Gordon Runs Dry

"Um, Gordon. Have you got your, uh, brakes on?" "Maybe." "Well, take them off won't you? How can I push you with your brakes on?"

- Paxton and Gordon

Gordon Runs Dry is a seventeenth season episode.

Plot
At Knapford Station, Gordon is waiting impatiently for Percy to shunt his express coaches. He is only made more upset when Thomas suggests that he fetch his own coaches. Gordon claims express trains are more important than local trains because local trains stop at every station.

Meanwhile, Paxton is pulling a stone train from the Blue Mountain Quarry. Before he reaches the junction to the main line, the signal turns red. He avoids a near collision with Gordon, but one of the rocks from his train bounces off Gordon's boiler. Instead of checking over the damage, he hurries away to stay on time. Gordon's boiler begins to run dry. Instead of filling up on water, he passes by the water tower. He can't help but think about water when he goes by lakes and streams.

Eventually he does stop to fill up, but his passengers complain about being behind schedule. At Wellsworth Henry makes fun of Gordon for being behind schedule. Once again he passes by a water tower instead of filling up his boiler, but a little further way he can't help but stop. On his way with the local, Thomas notices a trail of water on the tracks that lead to Gordon. They conclude that the rock has caused a leak in his boiler.

Thomas takes Gordon's express passengers, and Paxton shunts Gordon to the Steamworks. At first Gordon keeps his brakes on, embarassed that he has to be shunted. After being repaired, the engines still make fun of him for letting his boiler run dry.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Paxton
 * Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
 * Toby (cameo)
 * Victor (cameo)
 * Henrietta (cameo)
 * The Bird Watcher (cameo)
 * Dowager Hatt's Friends (cameo)

A man's voice is also heard over a station speaker, but it is currently unknown who voiced him.

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Knapford
 * Kellsthorpe
 * Wellsworth
 * Maron
 * Sodor Steamworks
 * The Fenland Track
 * Blue Mountain Quarry (mentioned)
 * Tidmouth (mentioned)
 * Crosby (mentioned)
 * Cronk (mentioned)

Goofs

 * The Bird Watcher is one of the passengers in Gordon's express, but when Paxton is pushing Gordon to the Sodor Steamworks, the Bird Watcher can be seen standing on the platform at Kellsthorpe.
 * It is unlikely that all of Gordon's passengers could fit in Annie and Clarabel.
 * A leak in a boiler is a more serious problem than that presented in the episode. If a boiler were to run completely dry, it could warp due to the high heat.