TTTE S9E26: Flour Power

Ho boy. I'm going to be reviewing an episode from Season 9. One where Thomas the Tank Engine works with Diesel.

Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the image

234. Flour Power.

Written by: Abi Grant.

Aired: UK: 25 November 2005. US: 27 November 2005. AUS: 2 March 2007.

On Halloween night, Thomas is alone at the sheds when Sir Topham Hatt assigns him to collect the flour from the mill and take it to the bakery. He also tells Thomas that he must work with Diesel which makes Thomas upset.


Thomas arrives at the docks where he is suppose to meet Diesel, but he is not there. He does not know that Diesel is sneaking behind him and gives Thomas a fright by biffing some oil tankers out of way. Diesel teases Thomas for being a scaredy engine and they set off for the flour mill. When they pass the woods, Diesel says it is the haunted forest and calls out to Thomas in a spooky voice. Thomas crossly tells Diesel to stop it. When they arrive at the abandoned mines, they hear a banging noise and Diesel teases Thomas that it is a ghost engine looking for a steam engine to scare. Thomas says he is not scared, but secretly he is. When Thomas and Diesel stop at a signal, Thomas hears a strange cry and feels something touch his coal bunker which was a tree, but he does not know. Diesel cries out to Thomas that it is the ghost engine after his funnel. Thomas is so scared he peeps frightfully and Diesel calls Thomas a scaredy engine twice. Thomas is so cross with Diesel that he wants to find a way to pay him back.


When they arrive at the flour mill and Diesel goes ahead of Thomas, Thomas has an idea to show Diesel who is the scaredy engine by biffing the trucks out of the way and gets covered in white flour looking like a ghost engine. Diesel is so frightened he runs out of the flour mill before he can hear that it is only Thomas. Thomas buffers up to the flour trucks and sets off for the flour mill. While heading for the bakery, Thomas realises the thing Diesel said that was used to scare him is just a tree that touched him, the strange cry was an owl, the banging at the abandoned mine was just a door and that the forest he passed earlier was Henry's Forest.


Diesel is with Sir Topham Hatt at the bakery when Thomas arrives and Diesel gets scared again and tells Sir Topham Hatt that the ghost engine has come to get him, but Sir Topham Hatt says it is only Thomas. Sir Topham Hatt praises Thomas for his hard work and rewards him a special washdown. Thomas is looking forward to telling his friends everything that has happened.


This episode is pretty much a rehash of Halloween, but at least it didn't try to copy it. Diesel consistently scaring Thomas the Tank Engine like that was pretty scary. But luckily, Thomas the Tank Engine gave Diesel a taste of his own medicine, by covering himself in flour and turning into a ghost.

Though surely, Thomas the Tank Engine could've figured out about the banging door and the owl, and Henry's Forest while going to the Flour Mill with Devious Diesel.

And one bit of dialogue I have to question. The branches "touched Thomas' tender". Tender?! Thomas doesn't have a tender! He has a bunker. What part of "Thomas the Tank Engine" do you not understand?

Oh well, I'll just give my score to this episode.

My rating: 4.5/10.

Season 9 scorecard:

26. Flour Power: 4.5/10.

Season 9 rating so far: 4.5/10.

TTTE S8E21: Halloween

Here comes a spooky episode. One with the appropriate title.

Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the image

203. Halloween.

Written by: Dave Ingham.

Aired: UK: 10 October 2004. US: 14 November 2004. AUS: 7 December 2006.

It is Halloween and the engines excitingly hurry to finish their work. That evening at Tidmouth Sheds, Sir Topham Hatt tells Thomas and Emily to pick up a delivery of iron from the smelters. Percy, worried for them, warns them to watch out for ghosts. Though they both tell him ghosts do not exist before setting off.

