No Joke for James

"Some jokes are funny but not this one, James!"

- The Fat Controller

No Joke for James is the eleventh episode of the third season. It first aired on Shining Time Station in the episode, Oh, What a Tangled Web in 1991.

Plot
James gloats to Gordon that the Fat Controller has plans for him, but James is only bragging.

One day, after seeing Thomas arrange the express for Gordon, James lies that he is taking the Express, but is soon found out and banished to the shed. James is soon let out, and does his to best to redeem himself in the Yard.

Then, when a man asks for a lift in James' cab, James and his driver realise that he is a railway inspector and let him climb in. When James arrives at Knapford, the inspector speaks warmly of James to the Fat Controller.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Jeremiah Jobling (not named)
 * Edward (cameo)
 * Duck (cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Knapford
 * Knapford Yards
 * Brendam
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * Henry's Forest
 * Wellsworth
 * Wellsworth Vicarage Orchard
 * Elsbridge
 * The Watermill (deleted scene)

Trivia

 * In the first shot of James shunting at the harbour, he is pushing a truck that has N. E. written on it.
 * The man who was late for a meeting with Sir Topham Hatt is Jeremiah Jobling.
 * The Dutch title of this episode is "James is Not Funny". In Germany, it is called "James Does Not Joke with You". And the Italian title is "Jokes By James". In Japan, this episode is called "James, I'm no good" or "Mischief is Not Good, James".
 * The US and the early UK narrations omit the line "James was furious".
 * In the US narration, a music cue is heard when the Fat Controller says "Yes indeed, once again, you are a really useful engine." This is missing in the UK narration.
 * At Brendam, James passes a scrap Terence model at one point.
 * The models of Izzy Gomez and Big Mickey from TUGS can be seen.

Goofs

 * In the first scene and the scene where James pulls up beside Gordon, studio equipment is slightly visible in the top center.
 * When James talks to Gordon, James' eyes are wonky.
 * When James first arrives at the Sodor Shipping Company building, Thomas is seen shunting two salt wagons and a tanker. Then, the train is coming backwards, and Thomas disappeared!
 * Studio equipment can be seen when James arrives at the Sodor Shipping Co.
 * When James says "Actually Thomas", the smoke coming from the chimney in the background disappears and reappears.
 * James' driver says that he and James ("just us two", in his own words) will go home after James shunts at the harbour. He was obviously forgetting the fireman.
 * In the restored version, the first shot at the harbour shows James pushing three trucks. Two of them are derailed as they are seen bumping across the sleepers.
 * When Thomas and James are talking, Edward is seen pulling a goods train on another line, then in the next shot, he is nowhere to be seen.
 * When James talks to Gordon in the background, there are red express coaches in then they turn into salt wagons.
 * James' driver should have known not to let James pull the express.

Quotes

 * James: "Look at me! I am the smartest, most useful engine on the line."
 * Thomas: "Rubbish! We're all useful. The Fat Controller says so and he's Sir Topham Hatt, head of the whole railway!
 * Percy: "You know what, James?"
 * James: "What?"
 * Percy: "You're getting all puffed up!"