Gordon

"Out of the way! Express coming through!"

- Gordon, Thomas' Tall Friend, fourteenth season

   Gordon   Gordon is a blue express engine. He is Flying Scotsman's only remaining brother and Mallard and Spencer's cousin.
 * Number: 4
 * Class: "A0 Pacific"
 * Designer: Nigel Gresley
 * Builder: Doncaster Works
 * Configuration: 4-6-2
 * Arrived on Sodor: Mid to late 1922

Bio
Gordon was built experimentally by Sir Nigel Gresley at Doncaster Works between 1917 and 1920 as an "A0 Pacific". When Gresely was finished using Gordon for designing his A1 Pacifics, he sold Gordon, along with a spare boiler and firebox, to the North Western Railway.

Gordon is mainly used for passenger duties, pulling the North Western Railway's express, the "Wild Nor' Wester", but has occasionally pulled goods trains: he has been known to run into ditches and stop on hills to get out of doing these jobs, as he believes that these are below him.

In 1939, Gordon went to Crovan's Gate for a rebuild. His conjugated valve gear was replaced by a two-cylinder design, he received a smoother running plate (designed by the Fat Controller), Stanier underframes, "Black-5" wheels, cylinders, squared-off side windows, rectangular buffers and a Fowler tender.

Gordon has become famous after his adventures: in 1953 he pulled Queen Elizabeth II's royal train and in 1956 he traveled to London, where he was lauded by a large crowd. Gordon did not like the visit, however, as he discovered that London's big station was St. Pancras.

In 1986, Gordon got to visit Carlisle when a diesel taking a Railtour failed.

Persona
Gordon's important position as the engine who usually pulls the Express has made him proud, pompous and arrogant, with good reason, too; he is the strongest engine on Sodor after all. Gordon's philosophy "tender engines don't shunt" meant that he looked down on tank engines and tender engines who do shunt, but after being locked in the shed with Henry and James after going on strike he seems to have abandoned this philosophy.

Because of his rank in the social order of the North Western Railway, Gordon expects to get the important jobs and either sulks when he doesn't, or gets jealous of those who do. Sometimes, Gordon acts as a bully, particularly towards Edward, but following mis-adventures where Edward had to help him, Gordon had to acknowledge that despite being old, Edward is still a very useful engine.

Sometimes Gordon shows a kinder side and gives the younger engines advice, usually after he has had some mishap as a result of his foolhardiness. Some of his advice isn't exactly honest, though, as James and Sir Handel have discovered.

Basis
According to Sodor "historian" Martin Clutterbuck, Gordon is supposed to be an experimental prototype for Sir Nigel Gresley's A1 "Pacific" design for the GNR, the so called "A0". Gordon was then built at Doncaster Works, Yorkshire, and tested against a similar NER Pacific in 1923. Gordon, being an experimental engine, never received a number, and was later rebuilt at Crewe with LMS underparts and a six-wheel tender, owning to various problems. Gordon has since been rebuilt below the footplate according to Stanier designs, his running plate being Sir Topham Hatt's own design.

Livery
Gordon is painted NWR blue with NWR red-and-yellow lining and the number "4" painted on his tender sides in yellow. Before arriving on Sodor, he was painted Doncaster green with white and black lining.

Appearances
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Railway Series

 * The Three Railway Engines
 * Thomas the Tank Engine
 * James the Red Engine
 * Troublesome Engines
 * Henry the Green Engine
 * Gordon the Big Engine
 * Edward the Blue Engine
 * Four Little Engines
 * Percy the Small Engine
 * The Eight Famous Engines
 * Duck and the Diesel Engine
 * The Little Old Engine
 * The Twin Engines
 * Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine
 * Main Line Engines
 * Small Railway Engines (not seen)
 * Enterprising Engines
 * Oliver the Western Engine
 * Really Useful Engines
 * James and the Diesel Engines
 * Great Little Engines
 * More About Thomas the Tank Engine (cameo)
 * Gordon the High-Speed Engine
 * Thomas and the Twins (mentioned)
 * Thomas and the Great Railway Show
 * Thomas Comes Home
 * Henry and the Express (non-speaking role)
 * Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines

