24x14 - Nia's Bright Idea

[bunniefuu]

[whistle toots][children]

♪ James, Percy ♪♪ Nia and Gordon ♪♪ Rebecca and Emily ♪♪ And Thomas, number ♪[man]

♪ Let's go, go, go ♪♪ On a big-world adventure ♪♪ Let's go, go, go explore ♪♪ With Thomasand his friends ♪♪ Let's go, go, go ♪♪ And meetnew friendly faces ♪♪ The world'sjust a train ride away ♪[all]

♪ Big world,big, big adventures ♪♪ "Thomas & FriendsBig World! Big Adventures!" ♪[laughter][peppy rock music]

[engine chugging]

♪ ♪

- Whoo-hoo!

[engine chugging

in slow-motion]

♪ ♪

Don't you love Christmas?

The sounds, the lights,

the trees.

On Sodor, the earl has

a huge party at his castle.

But this Christmas,

things turned a little stormy.

[whistle toots]

All aboard for a big adventure!

♪ ♪[upbeat music][Thomas]

Nia's Bright Idea.

- [whistle toots]

- [laughter]

[Thomas]

It was the day beforethe earl's Christmas party,and I had deliveredSir Topham Hattto the mainland so thathe could make a deliveryof his own.

- Look at that, Thomas.

The North Western Railway's

end of year report.

It's the best year we've had.

- Ho-ho!

That's good, sir.

Let's hope this year's

Christmas party is

the best one ever too!

- [chuckling]

Oh, it will be.

I've got a special surprise

for you all.

- Wow.

How exciting!

Are you sure you don't want me

to pick you up tomorrow, sir?

- Oh!

That's quite all right, Thomas.

I shall be hitching a lift

with the duke and duchess

onboard Spencer.

- Oh.

Okay, sir.

[whistle toots]

I'll see you at the party!

- You will indeed!

[bright music]- Back in Tidmouth,everyone was talkingabout the party.

- I heard there's going to be

the biggest Christmas tree

ever!

- I can't wait to see

all the lights.

- Oh, yeah.

Sir Topham Hatt said he had

a big surprise!

I can't wait to see what it is.

[yawns]

Mm.

[wrench clacking]

The next morning...

[gasps]

we woke upto another surprise.

- [Rebecca gasps] Snow!

[laughs]

How brilliant!

- Wow.

- Oh, I love the snow!

This will make the earl's party

feel even more Christmas-y!

- But snow causes confusion

and delay,

and we don't want that

on party day.

- [Mr. Percival]

Quite right, Percy,

but don't worry.

I've come to send you all

to start clearing the tracks

to make sure everyone can

get to the party in good time.

Nia, I need you to go

to Arlesburgh

to collect the earl's shipment

of Christmas lights.

- On my way, sir.

[whistle toots]

[upbeat music]♪ ♪

[whistle toots]

- Morning, Nia.

- Morning, Skiff.

- Are those lights

for the earl's party?

- Yes, they are!

Will you be coming?

- No.

I have to stay here

and help Joe

with the lighthouse

in case

this weather gets worse.

- Oh, really?

What does the lighthouse do?

- It helps the ships get

to the harbor safely at night

or in a storm.

The light shines brightlyand the ships use itas a beaconto see where they're going.- Wow.

That's a great idea.

-[conductor]

Okay!

Ready to roll!

- Right.

I better be off.

See you, Skiff.

- [whistle toots]

- [cheerful music]

-[Thomas]

The preparationsfor the partywere well underway.James was helping outat the castlewhile Gordon was picking upthe guests.Me, on the other hand,I had plowing to do...lots of plowing.

[whistles toot]

Peep-peep.But then Mr. Percival gota message from the mainland.

- Oh, Thomas.

The bridge

at Vicarstown is blocked,

so Spencer's not going to be

making it back across.

- Oh, no!

That means Sir Topham Hatt

and the duke and duchess

are stuck!

What are we going to do?

- There's only one way

we can get them back, Thomas:

by air.

