A Friend in Need

"We're a cracking crew!" "And all the better for Jack's being here!" "Welcome to the Pack, Jack!" "Yes, welcome to the Pack, Jack!"

- Kelly, Isobella, Alfie and Thomas welcoming Jack into the Pack

A Friend in Need is the eighth episode of the sixth series.

Plot
Thomas is taking some trucks along the line, thinking about his new friend Jack who hopes he has improved himself after having broken the rules for jumping in where he does not belong. The Pack is at work widening the road near the Old Quarry Bridge. Jack - having completed his first assignment for working hard, behaving well and following all the rules - feels proud for himself after he and Alfie loading Max, but he is also worried that Miss Jenny still will not accept him into the Pack.

Meanwhile, Ned the steam shovel is cleaning up a pile of rocks and loads Max, who tries to warn him to be careful of his very full bucket. Thomas is excited to cross the Old Quarry Bridge, as he can see how Jack is doing and knows the Pack is working on the road construction below. Back at the site, the foreman orders Oliver to move a pile of topsoil. Jack initially attempts to help him once again by jumping in. But just before he fills his bucket, Jack suddenly remembers Miss Jenny's warning to not jump in where anyone should not belong from last time. Oliver arrives to do the job, and Jack tells him that the topsoil moving is actually for him. Oliver kindly thanks Jack, while Kelly, Alfie and Isobella congratulate him. Later, Ned approaches the Quarry Bridge and tries to go as slow and cautiously as he can as he is going under it. However, he ends up not lowering his arm down far enough and accidentally knocks the keystones out of the bridge which begins to crumble.

Meanwhile, Thomas nears the bridge, unaware of the danger that has unexpectedly laid ahead. Hearing Thomas blowing his whistle, Jack jumps in and pushes the bridge up with his scoop. Thomas sees a flagman waving a warning flag about the collapsing bridge. Thomas' driver applies the brakes, but he slides onto the bridge and is in peril. Jack's arms begin to bend as he holds Thomas and the bridge all at once. Finally, Thomas reverses back to safety. Kelly rushes to help Jack who is unable to hold the bridge much longer as he lets it go, causing the bridge section to collapse before Kelly can help.

Thomas brings Jack back to the yard, and after having damaged his arms, Jack is very worried what Miss Jenny might say, but she is pleased with Jack's bravery and accepts him into the Pack. Jack is then sent to the works to get his arms repaired the next day. Jack is thrilled and revs his engine and bounces his crooked bucket in delight. Thomas, now very happy, then returns home to Tidmouth Sheds and welcomes Jack to the Pack.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Jack
 * Alfie
 * Oliver the Excavator
 * Max
 * Kelly
 * Ned
 * Isobella
 * Jenny Packard
 * The Foreman
 * Byron

Locations

 * Sodor Construction Company Yard
 * The Church Runby
 * Cronk
 * Old Quarry Bridge
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * The Works

Trivia

 * Stock footage from the previous episode is used.
 * Alec Baldwin's narration had only been broadcasted on the Canadian television station TVO Kids, but it was later released on the US DVD Mud Glorious Mud on 6 May 2008.
 * The US DVD release New Friends for Thomas and Other Adventures features this episode, having been re-narrated by Michael Angelis for American audiences.
 * This is the first episode to feature a human figurine moving on camera without the help of a film cut (when the driver applied the brakes).
 * This was the last episode of several things:
 * The last episode written by three people.
 * Byron and Isobella's final appearance in the main series.
 * The Pack's last appearance in the main series until The Great Discovery.
 * The last episode directed by Stephen Asquith until the eighth series and the planned Jack and the Sodor Construction Company series later released in 2006.
 * The last episode to have David Mitton as model consultant until the Jack and the Sodor Construction Company series.
 * The last episode to feature only one engine and the Pack until the Jack and the Sodor Construction Company episode, Alfie Has Kittens.
 * The last episode until the fifteenth series episodes, Gordon and Ferdinand, Toby and Bash and Emily and Dash to have a story arc span over more than one episode.
 * The last episode in the main series until the twenty-first series episode, Terence Breaks the Ice to feature only one engine.
 * Ms. Jenny's last speaking role in the main series until the twenty-third series episode, Out of Site.
 * A deleted scene depicts Max being surprised by Ned loading him up with stone.
 * The episode's title is a reference to the quote "A friend in need, is a friend indeed". It's also the title of one of the "Dogs Playing Poker" paintings, six short films, a movie and regularly used for episodes of several TV shows (two of which, "Doctors" and "Holby City", have both had two different episodes of said title).

