Bust My Buffers!

"Honking horns, Gordon! You're Gordon the Diesel now!"

- Diesel teasing Gordon

Bust My Buffers! is the ninth episode of the sixteenth season.

Plot
Gordon is at Brendam Docks dropping off passengers. Diesel, 'Arry, and Bert are shunting there. Gordon orders Diesel to move out of his way, but Diesel is cheeky and orders Gordon to make way for his flatbed. Gordon argues that his is grand and that the Diesels are not. Gordon charges towards Diesel and bangs his flatbed hard. Doing so damages Gordon's bufferbeam. The diesels laugh as the Docks Manager walks up and orders Gordon to deliver some engine parts to the Dieselworks. The Docks Manager then tells him that once he has completed the delivery, he must come back to the docks to pick up passengers.

Later, Gordon steams into the Dieselworks, but is far too busy being snooty to Paxton and Norman, to notice what he is doing and collides with a truck. The impact makes his already broken bufferbeam drop off completely. Den and Dart are watching and think that Gordon needs his bufferbeam fixed. Gordon thinks it is improper for a diesel engine to fix a steam engine and declines their offer. Just outside the Dieselworks, Gordon meets Mavis who tells Gordon to get his bufferbeam mended as it is not safe. Gordon is sure he will be safe, but Mavis insists that he go back to let Den and Dart fix him. Gordon reluctantly agrees.

Inside the Dieselworks, Den and Dart show Gordon a replacement bufferbeam that he can wear until his can be mended. Gordon is horrified; his replacement bufferbeam is a diesel's bufferbeam. Gordon refuses to have the bufferbeam fitted and races away. Just as he is leaving, he meets Salty, who is surprised to see Gordon without his buffers. Salty tells Gordon that an engine is not an engine without buffers and insists that he go back into the Dieselworks as it is against the railway rules to work without buffers. Gordon grumpily heads back inside the Dieselworks with Salty.

Later, Gordon has had the hazard-striped bufferbeam fitted and heads towards the Docks to pick up his passengers. Gordon decides he must pick up his passengers quickly. He hopes the docks will be quiet so that no one else will see him, but it is not. The docks is busier than ever. Diesel, 'Arry, and Bert roll past and call Gordon a diesel. Gordon feels very depressed and embarrassed. Thomas puffs over and reminds Gordon that his bufferbeam means that he can still work and be really useful. Gordon does not pout any more, he knows Thomas is right and puffs proudly out of the docks.

Everyone sees Gordon with his diesel bufferbeam, but he does not feel silly at all. Some children even cheer for him and the diesels. After he had dropped off his passengers, Gordon returns to the Dieselworks. Den and Dart are waiting with Gordon's fixed bufferbeam. Den says that Gordon will no longer have to run away which leads Gordon to admit that he had been silly and a little snooty earlier to think that diesel engines cannot fix steam engines. Gordon thanks the diesels and Dart tells Gordon that he is always welcome at the Dieselworks - with or without buffers.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * Diesel
 * Mavis
 * 'Arry and Bert
 * Salty
 * Den
 * Dart
 * Happy Hook
 * The Dock Manager
 * Edward (cameo)
 * Henry (cameo)
 * James (cameo)
 * Percy (cameo)
 * Toby (cameo)
 * Emily (cameo)
 * Rosie (cameo)
 * Paxton (cameo)
 * Norman (cameo)
 * Henrietta (cameo)

Some children cheer for Gordon. The girl in the red dress is voiced by Teresa Gallagher in the UK narration.

Locations

 * Brendam Docks
 * Sodor Dieselworks

Trivia

 * This is the last episode to feature Rupert Degas as Dart.
 * William Hope is credited as "Bill Hope" in the UK credits.
 * This episode marks 'Arry and Bert's last speaking roles to date.
 * Gordon's replacement bufferbeam resembles the colour scheme of Den's and Dart's bufferbeams.

Goofs

 * Throughout the episode, bufferbeams are referred to as "buffers".
 * In the UK narration, the narrator says that the diesels were shunting coal trucks at the docks, but they were shunting flatbeds.
 * In the first shot of Gordon entering the Docks, his tender is not rendered properly.

Merchandise

 * Take-n-Play - Gordon's Rattling Cargo