Pitching In and Helping Out is the fourth episode of the first season.
Plot
Schemer tries to sell Stacy his kettle, but she declines because it's broken. He then decides to leave, but trips over his shoelace. Matt finds a piece of string and then Stacy tells him and Tanya a story about string and her grandmother. This is when Mr. Conductor arrives and tells the kids about Stacy's grandmother. Tanya tries to do Cat's Cradle, but it doesn't work. Matt helps her, then Mr. Conductor says people feel good when they help someone out, and tells him the story of when Thomas rescued James after a nasty accident. Later, Tanya and Matt are kept busy with the string. Harry is fixing an old sign from years ago. He cannot get it to stay; that is until Matt gives him the string. Mr. Conductor reminds them that string fixed a train with newspaper when James was too rough with the coaches. Stacy is looking for the oil and Mr. Conductor helps her find it. Schemer comes by and again trips over his shoelace. He's tired of this and resorts to taking off the shoelaces all together. Matt and Tanya give him the string and he gives them the kettle in return. Harry helps Stacy with the clock, which eventually runs again.
Cast and Characters
Main Cast
- Ringo Starr as Mr. Conductor
- Didi Conn as Stacy Jones
- Leonard Jackson as Harry Cupper
- Nicole Leach as Tanya Cupper
- Brian O'Connor as Schemer
- Jason Woliner as Matthew Jones
Flexitoon Puppeteers
- Peter Baird as Grace Bass
- Jonathan Freeman as Tito Swing
- Craig Marin as Rex
- Olga Marin as DiDi
- Alan Semok as Grace Bass
- Vaneese Thomas as Grace Bass
- Wayne White as Tex
Guest Stars
- Annette Holloway as the Scuba Woman
Thomas Stories
Jukebox Band Song
Trivia
- This episode marks the first mention of Stacy's grandmother. She did not appear in person until Season 3.
- Mr. Conductor uses wooden spoons to start Thomas and the Breakdown Train.
Goofs
- After the story "James and the Coaches", Matt insists that James' break pipe was damaged because of his bad brakes, but James was given new ones before the events of the story.
| #01 A Place Unlike Any Other | #10 Happy Accidents | #19 Things that Go Ga-Hooga in the Night |
| #02 Does it Bite? | #11 Ring in the Old | #20 Is This the End? |
| #03 And The Band Played Off | #12 Impractical Jokes | |
| #04 Pitching In and Helping Out | #13 Finders Keepers | |
| #05 Show and Yell | #14 Just Wild About Harry's Workshop | |
| #06 Faith, Hope and Anxiety | #15 Promises, Promises | |
| #07 Agree to Disagree | #16 Word's Out | |
| #08 Whistle While You Work | #17 Too Many Cooks | |
| #09 Two Old Hands | #18 Mapping It Out | |