Paint Pots and Queens

"He'll choose me, of course." "You? You can't climb hills!"

- James and Henry

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's happening, and The Fat Controller tells the engines that Her Majesty The Queen is coming to visit Sodor. The engines then wonder who would pull the Royal Train. Edward says he's too old, and Gordon is still in disgrace. James thinks he'll be chosen, but Henry disagrees and brags he'll pull the Royal Train and will have a new coat of paint.

One rainy day, Henry's driver and fireman cover the cab to keep dry at Knapford. A painter was on the 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's not a pretty picture, and the Fat Controller says that it won't 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 gathering people from all over the island for the special occasion, and Edward soon steams in and tells everyone 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, and when it's time to leave, the Queen speaks especially to Thomas, Edward, and finally Gordon, who takes her home and no engines ever felt prouder than those on the Fat Controller's railway.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Queen Elizabeth II (does not speak)
 * Duck (cameo)
 * Donald (cameo)
 * Henrietta (cameo)
 * Jeremiah Jobling (cameo)

Locations

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

Trivia

 * 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" can be heard in the background.
 * On PBS Kids Sprout airings, this episode is given the UK title.
 * This was the final episode that was based on a story from The Railway Series written by Wilbert Awdry.
 * This episode, along with Special Attraction, were the last episodes to be featured on Shining Time Station.
 * This episode is a continuation from in the first season episode, Down the Mine.

Goofs

 * At the end of Down the Mine, the cable that Gordon used to pull Thomas out of the mine was taken off by the workmen. However, at the beginning of this episode, Gordon still has the mechanism on his front. In addition, Gordon's brakepipe is facing downward, while it was facing upward 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.
 * Thomas mysteriously vanishes after the Fat Controller leaves and when Gordon says, "I'm in disgrace".
 * Henry's smoke is coming from his cab, and not his funnel.
 * Gordon and Duck have the same whistle sound.
 * Sir Topham Hatt wanted Thomas and Gordon to speak to him one at a time, but he only lets Gordon speak.
 * George Carlin makes Gordon say "May Thomas have his Branch Line again?" in his Sir Topham Hatt voice.
 * 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 from The Deputation.
 * It is suggested that the events of this story take place shortly after the events of Down the Mine, as was the case with the Railway Series story.  However, Duck and Donald make appearances, who did not arrive on Sodor until quite some time after the events of Down the Mine.
 * When Gordon comes to a halt in Knapford, Edward's eyes are wonky.
 * In the scene showing the paint pot on Henry's dome, it is too small compared to how much paint fell on Henry's dome.
 * In the UK version the engines whistle at the end, but in the US version they do not.
 * In the close up shots of Toby and Percy at Knapford, the buffers on Toby's line are wonky.