Passengers and Polish

"No passengers means no polish!" "(And) No polish means no passengers."

- The Fat Controller and Duncan

Passengers and Polish is the thirteenth episode of the fourth series. It is based on the story of the same name from the Railway Series book Gallant Old Engine.

Plot
Nancy, a guard's daughter, is polishing Skarloey while he is napping and dreaming of Rheneas and all the times they had shared together before he went away to be mended. Although he thinks she is just fussing over him unnecessarily, she tells him that Rheneas is coming home soon. The news of Rheneas' return immediately changes his mind, asking Nancy to polish him again (which she does). Duncan arrives and wants to be polished too, but Nancy does not have time because she has promised to help the Refreshment Lady to serve refreshments to the passengers. Envious, Duncan complains about Peter Sam getting a special funnel, Sir Handel getting special wheels and passengers getting refreshments while he does not even get polished, resulting in a sulky mood.

Later, Duncan's driver tells him that one of Skarloey's coaches has derailed, and they are to go help. But Duncan keeps his sulky attitude about all the extra work, to which his driver ignores. The derailed coach was in the middle of Skarloey's train. So Skarloey continued on with the two front coaches. Duncan brings workmen to get the coach back on the rails, and he has to take the passengers in the rear coaches home. Duncan makes the journey back very difficult, complaining that he gets no rest. So his driver, worried that they'll keep the passengers waiting, decides to stop to build up steam. Duncan stubbornly refuses to try and blames his driver for not caring enough about him. They finally start off again, but Duncan still complained that he was overworked. Before they reach the last station, Duncan loses his temper and rudely stalls on the viaduct. He refuses to go on and stays put, so Skarloey is forced to arrive and pulls him to the last station. This leaves the passengers infuriated and telling everyone what a bad railway it is.

That evening, the Fat Controller scolds Duncan for his bad intentions, telling him that "no passengers means no polish." Duncan retorts under his breath that "no polish means no passengers," making it clear that he still has a lot to learn.

Characters

 * Skarloey
 * Duncan
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Nancy
 * Rheneas
 * Blue Narrow Gauge Coaches
 * Refreshment Lady
 * Thomas
 * Percy
 * Jem Cole
 * Mrs. Kyndley
 * Mr. Hugh
 * Farmer Trotter
 * Mrs. Last
 * One Little Boy
 * Red Narrow Gauge Coaches
 * Sir Handel
 * Peter Sam

Locations

 * Callan
 * Valley View
 * Crovan's Gate
 * Skarloey Engine Sheds
 * Rheneas
 * Rheneas Sheds
 * Rheneas Viaduct
 * Mountainside Runby
 * Hawin Dooiey
 * Sodor Castle
 * The Mountain Line
 * Lakeside
 * Lakeside Bridge
 * Lakeside Junction
 * Skarloey

Trivia

 * Stock footage from A Bad Day for Sir Handel is used.
 * Nancy's rag is a piece of blu-tack.
 * This episode marks a few of things for Nancy:
 * Her only speaking role.
 * The only time in the television series that she is referred to by name.
 * Her only main appearance as she had cameos in the next few series.
 * When the passengers are complaining, one of them can be heard saying, "We're losing money!"
 * The Refreshment Lady has Mrs. Kyndley's first series body.
 * This marks the last time the "bad railway" trope was used until the eighteenth series episode, Duck and the Slip Coaches.
 * In the US and Canada, this episode was released early on VHS before Special Funnel meaning the American and Canadian audience may not know about Peter Sam's new funnel.

Goofs

 * When Skarloey dreams of Rheneas, he has Sir Handel's original whistle while Rheneas has Duncan's whistle.
 * Sound effects begin before Duncan is seen moving out of the shed.
 * In the close-up of Duncan complaining about not being polished at the beginning, his face moves. In the same shot, a hair or piece of wire can be seen behind Skarloey.
 * When Duncan passes through Crovan's Gate, he has Duke's original whistle.
 * After Duncan takes away Skarloey's train, the brake van moves from the front of the train to the back.
 * At the end of the episode, Rheneas can be seen next to Skarloey, despite being stated that he was away for repairs.
 * In a picture of the Fat Controller scolding Duncan, the battery for Duncan's eye mechanism can be seen behind him.

Quotes

 * Duncan: Aren't you gonna polish me too?
 * Nancy: Sorry. Not today. I'm going now. I'm helping the refreshment lady this afternoon. We must get the ice cream ready for the passengers. Never mind, Duncan.
 * Narrator: But Duncan did mind.
 * Duncan: It isn't fair! Peter Sam gets a special funnel, Sir Handel gets special wheels, passengers get ices/ice cream, but I'm not even polished!




 * Driver: [after an emergency phone call] One of Skarloey's coaches has come off the rails. We'll have to take workmen there right away.
 * Duncan: All this extra work! It wears an engine out.
 * Driver: Rubbish! Come on!




 * The Fat Controller: No passengers means no polish.
 * Duncan: And no polish means no passengers.
 * Narrator: He still has a lot to learn, doesn't he?

Merchandise

 * My Thomas Story Library - Duncan

Home Media Releases
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UK/AUS

 * Thomas and Stepney and other Stories
 * The Complete Series 4

UK DVD Packs

 * Classic Collection

AUS DVD Packs

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * Classic Collection
 * Series Three and Series Four Double Pack

NZ

 * Thomas and Stepney and other Stories

NOR

 * Thomas and Stepney

WAL

 * Thomas the Tank Engine: Bumper Special 2

US

 * The Gallant Old Engine and Other Thomas Stories/Henry and the Elephant
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 4

CAN

 * The Gallant Old Engine and Other Thomas Stories/Henry and the Elephant

JPN

 * New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.6
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.2
 * People of Sodor Island

GER

 * On High Polish for the Passengers and 4 Other Adventures
 * Thomas and His Friends Vol. 8

PHL

 * Rusty to the Rescue

KOR

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 4
 * Stories to Raise Cooperation

DK

 * Four Little Locomotives and Other Stories

MYS

 * Passengers and Polish and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady and Other Adventures

NL

 * Rock 'n Roll
 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Thomas

GRC

 * A Day at the Station

DVD Boxsets

 * 3 DVD Boxset 2

ITA

 * The Sleeping Beauty

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends
 * Thomas and Friends - Series 4

SVN

 * Thomas and Stepney

IND

 * Trucks and Other Stories

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 10
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 9

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 13

TWN
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 12

Pasajeros y Lustres נוסעים וצחצוח ボディをみがいて Pasażerowie i Polerowanie Пассажиры и полировка