O the Indignity

"Oh, the indignity!" "No, Gordon - oh the silliness!"

- Gordon and Sir Topham Hatt

O the Indignity is the seventeenth episode of the fourteenth season.

Plot
It is "Clean Sodor Day" on the Island and Gordon has to take his express coaches to the Steamworks because they have wonky wheels. Gordon is annoyed, as he has to pick up the Island Inspector from the Docks at teatime. Victor instructs Gordon to put the coaches inside where Whiff and Scruff are waiting. Scruff has a broken "scruncher" and Whiff has to wait with him. Then the Fat Controller arrives with a very important job for Gordon - he is put in charge of Whiff's Waste Dump for the day, which he is rather upset about.

Soon, Gordon arrives at the waste dump. There are smelly rubbish trucks everywhere. Then, Gordon hears a very worrying whistle - Spencer is coming! Gordon knows that Spencer will tease him so he goes to hide. When Spencer pulls in with a truck of rubbish belonging to the Duke and Duchess of Boxford, he sees no one in charge and leaves the truck. Next, Gordon hears another whistle. It belongs to James - the snootiest engine on Sodor. Gordon cannot let James see him working at the dump, so once again he hides. James comments on how terrible it smells, leaves the truck and then exits the dump. Finally, Gordon hears a horn which belongs to Diesel, so Gordon goes to hide again. Diesel leaves the truck but then, Whiff, Scruff, and Thomas arrive with the Fat Controller who is most annoyed. The waste dump is in a dreadful state! Gordon comes out of hiding but cannot get to Thomas and the Fat Controller as the lines are blocked with rubbish trucks. Gordon knows how to put the chaos right. He asks Sir Topham Hatt if Whiff can pick up the inspector. The Fat Controller agrees and Gordon, with Scruff's help, sets to work.

Later, Whiff's Waste Dump is looking tidy and clean, just as Whiff puffs in with the Fat Controller and the Island Inspector. The Fat Controller shows the dump to the inspector who praises Gordon for his good work, which makes Gordon very proud and, although he may be a bit smelly, he has to admit he had fun.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Diesel
 * Whiff
 * Scruff
 * Spencer
 * Victor
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Island Inspector
 * Edward (cameo)
 * Toby (cameo)
 * Henrietta (cameo)
 * Kevin (cameo)
 * The Duke and Duchess of Boxford (mentioned)

Locations

 * Whiff's Waste Dump
 * Sodor Steamworks
 * Knapford
 * Brendam Docks (mentioned)

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the eighteenth episode of the fourteenth season.
 * Stock footage from Toby's New Whistle, Tickled Pink, and Double Trouble is used.
 * Scruff's bufferbeam is referred to as a "scruncher".
 * In Norway, this episode is called "How Nefarious". The German title is "The Clean-up Day". It is "O the Shame" in Welsh. The Japanese title is "Gordon and the Spring Cleaning". In Hungary, it is titled "What Indignity!"

Goofs

 * Victor somehow turns around when he moves to the back of the Steamworks.
 * Whiff should know that Gordon knows his name.
 * There is no reason for Whiff to wait with Scruff.
 * Spencer, James, and Diesel could have easily seen Gordon when they arrived.
 * Gordon could have easily shunted the trucks out of the way to reach the Fat Controller.
 * There are many other engines that would be more suitable to work at the dump.
 * Scruff does not have a rear coupling.

Quotes

 * Spencer: Puffing pistons! What a pong! This is the pongiest place I've ever puffed to! Which pongy engine is in charge here?


 * James: Whiffing-woo! What a mess! This must be the stinkiest spot on Sodor! Only stinky steamies work here!


 * Diesel: Smells and bells! Only a stinky steamie could leave all these stinky trucks here!

Merchandise

 * TrackMaster - "O the Indignity Gordon" (Greatest Moments)