Paint Pots and Queens

"I'm too old to pull important trains." "I'm in disgrace." "He'll choose me of course!" "You? You can't climb hills! He'll ask me to pull the train and I'll have a new coat of paint."

- Edward, Gordon, James and Henry debating who will pull the royal train

Paint Pots and Queens, retitled Thomas Meets the Queen in American releases, is the twenty-third episode of the fourth season. It aired in the US on the Shining Time Station special Queen for a Day in 1995.

Plot
Thomas and Gordon are puffing together back home after the events of Off the Rails and Down the Mine. They arrive back at the sheds to discover decorations are being put up. Thomas wonders what is happening and the Fat Controller tells the engines that Her Majesty The Queen is coming to visit Sodor. The engines then wonder who will pull the Royal Train. Edward says he is too old and Gordon is still in disgrace. James thinks he will be chosen, but Henry disagrees and brags that he will pull the Royal Train and have a new coat of paint too.

One rainy day, Henry's driver and fireman cover the cab to keep dry at Knapford. A painter was on a ladder above the line and when Henry's steam blows high into the air, the painter loses sight and then he and his paint pot fall onto Henry, with the paint pot falling onto Henry's dome. The painter says that Henry is not a pretty picture and the Fat Controller says that it will not do for the Royal Train and that he must make other arrangements.

Thomas and Gordon are waiting for the Fat Controller, who can see that both engines are sorry and deserve a treat. He tells the two engines that Thomas will look after the coaches, Edward will go in front to clear the line and Gordon will pull the Royal Train. The great day comes and the engines are busy bringing in people from all over the island for the special occasion and Edward soon steams in and declares that the Queen has arrived. Gordon then pulls into the station with the Queen's train. The Fat Controller stands to attention and welcomes the Queen. She thanks him for a splendid ride and asks to see the engines. Percy and Toby then whistle and cheer for the Queen, prompting Henry and James to hush them since they want to enjoy the event. However Percy and Toby ignore them by continuing the noise, leading the other engines to join in. When it is time to leave, the Queen speaks especially to Thomas, Edward and finally Gordon, who takes her home and all the engines whistle proudly.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Painter
 * Queen Elizabeth II (does not speak)
 * Duck (cameo)
 * Donald (cameo)
 * Henrietta (cameo)
 * Mrs. Kyndley (cameo)
 * Jeremiah Jobling (cameo)
 * Farmer Trotter (cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Knapford
 * Shunting Yards
 * The Lighthouse
 * Vicarstown Sheds (stock footage)
 * The Lead Mines (stock footage)
 * Wellsworth (deleted scene)

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the twentieth episode of the fourth season.
 * This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Gordon the Big Engine.
 * Stock footage from Off the Rails, Down the Mine and Thomas and Stepney is used.
 * This was the first and only episode of the television series where a historical figure appears.
 * As the narrator says, "When it was time to leave...", God Save the Queen, the British national anthem, begins playing.
 * On PBS Kids Sprout airings and Season 4 (Digital Download), this episode is given the UK title.
 * This was the final adaptation of a story from The Railway Series written by Wilbert Awdry until The Adventure Begins.
 * This episode, along with Special Attraction, were the last episodes featured on Shining Time Station.
 * This episode is a continuation from the first season episode, Down the Mine.
 * The events of this episode were mentioned by Gordon in the eighteenth season episode, Emily Saves the World.
 * On May 12th, 2015, behind the scenes footage of this episode was revealed in a report on BBC South Today.
 * In the UK and Ukrainian versions, when the narrator says "Then, the rain came", a thunderclap is heard. However, in the US and other international versions, the thunderclap sound is not heard.
 * When Gordon pulls into the station with the royal train, "Zadok The Priest" can be heard in the background, which is the music that played during Queen Elizabeth II's coronation.
 * When Thomas and Gordon say "Please sir...", the narrator's voice is double-tracked so it sounds like they are talking at the same time.

Goofs

 * In the US version, the painter screaming when he fell is absent for unknown reasons.
 * Gordon's brakepipe is facing downwards, while it was facing upwards in Down the Mine.
 * The narrator said that Thomas and Gordon whistled into the shed, but only Thomas' whistle was heard.
 * When Thomas rolls his eyes, his face moves a little.
 * Henry's smoke is coming from his cab and not his funnel.
 * In a rare picture, Gordon's buffer is crooked when he speaks to the Fat Controller.
 * At the end of the episode, a crowd of people can be seen at Knapford, but in the close-ups of James and Henry, the people disappear and then reappear.
 * When the engines whistle, Donald and Douglas' whistles can be heard, but they are nowhere to be seen. This is because the audio of the engines whistling is reused from the second season episode, The Deputation.
 * Edward's whistle is at a lower pitch when he announces that the Queen is coming.
 * When Gordon comes to a halt in Knapford, Edward's eyes are wonky.
 * In the close-up shots of Toby and Percy at Knapford, the buffers on Toby's line are wonky.
 * In a rare picture, Thomas' driver has only his head and arms, as his body is replaced by a metal plate.
 * In a close-up shot of Toby and Percy at Knapford, a woman sitting on a bench has no feet.
 * When Toby brings the passengers to Knapford, his bell sounds completely different.
 * Gordon and Duck have the same whistle sound.
 * When Thomas and Gordon are puffing to the sheds at the beginning, neither of them are puffing steam in any of the shots except Gordon's close-up.

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Thomas and Stepney and other Stories
 * Thomas' Train and 17 other stories
 * The Complete Fourth Series
 * The Very Best of Thomas and Friends
 * My Little Thomas and the Royal Visitor

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection

WAL

 * Help and 15 other stories

US

 * Thomas Meets the Queen and Other Stories
 * Best of Thomas
 * Season 4 (Digital Download)

DVD Boxsets

 * Best Tales on the Tracks
 * Best of James/Best of Thomas Double Feature
 * Ultimate Thomas Collection

AUS

 * Thomas and Stepney and other Stories
 * The Very Best of Thomas and Friends
 * The Complete Fourth Series
 * The Best of Thomas and Friends - Volume 1

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * 60th Anniversary - Limited Edition Boxset

JPN

 * Best of Gordon
 * New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.1
 * Fuss Today!

PHL

 * Paint Pots and Queens (Philippine DVD)

MYS

 * Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady and Other Adventures
 * Thomas and the Special Letter and Other Thomas Adventures

DK

 * The Brave Engine and Other Stories

ITA

 * Here Comes the Queen

NOR

 * The Old Coach
 * Thomas and Stepney

NL

 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Thomas, James and Henry
 * Thomas and the Special Letter (Dutch DVD)

GR

 * Adventures at the Railway Station

DVD Boxsets

 * 3 DVD Boxset 2

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends
 * Thomas and Friends - Season 4 (Ukrainian DVD)

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4 (DVD)

TWN

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 10 (Taiwanese DVD)
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Video Games

 * Magical Adventure