On their way there, Thomas and Emily discuss what is scarier: ghosts or the smelter's yard. By the time they get there, night has fallen and both are spooked. Unbeknownst to them, 'Arry and Bert are hiding behind the Breakdown Train and plan to scare them knowing they are afraid. Moaning and bumping a flatbed, they successfully scare Thomas and Emily, who race to the main shed. Both start to wonder if there are ghosts as they enter where the chains, falling sparks, and several noises make it more scary. As Emily turns around on a turntable, the sparks cause a white tarpaulin to fall onto her, though she is convinced a ghost has got her. Emily races away while Thomas, who is in front of her on the same track races away too. 'Arry and Bert get frightened and run away with Thomas and Emily following them, also thinking she is a ghost.

All four engines race through Henry's Tunnel and head back to Tidmouth Sheds. As they arrive, Percy tells them to stop before they crash while Thomas informs him of what is happening while the tarpaulin flies off Emily after she steams under a signal gantry. After Sir Topham Hatt comes to see what the noise is about, Bert admits the trouble he and 'Arry caused and they are sent back to the Smelters to do Thomas and Emily's work as punishment.


Nowadays, whenever Thomas or Emily return to the Smelters, they know there is nothing to be scared of and that ghosts do not exist, or so they think...


And so, we come to an episode centred around Emily and Thomas working together. And it is even spookier when Arry and Bert keep spooking the 2 engines.

Emily becoming a ghost when covered in tarpaulin was pretty scary and funny at the same time, even scaring Thomas the Tank Engine, Arry, and Bart.

Fortunately, this episode doesn't focus on the children going trick or treating. It's just a simple story, and it gave Arry and Bert a hilarious comeuppance, and getting them into trouble in the end. And that ghost at the end was pretty funny. One of the better of Season 8.

My rating: 10/10.

Season 8 scorecard:

15. Squeak, Rattle and Roll: 8/10.

21. Halloween: 10/10.

22. You Can Do It, Toby!: 5.5/10.

24. Chickens to School: 6.5/10.

Season 8 rating so far: 7/10.

TTTE S6E13: Percy and the Haunted Mine

Another scary review coming your way. One focused on some Gnawty gnomes.

Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the image

143. Percy and the Haunted Mine.
Written by: Robyn Charteris.
Story by: David Mitton.
Aired: UK: 2 October 2002. AUS: 6 November 2002. CAN: 29 January 2003.

The stations are preparing for a Best Dressed Station competition and Percy has to collect some trucks from Maithwaite. On the way, he has to stop by an old mine. He is spooked when he sees a mine chimney sinking into the ground and when he tells Donald and Douglas, they claim it is the naughty gnomes which makes him feel even more scared.

Later, when Percy is to collect garden gnomes for a station, he sees the warehouse sink and is convinced it is the naughty gnomes. He bumps some trucks and garden gnomes fall out. Percy is terrified and runs back to Lower Tidmouth station, where the Fat Controller explains that in fact the gnomes were garden gnomes and that the buildings were just sinking into old mine shafts. Percy then returns to the mine to pick up the gnomes, learning that they were not scary like he thought they were. The next day, Lower Tidmouth wins the Best Dressed Station competition, due to the fact that they had the garden gnomes.

This is another episode that showed Percy the Small Engine's scaredy side, especially when Donald and Douglas told him about the Gnaughty Gnomes that steal their wheels.

To be honest, I think Bill and Ben would've suited this role when it comes to telling tall tales about gnaughty gnomes.

I will admit, I did find it funny when things at the mine started to sink, and when Percy the Small Engine crashed into the van and gnaughty gnomes started falling out. Don't know why, but I found that a bit funny when I was a kid, but the sinking buildings I found scary as a kid, but as an adult, I find it both scary and funny.

My rating: 7/10.

Season 6 scorecard:

1. No Sleep for Cranky: 9/10.

2. Salty's Secret: 9.5/10.

3. Harvey to the Rescue: 9/10.

9. It's Only Snow: 9/10.

10. Twin Trouble: 10/10.

12. Scaredy Engines: 5/10.

13. Percy and the Haunted Mine: 7/10.

14. Middle Engine: 3/10.

17. Gordon Takes a Tumble: 9.5/10.

22. Thomas the Jet Engine: 10/10.

23. Edward the Very Useful Engine: 8.5/10.

25. Rusty Saves the Day: 3.5/10.

Season 6 rating so far: 8.7/10. 

