- “Here comes Gordon!"
"And here comes big strong Henry!” - ― Thomas and Henry
Big Strong Henry is the seventeenth episode of the tenth series.
Plot
Winter is coming to the Island of Sodor, and all the engines are preparing for the cold weather. Farmer McColl is building a new shed for his cows, and he needs lots of bricks, iron and concrete to finish building it.
At Tidmouth Sheds, the Fat Controller declares that he needs a strong engine to fetch them. Henry volunteers immediately, but Gordon intervenes, boasting he is stronger and that he will do the job. Even though Gordon and Henry are just about the same size, after careful thinking, the Fat Controller decides that Gordon will pick up the building materials, and Henry will deliver the empty trucks for Gordon to collect. Henry is upset, but Percy, Emily and Thomas all reassure Henry they know he is big and strong. Percy says Henry could pull ten trucks of sand, Emily says he could pull twenty coal trucks and Thomas states that he could pull fifty trucks of iron and steel, calling him "Big Strong Henry". Gordon is unimpressed, but Thomas tells him that Henry will show him, and Gordon sets off.
After delivering the empty trucks, Henry sets off, wondering how he can prove that he is strong like Gordon. He meets Percy at the water tower, and Percy tells Henry to pull five heavy trucks from the nearby line. So, Henry switches tracks and couples up, and he pulls the trucks forwards just as Gordon pulls up. Gordon angrily orders Henry to put the trucks back, as they are his trucks to pick up for Farmer McColl later, and he steams away. Percy still believes that Henry is stronger than Gordon, making Henry feel much better.
Further down the track, Thomas is waiting. Thomas tells Henry of the many trucks loaded with hay bales on the siding, and Henry decides to pull them. He couples up and pulls them out of the siding, but because Henry is pulling so many heavy trucks at one time, he cannot stop them from pushing him down the hill. At a bend at the bottom of the hill, Henry derails and the trucks are smashed, leaving hay bales everywhere and Henry is left very upset.
Edward brings Rocky to help lift Henry back onto the track, as well as the Fat Controller. He orders Henry to return the hay bales to where he found them, taking only one truck at a time. Henry is very miserable, as now he realises he is not as strong as he thinks he is.
Meanwhile, Gordon has delivered all the materials for Farmer McColl, and the Fat Controller tells him to go collect his cows. Gordon feels very proud of himself, boasting that he is indeed stronger than Henry, but does not realise that the cattle truck doors are improperly shut. At the signal, Gordon meets up with Henry, who is still returning hay bales. Henry notices the cows escaping from Gordon's wagons, and Gordon does not know what to do. However, Henry sees that the cows are heading towards the hay on his flatbed, and he gets an idea. Henry slowly chuffs down the track towards Farmer McColl's farm, and the cows hungrily follow him all the way. Farmer McColl is very pleased that all his cows are safely home, except for one who is blocking Gordon's path.
That night, Thomas and Percy apologise to Henry for getting him into trouble, but Henry accepts it as his fault for wanting to be "Big Strong Henry". However, Emily responds that he is something even better: "Very Helpful Henry". Henry smiles and states that even the strongest engine needs a little help sometimes, and asks Gordon if he agrees. Embarrassed, Gordon does not answer and his face simply turns red.
Characters
- Thomas
- Henry
- Gordon
- Percy
- Emily
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Edward (does not speak)
- Rocky (does not speak)
- Farmer McColl (does not speak)
- James (cameo)
- Molly (cameo)
- George (cameo)
- Jem Cole (cameo)
- Farmer Trotter (cameo)
- Cyril the Fogman (cameo)
- Sir Topham Hatt's Blond-haired Assistant (cameo)
Locations
Trivia
- A leaked script differs from the final episode in various ways:
- Originally, this was going to be the twelfth episode of the tenth series.
- Henry volunteering to help is phrased as a question, the Fat Controller says "Yes" when accepting Gordon's offer and Gordon smiles after this.
- Two cut mentions of Henry's emotions ("He was disappointed" and "a little worried") are featured.
- Thomas, Percy and Emily each edge forward when praising Henry.
