Edward the Very Useful Engine

"Duck should play with other ducks, 'cause he's no good at pulling trucks! Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack! Hold back! Hold back!"

- The Troublesome Trucks teasing Duck

Edward the Very Useful Engine, retitled Edward the Really Useful Engine in some releases, is the twenty-third episode of the sixth season.

Plot
Gordon thinks that Edward is old and should be retired, and the other big engines agree with him, but Percy is concerned about this. He tells his driver and the Fat Controller about what Gordon said about Edward, who attends to the matter immediately.

The Fat Controller arranges for Edward to teach Stepney to run a new loop line, while Duck does Edward's work, but it makes no difference to Gordon. Edward enjoys working with Stepney, but Duck does not enjoy working with the trucks, especially when they hold him back on Gordon's Hill. Duck is stuck on Gordon's line, and it is too late to switch him to the middle line, so the guard tries to flag him down, but Gordon passes by and tries to push Duck up, but it is no good.

Gordon's crew sends for Edward to help both engines, and as the strange train sets off and pulls into the station, Gordon feels rather embarrassed and is told off by The Fat Controller for saying rude things about Edward, who has proven to be responsible, reliable and very helpful. The next day, Gordon apologises to Edward and says that he really is a useful engine. Now there is no more talk about Edward retiring.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * Percy
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Stephen Hatt (not named)
 * James (does not speak)
 * Duck (does not speak)
 * Stepney (does not speak)
 * Annie and Clarabel (cameo)
 * Farmer Trotter (cameo)
 * The Storyteller (cameo)
 * Oliver (deleted scene)

Locations

 * Knapford
 * Tidmouth Bay
 * Maron
 * The Windmill
 * The Viaduct
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Gordon's Hill
 * Shunting Yards
 * The Lighthouse
 * Callan
 * The Loop Line

Trivia

 * This is the final episode written by David Mitton.
 * This is one of the few episodes of the sixth season later re-narrated by Michael Brandon in the US and Michael Angelis in the UK with music composed by Robert Hartshorne and Ed Welch.
 * In Michael Angelis' 2005 re-narration, the term "freight cars" is used at the beginning (See goofs section).
 * Three posters at Knapford read "Alicia Botti in concert tonight at the castle."

Goofs

 * In the American narration, after Alec Baldwin says, "Sir Topham Hatt spoke severely to Gordon," a voice can be faintly heard saying "Take six."
 * When Gordon is seen coming up the hill to push Duck, the guard is seen waving a red flag, but in the very next shot, he is in the brake van.
 * When Edward buffers up to Gordon a white wire is visible in the windows of the express coach.
 * Duck has Oliver's whistle sound at the beginning.
 * Some of the trucks that Duck is pulling have their face on the back end.
 * In Michael Angelis' 2005 re-narration, the term "freight cars" is used at the beginning.

Merchandise

 * Books - Edward, the Very Useful Engine and Help the Little Edward (Germany only)
 * Magazine Stories - Edward to the Rescue!

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Brave Little Engines
 * Bumper Party Collection!
 * The Complete Sixth Series

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection
 * Peep Peep Party/Brave Little Engines Double Pack
 * Bumper Party Collection!/Truck Loads of Fun Double Pack

US

 * James and the Red Balloon
 * Mud Glorious Mud
 * Engine Friends
 * Season 6 (Digital Download)

DVD Boxsets

 * Totally Thomas Volume 3

AUS

 * Rusty Saves the Day
 * The Complete Sixth Series
 * My First Thomas with Toby and Edward

DVD Packs

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * The Great Adventures of Thomas and Friends
 * Series Five and Series Six Double Pack

PHL

 * Edward, the Very Useful Engine (Philippine DVD)

NOR

 * Percy's Chocolate Crash

DK

 * Percy's Chocolate Crash

DVD Boxsets

 * Danish DVD Boxset (2008)

MYS

 * Scaredy Engines and Other Adventures

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.3
 * Toby and Edward the Little Engines

SWE

 * Percy's Chocolate Dip

ITA

 * The Jet Engine (Italian DVD)

THA
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 15 (Thai DVD)
 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 22 (Thai DVD)