TTTE S6E12: Scaredy Engines

Time for some real Halloween reviews. Ones that are really scary.

Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the image

142. Scaredy Engines.
Written by: Robin Kingsland.
Story by: David Mitton.
Aired: UK: 1 October 2002. AUS: 5 November 2002. CAN: 28 January 2003.

One Halloween, after Edward tells the other engines a story of a ghost engine that returns to the Smelters in search of his lost whistle, Thomas, Percy, and Duck are sent to collect a special from the smelters. Thomas delights in teasing Percy about Edward's ghost engine and, when an engine is needed to get another load, Duck volunteers Thomas to give him a taste of his own medicine. Thomas is not so confident when he is all alone, and ends up reversing into smelting shed. When he runs into some chains and sets off an old whistle, he is petrified and runs away.

Percy is concerned when he cannot find Thomas at the Halloween fireworks display and goes looking for him. He eventually finds Thomas at Tidmouth Sheds and forgives him for his teasing, and they both agree everyone can be scared some of the time. The two, happy to be friends again, watch the fireworks together.

If the moral of Thomas, Percy and the Dragon was that sometimes, we get scared, this episode shot that moral in the foot. It just showed Thomas the Tank Engine being cheeky to Percy the Small Engine, by taking Edward's scary story seriously.

And speaking of the ghost engine, I find it a bit lazy, since it's either Donald's or Douglas' model.

But then again, this episode shows that America's not the only country that celebrates Halloween.

It was funny when Thomas the Tank Engine felt chains like fingers, I will give it that.

My rating: 5/10.

Season 6 scorecard:

1. No Sleep for Cranky: 9/10.

2. Salty's Secret: 9.5/10.

3. Harvey to the Rescue: 9/10.

9. It's Only Snow: 9/10.

10. Twin Trouble: 10/10.

12. Scaredy Engines: 5/10.

14. Middle Engine: 3/10.

17. Gordon Takes a Tumble: 9.5/10.

22. Thomas the Jet Engine: 10/10.

23. Edward the Very Useful Engine: 8.5/10.

25. Rusty Saves the Day: 3.5/10.

Season 6 rating so far: 8.8/10. 

TUGS E09: Ghosts

I'm finally doing another review on TUGS. Boy, it's been such a long time since my last TUGS review. This one is perfect for Halloween.

Special thanks to TUGS Wikia for the image

9. Ghosts.
Written by: David Mitton.
Aured: UK: 30 May1989. AUS: 20 June 1991.

Winter arrives early in Bigg City Port, and so does the big fog that comes with it. It was much more difficult to navigate through fog in these years, due to the tugs having neither a radio nor radar.

One night, Big Mac is travelling back home to the Star Dock, after working with Scuttlebutt Pete, who has been telling him ghost stories. The fog makes everything seem very spooky. Just then, Big Mac sees some tugs – silent, white tugs that appear to be ghosts. Big Mac thinks it’s the ghost tugs Scuttlebutt Pete told him about while working. Big Mac rushes home, and while reluctant at first, tells the others. The tugs make great fun of Big Mac.

The next morning, the tugs still make fun of Big Mac. He wishes he hadn’t told them now.

That night, on Warrior’s way back to port, some shrimpers are using him a guide. Suddenly, Warrior sees a mud-bank, and swerves just in time. But the shrimpers can’t react in time and end right upon the mud-bank. Then, Warrior sees the Ghost Fleet too.

Further away, Izzy Gomez is about to attempt to get into port free, using the fog as cover. Zorran comes across Izzy and taunts him about it. He then leaves Izzy. Up ahead, Zorran sees two lights in the mist that he thinks is another tramper needing a tow – but it turns out to be the Ghost Fleet. Meanwhile, Izzy Gomez has started away on his own. Before long, he too sees the ghosts. A frightened Zorran has traveled right round in a circle, and ends running straight into Izzy’s side. A desperate Izzy, wanting to get into port away from the ghosts, offers Zorran to tow him for any price. Zorran though, also scared, says he will tow him in free as he needs some company on the way back to the port.

