20x16 - All in Vain

[bunniefuu]

[bouncy music]

♪ ♪

children:

♪ They're two, they're four ♪

♪ They're six, they're eight ♪

♪ Shunting trucks

and hauling freight ♪

♪ Red and green

and brown and blue ♪

♪ They're the really

useful crew ♪

♪ All with different roles

to play ♪

♪ Round Tidmouth Sheds

or far away ♪

♪ Down the hills

and round the bends ♪

♪ Thomas and his friends ♪

[whistle toots]

[epic music]

male narrator: All In Vain.

♪ ♪

male narrator:

It was a beautiful fall morning

on the Island of Sodor,

and Sir Topham Hatt

had some very exciting news.

- Today is

a very important day.

- Is it your birthday, sir?

- [chuckles] Oh, even more

important than that, Thomas.

- Is it Christmas already?

- No, Percy, not just yet.

Tonight the Mayor of Sodor and I

are to attend a celebratory ball

at Callan Castle.

Ha ha.

all: Oh.

- [clears throat]

Well...

we'll need an engine

to take us there.

- Ooh, ooh, me, sir.

- Maybe I could take you, sir.

- Oh, please pick me.

- I would be honored

to take you both, sir.

- [laughs] Oh, no, now, now,

now, not all at once.

- If it's that important,

you should be carried

by a really splendid engine

like me, sir.

- [chuckles]

Typical James--

always trying to get

the best jobs.

- I know, and the Mayor lives

on my branch line,

near Suddery.

- Well, James was the first

to speak up,

so he gets the job.

- Oh, thank you, sir.

- Just so long as you get

the rest of your work

done in time, James.

- I won't let you down, sir.

[whistle toots]

narrator:

James was as good as his word.

He worked extra hard all day.

[whistle toots]

- Here's James!

- You're looking jolly, James.

- Yes, I have a special job

tonight, Cranky.

I'm taking the Mayor

and Sir Topham Hatt

to an important ball

at Callan Castle.

- Well, I wouldn't want

to keep you

from your special job, James.

- Oh, all my jobs are special,

Cranky, even this one.

[gasps]

- Oh, sorry about that--

leaky sugar sack.

- [spits]

Never mind, Cranky.

It's only sticky

if it gets wet.

Oh!

- Like that, you mean?

- Oh, no,

my beautiful paint work.

[Cranky chuckles]

- [chuckles awkwardly]

narrator: Even though

he was a bit sticky,

James kept smiling

as he went about his work.

[playful music]

But as the day went on,

his bright, shiny

red paint work

got dirtier and dirtier.

[whistles toot]

- Whoa.

Oops, sorry, James.

- [chuckles awkwardly]

narrator: And James

got more and more fed up.

[whistle toots]

- Here's Jame--

Oh!

Hey!

[loud click]

Eh...

Oh.

♪ ♪

Oh.

- Oops.

- [chuckles awkwardly,

stammers]

Oh.

♪ ♪

[whistle toots]

[whistle toots]

- Hello, James.

Looking forward

to your special job tonight?

- Yes, but I need to get to

the wash-down to clean up first,

and I'm still not finished

for the day.

- Well, would you like me to do

one or two of your jobs

so you can finish early?

- No, thanks, Edward.

I can manage.

I told Sir Topham Hatt

I can do all my work

and the special tonight,

and I will.

[whistle toots]

- Mm.

[whistle toots]

Suit yourself.

♪ ♪

narrator: James was exhausted

but excited,

having been cleaned up

at the wash-down.

- Hmm.

- What is it?

- Um, uh, nothing, James.

Just a...

just a little scratch

on your paint work.

- Oh, a scratch.

A scratch?

That isn't nothing!

I-I can't pick up the Mayor

looking like this.

[whistle toots]

[exciting music]

[whistle tooting]

- Victor, Victor,

I have a special job tonight,

and I need to be repainted

right now.

- But your paint

won't be dry.

- Don't worry.

I thought about that.

It's a very windy evening,

so that, plus my speed

should dry my paint

in no time.

Please, Victor, I don't want

to let Sir Topham Hatt down.

- [sighs]

Well, all right, my friend,

if you're sure.

- [sighs]

Thank you, Victor.

It's going to be

a wonderful evening.

[whistle toots]

narrator: James's paint

was still wet and sticky

as he left the steam works.

♪ ♪

As James had predicted,

it was very windy indeed,

but, unfortunately,

that didn't help at all.

♪ ♪

[whistles toot]

- Here's James!

Well, Edward,

what do you think?

What?

What's the matter?

- Oh, James, your paint work.

- I know.

It's splendid, isn't it?

- You've got dust

stuck all over it.

- Dust?

- And leaves.

- Leaves?

- And twigs.

- Twigs?

Oh, I should've ignored

that little scratch.

I can't pick up the Mayor

looking like this.

Edward, I don't suppose...

[clears throat]

Could you take the Mayor

to the ball for me?

Please?

- Oh, I'd be happy to, James.

[whistle toots]

- Oh, thank you.

[whistle toots]

- Here's Edward!

- Oh.

narrator:

Edward was very proud

to take the Mayor

and Sir Topham Hatt

to Callan Castle,

even though

they'd been expecting James.

The next morning

Sir Topham Hatt

came to find James.

- Oh, stop hiding

back there, James.

I want to see you.

[plodding music]

[trains giggling]

- I don't know about being

a really splendid engine, James,

but you're certainly

a really sticky one.

- Oh, well, I must say,

you do look ridiculous.

And if that wasn't bad enough,

you let me and the Mayor down

very badly last night.

- I'm sorry, sir.

- But Edward told me

all about what happened.

I hear you worked very hard

all day, James,

and completed every job

you'd been given.

If you hadn't have been

so worried about a tiny scratch,

you could've completed

your special job, too.

Now, go and get cleaned up.

- Yes, sir.

Sorry, sir.

[whistle toots]

[trains giggling]

narrator: James was sent

back to the steam works

to be repainted

all over again.

And while he was waiting

for his paint to dry,

he had a surprise visitor.

- Oh, hello,

Your Worshipfulness.

- [chuckles]

Hello, James.

Your friend Edward told me

how disappointed

you were last night

not to be able to take me

to the ball at Callan Castle.

- That's very kind of him,

Your Highness.

- You can call me

Mr. Mayor, James.

Will James's paint be dry

by this evening, Victor?

- Oh, yes, sir--

Mr. Mayor.

[bell dings]

- Then would you like

to take me

to a dinner

in Vicarstown tonight, James?

- I'd be honored, Mr. Mayor.

- We both would.

- Actually, I'll only be needing

James tonight, Sir Topham.

- Oh.

narrator: That night,

James felt very proud

to be taking the Mayor

to Vicarstown.

[whistles tooting]

- [gasps]

You do look splendid

tonight, James.

[whistle toots]

- Thank you, Edward.

I know.

[whistle tooting]

[bouncy music]

♪ ♪

[children singing]

[whistle toots]

[whistle blows]

♪ ♪

[whistle toots]