U.S. Title: James in a Mess
Air date: December 25th (Christmas Day), 1984
Adapted from: Toby the Tram Engine, "Dirty Objects"
Toby and Henrietta are settling into their new lives on the Island of Sodor, but they still look very old-fashioned and could use new paint. Due to their bad paintwork, the two become a subject of scorn for James who calls them "dirty objects". When Toby asks why James is red, James says that it's because he's a splendid engine who's never dirty and ready for anything. Toby then reminds James of the bootlace incident, causing James to become angry.
Later, James leaves his coaches and picks up a line of trucks for a slow goods train. James' bad mood is made even worse due to his hate of slow goods trains. Although the trucks start off behaving well, James is so rough with them that they vow to pay him out. As he climbs Gordon's Hill, James is supposed to stop and have his brakes pinned down. James, who had an accident with trucks before, should have remembered this, but forgets as he is too busy thinking of what he will say to Toby next time they meet. Seizing their chance, the trucks push James down the hill. Unable to stop, James zips through the station and crashes into some tar wagons.
Although James isn't hurt, he's left looking very dirty from the tar. Percy and Toby come to help clean up the mess and Toby makes fun of James reminding him that, as a red engine, he's supposed to look splendid and ready for anything. Percy and Toby shunt James back to the sheds where the Fat Controller is waiting. He thanks Percy and Toby for their hard work and tells James that he needs to be cleaned.
The Fat Controller rewards Toby a new coat of paint and agrees when Toby requests one for Henrietta too. Toby happily runs off to tell his coach the good news while James remains silent, knowing full well that today he is the 'dirty object'.
Tropes featured in the episode:
- Actually Pretty Funny: The Fat Controller, who didn't seem to be angry about James' accident with the tar wagons, made a light-hearted quip about his accident at the end of the episode.
- Aesop Amnesia: James is too busy thinking of a retort to Toby, and because of that, when he reaches the top of Gordon's Hill with his train, he neglects to stop and have his brakes pinned down. By the time he realizes he needs to stop, he's descended far enough down that hill to allow the trucks to push him down the hill. The narrator remarks that after his previous incident with trucks, James should have known better.
- Berserk Button: James was cross when Toby reminded him of the bootlace incident.
- Break the Haughty: James. He gets pushed by his trucks down Gordon's Hill and runs into tar wagons, being covered in tar much to the amusement of Percy and Toby, miserably watching Toby going to tell Henrietta the news of both of them getting repainted after his rescue.
- Bully Hunter: At first the trucks behaved well for James, but he kept bumping them so crossly, that half-way through their journey they were determined to pay him out.
- Call-Back:
- Toby is aware of James' bootlace incident and brings it up to shut him up. This only serves to make James crosser still, which leads to him angering the trucks and having an accident.
- The narration notes that owing to previous bad experiences with trucks, James should have been more careful with the slow goods train.
- Covered in Gunge: James ends up covered in tar "from smokebox to cab."
- The Dandy: James shows how disgusted he is with dirty things.James: Dirty trucks/cars from dirty sidings! Eeech!
- Deadpan Snarker: Toby when he retorted with James' comment.Toby: "Oh, so that's why you needed bootlaces to be red-dy, I suppose."
- Disproportionate Retribution: The trucks pushed James down the hill very fast just because he shoved them and caused a derailment.
- Fatal Flaw: James' temper. Instead of paying heed to his driver's warning about pinning his brakes on Gordon's Hill, he's too busy thinking about how to insult Toby after he reminded him of the bootlace incident, and doesn't notice where he is until it's too late (in the book, anyway). He's also rough with the trucks, which leads to the accident with the tar tankers.
- The Freelance Shame Squad: Percy and Toby are teasing James who's covered up in sticky tar while clearing the mess.
- Fury-Fueled Foolishness: James gets so angered by Toby's burn against him that he bumps the trucks and ends up forgetting that they need to stop on Gordon's Hill giving the trucks a chance to get revenge.
- Ironic Echo:James: "I am a splendid engine. Ready for anything. You never see my paint dirty."
(After the tar wagons crash)
Toby: "It's James' shape, but James is a splendid red engine and you never see his paint dirty." - Jerkass: James to Toby at the start of the episode. Then, the troublesome trucks are this to James.
- Karma Houdini: The Fat Controller accused nobody of causing James's accident even though it was the trucks' fault.
- Laser-Guided Karma: James crashing to a line of tar wagons as a result of him being rude to Toby earlier. Granted, the disaster technically WASN'T his fault as the trucks pushed him down the hill, but anyway.
- Once Done, Never Forgotten: James' bootlace incident is referenced once again.
- Pay Evil unto Evil: The troublesome trucks are keen to pay James out for bumping them and push James down Gordon's hill. In addition, James was being arrogant and rude towards Toby.
- Runaway Train: In light of their revenge on being bumped by James, the trucks pushed him down Gordon's hill, causing him to crash on tar wagons at the station.
- Small Name, Big Ego: James.
- Sticky Situation: James is covered in sticky tar after crashing the wagons.
- Stock Footage: Footage where James is struggling up the hill in "Troublesome Trucks" is used.
- Too Dumb to Live: The narrator remarks that when the trucks pushed James into the tar wagons, both the tar wagons and some of the trucks were smashed to pieces on impact.
- Tempting Fate: James proudly told Toby he'd never see his paint dirty. Guess what happened later?
