(theme music)
(train whistle)
- [Alec] It is
summer holiday time
on the island of Sodor.
Vacationers come
from far and wide
to enjoy the beauty
of the island.
It is the busiest
time of the year
for Sir Top'em Hat's engines.
Thomas was excited. Sir
Top'em Hat had sent him
to pick up a special to deliver
to Dryall Airfield.
"What have you got
there?" tooted Percy.
"A balloon," replied Thomas.
"A party balloon?"
asked Percy excitedly.
"No," said Thomas. "This
is a very special balloon."
(train whistle)
And he chuffed away.
(birds chirping)
Soon Thomas arrived
at the airfield.
And hot air was puffed
into the balloon.
"What is that?" huffed James.
"A hot air balloon,"
said Thomas.
"It will take
vacationers on rides
around the island."
"Taking vacationers on rides
around the island is our
job," weished James jealously.
Then as if by magic,
the hot air balloon
rose silently up into the sky.
"What if the hot air balloon
takes our passengers
away?" chuffed James.
"What will happen to us then?"
(music rises)
This made Thomas
worried. Suddenly,
he wasn't so excite
about the balloon.
The balloon could
be seen by everyone
on the island of Sodor.
Duck gazed at it for so long,
he ran into the back of Stepney.
(bumping sound))
"Why it's a floating
basket with folks in it,"
said Donald.
"What ever will they dream
up next," said Douglas.
(upbeat organ music)
James and Thomas were waiting
at the level crossing.
They were still worried
about the hot air balloon.
"If it takes our passengers
away," chuffed Thomas,
"There'll be no use
for us engines."
"Passengers should travel
on trains," huffed James.
"Not in silly balloons."
Then something big,
and round, and red
drifted straight towards them.
"We're out of hot
air!" shouted a voice.
(organ crescendo)
"AAHHHHHH!" cried James.
"What's happening!?"
Crash! Bang! Wallop
went the balloon
and landed right
on top of James.
He was so scared, he let out
a huge burst of steam,
(steam hissing)
which blew the ballon up again.
The balloon rose into
the air once more.
"Well done, James,"
called his driver.
"Your hot air did the trick."
"Oh no, James!" cried Thomas.
"You saved the hot air balloon."
"I didn't mean
to," groaned James.
"Now it's sure to
take our passengers."
(upbeat music)
Wherever James went, he
could see the balloon
carrying vacationers
across the island.
He felt he should be
taking those passengers.
"Rails are better
than hot air any day."
James arrived back
at the station.
There were lots of
people on the platform.
Sir Top'em Hat was waiting, too.
"Well done, James."
"But now the
passengers will ride
in the hot air balloon."
Sir Top'em Hat laughed.
"You're right, James," he said.
"But they will need a
ride home in a train."
James was delighted.
(train whistles)
Sir Top'em Hat was
right. The engines were
busier than ever
taking vacationers to
and from the airfield.
Whenever James sees
the red balloon,
he whistles in twos.
(train whistles)
Sometimes when he's
asleep at night,
James dreams he can fly, too.
Just like the red balloon.
(music rises)
06x15 - James and the Red Balloon
Watch/Buy Amazon Merchandise
British series Based on The Railway Series books that follows the adventures of Thomas, an anthropomorphised blue steam locomotive on the fictional North Western Railway on the Island of Sodor, and several other friends Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, and Toby.
British series Based on The Railway Series books that follows the adventures of Thomas, an anthropomorphised blue steam locomotive on the fictional North Western Railway on the Island of Sodor, and several other friends Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, and Toby.