The Trouble with Mud

"Dirty or clean - I'm a famous machine!"

- Gordon

The Trouble with Mud, also known as Trouble with Mud, is the tenth episode of the third season. It first aired on the Shining Time Station episode, A Dog's Life in 1991.

Plot
One morning, Thomas is being cleaned when a muddy Gordon arrives. Thomas tells Gordon to have a wash down, but Gordon does not care and leaves. A strong wind is blowing and Gordon's driver tells him to slow down, but that only makes Gordon more cross at being dirty and late. At the next station, Gordon sees a sign saying "All trains must wash down daily".

James is just finishing with his wash down and Gordon's driver tells him it is his turn now, but Gordon lets off steam and mud flies all over James. Gordon's driver tells him that he is a very naughty engine and now he has to wait until James gets another wash, but Gordon does not and leaves to pull the express. The Fat Controller is waiting for Gordon at Knapford and tells him that, because he is muddy, Henry will have to take the express. Gordon is then ordered by The Fat Controller to get cleaned up at once.

Gordon leaves to get a wash down and then pulls trucks for the rest of the day. James is getting ready to pull the express, when Gordon returns. Gordon warns James about the hills being slippery and says that he may need help, but James denies this and leaves. Earlier, a storm had swept across Gordon's Hill, blowing leaves onto the tracks. Though the storm had passed, the hill is still slippery.

When James is halfway up, and tries to pull the train over the hill by himself like last time, his wheels begin to slip, and he rolls back down the hill. Gordon sees everything and helps James up the hill. That night, Thomas asks the Fat Controller if Gordon can pull coaches again. The Fat Controller says, "yes, as long as he stays clean." After he leaves, Gordon states that "Dirty or clean, he's a famous machine," even though there is no one else left awake or around to hear him.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Henry (does not speak)
 * Percy (cameo)
 * Mrs. Kyndley (cameo)

Locations

 * Knapford
 * Gordon's Hill
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Wellsworth
 * Lower Suddery
 * Knapford Yards
 * The Washdown
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * Henry's Forest

Trivia

 * This episode is very loosely based on the story Leaves from The Railway Series book, Gordon the Big Engine with a line taken from Paint Pots and Queens.
 * The episode can be seen in a Japanese game, Magical Adventure.
 * In the episode, the express coaches of James' train are red, but in some photos, they're green.
 * A reference to the first season episode, Troublesome Trucks is made.

Goofs

 * The cleaners washing Thomas all have skinny flesh-coloured wires for necks.
 * As Gordon says "Mind my eyes!" his right eye is wonky.
 * When Gordon bumps the trucks, he bumps them together but in the next shot they are moving one by one.
 * When James first sets off with the express, his wheels slip.
 * When James is sliding back down Gordon's Hill, a wire can be seen attached to his rear coach pulling him back down the hill.
 * Gordon's eyebrows are missing at the beginning.
 * When Gordon and James are at the bottom of Gordon's Hill, a signal above them is set for stop.
 * In a rare picture of James climbing up the hill, his eyes are wonky.
 * When James tries to stop, his pony truck is derailed.
 * Gordon is a bit muddy again in Tidmouth Sheds at night at the end.
 * The signals at the bottom of Gordon's Hill are incorrect as the yellow Distant Signal is above the red home signal.
 * Some music videos reveal that Gordon is absent when James says, "We can do it!"
 * In the Norwegian version, James is reffered to as Henry when he says, "Trucks will be trucks."

Merchandise

 * Books - Gordon's Trouble with Mud
 * Buzz Books - The Trouble with Mud
 * Magazine stories - The Trouble With Mud! and Leaves on the Line

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Trust Thomas and Other Stories (Direct-to-Home Video)
 * Thomas Gets Bumped and 17 Other Stories
 * Biggest Party Video Ever!
 * Seasonal Scrapes
 * The Complete Third Series
 * Classic Collection

WAL

 * Thomas the Tank Engine: Bumper Special 1

US

 * Trust Thomas and Other Stories
 * Thomas and Bertie's Great Race and Other Adventures
 * 10 Years of Thomas
 * Best of Gordon
 * Season 3 (Digital Download)

DVD Boxsets

 * Best Tales on the Tracks
 * Trust Thomas and Other Stories/A Big Day for Thomas (DVD)
 * On-the-Go Pack
 * Ultimate Thomas Collection
 * Totally Thomas Volume 6
 * Totally Thomas Volume 7
 * Best of Collection

AUS

 * Trust Thomas and Other Stories
 * All Aboard!
 * The Complete Third Series

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10

NZ

 * Time for Trouble and other stories
 * Bumper Video Collection Volume 4
 * Thomas Train Set Compilation Video Volume 2

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 14
 * Best of Gordon
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.1
 * No, No Troubles!

DVD Boxsets

 * The Complete DVD Box 1

GER

 * Friends Help Friends

DVD Boxsets

 * Thomas and His Friends Box Set 1

KOR

 * Stories to Raise Cooperation

GR

 * The Twin Engines Were Confused!

DVD Boxsets

 * 3 DVD Boxset 2

NOR

 * The Old Coach
 * Thomas, Percy and the Post Train

FIN

 * Thomas, Percy and the Post Train

ITA

 * On Christmas Eve

MYS

 * Thomas' Christmas Party and Other Thomas Adventures

IN

 * The Trouble with Mud and Other Stories

NL

 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Thomas, Percy and Gordon
 * The Ghost Train (Dutch DVD)

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends

DK

 * Now There Will Be Trouble and Other Stories

SER

 * Synchronized 1

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4 (DVD)

TWN

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 7 (Taiwanese DVD)

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 9 (Thai DVD)
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Video Games

 * Magical Adventure