Cranky Bugs

Cranky Bugs

Cranky Bugs is a Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends episode.

Plot

Thomas and Percy enjoy working at the docks, but one day, they find themselves delayed when a new crane named Cranky pushes his weight around and messes up their work. Thomas and Percy tell James and Gordon about Cranky. Gordon believes that cranes need a lot of attention like him, and James tells Thomas and Percy that they should see the situation from Cranky's point of view, high up in the air, coping with wind, rain, and baking sun, looking down on the two engines being annoying.

Matters are made even worse when Cranky finds out Gordon and James agree with his ways, causing him to be more bossy. He tells Percy to shunt some trucks closer to him. Percy is too upset to concentrate and he pushes the trucks too far, leading Cranky to drop a crate on Percy's funnel and boiler. Cranky then plays a trick on Thomas by telling him to shunt his flatbeds to the outside line, so that it's easy for Cranky to load up. Thomas does so, but Cranky leaves the loads beside the trucks, rather than in them. The Fat Controller believes Thomas and Percy are responsible for the confusion and delay and is most upset. He sends the two engines to the sheds to consider how they will improve themselves the next day.

That night, a storm traps Henry, Gordon, James, and Duck in the harbour shed. Duck is sure that they will be safe, but a tramp steamer crashes and runs aground into the quayside, knocking down the shed, and causing Cranky to land on his side. When the storm is over, The Fat Controller tells Cranky that Thomas and Percy are coming to help him so that he can help the other engines. Cranky tells The Fat Controller to say sorry that he was rude to them, and The Fat Controller then realises that he owes the two engines an apology. Thomas and Percy come to the rescue, and it's not long before Cranky is upright again, and releasing the engines from what remains of the shed. Cranky then mistakenly calls his rescuers "mites". Percy, offended that Cranky is still insulting them, starts to puff away not realizing, despite Thomas' warnings, that he is still attached to Cranky, and pulls him down again.

Cranky still looks down on Thomas and Percy, but ever since the stormy night, he never causes trouble for them again.

Characters

• Thomas
• Henry
• Gordon
• James
• Percy
• Duck
• Cranky
• Sir Topham Hatt

Transcript

• Alec Baldwin: Thomas and Percy enjoyed working at the docks. They like to see air and the sound of the gulls. But one day, the friends were feeling hot and bothered. A crane was causing trouble. His name was Cranky and this was his first day at the docks.
• Cranky: You're useless little bugs!
• Alec Baldwin: He called from above.
• Cranky: If you put these freight cars on the inside lines then i wouldn't have so far to travel.
• Thomas: Rubbish!
• Alec Baldwin: Said Thomas.
• Thomas: No crane has ever complained before.
• Cranky: Well i'm complaining now.
• Alec Baldwin: And Cranky banged his load down on the keyside. Later, the two engines met Gordon and James and told them about Cranky.
• Gordon: Cranes are airy-fairy things they need a lot of attention like me in fact.
• Alec Baldwin: Said Gordon.
• James: You should see the situation from Cranky's point of view.
• Alec Baldwin: Said James.
• James: He's high up in the air coping with wind, rain and baking sun. Then he looks down and sees you two little engines being annoying. No wonder he calls you bugs.
• Alec Baldwin: When Cranky heard that the big engines agreed with him, he grew bossier still.
• Cranky: Come on, come on. Push those freight cars closer to me.
• Alec Baldwin: But Percy was too upset to concentrate and pushed the freight cars too far. Poor Percy. Then, Cranky played a trick on Thomas.
• Cranky: Push your freight cars onto the outside line. It's easier for me to load up.
• Alec Baldwin: So Thomas did. But Cranky left the load beside the freight cars, not in them.
• Cranky: You must have known my arm can't reach you there.
• Alec Baldwin: Complained Cranky. This mix up caused confusion and delay. Sir Topham Hatt was most upset.
• Sir Topham Hatt: Thomas and Percy, this new crane has an important job to do. I have heard that you not been helping him today. You will go to your sheds and consider how you improve yourselves tomorrow.
• Alec Baldwin: Now Thomas and Percy were upset too. That evening, a big storm raged across the island. Cranky and the engines were trapped in the docks.
• Duck: We're sure to be safe in the sheds.
• Alec Baldwin: Said Duck. But he was wrong. The engines had no idea they were about to be put in danger by an old tramp steamer. It was out of control and running aground straight into the sheds.
• Cranky: (screams)
• Henry, James, Duck and Gordon: Help!
• Alec Baldwin: Called the engines from inside the shed.
• Cranky: I CAANN'T!
• Alec Baldwin: Called Cranky. When the storm was over, Sir Topham Hatt rushed into the scene of the destruction.
• Sir Topham Hatt: Thomas and Percy will help you.
• Alec Baldwin: He called to Cranky.
• Sir Topham Hatt: And then you can help the engines.
• Cranky: Oh, please, hurry!
• Alec Baldwin: Cried Cranky.
• Cranky: And tell them I'm sorry I was rude to them.
• Sir Topham Hatt: So it was you.
• Alec Baldwin: Murmured Sir Topham Hatt.
• Sir Topham Hatt: I know those engines an apology.
• Alec Baldwin: Thomas and Percy soon came to the rescue. And it wasn't too long before Cranky was upright again and clearing the wreckage. At last, all the engines were free.
• Gordon: Oh, thank you.
• Alec Baldwin: Said Gordon.
• Gordon: What would I've done without you?
• Cranky: Well i had to be rescued before i help you. But i never i would be by a couple of, bu-bu.
• Alec Baldwin: Cranky was about to say bugs but he quickly corrected himself.
• Cranky: Uh, small engines thank you. I'll never be rude again. However you two mites are in my way so move over.
• Percy: Pah!
• Alec Baldwin: Said Percy.
• Percy: He's back to bugging us.
• Thomas: Don't move! You're still attatched to Cranky.
• Alec Baldwin: But it was too late. Cranky still looks down at the two little engines. But ever since that stormy night, he never calls them bugs or mights, because he knows they might bite back.