NOTE: As any Thomas and Friends fan knows, this episode is notorious for it's shortened length time and not so great dubbing for American audiences when this episode was changed to appeal to the holiday of Thanksgiving during an episode of Shining Time Station. However, thanks to the brilliant editing work of Callum Walker (Live Steam), the US audience is able to enjoy this episode the way it was meant to be for Christmas. Enjoy!
If someday you should see Thomas puffing happily along his line, he may be on his way to a small town in the mountains called Ulfstead to greet the visitors. One December morning, Thomas announces that Christmas is near and promises to bring villagers plenty of letters and parcels. However, an early snowstorm arrives a week later and all across the Island, thick snow laid everywhere, causing problems for both people and engines. The morning after the snow storm, Thomas and Percy are assigned to take the mail all over the island, with Thomas being in charge of delivering the Christmas mail to Ulfstead. Because there is so much mail to be delivered, Thomas remarks that he'll need an extra mail van but Percy is unhappy that he cannot help, but his chance comes when Thomas is called back to the big station by Sir Topham Hatt and is forced to give his load to Percy. Thomas is very upset with the change, but Percy is delighted and promises to give Thomas' best Christmas wishes to the villagers for him.
As Percy makes his way to the village, his driver spots something up ahead and there, standing on the line, is a fogman who was holding a red light to stop all incoming trains. He explains that the village is completely snowed under and they are in desperate need of any workmen, snowplows and a helicopter. Percy leaves his mail vans in a siding and races to Harold's airfield where he finds the helicopter dozing. Percy wakes him and tells him about the emergency at Ulfstead, which prompts Harold to fly off immediately. As Percy ponders what to fetch for next, he suddenly hears a whistle. Coming from the opposite direction is Thomas with Terence the Tractor and a works train. The two tank engines work together to clear the snow and before long, they reach the village. Harold, who is already there, is busily dropping food for the villagers and Terence sets to work as well, clearing away all the heavy drifts of snow.
After a while, the snow has been cleared away and the villagers cheer for their saviors. Thomas then apologizes to Percy for being selfish with the mail and reminds him that Christmas is almost upon them. Percy is happy about this because when Christmas comes around, that means Santa Claus will be visiting them too. Thomas then remembers that Percy had left his mail train in a siding. Percy hurries back to the siding to fetch the mail vans and a few moments later, Toby arrives with Henrietta, bringing lots of hot drinks and food for the villagers.
That night, Thomas and Percy head back to the sheds but Toby stays behind to keep the villagers company. However, the real reason Toby stays is because he is helping the villagers, who have made a plan to thank the engines for their hard work. Henrietta is loaded up with paint pots and parcels and Toby heads out into the moonlit countryside. While all the engines are fast asleep in the sheds, Toby comes silently into the yard. While he doesn't truly know what the villagers are planning to do, Toby knows the engines are in for a big surprise. When the engines wake up the next morning, they cannot believe their eyes as they find their sheds have been repainted and decorated, with presents laid out everywhere. All the engines whistle in delight and agree that it was a really happy Christmas.
24 дек 2022
