Off the Rails

"What cheek! Fancy speaking to me like that! Me, who has never had an accident!"

- Gordon

Off the Rails, retitled Gordon Takes a Dip in American releases, is the twenty-fourth episode of the first season.

In the US, it first aired on the Shining Time Station episode, "Too Many Cooks".

Plot
Gordon is told that he has to take a goods train, and when his fire is slow Edward shunts him to the turntable. Gordon is grumpy and, to pay everyone out, tries to jam the table, but only runs into a ditch, where he has to stay all day until James and Henry fish him out.

Characters

 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * Percy
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * James (does not speak)

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.
 * In the American narration, "fat face" is changed to "lazybones". Also, when the Fat Controller is asked what to do with Gordon, his reply in the UK narration is: "Leave him where he is, we haven't time to bother with him now!"; whereas in the American narration, he says: "Leave him where he is, we'll get him out later."
 * The telephone conversation is a sped up version of conversation between the policeman and the Fat Controller in Thomas in Trouble.
 * According to the boys' song, this takes place on a Monday morning.

Goofs

 * In the opening scene Gordon's front bogie wheels are slighty derailed.
 * When Henry comes up to Gordon and then leaves, Gordon's trailing wheels are derailed.
 * Gordon's tender is derailed when Percy puffs up.
 * When Gordon snaps "Trucks?! Pah!" hair is visible by his right eye.
 * When Edward buffers up behind Gordon the steam platform is easily noticeable.
 * In the close-up of Gordon on the turntable, a gap is visible through his left eye.
 * When Gordon puffs into the ditch his face looks wonky and wires are visible attached to his cab.
 * When the boys sing the camera shakes.
 * How can James and Henry rescue Gordon from the ditch if there are no tracks leading towards the turntable opposite the ditch?
 * Why were rails leading towards a ditch?
 * The narration said James and Henry rescued Gordon but James was the only Engine seen.

Episode
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