Sidney Sings

"Ha ha ha, he he he, a very special job for me. All the way to Brendam Docks, to fetch a very special box!"

- Sidney, singing his song

Sidney Sings is the first episode of the twentieth series.

Plot
Sidney has been very forgetful a lot of times. He can remember the time he had to get new wheels but cannot remember how long he had to hang up on the ceiling to wait for them. One day, Sidney is taking a train of empty trucks to the Blue Mountain Quarry, when he comes across Percy being placed on a flatbed after having an accident. Percy tells Sidney that he damaged his wheels in the crash and tries to remind him about the time he damaged his own wheels, but Sidney does not remember this. He offers to take Percy to be repaired, only for Thomas to remind him of his current job. Sidney then leaves to take his trucks to the quarry, but goes the wrong way.

A few days later, Sidney is at Knapford Station, when the Fat Controller shows up. He informs Sidney that Percy's new wheels have arrived, and he wants him to go to the Docks and bring them to the Steamworks. Sidney fears that he will forget about his job, so Thomas suggests that he sing a song to remind him about it. Sidney likes the idea, and begins singing a little song to himself as he leaves the station.

Sidney arrives at Wellsworth Station, where Gordon is waiting with the express. Sidney tells Gordon about his special job, but Gordon teases and laughs at him, and then leaves. Sidney sets off down the line, but as he does, he forgets what his song and job were. After some thinking, he comes to the conclusion that he has to pick up an old boiler from the rubbish dump, and sets off at once.

At the dump, Whiff is shunting trucks of rubbish, when Sidney arrives. Sidney tells Whiff about his job, but Whiff tells him that the rubbish dump has no boilers. He tells Sidney that elephants never forget anything, which makes Sidney believe that he has to pick up an elephant from the Animal Park. He leaves the rubbish dump and arrives at the Animal Park, but finds no elephants.

Sidney returns to Knapford, where he finds a group of passengers complaining about their train being late. Sidney believes that this is his special job, and takes the passengers to Brendam Docks. When he arrives, he finds the Fat Controller waiting for him, and the Fat Controller reminds him about Percy and his new set of wheels. Sidney takes the new wheels to the Steamworks, cheerfully singing along the way.

By the time Sidney arrives at the Steamworks, it is already evening. When Percy asks him about his whereabouts, Sidney does not remember, but tells Percy that he has brought his new wheels and asks Percy if he thought he would have forgot. The two engines laugh together.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * Percy
 * Whiff
 * Sidney
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Sir Robert Norramby
 * The Bird Watcher
 * One of Dowager Hatt's friends
 * The Welsh Bird Watcher
 * Norman
 * Emily
 * Scruff
 * Rocky
 * The Mayor of Sodor
 * The Teacher
 * The Ginger-haired Boy
 * The Lady with the Big Hat
 * Albert's wife
 * Diesel
 * Paxton

A man also speaks. He is voiced by Keith Wickham in both dubs.

Locations

 * Ulfstead Castle
 * Gordon's Hill
 * Knapford
 * Knapford Station Yard
 * Wellsworth
 * Sodor Animal Park
 * Whiff's Waste Dump
 * Brendam Docks
 * Sodor Steamworks
 * Victor's Shed
 * Vicarstown Dieselworks
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Blue Mountain Quarry

UK, AUS & NZ

 * John Hasler as Thomas
 * Keith Wickham as Gordon, Whiff, Norman, the Fat Controller, the Bird Watcher, one of Dowager Hatt's Friends, the Welsh Bird Watcher and a Passenger
 * Nigel Pilkington as Percy
 * Bob Golding as Sidney
 * Teresa Gallagher as Annie and Clarabel
 * Mike Grady as Sir Robert Norramby

US and CAN

 * Joseph May as Thomas
 * Kerry Shale as Gordon
 * Christopher Ragland as Percy
 * William Hope as Whiff
 * Bob Golding as Sidney
 * Teresa Gallagher as Annie and Clarabel
 * Keith Wickham as Norman, Sir Topham Hatt, the Bird Watcher, one of Dowager Hatt's Friends, the Welsh Bird Watcher and a Passenger
 * Mike Grady as Sir Robert Norramby

Trivia

 * This episode is the only episode of the twentieth series where the number in production order is the same as the number in airdate order. This is because the second, seventeenth and eighteenth episodes were all either held back or brought forward to air in December 2016, the Extraordinary Engines episodes were held back until after the bulk of the series, and The Christmas Coffeepot and Over the Hill were held back to air in December 2017 along with the winter episodes of the twenty-first series.
 * This episode is one of seven in the twentieth series produced by Robert Anderson, the rest being produced by Tracy Blagdon, along with Letters to Santa, Toby's New Friend, Henry Gets the Express, Henry in the Dark, Three Steam Engines Gruff and The Christmas Coffeepot. This episode is among the former four that have a copyright date of 2015, while the latter three are dated 2016 like all the other episodes in this series.
 * Stock footage from The Missing Christmas Decorations is used and a reference to the said episode is made as well. Keith Wickham and Martin Sherman's lines for Percy in said stock footage are re-dubbed by Nigel Pilkington and Christopher Ragland, respectively.
 * Sidney's song is similar to "Little Brown Jug" by Joseph Winner. Instrumental versions of the song can be heard throughout the episode.
 * This episode marks the first time Norman, via stock footage, speaks since the seventeenth series episode The Frozen Turntable and his last speaking appearance in an episode until the twenty-third series episode Diesel Do Right.
 * This episode marks Norman via stock footage and Sidney's only speaking role in the twentieth series.
 * This episode marks the first of several things:
 * The first episode to have music composed by Chris Renshaw.
 * The first appearance of the red express coaches in an episode since the twelfth series episode Toby's Special Surprise.
 * The first time Percy is voiced by Héctor Ireta de Alba in the Latin American dub.
 * The first episode narrated by Pepa Castro in Spain.
 * Jane Sobol's first episode as supervising producer.

Goofs

 * When Thomas, Annie and Clarabel are at Knapford, they have no shadow on them from the overhead canopy.
 * When Sidney goes to the Steamworks after finally arriving to the docks, his flatbed and brakevan disappear.
 * Big Mickey is missing from his position at Brendam Docks.

UK

 * Tales from the Rails
 * The Complete Series 20

US

 * Ultimate Friendship Adventures
 * Season 20 (Digital Download)

IDN

 * Diesel and the Ducklings (DVD)