Television series

 * Season 1 - Thomas and Gordon, Edward and Gordon, The Sad Story of Henry, Edward, Gordon and Henry, Thomas' Train (does not speak), Thomas and the Trucks (cameo), Thomas and the Breakdown Train, James and the Express, Tenders and Turntables, Trouble in the Shed, Percy Runs Away, The Flying Kipper (does not speak), Whistles and Sneezes, Off the Rails, Down the Mine, and Thomas' Christmas Party
 * Season 2 - Cows, Saved from Scrap (cameo), Old Iron (cameo), Percy and the Signal, Duck takes Charge, Pop Goes the Diesel, Dirty Work, A Close Shave (cameo), Breakvan (cameo), The Deputation, Wrong Road, Edward's Exploit, and Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree (cameo)
 * Season 3 - Time for Trouble, Gordon and the Famous Visitor, Thomas, Percy and the Dragon, Henry's Forest (does not speak), The Trouble with Mud, No Joke for James, Trust Thomas, Tender Engines, Escape, Oliver Owns Up, Heroes, Percy, James and the Fruitful Day (cameo), and Thomas and Percy's Christmas Adventure (cameo)
 * Season 4 - Granpuff (cameo), Sleeping Beauty (cameo), Bulldog, A Bad Day for Sir Handel, Trucks!, Rock 'n' Roll (cameo), Gallant Old Engine (cameo), Rusty to the Rescue (cameo), Thomas and Stepney (cameo), Bowled Out, Henry and the Elephant, Thomas and the Special Letter (does not speak), and Paint Pots and Queens
 * Season 5 - Cranky Bugs, Horrid Lorry (cameo), A Better View for Gordon, James and the Trouble with Trees (cameo), Gordon and the Gremlin, Bye George!, Baa! (cameo), Put Upon Percy (cameo), Haunted Henry (does not speak), Thomas and the Rumours, Make Someone Happy (cameo), Busy Going Backwards, and Snow
 * Season 6 - Salty's Secret (cameo), Harvey to the Rescue, No Sleep for Cranky (cameo), A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter (cameo), The Fogman, It's Only Snow (cameo), The World's Strongest Engine, Scaredy Engines (cameo), Percy and the Haunted Mine (cameo), Middle Engine (does not speak), Jack Frost (cameo), Gordon Takes a Tumble, Percy's Chocolate Crunch, Thomas, Percy and the Squeak, Thomas the Jet Engine, and Edward the Very Useful Engine
 * Season 7 - Percy Gets it Right, Edward's Brass Band (cameo), What's the Matter with Henry? (cameo), James and the Queen of Sodor, The Spotless Record (cameo), Something Fishy (cameo), Bulgy Rides Again (cameo), Harold and the Flying Horse (cameo), Best Dressed Engine, and Gordon and Spencer
 * Season 8 - Thomas and the Tuba (cameo), Thomas to the Rescue (cameo), Henry and the Wishing Tree, James Gets a New Coat (does not speak), Percy's Big Mistake, Thomas, Emily and the Snowplough (cameo), Don't Tell Thomas (cameo), Thomas and the Firework Display (does not speak), Gordon takes Charge, Spic and Span, Edward the Great, Squeak, Rattle and Roll, Thomas and the Circus (cameo), Thomas Gets It Right, As Good as Gordon, Fish (cameo), Halloween (cameo), You Can Do it, Toby!, Chickens to School, James Goes Too Far, and Percy and the Magic Carpet
 * Season 9 - Percy and the Oil Painting (does not speak), Thomas and the Rainbow (cameo), Molly's Special Special, Thomas and the Toy Shop (cameo), Respect for Gordon, Thomas and the Birthday Picnic, Thomas and the New Engine (cameo), Toby Feels Left Out, Thomas Tries His Best, Thomas and the Statue, Emily Knows Best (cameo), Thomas' Day Off (cameo), Thomas' New Trucks (cameo), Bold and Brave (cameo), Saving Edward, and Keeping up with James (does not speak)
 * Season 10 - Percy and the Funfair (does not speak), The Green Controller, It's Good to be Gordon, Seeing the Sights, Toby's New Shed (does not speak), Edward Strikes Out, Topped Off Thomas (does not speak), Thomas and the Shooting Star, Big Strong Henry, Thomas' Frosty Friend (does not speak), Emily and the Special Coaches, Thomas and the Colours (cameo), and Thomas and the Treasure (cameo)
 * Season 11 - Thomas and the Storyteller (cameo), Emily's Rubbish, Dream On (cameo), Gordon and the Engineer, Thomas and the Spaceship, Henry's Lucky Trucks (cameo), Thomas and the Lighthouse (cameo), Thomas and the Big Bang (cameo), Thomas Sets Sail, Don't be Silly, Billy (does not speak), Hide and Peep (cameo), Toby's Triumph (cameo), Thomas and the Runaway Car, Thomas in Trouble, and Percy and the Left Luggage (cameo)
 * Season 12 - Thomas and the Billboard, Steady Eddie (does not speak), Henry Gets It Wrong (cameo), Heave Ho Thomas! (cameo), Toby's Special Surprise, Excellent Emily (cameo), Saved You! (does not speak), Tram Trouble (cameo), Gordon Takes a Short Cut, and Thomas Puts the Brakes On
 * Season 13 - Creaky Cranky (cameo), The Lion of Sodor, Tickled Pink, Double Trouble, Slippy Sodor, The Early Bird, Play Time, Time For a Story (cameo), Toby's New Whistle, A Blooming Mess (cameo), Steamy Sodor (cameo), Splish, Splash, Splosh! (cameo), The Biggest Present of All (cameo), Snow Tracks, and Buzzy Bees (cameo)
 * Season 14 - Thomas' Tall Friend, Pingy Pongy Pick Up (cameo), Charlie and Eddie (cameo), Henry's Health and Safety (cameo), Pop Goes Thomas (cameo), Victor Says Yes, Thomas in Charge, Being Percy, Merry Winter Wish (cameo), Thomas and Scruff, O the Indignity, Jitters and Japes (cameo), Merry Misty Island (does not speak), and Henry's Magic Box (does not speak)
 * Season 15 - Gordon and Ferdinand, James to the Rescue, and Up, Up and Away

