THESE ARE SOLEY MY OWN OPINION AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
Originally Written by
Christopher Awdry
Adapted for Television by
Britt Allcroft, David Mitton & Robert Cardona
Air Date:
4/10/86
Plot:
Workmen were mending the viaduct on the main line as the arches need strengthening. The main line engines have to take care, but this made Thomas late for his own trains and Bertie the bus teased him about it. James told Thomas at Elsbridge that he was held up at the station and he was later then ever when it comes to the viaduct. But as Thomas was making up time, Bertie was broken down as his radiator was steaming. Bertie asked Thomas to take his passengers and Thomas accepted it. Thomas learns that being late can be quite useful.
PRO:
- This episode shows Thomas' passion to run his branch line to time.
- 'The Viaduct' theme was a great piece of music
CON:
- When James arrived at Elsbridge, he was seen with a goods train.
This is another personal favourite, there are many when it comes to Season 2, this episode shows the passion Thomas has about his branch line and how he cares about his passengers and thinking that the big engines were lazy, when really its the Viaduct's repairs. Mike O' Donnell and Junior Campbell's music was outstanding at the beginning and I do enjoy listen to it, its even quite catchy. But there is a con side, when James arrived at Elsbridge, in the book, 'More About Thomas the Tank Engine', James is seen taking passengers. In the episode, he is seen with a goods train, bit of a visual error.
But this episode does go down as a speculation of a 'Missing Coach Replacement'. The scene when Thomas was telling off Bertie about him being late because of the main line engines, which according to him, are lazy and compare it with the scene from 'Brake Van', in this distances behind Donald you can see the tan coaches, which are presumably Annie and Clarabel.
I do enjoy this episode and it is a personal favourite with the theme at the beginning of the episode and the story.
Rating: 5/5
