A Cranky Christmas

"We wish you a Merry Christmas We wish you a Merry Christmas We wish you a Merry Christmas And a Cranky new year!"

- Salty, Thomas, Porter and Cranky singing

A Cranky Christmas is the fifth episode of the nineteenth series.

Plot
It is Christmas time on the Island of Sodor and Thomas is delivering a load of salt to Tidmouth Town Hall to prevent people from slipping on the pavements. As Thomas pulls in at the Town Square, he skids on the icy rails. Edward reminds Thomas that is what his sandboxes are for. Thomas knows all about using his sandbox in icy conditions and has his box refilled. Then, the Fat Controller arrives and thanks Thomas for delivering the salt and tells him that he has an even more important job for him. The Fat Controller sends Thomas to the docks to collect a special Christmas crate with a big, red strap which will kick off their Christmas celebration in style.

Meanwhile, at the Docks, Cranky is lifting a seemingly endless amount of crates until he gets to the special Christmas crate. However, as Cranky is admiring it, a ship's horn makes him jump and causes him to drop the important crate. Cranky thinks he has broken the contents of the crate and quickly hides it behind other crates. Then, Thomas arrives to pick up the Christmas crate, but Cranky pretends he has not seen it. Thomas is concerned and hurries back to Tidmouth Town Hall.

The children cheer as Thomas pulls back into the Town Square, but the Fat Controller asks where the special Christmas crate is. Thomas tells him that Cranky has not seen any Christmas crate. The Fat Controller is confused and soon becomes worried when the Mayor of Sodor arrives, eager to see the special surprise. Thomas says he will go back to the docks and search the place from top to bottom if necessary. Thomas backs away and Edward calls out to remind Thomas that he has not refilled his sandbox, but Thomas is in such a rush to get back to the docks, that he does not hear Edward.

Back at the docks, Thomas starts searching, but every time he gets close to discovering the crate, Cranky moves more crates to hide it. Eventually, it is Salty who spots the special crate, much to Cranky's annoyance. The crate is loaded into Thomas' truck and the little tank engine heads back towards Tidmouth.

As he approaches the Town Hall, Thomas realises his sandbox is empty. Thomas tries to stop on the icy tracks, but he cannot. Edward pours sand from his own sandbox on the line in front of Thomas who is now able to brake successfully. However, Thomas brakes too sharply and the special Christmas crate flies through the air and lands in the town square with a terrible crash. Thomas, abashed, is sure he has broken the contents of the crate, but the Fat Controller inspects it and everything is fine. Inside the crate is everything needed to set up an ice rink in the Town Square.

By evening, the ice rink is in full use and everyone is having a fantastic time, except perhaps the Fat Controller, who has some trouble getting the hang of ice skating. The Mayor praises Thomas and when the Fat Controller slips over, the cheeky little tank engine suggests that the controller needs his own sandbox.

Later that night, Thomas goes to Brendam Docks to share his story with Salty, Porter and Cranky. Thomas explains that he was sure the contents of the crate were broken, but it was just the rattling of the ice skates inside. Everyone laughs until Cranky, without thinking, reveals that he thought the same thing when he dropped the crate earlier. Thomas is surprised, but is even more surprised when Cranky tells him that was why he was hiding it. Cranky apologises and requests that they all forget it since it is Christmas. Salty agrees and gets everyone singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" with the added line, "and a Cranky New Year!"

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Porter
 * Salty
 * Cranky
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Mayor of Sodor
 * Percy
 * Duck
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * The Dock Manager
 * The Bird Watcher
 * The Ginger-haired Boy
 * The Blond-haired Boy
 * Albert's Wife
 * Big Mickey

Locations

 * Tidmouth Tunnel
 * Town Square
 * Brendam Docks
 * Sodor Shipping Company

UK

 * John Hasler as Thomas
 * Keith Wickham as Edward, Salty and the Fat Controller
 * Steven Kynman as Porter
 * Matt Wilkinson as Cranky
 * David Bedella as the Mayor of Sodor

US

 * Joseph May as Thomas
 * William Hope as Edward
 * David Menkin as Porter
 * Keith Wickham as Salty and Sir Topham Hatt
 * Glenn Wrage as Cranky
 * David Bedella as the Mayor of Sodor

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the second episode of the nineteenth series.
 * This episode marks the Mayor of Sodor's first appearance since the sixteenth series episode Welcome Stafford. David Bedella takes over the role of the Mayor of Sodor in the UK from Keith Wickham.
 * Thomas, Porter, Salty and Cranky sing We Wish You a Merry Christmas at the end of the episode. This also marks the first time since the first series episode, Thomas' Christmas Party, where the said song was actually sung in the episode instead of being heard instrumentally.
 * Instrumental pieces from The Adventure Begins can be heard throughout this episode. When the Mayor of Sodor calls Thomas a "really useful engine," an instrumental snippet of Really Useful Engine can be heard.
 * When Thomas backs up a little bit at the Town Square, the brake sound effect was reused from the classic series.
 * In the Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Baltic Russian and Vietnamese dubs, UK dub can be heard in the background as a dubbing track was not used.

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Thomas' Christmas Carol
 * The Complete Series 19

US

 * Thomas' Christmas Carol
 * Season 19

AUS

 * Thomas' Christmas Carol

FRA

 * Series 19 (Digital Download)

CHN
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 * Millie and the Volcano

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