Gordon Takes a Shortcut

"Are you lost?" "Would you like some help?" "No, thank you. I'm not lost."

- Oliver, Toad, and Gordon

Gordon Takes a Shortcut is the fifteenth episode of the twelfth season.

Plot
Some workmen and a group of VIPs are waiting at Great Waterton. Gordon tries to take a shortcut to beat Stanley there, but when he ignores advice from Duck, Oliver, and Toad he ends up getting lost. After banging into Ben's log truck, spilling logs onto Stanley's line, he realises that trying to take a shortcut had not been such a good idea after all. Gordon knows he must stop Stanley from hitting the logs, so he asks for advice from the other engines on how to get down to Stanley's line. He manages to stop Stanley just in time. The two go to Great Waterton, and as a sign of friendship, Gordon allows Stanley to take the VIPs.

Characters

 * Gordon
 * Duck
 * Oliver
 * Ben
 * Stanley
 * Toad
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Rocky (does not speak)
 * 'Arry and Bert (cameo)

Locations

 * Great Waterton
 * Knapford
 * Brendam Docks
 * The Lumber Mill
 * Cabalnoo

Trivia

 * A sampled recording of the story with Pierce Brosnan's original narration is featured on Dino Athanassiou's website.
 * Stock footage from Gordon and the Engineer is used.
 * Oliver and Toad speak for the first time since the seventh season episode, Snow Engine; although Oliver previously made a non-speaking role in Steady Eddie.
 * Going by production order, this is the tenth episode of the twelfth season.
 * This episode aired before The Great Discovery premiered in the UK, meaning the audience may have not known about Stanley or Great Waterton.
 * Harvey appears in the annual story of this episode, which means he may have originally played a role in this episode.
 * This episode aired before Edward Strikes Out in Australia, meaning the audience wouldn't know who Rocky is.
 * This episode marks the last of several things:
 * Ben's last appearance until the seventeenth season episode, Percy's Lucky Day.
 * The last episode until the seventeenth season episode, Luke's New Friend that Thomas does not appear at all.
 * Oliver's last appearance until Tale of the Brave and Toad's last appearance until the eighteenth season episode, Signals Crossed and their last speaking roles until Toad's Adventure.
 * The last time Duck and Oliver are seen in the same episode until Tale of the Brave.
 * This was Duck's last speaking role until the seventeenth season episode, Henry's Hero.
 * This was the only episode this season written by Wayne Jackman and the last episode written by him to date

Goofs

 * Duck's face is smaller than usual.
 * Toad's face is bigger than usual in some scenes.
 * Stanley's whistle sound has changed since The Great Discovery.
 * Gordon's tender shakes when he arrives at the Logging Station.
 * One of the vans in the siding with 'Arry and Bert is derailed.
 * When the narrator says, "But Gordon didn't know which track to take to find Stanley," Ben's eyes are wonky.
 * Throughout the episode, Gordon's driver and fireman cannot be seen in his cab.

Merchandise

 * Magazine Stories - Gordon's Shortcut
 * Books - Gordon's Shortcut

Home Media Releases
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UK/AUS

 * The Complete Series 12

AUS DVD Boxsets

 * The Essential Collection (5 DVD Boxset)

US

 * Railway Friends

DVD Boxsets

 * Adventure Pack
 * Full Steam Ahead
 * Extraordinary Engines and Railway Friends Double Pack

FRA

 * Best Friends (French DVD)

Latin America

 * Team Up With Thomas

MYS

 * Thomas Puts the Brakes On and Other Adventures
 * Tram Trouble and Other Adventures

SA

 * Percy and the Bandstand (DVD)

KOR

 * A Man Lives in the Mountains

THA
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 44 (Thai DVD)
 * Tram Trouble (Thai DVD)