We're sending Harold.

- [Harold]

Copy that!

I'll have them back to Sodor

in a jiffy.

Over.

[whimsical music]

[Sir Robert] Just what we need

to turn Ulfstead

into a Christmas castle.

Now I've got one more

special job for you, Nia.

A surprise delivery needs

picking up

from the animal park.

- Oh, exciting!

Sounds like Sir Topham Hatt

isn't the only one

bringing a surprise

to the party.

- Yes!

Although I do hope

Harold gets him back quickly.

Oh, look!

The guests are starting

to arrive.

- Don't worry.

I'm sure Harold will be

just fine.

[wind whooshes]

[tense music]

[rotors chopping]

- Whoa!

Hold on tight!

It's gonna be a bumpy ride.

- Whoa!

Whoa!

Do you know

where you're heading, Harold?

- Uh, yes, sir.

Uh, we should see the castle

any, uh, minute n--now.

[yelps]

- Oh.

[bright music]

- [Thomas]

Nia was on her way backfrom the animal parkwhen she saw...

- [Harold] Whoa! Whoa!

- Harold?

What's he doing all the way

over here?

Oh, no.

It looks like he's in trouble.

I better get help.

- [Harold]

Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!

[wind whooshes]

[whistle toots]

- Harold still hasn't arrived,

Nia!

- He's been blown off course,

and he can't see

where he's going in this storm.

- There must be something

we can do

to help guide him back.

- If only we had a lighthouse

like the one at Arlesburgh.

Harold could follow the light

and find his way back.

- But the castle doesn't have

a lighthouse!

- No,

but it does have a big wheel

that's as tall as a lighthouse

and a whole lot

of Christmas lights.

- Brilliant, Nia!

Let's light the big wheel up

and guide Harold home!

- Ah!

- [Sir Topham Hatt]

Uh, how are we doing, Harold?

We're terribly late

for the Christmas party.

- I'm doing my best, sir,

but I--I still can't see

a thing!

- I hope this works.

Here goes!

[electricity zaps]

- Whoa!

[upbeat music]

The big wheel!

That must be Ulfstead Castle!

♪ ♪

- [Thomas]

There he is!

[engines] Hooray!

[all cheering]

- Ho, ho, ho!

- [gasps]

- Santa Claus has

finally arrived.

And now I know why I usually

travel by reindeer.

- Ho ho ho!

Speaking of reindeer,

I've got another surprise.

[children] Hooray!

- Whoever thought

of lighting up

the big wheel to guide me home

is a hero!

- It was Nia!

- Glad I could be useful.

- Ho, ho, ho!

Merry Christmas!

- [Thomas]

Merry Christmas, everyone!

[all] Hooray!

[all cheering, whooping]

♪ ♪[enchanting music]

[clock tolling]

♪ ♪

[whistle toots]

- Have you ever had

to think quickly

when something goes wrong?

[steam whooshes]

Once when Skiff got stuckon the railway tracksunder a fallen tree,he saw Duck and Oliver wereheading straight for him.That's when he rememberedhis sailand was able to use itto warn them.When Harold was lostin the storm,Nia rememberedthat she'd learned lighthouseshelp guide boats to safetyin the harbor.This gave her the ideaof lighting up the big wheel.That helped guide Haroldsafely back to the castle.

[steam whooshes]

Listening and learning is

important.

You never know when you might

be able to use something

you've learned

in a different way.

- [Annie] Come on, Thomas!

- It's time to go.

- See ya next time.

[whistle toots]

[engine chugging]

[peppy rock music][funky music]

[engine chugging]

♪ ♪[children singing]

[whistle toots]

[whistle blows]

♪ ♪

[whistle tooting]

[steam whooshes]

[peppy rock music][man]

♪ Let's go, go, go ♪♪ On a big-world adventure ♪♪ The world'sjust a train ride away ♪[all]

♪ Big world,big, big adventures ♪♪ "Thomas & FriendsBig World! Big Adventures!" ♪[laughter][whistle toots]