Edward is an old, blue engine, who is feeling sad, as he has not been out in a long time. The other engines that live in Tidmouth Sheds with Edward have told him the driver will not choose him, making Edward even more depressed, until the driver and fireman see that he is upset, so they choose him over the other engines. Edward has a wonderful day pulling coaches. The coaches are very proud and impressed with Edward, as is his crew. He goes back to the sheds that evening, and falls fast asleep.
Next morning, Gordon is bragging to Edward. He tells the old engine to watch him rush by with the express that afternoon. Edward ignores him and goes to shunt trucks in the yard. Edward loves shunting; he will biff the trucks, and they will scream in horror.
Edward works very hard all day. That afternoon, he goes for a rest on a siding. Presently, he hears Gordon's whistle. But instead of coaches, the express engine is pulling a line of dirty trucks. Gordon moans as he slowly pulls a dirty goods train. He soon begins to climb a hill, and stops halfway up. Edward is soon called to be Gordon's banker. The big blue engine does not think that Edward can do it, though he pushes all the same. Up the hill goes the train, all the while Gordon persistently complains but to his surprise, they have made it to the top. Gordon thunders away at high-speed, cheering for himself, leaving Edward far behind without even waiting to say thank you to him. Very sad and out of breath, Edward slowly runs into a siding at Maron station, where his driver and fireman give him a long drink and promise to reward him a new coat of blue paint with red stripes.
When Gordon races through Maron, the footage is sped up.
Goofs
When Edward leaves the turntable, his side jerks up a little.
In the scenes where Edward and Gordon cross the turntable, the rotating part of the track tilts and moves slightly.
During Edward's morning train of coaches, the brake coach is backwards, this being due to the coaches only being painted on one side.
In the scene that immediately follows Edward leaving the sheds, his eyes are wonky.
When Edward says "I'm going out again tomorrow!" steam is venting from an empty siding in the background. In the siding where steam is venting, the rails end at the bottom of the screen.
When Edward puffs out of the shed to shunt trucks, the shadow from the camera can be seen.
When Edward is shunting trucks, his cab roof is raised and a truck on the line next to him is missing an eye.
Studio equipment is seen in the top left corner when Edward's driver talks to Gordon.
When Edward buffers up behind Gordon, the sound comes earlier than it should, Gordon's brake van has changed and the open truck is empty.
When Gordon says "I've done it!" the ground sinks slightly.
In both US narrations, it is said that Edward was happy because he had been so helpful, but he looks sad.
Edward is wearing James' sad face when he approaches the water tower. Due to this, his nose and eyebrows also change shape.
When the narrator says "Gordon was very cross," there are bushes beside Gordon instead of the yard and the sheds.
In the restored version, as Gordon says "The shame of it!" he is not pulling the trucks.
In a close-up of Gordon at Tidmouth Sheds, Henry is not next to Thomas.
In the first scene, James' eyes are wonky.
In the last night scene, Henry is in his new shape.
Edward's eyes are a bit wonky in the final scene of the episode.
At the start of the episode, the narrator mentions that Edward is the smallest engine and the rest of the engines are bigger than him. This is not true, as Thomas is actually the smallest engine and James is the same size as Edward.
In a picture of Gordon passing Edward, the edge of the set can be seen.
In the first close-up of Edward's driver and fireman in his cab, the shed cannot be seen behind him. The same thing happens when Edward says "Oh yes please!" and in the close-up of Edward's funnel.
In the second close-up of Edward's driver and fireman in his cab, Gordon is not next to Edward.