O.J. is also on the way back to port, after escorting two trampers out to sea. He takes a shortcut through the inlet where old cranes are kept. The fog makes everything look very creepy. Suddenly, Scuttlebutt Pete raises his dredger out of the water, startled by O.J., while O.J. is startled by Scuttlebutt Pete. O.J. soon continues on – and sees the Ghost Fleet pass right on by.

Top Hat is now travelling home after a long day. He is suddenly startled – but merely by a steam train crossing the rail bridge. The fog and all, it would seem, is getting to Top Hat’s nerves as well. Upon steering between two idle trampers, Top Hat sees the Ghost Fleet, and docks behind a tramper to hide, thinking he is miles from home.

Ten Cents and Sunshine are taking fuel to Lillie Lightship, but it’s hard-going. Just then, they hear a strange cracking noise. To add to that, the Ghost Fleet arrives. And further still, an old galleon slowly rises from the water. Lightning strikes it allover, several times, and a freakish face appears in the sky, of which Sunshine observes looks like King Neptune. The two tugs clear the scene in terror.

Next morning, Grampus finds Top Hat. As Grampus spits out some water, it happens to go onto Top Hat’s face, waking him up with a start. Top Hat shouts for the ghosts to go away, and then sees Grampus, telling him he must have been dreaming. Grampus makes great fun of Top Hat for mooring there, as he is only “500 yards from the Star Tugs Pier.”

Top Hat heads over to the pier, and tells the others all about what he saw. O.J. mentions how Ten Cents and Sunshine encountered the rotten galleon as well as the ghosts. Top Hat continues to go on and on about his own incident. Hercules, just arriving back, hears the commotion, and calmly asks what the problem is. The tugs tell Hercules all about the Ghost Fleet. Hercules, smiling widely, explains. “They’re the White Fleet, down here from Northern waters, on the trail of an iceberg. These tugs sail at times with engines off, listening for cracking ice. There was a wooden galleon frozen in this iceberg, which must have melted in our warmer water. That’s why you saw the old vessel bob up to the surface.” However, Hercules shrugs off Sunshine’s belief that he might have seen Neptune’s face.

And just then, Burke and Blair tow the old galleon by. The Star Tugs can only laugh at their mistakes. But they never forgot the fog that nearly sent them crazy.

I've got to say, this episode was very scary and hilarious. Thinking that the White Fleet were ghosts, considering they were white. 'eck, even Top Hat the Railway Tug was scared of them. To the point of Grampus spitting water on him the next morning!

Also, Zorran being scared was quite hilarious too, even if he's the Diesel of TUGS.  Izzy Gomez trying to get into port for free and getting scared was funny.

And that mist form of King Neptune was epic! And 10 Cents' expression was hilarious.

Luckily, it was Hercules who told the truth about the "Ghost Fleet". Proves he is the Edward of TUGS.

My rating: 10/10.

TUGS scorecard:

1. Sunshine: 10/10.

2. Pirates: 9/10.

9. Ghosts: 10/10.

Series so far: 9.7/10.

TTTE S5E24: Duncan Gets Spooked

Another scary episode of Thomas. One that frightened me! Even as a kid, I was frightened.

Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the image

128. Duncan Gets Spooked.
Written by: Britt Allcroft, David Mitton and David Maidment.
Aired: UK: 15 October 1998. AUS: 24 December 1998. CAN: 11 February 1999.

After Rusty helps Peter Sam to the water tower with his train, Peter Sam's trucks break away and fall off a bridge into a ravine. The Fat Controller punishes Peter Sam by making him work in the yards until he can trust him again. Duncan chortles that Peter Sam's trucks will return to haunt him, so Rusty tells him of an engine who long ago, tried to cross the same bridge over the ravine and fell into the swamp below. And ever since that night, his spirit has haunted the bridge. Duncan is dismissive, but Peter Sam's driver gets an idea. He and Duncan's crew plan to teach Duncan a lesson and take him to the bridge. That night when Duncan was just about finished with his work, he is halfway across the bridge and then stops. He begins to see flickering lights that looked like an engine in front of him, (though it is actually just an engine formed by fireflies) then Duncan's crew secretly throws a large rock from the cab and into the ravine below. Duncan, thinking it is the ghost of the engine, gets scared and quickly runs back to the safety of his shed.