Specials:
 * Thomas and the Magic Railroad
 * Calling All Engines
 * The Great Discovery
 * Hero of the Rails
 * Misty Island Rescue
 * Day of the Diesels

Magazine story
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 * 2002 - Henry Helps

Voice Actors

 * Neil Crone (Thomas and the Magic Railroad)
 * Kerry Shale (US; Hero of the Rails onwards)
 * Keith Wickham (UK; Hero of the Rails onwards)
 * Kenji Utsumi (Japan; Season 1 - Season 8)
 * Kenta Miyake (Japan; Season 9 onwards)

Trivia

 * Gordon's model is currently on display in Canada at Nitrogen Studios.
 * As of the CGI television series, Gordon's catchphrase is "Oh, the Indignity!".
 * Gordon is named after a bully that lived on the Awdrys' street.

Merchandise

 * ERTL (normal and Gold Rail; both discontinued)
 * Learning Curve Wooden (normal and limited edition A Better View for Gordon)
 * Take-Along (normal, metallic, and lights and sounds)
 * My First Thomas
 * TOMY/TrackMaster (normal and flip-face)
 * Hornby
 * Bachmann
 * My Thomas Story Library
 * Bandai Tecs
 * Take-n-Play
 * De Agostini
 * Brio (discontinued)
 * Wind-up Trains
 * Pez