Darkest Hour is the eleventh episode of Season 5, and the sixty-third episode overall.
Plot
One winter morning, Oliver is taking Isabel and Dulcie along The Little Western. As they cross a bridge, however, the track starts to move and it collapses just as Oliver and his train reaches the other side. The loss of this bridge means that the Little Western was cut in two.
Oliver is saddened by the collapse, and he is wondering how they will cope with the broken bridge. At Tidmouth, Duck and Sheffield are on the other side of the line, and The Fat Controller arrives to announce that Thomas will help to run their section of line until the bridge is mended. The engines set to work, as The Fat Controller heads to a press conference.
At Callan station, Oliver talks to Donald about feeling guilty, but Donald reassures him that it could've happened to any of them. Also, it could've been a much worse accident, had he not hurried across the bridge and cleared his coaches. This cheers Oliver up a little, while at Knapford The Fat Controller speaks to the reporters about the collapse. One of the reporters, named Ian, states that the rest of the railway's infrastructure could be dangerous. The Fat Controller tells him that he has put maintenance teams out to examine all bridges, tunnels and other structures. Ian uses Gordon as an example, and the blue engine is insulted and retorts back to the reporter. Once the press conference ends, the reporters leave and The Fat Controller speaks to Gordon about the situation, and about how the reporter did have a valid point.
A few days later, at Elsbridge, Percy notices a distinct lack of passengers, and James confirms that it is because of the bridge collapse. All across the railway, passenger numbers are decreasing, and it seems Thomas' fears about the end of the railway are beginning to become justified.
Characters
- Thomas
- Gordon
- James
- Percy
- Duck
- Donald
- Oliver
- Sheffield
- Stephen Topham Hatt
- Female Reporter
- Ian
- Charles West
- Inspector Davidson
- Edward (does not speak)
- Henry (does not speak)
- Toby (does not speak)
- Diesel (does not speak)
- Alice (does not speak)
- Eric (does not speak)
- Isabel and Dulcie (do not speak)
- Troublesome Trucks (do not speak)
- BoCo (cameo)
- Bear (cameo)
- Patrick (cameo)
- Annie and Clarabel (cameo)
- Hugh (cameo)
- Emily Helen Hatt (cameo)
- Douglas (mentioned)
Trivia
- An advertisement of Thomas and Gordon is shown at Knapford during the press conference.
- The working title of this episode was "Sodor's Darkest Hour".
- Sega Mario makes his first appearance as part of the voice cast.
- In the original accident on the Little Western, Duck was supposed to be taking the train over the bridge, not Oliver, and the accident was meant to be a lot worse. Duck and his coaches would have fallen off the bridge and a passenger would have been killed. However, this was deemed too excessive.
Voice Actors
- WildNorWester as Narrator, Gordon, Duck, Donald, Sir Stephen Topham Hatt, Ian and Inspector Davidson
- Joe Gibbons as Thomas
- Edward Tear as James
- Tines Sensahthe as Percy
- Jinty1798 as Oliver
- NWR1991 as Sheffield
- ANB as Female Reporter
- Sega Mario as Charles West
Gallery
Episode