Goofs

 * Thomas is stated to be puffing along a branch line, but he is passing through Cronk, which is on the Main Line.
 * When Jack and Alfie load Max, Max's right-rear wheel spins around. It spins again in the close-up of Jack loading dirt into Max.
 * Ned appears to have already gone underneath the bridge and is later seen going underneath the bridge again and knocking out two keystones.
 * When Ned clears the bridge, his smokestack is missing. It may have been removed so Ned's model could go under the bridge.
 * In the shot of Jack emerging from under the bridge, the studio is reflected in his front window and the ground he travels over bounces up and down.
 * In between the shot of Jack's face turning from happy to sad, Jack's roof shifts slightly to the right.
 * When Ned says sorry to Max, his eyes were misaligned.
 * In the shot before Ned knocks the first keystone away, his crane arm goes under the bridge without causing any damage. Upon closer inspection, a gap is visible possibly so Ned's arm could hit the other keystone precisely.
 * When the bridge collapses, some batteries are visible inside it.
 * In the Welsh dub, David Mitton is still credited as the director, instead of Stephen Asquith.

Quotes
_______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________
 * Thomas: '(thinking about Jack) ''I hope he's doing better today.
 * (Ned loads Max excessively)
 * Max: '''Careful, bumble bucket!
 * Ned: '''Sorry!
 * Foreman: '''Oliver, this topsoil needs moving! Now!
 * Jack: '''I'll move it!
 * Alfie: '''JACK!
 * (Jack races under the bridge, and just as he was about to fill his bucket of said soil, he realizes Miss Jenny's warning the day before; Oliver then shows up)

_______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________
 * Jack: "Don't jump in where you don't belong." Oliver, this is your job, not mine.
 * Oliver: Thank you.
 * Kelly: Well done, Jack!
 * Alfie and Isobella: Yes! Well done!
 * Ned: (trying to lower his arm whilst going under the bridge) I must be careful, I must be careful, I must be careful.
 * Jack: (hearing Thomas's whistle) THOMAS!
 * (he goes under the bridge and pushes the bridge up hard with much effort as possible)


 * Thomas: (approaches and teeters on the bridge) Cinders and ashes!
 * (Jack still holds on, but Thomas reverses to safety)


 * Kelly: Hold on, Jack!
 * (Jack, unable to hold the bridge any longer, reverses to safety, and the bridge starts to collapse)

_______________________________________________________________________________________
 * Kelly: Are you alright, Jack?
 * Jack: I think so!
 * [after Jack has saved Thomas from the damaged bridge]


 * Miss Jenny: Spot on, Jack! You'd make a mother proud!
 * Thomas: And a tank engine grateful!
 * Miss Jenny: It's off to the fitters with you tomorrow, Jack. The Pack can't have a front loader with bent arms.
 * Jack: You mean, I can stay?!
 * Miss Jenny: I wouldn't have it any other way.
 * Kelly: We're a cracking crew.
 * Isobella: And all the better for Jack's being here.
 * Alfie: Welcome to the pack, Jack!

Merchandise

 * Capsule Plarail - Old Quarry Bridge and Straining Jack
 * My Thomas Story Library - Jack
 * Magazine Stories - Jack Helps Out

Home Media Releases
{{Scroll box|

UK

 * Brave Little Engines
 * The Complete Series 6

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection
 * Peep Peep Party/Brave Little Engines Double Pack
 * Brave Little Engines/The Chocolate Crunch Double Pack

WAL

 * The Brave Machines

US

 * New Friends for Thomas and Other Adventures
 * Mud Glorious Mud
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 6

CAN

 * New Friends for Thomas and Other Adventures
 * Mud Glorious Mud

DVD Boxsets

 * New Friends for Thomas and Other Adventures/Spills and Chills and Other Thomas Thrills Double Feature
 * Totally Thomas Volume 4

AUS

 * Thomas and the Jet Engine
 * The Complete Series 6

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * 60th Anniversary - Limited Edition Boxset
 * Series Five and Series Six Double Pack

PHL

 * A Friend in Need

NOR

 * Scaredy Engines

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.3
 * Crash and Smash! Look Out!
 * 75th Anniversary Edition: Thank You as Always! Thomas & Friends Masterpieces

KOR

 * Friends Love Story

MYS

 * Harvey to the Rescue and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Busy Going Backwards and Other Adventures

SWE/DK

 * The World's Strongest Engine

SVN

 * Salty's Secret

ITA

 * Percy and the Haunted Mine

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 14
 * Thomas Friends Volume 2

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 20

TWN
}}
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 4

Un Amigo en Necesitar חבר בשעת צרה こまったときのともだち Przyjaciel w Potrzebie Друг познаётся в беде