Tiger Trouble

Tiger Trouble is the twelfth episode of the twenty-second series.

Plot
Thomas is working in India and becomes distracted when he learns that Noor Jehan takes tourists on tiger safaris. Shankar believes that the safaris do nothing but disturb the tigers, while Thomas and Ashima both believe the safaris are beneficial as they teach people to value the tigers more. Rajiv believes that he should be the one pulling the safari train, but Charubala tells him and Thomas that they have other work.

Rajiv is pulling a passenger train and takes a detour through the safari route. Thomas follows him, hoping to spot a tiger, which he eventually does. However, it is scared away by Shankar, who suggests that the reason the tigers are rare is because they want to hide from poachers. Rajiv then arrives, having dropped off his previous passenger train. He explains that he has been privately rented by two "tiger fans". Thomas notices a truck behind Rajiv's coach with a tarpaulin covering the load. The two passengers claim it is their luggage, but as Rajiv leaves, the tarp blows off, revealing a cage. Shankar deduces that they are poachers, not enthusiasts. Thomas chases after Rajiv to stop the poachers.

Thomas catches up to Rajiv, who has stopped so the poachers can move a tree off the track. He explains to Rajiv that his passengers have a cage and are planning to capture the tigers. Rajiv promises to help Thomas in any way he can, but has a problem: he promised the men he would lead them to a tiger and cannot drop them off until he has led them to one. Thomas tells Rajiv to keep going in circles to distract the hunters while he and Shankar devise a plan.

The poachers realise they are going around in circles and Rajiv realises he is out of time. They then see a large orange mass in the distance. The poachers attempt to catch it, but it turns out to be Shankar under an orange sheet. Thomas then arrives with Charubala and the police, who promptly arrest the poachers.

Charubala praises Thomas and Rajiv. The two engines say it is really all thanks to Shankar, who has disappeared unnoticed and manages to spot a tiger on his way home.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Ashima
 * Rajiv
 * Shankar
 * Noor Jehan
 * Charubala
 * Tiger Hunters
 * A Diesel Shunter
 * Luke
 * Rheneas
 * Sir Handel
 * Rusty
 * Merrick
 * Owen

Locations

 * India
 * Varkala Railway Station
 * The Monkey Palace
 * Island of Sodor
 * Blue Mountain Quarry
 * Ulfstead Castle

UK

 * John Hasler as Thomas
 * Tina Desai as Ashima
 * Nikhil Parmar as Rajiv
 * Sanjeev Bhaskar as Shankar
 * Sheena Bhattessa as Noor Jehan and Charubala
 * Rob Rackstraw as the Fat Tiger Hunter and a passenger
 * Ian McCue as the Thin Tiger Hunter

US

 * Joseph May as Thomas
 * Tina Desai as Ashima
 * Nikhil Parmar as Rajiv
 * Sanjeev Bhaskar as Shankar
 * Sheena Bhattessa as Noor Jehan and Charubala
 * Rob Rackstraw as the Fat Tiger Hunter and a passenger
 * Ian McCue as the Thin Tiger Hunter

Trivia

 * At the end of the episode, Thomas mentions the events of the seventeenth series episode, Luke's New Friend. Stock footage from said episode is also used.
 * When the twenty-second series episode, Number One Engine came on the Nick Jr. website on 22nd October 2018, the US version of Tiger Trouble was added along with the song, The Journey Never Ends. The video was fixed by adding the correct episode and removing the song.
 * The Nick Jr. promotional image features Thomas with additional details that would not be featured till the next series.

Goofs

 * When Rajiv leaves after Thomas explains the plan to him, steam emits from his whistle but no sound is heard.

UK

 * A Colourful World (coming soon)