This episode was very scary. Considering the title, it's no surprise it's scary. Especially considering the talk of ghosts, especially with Peter Sam's trucks falling into the ravine.

And many have already noticed the ghost engine was simply Skarloey's model.

I do think the US dub did better with one thing. In the UK dub, when the trucks broke away from Peter Sam, a boing was heard. But in the US dub, it was a snapping sound.

But still, this episode is scary, and suitable for Halloween.

My rating: 9/10.

Season 5 scorecard:

3. A Better View for Gordon: 10/10.

4. Lady Hatt's Birthday Party: 10/10.

5. James and the Trouble with Trees: 8.5/10.

6. Gordon and the Gremlin: 9/10.

7. Bye George!: 9/10.

10. Toby and the Flood: 5.5/10.

11. Haunted Henry: 10/10.

12. Double Teething Troubles: 9.5/10.

17. Thomas and the Rumours: 9/10.

19. Happy Ever After: 8/10.

22. Make Someone Happy: 9.5/10.

24. Duncan Gets Spooked: 9/10.

25. Snow: 3.5/10.

26. Rusty and the Boulder: 7.5/10.

Season 5 so far: 8.9/10.

TTTE S5E11: Haunted Henry

It's time for me to do some Halloween reviews. Starting off with the first episode to have Henry scared.

Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the image

115. Haunted Henry.
Written by: Britt Allcroft, David Mitton and David Maidment.
Aired: UK: 28 September 1998. AUS: 7 December 1998. CAN: 28 January 1999.

One evening, Henry is working late with Edward and an owl hoots. Edward warns Henry that when the owl hoots, a mist will roll in soon, along with a ghost. Henry scoffs at the story and sets off with his goods train, but later to his surprise, a mist does roll in. He has to slow at an amber signal and after seeing a closed crossing gate, a red signal, a coat discarded on a tree branch and a light flickering at a station, Henry's crew decide to turn back. The next day, they discover that a nearby viaduct was unsafe and would have collapsed if they had tried to cross. Later, Henry's driver informs him that the viaduct has been repaired and they can try to cross again that night.

While preparing to leave with his train, Henry gets spooked after hearing an owl hoot and Gordon speed by. The trucks tease him, but later down the old line, they see the crossing gates close and a signal turn red by themselves and they become spooked too. Regardless, they charge forward through the gates and an anonymous figure monitors Henry. Worse still, ahead is a landslide on the line. The trucks run over the rubble and plunge into a ravine. Soon, Old Bailey the fogman arrives on a handcart and reprimands Henry and his crew for not heeding his warnings. Henry's driver apologises and to make up for it, Sir Topham Hatt reopens the station and Old Bailey is made the stationmaster.

A lot of diehard Henry fans love this episode, and I can see why. It's perfectly fitting for Halloween, especially considering the atmosphere. And the trucks laughing at Henry the Green Engine being spooked is hilarious.

And by the way, for those of you who like to scapegoat HiT for making Henry scared, it was this episode that was the first sign of Henry being scared. Though this was for the right reason.

And the way Old Bailey the Fogman was introduced was pretty interesting too. And the mist was the right setup for the scary stuff.

Plus, another funny moment was Henry saying the owl had a low I.Q.

My rating: 10/10.

Season 5 scorecard:

3. A Better View for Gordon: 10/10.

4. Lady Hatt's Birthday Party: 10/10.

5. James and the Trouble with Trees: 8.5/10.

6. Gordon and the Gremlin: 9/10.

7. Bye George!: 9/10.

10. Toby and the Flood: 5.5/10.

11. Haunted Henry: 10/10.

12. Double Teething Troubles: 9.5/10.

17. Thomas and the Rumours: 9/10.

19. Happy Ever After: 8/10.

22. Make Someone Happy: 9.5/10.

25. Snow: 3.5/10.

26. Rusty and the Boulder: 7.5/10.

Season 5 so far: 8.9/10.