Confusion Without Delay

Confusion Without Delay is the third episode from the twenty-second series.

Plot

Late one afternoon Sir Topham Hatt was just about communicate the Steam Team about a new arrival, when just then, Rebecca, a big tender engine, surprises the controller by arriving early on the island to which her was the new arrival but not until tomorrow. After all the other engines tell her how fast and useful they all are, Rebecca wants to impress them too. But she tries too hard that she turns up too early for the passengers and leaves early too at every single station when pulling the express as her first job much to Gordon's annoyance.

Characters

• Thomas
• Edward
• Gordon
• James
• Percy
• Flying Scotsman
• Emily
• Porter
• Nia
• Rebecca 
• Diesel
• Salty
• Philip
• Sir Topham Hatt
• The Foreman
• Henry (does not speak)
• Rosie (does not speak)
• Winston (cameo)
• The Thin Clergyman (cameo)
• The Teacher (cameo)
• Albert's Wife (cameo)
• The Great Railway Show Judge (cameo)
• The Film Crew Leader (cameo)
• The Man with the Green Waistcoat and Grey Hair (cameo)

Locations

• Knapford
  • Knapford Station Yard
• Tidmouth Sheds
  • The Works
• Wellsworth
  • Wellsworth Sheds
• Vicarstown
  • Vicarstown Sheds
• Brendam Docks

Cast

UK

• John Hasler as Thomas
• Keith Wickham as Edward, Gordon, Salty, the Fat Controller, the Foreman, the Workers, the Wellsworth Stationmaster and the Passengers
• Rob Rackstraw as James and the Passengers
• Nigel Pilkington as Percy
• Teresa Gallagher as Emily
• Steven Kynman as Porter
• Rufus Jones as Flying Scotsman
• Yvonne Grundy as Nia
• Rachael Miller as Rebecca
• Kerry Shale as Diesel
• Rasmus Hardiker as Philip
• Joe Mills as a Passenger (uncredited)

US

• Joseph May as Thomas
• William Hope as Edward
• Kerry Shale as Gordon and Diesel
• Rob Rackstraw as James and the Passengers
• Christopher Ragland as Percy
• Jules de Jongh as Emily
• David Menkin as Porter
• Rufus Jones as Flying Scotsman
• Yvonne Grundy as Nia
• Rachael Miller as Rebecca
• Keith Wickham as Salty, Sir Topham Hatt, the Foreman, the Workers, the Wellsworth Stationmaster and the Passengers
• Rasmus Hardiker as Philip
• Joe Mills as a Passenger (uncredited)

Trivia

• This episode marks the first of a couple things:
  • The first official appearance of Vicarstown Sheds since the fourth series episode, Rusty to the Rescue, excluding stock footage in Paint Pots and Queens. The sheds have also been drastically overhauled, now bearing two berths instead of five.
  • The first full appearance of the Flying Scotsman in an episode. Therefore, it is the first and only episode to have Rufus Jones as a part of the voice cast.
  • The first episode to feature the new lineup of the Steam Team together.
  • The first time S.S. Roxstar is seen moving.
  • The first episode to introduce a new Steam Team member since the seventh series episode, Emily's New Coaches, as well as the first episode since the nineteenth series to introduce a new engine to work on Sodor.
• In the scene of Philip and Edward at Wellsworth Sheds, a voice clip from the episode, A Shed for Edward is reused for Edward.
• A reference to The Great Race is made by James and Nia.
• James makes a reference to The Fastest Red Engine on Sodor.
• The plot is similar to the tenth series episode, Seeing the Sights, the first series episode, Thomas' Train, and the fourth series episode, Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady.
• The title is a play on Sir Topham Hatt's catchphrase "Confusion and Delay." He also says a variation of it in this episode.
• This marks the Flying Scotsman's only appearance in the twenty-second series and last speaking role to date.

Goofs

• Joe Mills in both dubs is not credited for voicing a passenger.
• In the UK dub, Thomas has his US voice when the Fat Controller almost runs into him. Additionally, Percy has his US voice when the engines welcome Rebecca.
• When the Fat Controller addresses Thomas, Percy, Nia and Emily before introducing Rebecca, there are trucks behind Percy during his close-up, but they are not present in Emily's close-up.
• In the close-up of Rebecca's leading wheels as she brakes at Wellsworth, the box behind her bufferbeam clips through her wheels.
• When Nick Jr. reran the episode on 5 August 2019, Nia's dialogue was taken from her scratch track as opposed to the final version by Yvonne Grundy.

In Other Languages

Home Media Releases

UK/AUS

• Here Comes the Steam Team!

GER

• Big World! Big Adventures! - Australia (German DVD/CD)