Continuity mistake: The sign says: "Danger - engines must not pass this board." When Thomas passes it, "board" is replaced with "point."
Continuity mistake: James and Edward are on the mainline at first, but then they overrun the platform at Dryaw station, which is on Thomas' branch line.
Continuity mistake: When Thomas is organizing the trucks, in a second close-up of a truck, the background disappears in mid-sentence.
Continuity mistake: Gordon's connecting rods change position after he pulls Thomas out of the mine.
Continuity mistake: Before Percy Runs Away, his crew is out of the cab. But after Percy Runs Away from Gordon, his crew is back in the cab.
Continuity mistake: In a close up of the tar wagons before James crashes into them, James disappears.
Continuity mistake: James leaves Elsbridge Station with the brake coach at the rear. When James arrives at Knapford Station, the brake coach is in the middle.
Continuity mistake: When Henry sneezes at the boys, in the shot of the boys with the smoke rising up, you can see that they already got ashes on them before the smoke had even touched them.
Continuity mistake: Throughout most of the sequence where Thomas pulls the Troublesome Trucks, the trucks keep changing positions numerous times and many of the trucks disappear and reappear. Also, in a few scenes, there is only 1 truck or just 5 trucks.
Continuity mistake: US Only: Henry reverses on to the siding, then he leaves it again. His tender also hits the station building.
Continuity mistake: When Thomas goes through Henry's tunnel, the first van in his train has one bogey. When he comes out, the van has two bogeys.
Continuity mistake: When Thomas leaves Knapford, there is a van in front of the brake van. When Thomas approaches Henry's tunnel, that van disappears.
Continuity mistake: In a close up of Thomas when Gordon is pulling him, Thomas is not coupled up to Gordon's train.
Continuity mistake: When Gordon approaches the station, in the two previous shots, the background changes from a close up of Gordon to a wide shot of Thomas and Gordon.
Continuity mistake: The engine sheds change design throughout season 1.
Continuity mistake: At the beginning of the episode, the order in the sheds is Henry, Thomas, Gordon, James and Edward. But, when Thomas is complaining, the order is now Thomas, Gordon, James, Edward and Henry.
Continuity mistake: When Edward is pushing trucks over a turntable, when he stops, he is very close to the trucks, when the camera changes, he moves back a bit. (Note the tank the Fat Controller is standing on).
Continuity mistake: When Thomas teases James about bootlaces, the background disappears in a close up of Thomas.
Continuity mistake: When Gordon says "Yes, I will" the background disappears between shots.
Continuity mistake: When the engines are laughing at Thomas, Henry's eyes are wonky.
Answer: Breakdown trains help the engines back on track.