- Gordon and Thomas respectively say "I'll believe that when I see it!" and "You will see it!" instead of "What nonsense!" and "You'll see!" Thomas also leaves and blows smoke in Gordon's face; thus it's noted that Gordon "wheezed" his "Pah!" line instead of "wheeshed".
- Henry ruminating to himself happens while he is delivering his empty trucks instead of after.
- There is no line from the narrator when Henry sees Percy, and it is noted that Percy is taking on water. Percy's dialogue is also somewhat different; he notes the five trucks containing hay bales rather than being heavy and calls Gordon jealous.
- In between Henry pulling five and twenty hay bale trucks, a deleted scene is featured in which Emily encourages Henry to pull ten trucks. A photo of this scene can be seen in the book Smart Henry. This was replaced by narration saying Henry saw Thomas up ahead.
- The aftermath of the crash is somewhat different; the Fat Controller arrives separately from Edward and Rocky. It is also noted that Henry left sadly and Gordon passed smugly.
- Only one cattle truck door is left open, but Henry still says that "all" the cows are leaving. Additionally, it is noted in the script that men waved to warn Gordon to no avail.
- Emily is included in the apology, as she also played a role earlier, and her dialogue is somewhat different. Additionally, the scene was originally supposed to widen to reveal Gordon listening.
- It is possible that the field where Henry derailed is the same that James and Molly pass at the beginning of the episode, just removing the tree and putting a third track in its place. A deleted version of the opening also shows this version of the field.
- This episode marks:
- The only episode where a brass model is used for the crash instead of the plastic model. Henry's brass model was used due to the plastic model having a previously loose middle left drive wheel which is visible in promotional photographs, and some scenes of the eighth series episode, Henry and the Wishing Tree. The way the crash in this episode unfolded could have caused the old repair to fail.
- George's last appearance in an episode (though his last appearance overall would be in The Great Discovery) and his only appearance in the tenth series. However, he was intended to appear in the twenty-third series episode, Free the Roads, but was cut in favour of Max and Monty having a role in that episode.
- The last appearances of Henry's spitting face mask and Gordon's astonished face mask.
- The last episode written by Simon Nicholson.
- A recap version of the episode was used in the Sodor's Special Places segment, Farmer McColl's Farm before the full episode aired.
- The cow getting stuck and blocking Gordon's line is similar to the second series episode, Cows.
- This episode aired in the US before Edward Strikes Out, meaning the audience would not know who Rocky is.
Goofs
- In the beginning of the episode, Gordon has Henry's whistle sound.
- The narrator says Percy collected trucks of logs, but there was only one truck.
- Henry's eyes are very misaligned as he puffs along after delivering the empty trucks.
- The track where the five trucks of hay stand finishes in a dead end in the bushes.
- Gordon's puffing sound is heard when Thomas says "Here comes Gordon", but it is not heard before or after Thomas said that.
- The narrator says that Henry pulled the trucks out of the sidings, but the trucks were not on a siding.
- In the shot of the trucks rolling Henry down the hill, a camera shadow can be seen on the top right.
- Just before Henry derails, the first truck appears to already be damaged and the track can be seen leading to the spot where he crashed.
- At McColl farm there are two Farmer Trotters visible.
Merchandise
In Other Languages
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Home Media Releases
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DVD Packs
US/CANDVD Boxsets
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TWNHK |
| #01 Follow that Flour | #11 Fearless Freddie | #21 Emily and the Special Coaches |
| #02 A Smooth Ride | #12 Toby's New Shed | #22 Thomas and the Colours |
| #03 Thomas and the Jet Plane | #13 Big Strong Henry | #23 Thomas and the Birthday Mail |
| #04 Percy and the Funfair | #14 Sticky Toffee Thomas | #24 Duncan's Bluff |
| #05 The Green Controller | #15 Which Way Now? | #25 Missing Trucks |
| #06 Duncan Drops a Clanger | #16 Thomas and the Shooting Star | #26 Thomas and the Treasure |
| #07 Thomas' Tricky Tree | #17 Edward Strikes Out | #27 James the Second Best |
| #08 Toby's Afternoon Off | #18 Topped Off Thomas | #28 Thomas and Skarloey's Big Day Out |
| #09 It's Good to Be Gordon | #19 Wharf and Peace | |
| #10 Seeing the Sights | #20 Thomas' Frosty Friend | |