Rusty to the Rescue

"You lucky old engine! You've been saved by the Bluebell Railway!"

- Stepney's driver

Rusty to the Rescue is the fifteenth episode of the fourth season. It aired in the US on the Shining Time Station episode Once Upon a Time in 1995.

Plot
Rusty enjoys visiting the Bluebell Railway, but Rusty's driver is concerned that the line needs an engine, so Rusty consults with Douglas about finding one on the Other Railway. Douglas mentions that only Diesels travel to the Other Railway nowadays, which is where he found Oliver. That suits Rusty and the next day he travels to the Other Railway, slipping past the Diesels by lying that he is an inspection Diesel. He finds a tank engine named Stepney in a siding and helps him to escape to Sodor.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Douglas
 * Stepney
 * Rusty
 * Percy (does not speak)
 * Henry (cameo)
 * Gordon (cameo)
 * Diesel (cameo)
 * Daisy (cameo)
 * BoCo (cameo)
 * Mavis (cameo)
 * The Diesel (cameo)
 * Skarloey (cameo)
 * Annie and Clarabel (cameo)
 * Bertie (cameo)
 * Jem Cole (cameo)
 * Oliver (mentioned)

Locations

 * Crovan's Gate
 * The Skarloey Railway Viaduct
 * Bluebell Railway
 * The Other Railway
 * Barrow-in-Furness

Trivia

 * This is the only fourth season episode not based on a story from the Railway Series, but the episode is loosely adapted from the Railway Series story, Bluebells of England.
 * The set of the Other Railway is the same as Crovan's Gate set where Rusty met Percy and Douglas, only heavily modified.
 * In real life, the Bluebell Railway is a heritage line in England.
 * In the US version, music is heard when Stepney says "and my friend, Rusty. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Rusty", but not in the UK version.
 * In the British narration, Henry and Gordon whistle to Rusty when he is heading to the Other Railway; the whistle sound effects are missing in the American narration.
 * Scrap Thomas, Gordon, and Donald/Douglas models can be seen on the Other Railway.
 * The engines of the Other Railway are represented by Diesel, BoCo, Daisy, Mavis, and The Diesel, all with their backs to the camera.
 * In the Netherlands, this episode is titled "Rusty the Savior". The German title is "Rusty Helps". In Japan, this episode is called "The Bluebell Engine". The Welsh title is called, "Rescue Engine". The Danish title is called "Rusty Comes to the Rescue".
 * In the US, this episode aired before Rusty Helps Peter Sam, so early American viewers would not know who Rusty is.
 * The audience would not know who The Diesel is as this episode aired before Bowled Out.

Goofs

 * In the British narration, when Thomas puffs past Rusty, he has Edward's whistle sound. In the same scene Clarabel is facing the wrong way.
 * It is said that Rusty's driver came back to the sheds, but he actually returned to the siding.
 * When Rusty says "Right, we'll find one tomorrow", he has dried-up glue around his face.
 * It is said that Rusty's driver agreed to be Stepney's fireman. With that being said, how would Rusty get back? And his driver was never seen in Rusty's cab, so how could he get to the Other Railway?
 * In the British narration, when Rusty and Stepney return, Thomas, Gordon, and James' whistle sounds are heard, yet they are nowhere to be seen.
 * Why would the Skarloey Railway run all the way to the Other Railway?
 * Rusty is facing forwards when he travels to the Other Railway, but when he and Stepney leave, he is facing the other way without any explanation of how he turned around.
 * When Rusty first arrives on the Other Railway, some chains are hanging beside the signal box, but when Rusty says "Oh, what's that?", the chains disappear.
 * The tar wagon seen between BoCo and Daisy disappears in the last shot of the Other Railway.
 * On the Other Railway, the Diesels constantly change place.
 * Stepney has Rheneas' whistle sound.
 * When Rusty and Stepney escape, Rusty's cab roof appears to be snapped.
 * A brakevan should have been added to Skarloey's train.
 * Mavis changes tracks when Rusty leaves to find Stepney.