The Grand Opening


 * “Topham, you cannot be serious. Me ride in this?!”
 * ―Lady Hatt

The Grand Opening is the twenty-first episode of the seventh season.

Plot
The engines are working on maintenance for a new station and Sir Topham Hatt announces that he will arrive on Harold with Lady Hatt for the grand opening. Skarloey is often late doing maintenance work and the Fat Controller is cross and worried that he may be late for the grand opening of Rumblin Bridge station.

When they arrived at Dryaw Airfield, Harold was having engine trouble and is unable to go anywhere. Lady Hatt is upset, but Sir Topham Hatt gets an idea to ride on the hot air balloon and were on their way.

Skarloey was upset when he was waiting for workmen to load branches on his truck and gets impatient. Sir Topham Hatt sees this and worries, even the other engines at the opening. Skarloey was finally on his way.

Meanwhile, the balloon's burner runs out of fuel and Lady Hatt panics saying she wants to get out, but Sir Topham Hatt knows they cannot. Skarloey sees the balloon falling onto a tree next to him, and sees Sir Topham Hatt. Lady and Sir Topham Hatt's Hat were ruined, but Sir Topham Hatt was delighted to see Skarloey. The driver offers them a ride and Skarloey took them to the grand opening just in time.

Characters

 * Skarloey
 * Peter Sam
 * Rusty
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Lady Hatt
 * Tiger Moth's Pilot
 * Harold's Pilots
 * Harold (does not speak)
 * Thomas (cameo)
 * Rheneas (cameo)
 * Duncan (cameo)
 * Annie (cameo)
 * Tiger Moth (cameo)
 * Jem Cole (cameo)

Locations

 * Dryaw
 * Skarloey Railway Depot
 * Sodor Castle
 * Rumblin Bridge
 * Trestle Bridge (deleted scene)
 * Rheneas Viaduct (deleted scene)

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the twenty-fourth episode of the seventh season.
 * Stock footage from Something Fishy is used.
 * Annie appears without Clarabel in this episode.
 * Thomas does not speak in this episode.
 * The Fat Controller's ruined hat would be later reused in Peter Kay's The Official BBC Children in Need Medley in 2009.

Goofs

 * When Skarloey puffs into the station at the beginning, the puffing sound does not match the speed at which he is travelling.
 * The Fat Controller is called "Sir Topham Hatt" when the balloon is about to fall down onto the tree in the UK version.
 * When the Fat Controller says "The wind direction is perfect," his arm slowly slides downward.
 * When Skarloey approaches a level crossing, a man can be seen on the far left as a blue tractor passes over the crossing.
 * When Skarloey tells the workmen to hurry up, a camera stick can be seen on the right.
 * Skarloey's brake van is referred to as a box car.
 * The Skarloey Railway is incorrectly referred to as the Mountain Railway.
 * A steam platform is visible when Skarloey arrives at Rumblin Bridge.
 * In a close-up shot of Skarloey's driver, Skarloey has a gold ring around his front window. In non close-up shots, the frame is not there and the window also appears to be much smaller.
 * The small scale model used for the pilot does not match the large scale model. The small scale model has a repainted head from The Portly man, while the large scale model is just Tiger Moth's pilot.

Quotes

 * Lady Hatt (as the balloon starts to fall): I want to get off!
 * The Fat Controller: Not now, dear.
 * Lady Hatt: My hat is ruined!
 * The Fat Controller: So is mine.

Merchandise

 * Magazine stories - The Grand Opening