Best Dressed Engine

"Decorations are undignified. Huh! Who cares about the competition anyway?"

- Gordon

Best Dressed Engine is the twenty-second episode of the seventh season.

Plot
The Engines were celebrating May Day. Knapford Station was being decorated & Sir Topham Hatt agreed to let the engines be decorated, but Gordon states that decoration are dignified for an important engine like him & puffs away.

At Tidmouth Sheds, everyone was being decorated. Percy had flags & streamers, Thomas had big red banners & Murdoch was decorated, even though he was shy. James gets the idea of having a competition for the "Best Dressed Engine". When Gordon arrived & heard about a competition, he wanted to join in, but James tells him that he needs to be decorated & that it's a Best dressed engine contest. Gordon rejects the competition after hearing everything.

Later, Gordon is crossing a bridge when a banner is blown onto his front. Since Gordon is pulling the express, he can't stop and so remains "dressed up". Trevor was pulling a cart of apples for the children's apple bobbing. When Trevor heard Gordon's whistle, he tried to go as fast as he could, but it was no use & Gordon smashed all the apples. James was the last to reach the station for the contest, until Gordon arrived. Everyone wasn't expecting Gordon to be decorated, but Gordon said he didn't, but James says that he's defiantly the Best Dressed Engine, everyone agreed & Gordon was announced the winner of the "best dressed" competition.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Murdoch
 * Trevor (does not speak)
 * Salty (cameo)
 * Annie and Clarabel (cameo)
 * Harold (cameo)
 * Lady Hatt (cameo)
 * Bridget Hatt (cameo)
 * Jem Cole (cameo)
 * Farmer Trotter (cameo)
 * The Tailor (cameo)
 * Henry (stock footage cameo)
 * Oliver (stock footage cameo)
 * Bulgy (stock footage cameo)
 * The Vicar of Wellsworth (stock footage cameo)
 * The Refreshment Lady (stock footage cameo)
 * The Crovan's Gate Policeman (stock footage cameo)
 * The Dryaw Policeman (stock footage cameo)
 * Sir Topham Hatt (mentioned)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Knapford
 * Maron
 * Henry's Tunnel (Stock footage)
 * Three Tier Bridge
 * Rolf's Castle
 * The Works
 * The Seaside Village
 * Tidmouth Tunnel
 * Tidmouth Bay
 * Balladrine

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the seventeenth episode of the seventh season.
 * Stock footage from Special Attraction, Percy's Chocolate Crunch, and Bulgy Rides Again is used, as is mirrored stock footage from Thomas and the Breakdown Train and a deleted scene from Thomas and Stepney.
 * For an unknown reason, the competition is referred to as a contest in the US narration.
 * Headmaster Hasting's pipe organ from Faulty Whistles is seen at the beginning of the episode.
 * This episode marks Murdoch's last speaking role until the twelfth season.

Goofs

 * It is said that the banner wraps around Gordon's firebox, but it actually does so on his smokebox.
 * When Trevor is chuffing along, studio equipment is reflected in his paintwork.
 * When Gordon breaks through the crossing gates, Trevor's cart isn't hit, but in the next scene the cart is smashed.
 * Gordon goes under the same bridge twice. However, an effort: the removal of the upper part of the bridge, is made to disguise it the second time.
 * After Gordon collides with the cart, his left (viewer's right) buffer becomes severely damaged, but later at Knapford, it's still intact.
 * When Trevor passes the farm, the shot is mirrored.
 * Because stock footage is used, Bulgy is in his red livery. Additionally, when Gordon leaves Knapford, he's pulling four coaches, but in the next scene, he's pulling three.

UK

 * Pulling Together!
 * The Complete Seventh Series

US

 * Hooray for Thomas and Other Adventures

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.4

DK

 * Danish DVD Boxset (2008)

TWN

 * Confident Brave Little Engine