Paint Pots and Queens

"Well, you're not a pretty picture."

- The painter sneering at Henry

Paint Pots and Queens, retitled Thomas Meets the Queen in American releases, is a fourth season episode.

Plot
In a follow-up to Down the Mine, Thomas and Gordon arrive home to discover decorations being put up at Tidmouth Sheds. The Fat Controller tells the engines that HM Queen Elizabeth II is coming to visit Sodor. Henry brags he'll pull the Royal Train, but when his paintwork is spoilt by a spilt paint pot the Fat Controller decides to make other arrangements and gives Thomas the duty of shunting the coaches and Gordon the Royal Train. The day comes, and Gordon proudly puffs into Knapford with the Queen, who personally greets each and every one of the engines and is sent away with a fanfare of whistles by the delighted engines.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Duck (cameo)
 * Donald (cameo)
 * Henrietta (cameo)

Locations

 * Vicarstown Sheds
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Knapford

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 and Down the Mine is used in flashbacks.
 * As the narrator says, "When it was time to leave", "God Save the Queen" can be heard in the background.

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 has the mechanism on his front.
 * The narrator said that Thomas and Gordon whistled into the shed. Only Thomas' whistle was heard.
 * While Thomas rolls his eyes, his face moves a little.
 * Thomas mysteriously vanishes after the Fat Controller leaves.
 * Henry's smoke is coming from his cab, and not his funnel.
 * This episode takes place straight after the events of "Down the Mine", but Duck and Donald, who have yet to arrive on Sodor, appear.
 * After Sir Topham Hatt forgives Thomas and Gordon, Gordon has Duck's whistle sound.
 * In a rare picture, Gordon's buffer is crooked.
 * Sir Topham Hatt wanted Thomas and Gordon to speak to him one at a time, but he only lets Gordon speak.
 * When this episode is broadcast on PBS Kids Sprout, the UK title is shown during the intro.

Episode
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