Air date: October 6th, 2003 (UK)
Thomas returns from the yards and is very excited to meet a new engine who has just arrived. The engine has a brass safety valve and emerald green paintwork. The Fat Controller introduces her as Emily and the two engines introduce each other. The Fat Controller arranges Emily to collect her coaches, as she and her driver must learn the line, much to Thomas' impression. The only coaches that Emily's driver can find are Annie and Clarabel and he tells her that they are not "her sort" of coaches; but that they will be good enough. Annie and Clarabel are insulted at the comment, but Emily couples up to them and leaves the yard anyway.
Emily puffs along with Annie and Clarabel still insulted and says hello to Thomas as she passes by him, but Thomas angrily demands that she give his coaches back to him. Emily does not hear Thomas and carries on. She also passes Edward and Percy but finds that they do not whistle to her, making her upset. The Fat Controller tells Thomas to go to the Docks and pick up some new coaches. Thomas reluctantly heads to the docks thinking The Fat Controller is replacing Thomas' coaches.
When Emily, Annie and Clarabel return to the yard, Oliver sees her and tells her that those coaches belong to Thomas. Emily finally realises why Thomas was upset and leaves to apologise. Meanwhile, Thomas is pulling two new green coaches for Emily to pull, still complaining as he would very much want Annie and Clarabel back.
Emily arrives at a signal box where she is flagged down and the signalman tells her driver that Oliver has not cleared his signal box yet, and asks them to go and see what the problem is. Emily sees that Oliver has broken down on an intersection when she hears Thomas' whistle. He sees Oliver, but knows he cannot stop in time and is about to crash into him; Emily charges and pushes Oliver across the tracks, narrowly avoiding a collision.
Later the Fat Controller praises Emily, then presents her with two brand new coaches, the same ones that Thomas has collected. She apologises to Thomas for taking Annie and Clarabel, and Thomas apologises for being cross. Emily is now very happy that she is Thomas' friend and has now become part of the Fat Controller's railway.
Tropes featured in the episode:
- All of the Other Reindeer: The other engines aren't too happy with Emily pulling Annie and Clarabel and thus shun her at first.
- An Aesop: Don't take someone else's things without proper consent.
- Berserk Button: Thomas isn't too happy when he discovers Emily pulling his coaches.Thomas: Those are my coaches! Give them back!
- Earn Your Happy Ending: When Emily first came to Sodor, she was shunned by the other engines for taking Annie and Clarabel, and genuinely didn't understand why they were so unfriendly to her. When she saves Oliver, Sir Topham Hatt and the engines praise her for a job well done, and Sir Topham Hatt rewards her with her own coaches.
- Madness Mantra: "Don't want new coaches, don't want new coaches, don't want new coaches!!"
- Railroad Tracks of Doom: Oliver breaks down on a crossing, and Thomas approaches him, knowing he can't stop in time. Emily has to push Oliver out of the way before Thomas can crash into him.
- The Smurfette Principle: This episode marks the first appearance of Emily, the series' first female steam engine note who became the first official female member of the Steam Team the following season, as well as the only one until Season 22, which introduced Nia and Rebecca.
- Stock Footage: When Thomas whistles to warn Oliver that he's coming, stock footage of Thomas' whistle from Season 1 is used.
