Gordon and the Famous Visitor

"Never trust domeless engines! They aren't respectable!"

- Duck

Gordon and the Famous Visitor is the fourth episode of the third season. It first aired on the Shining Time Station episode Win, Lose or Draw in 1991.

Plot
City of Truro has come to visit the North Western Railway. Although most of the engines get along well with him, but Gordon is jealous of his record (he was the first engine to go 100 mph) and claims that he is a liar because he has no dome.

Gordon later tries to go as fast as City of Truro, but unfortunately for him, his dome is blown off at the viaduct and is made into a laughing stock at Knapford by some trucks. Gordon, heading back home, hopes that the shed will be empty, but to his dismay all of the engines are there.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Gordon
 * Percy
 * Duck
 * City of Truro (not named, does not speak)
 * Henry (cameo)
 * James (cameo)
 * Toby (cameo)
 * Donald and Douglas (cameo)
 * Bill and Ben (cameo)
 * Diesel (cameo)
 * Bertie (cameo)
 * Trevor (cameo)
 * Sir Topham Hatt (cameo)
 * Jem Cole (cameo)
 * Jeremiah Jobling (cameo)
 * Mrs. Kyndley (cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Henry's Forest
 * Knapford
 * Knapford Yards
 * Wellsworth
 * The Viaduct
 * Suddery

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story Domeless Engines from The Railway Series book, Duck and the Diesel Engine.
 * Sped-up stock footage from Time for Trouble is used.
 * In a picture of a deleted scene, Thomas, Percy, and Duck were at the other side of the shed.
 * This is the first time a real engine appears in the series.
 * There is a scrap Terence model next to Gordon when he arrives at Tidmouth Sheds.
 * Although City of Truro's name is never mentioned, it is seen on the banner at Tidmouth Sheds and his nameplate.
 * Gordon's line, "Goodbye", is added in the US version.
 * In Germany, this episode is called "A World-Famous Locomotive". In the Netherlands the episode is titled "Gordon and the Famous Visit".
 * In Michael Angelis' re-narrated version, the lines "Gordon was still complaining", "He thinks no engine should be famous, but him", "Gordon was running very fast", and "Gordon's driver eased him off" are omitted.
 * When Gordon notices that his dome missing, a music cue is omitted in all of the UK versions.

Goofs

 * Henry, Daisy, BoCo, Annie, Clarabel, Henrietta, Terence, and Harold were not invited to see City of Truro. Diesel, for some reason, was.
 * A photographer's camera is just a small wooden cube with paint on it.
 * In the close-up of Duck talking at the sheds, Thomas' red lining on his tank is crooked.
 * In one shot of Gordon talking to Thomas and Duck, he does not have any eyebrows.
 * When Henry puffs past Edward and Duck, his eyes are wonky.
 * Edward's whistle is wonky whilst he is talking to Duck.
 * When Gordon says "It feels as if something is loose" he hits a tree branch on the right.
 * After Gordon loses his dome, his coaches disappear.
 * When Gordon goes through Knapford, he is tilted to the right.
 * When Gordon races through the station, a distant signal can be seen, which is incorrect. Only home signals are used at station platforms.