort of the chickens. Thomas catches up with her, and informs her that the vans contain chickens and tells her that they must go slowly, and thus Emily learns it is better to go slow. The scene may have been cut possibly due to filming time. This could have been the first episode to run more than seven minutes, but this however, was not the case.
 * In the US dub, there is extra dialogue from Thomas while he worries what happens if he was not there when Farmer McColl arrived at Dryaw Station or if the signal held him up on the way back, and that Sir Topham Hatt would be cross if he found out Thomas was late. But in the original UK dub, the narrator narrates the latter before Thomas says "I mustn't let the Fat Controller down" to himself additionally.
 * The font Matisse ITC is used on the word "cream" underneath the word "ice" is the same font used in the Japanese CGI-animated kids' show, Popee the Performer.
 * Each Steam Team member have a specific job for the fair:
 * Thomas - Pulling the fairground games and bunting.
 * Edward and Henry - Taking the Ferris wheel.
 * Gordon - Pulling the bandstand, helter skelter and fairground tents.
 * James - Pulling the merry-go-round.
 * Percy - Pulling the bumper cars.
 * Toby - Taking the brass band to the fair.
 * Emily - Pulling the roller coaster.

Goofs

 * At the beginning, Thomas has Percy's whistle sound and Gordon has Henry's.

Merchandise

 * Magazine Stories - Thomas Tries His Best (magazine story)
 * Mega Bloks - Thomas at the Sodor Fair
 * Motor Road and Rail - James and the Merry Go Round

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Little Engines Big Days Out
 * The Complete Series 9

DVD Boxsets

 * Adventure Pack
 * 5 Adventurous DVDs
 * Classic Collection
 * Official DVD and Book
 * The Ultimate Collection

AUS

 * Little Engines Big Days Out
 * The Complete Series 9
 * 3 Great Adventures

DVD Boxsets

 * 3 Disc Set
 * Complete Series 1-10
 * The Essential Collection
 * The Great Adventures of Thomas and Friends
 * Series Nine and Series Ten Double Pack
 * Series Nine and The Great Discovery Double Pack

US

 * Tales from the Tracks
 * Thomas Tries His Best (DVD Sampler)

CAN

 * Tales from the Tracks

DVD Boxsets

 * 4-Disc DVD Box Set
 * Let's Explore with Thomas
 * Steam Engine Stories
 * 3 DVD Lunchbox Set

DK

 * The Magic Lamp

NOR/SWE

 * Little Trains on a Day Out

FIN

 * The Little Locomotive Excursion

CZ

 * Thomas the Rescuer

DVD Boxsets

 * 11 Great Stories with Thomas and his Friends
 * Adventure on Rails!

CHN

 * Thomas & Friends - 65 Years - Making Tracks to Great Destinations

THA

 * Thomas & Friends - 65 Years - Making Tracks to Great Destinations
 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 31

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 9 Vol.4
 * Come Over to Ride Me
 * Do Your Best Thomas Masterpiece Collection

NL

 * Thomas and Duncan

ZA

 * Thomas Tries His Best

SPN

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 7

DVD Boxsets

 * Second Season

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 28
 * Thomas & Friends - 65 Years - Making Tracks to Great Destinations

MYS

 * The Magic Lamp and Other Adventures
 * Thomas and the Toy Shop and Other Adventures
 * Thomas & Friends - 65 Years - Making Tracks to Great Destinations

IDN

 * Thomas and the Toy Shop and other stories

KOR

 * Thomas the Little Engine and Friends Season 4 Vol. 3

TWN
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 15

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