The Trouble with Mud

"Dirty or clean - I'm a famous machine!"

- Gordon

The Trouble with Mud, also known as Trouble with Mud, is the tenth episode of the third season. It first aired on the Shining Time Station episode A Dog's Life in 1991.

Plot
One morning, Thomas is being cleaned when a muddy Gordon arrives. Thomas tells Gordon to have a wash down, but Gordon does not care and leaves. A strong wind is blowing and Gordon's driver tells him to slow down. At the next station, Gordon sees a sign saying "All trains must wash down daily".

James is just finishing with his wash down and Gordon's driver tells him it is his turn now, but Gordon lets off steam and mud flies all over James. Gordon's driver tells him that now he has to wait until James gets another wash, but Gordon does not and leaves to pull the express. The Fat Controller is waiting for Gordon at Knapford and tells him that, because he is muddy, Henry will have to take the express.

Gordon leaves to get a wash down and then pulls trucks for the rest of the day. James is getting ready to pull the express, when Gordon returns. Gordon warns James about the hills being slippery and says that he may need help. James denies this and leaves. Earlier, a storm had swept across Gordon's Hill, blowing leaves onto the tracks. Though the storm had passed, the hill was still slippery.

When James is half way up, his wheels begin to slip and he rolls back down the hill. Gordon sees everything and helps James up the hill. That night, Thomas asks the Fat Controller if Gordon can pull coaches again. The Fat Controller says yes, as long as he stays clean.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Henry (does not speak)
 * Percy (cameo)
 * Mrs. Kyndley (cameo)

Locations

 * Knapford
 * Gordon's Hill
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Wellsworth
 * Knapford Yards
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * Henry's Forest

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story, Leaves from The Railway Series book, Gordon the Big Engine with a line taken from Paint Pots and Queens.
 * In the episode, the express coaches of James' train are red, but in some photos, they're green.

Goofs

 * The cleaners washing Thomas all have skinny flesh-coloured wires for necks.
 * As Gordon says "Mind my eyes!" his right eye is wonky.
 * When Gordon bumps the trucks, he bumps them together but in the next shot they are moving one by one.
 * When James first sets off with the express, his wheels slip.
 * When James is sliding back down Gordon's Hill, look closely beyond the back of his train and you can see a clear wire pulling him back.
 * Gordon's eyebrows are missing at the beginning.
 * When Gordon and James are at the bottom of Gordon's Hill, a signal above them is set for "stop".
 * In a rare picture of James climbing up the hill, his eyes are wonky.
 * When James tries to stop, his pony truck is derailed.
 * Gordon is a bit muddy again in Tidmouth Sheds at night at the end.
 * The signals at the bottom of Gordon's Hill are incorrect as the yellow Distant Signal is above the red home signal.
 * The signal that gave James admission to go up Gordon's hill is still pointing upwards when James slips back down next to Gordon. However because James passed the signal earlier not long before slipping, it should have been set at danger when he came back down given that the space for another train behind him would be too close for safe operation.