This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the Railway Series book, the Danish VHS/DVD, the Malaysian VCD, the Philippine DVD, the Buzz Book or the My First Thomas book. |
- "I'll do it, I'll do it… I've done it!"
- ― Skarloey successfully reaches Crovan's Gate
Four Little Engines is the fifth episode of the fourth series. It is based on the stories Skarloey Remembers and Old Faithful from The Railway Series book of the same name.
Plot
High in the hills of Sodor, there is a narrow gauge railway that runs alongside a lake by the woods and a picturesque waterfall. The railway is run by four little engines named Skarloey, Rheneas, Sir Handel and Peter Sam. Skarloey and Rheneas have run the line for many years and know everybody who visits them. Sir Handel and Peter Sam, who used to be named Falcon and Stuart respectively, are relatively new to the railway.
One morning, the Fat Controller sends Edward to the works to be mended. As he approaches the works, he spots Skarloey, who is resting in his own open-sided shed. Skarloey tells Edward that he was put there so he could see everyone and not feel lonely. He then reveals that Rheneas has been sent to the works to be mended and admits that he not only misses his friend but wishes that he could be mended too. Soon, some workmen come to take Edward, who says goodbye to Skarloey and compliments his railway, which cheers up the old engine.
Meanwhile, Sir Handel is having trouble; he is trying to be kind to some coaches he is pulling but they refuse to trust him and become awkward and rude. When he has to stop due to a flock of careless sheep straying on the tracks, the coaches angrily think that he deliberately bumped them, so they charge at Sir Handel, causing him to derail. No one is hurt but Sir Handel sadly limps home. With no engine to take the passengers home, Skarloey volunteers to pull the coaches.
When Skarloey arrives at Crovan's Gate, he reprimands the coaches for their bad behaviour. The coaches apologise and, as soon as the guard blows his whistle, their journey begins. Skarloey stops at every station making good time until they get to a steep hill. His driver encourages him to take his time, while Skarloey thinks it will be easier when they go downhill but it is not. His springs have become weak due to his old age and the rail joints jar his wheels. As they are coming down the hill, one spring completely breaks, leaving his body tilted to one side. His driver says a bus will be needed to take the passengers but Skarloey refuses any such notion, as he is determined to get them back to Crovan's Gate.
Later, James is waiting impatiently at Crovan's Gate. Skarloey limps slowly into the station and James collects the passengers and takes them home, remaining respectfully silent. Everyone is pleased with Skarloey but he sadly laments that he is in no state to pull trains anymore like the younger engines. However, he is delighted when his driver tells him he will be able to once he is mended and that he deserves it.
Characters
- Edward
- Skarloey
- Narrow Gauge Coaches (red coaches speak, the rest do not)
- James (does not speak)
- Rheneas (does not speak)
- Sir Handel/Falcon (does not speak)
- Peter Sam/Stuart (does not speak)
- Sir Topham Hatt (does not speak)
- Thomas (cameo)
- Percy (cameo)
- Duck (cameo)
- Douglas (cameo)
- Oliver (cameo)
- Annie and Clarabel (cameos)
- Terence (cameo)
- Mrs. Kyndley (cameo)
- Farmer Finney (cameo)
- Farmer Trotter (cameo)
- Mrs. Last
- The Father (cameo)
- One of the Railway Society (cameo)
Locations
- Valley View
- Rheneas
- Callan
- Ben Glas
- Crovan's Gate
- Glennock
- The Works (mentioned)
Trivia
- This episode takes place after A Bad Day for Sir Handel and Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady, despite being produced and subsequently aired before them.
- This is the first episode in which:
- An engine is pushed by a coach, the second being the twenty-first series episode Hasty Hannah.
- The narrator uses the phrase, "No one was hurt," following an accident.
- An engine has problems with springs, the second being the twenty-first series episode Springtime for Diesel.
- This is the only episode of a few things:
- The only episode in the UK named after a book from The Railway Series as opposed to one of its individual stories. In the US, this is the second episode to bear the name of a book from The Railway Series, with the first being Toby the Tram Engine.
- The only episode from the first four series not released on home video in the UK during Wilbert Awdry's lifetime. It was first released on home video in the UK on Chases, Races and Runaways on 6 October 1997, six months after Wilbert's death on 21 March 1997.
- Terence and Farmer Finney's only appearances in the fourth series.
- This episode marks the last of two things:
- The last time that Sir Handel and Peter Sam's respective original names, Falcon and Stuart, are mentioned.
- The last episode that was adapted for the Buzz Books.
- The Thin Controller and the Owner's roles in the original story were replaced by Skarloey and Sir Handel's drivers in the episode.
- James has Duck's whistle sound but at seven steps higher-pitched for the rest of the fourth series (excluding Bowled Out where he uses Smudger's whistle sound) and some parts of the fifth series, although his normal whistle sound can be heard in certain episodes when other engines are also whistling.
- This episode was shown alongside A Bad Day for Sir Handel in an airing of Storytime with Thomas.
- This episode has never been released on DVD in the US and Canada but it aired on the Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales episode Wildlife in 1996, Storytime with Thomas in 1999 and PBS Kids Sprout from 2005 onwards in the US and on TVOKids and Treehouse TV in Canada. It was released digitally as part of Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 4 in 2016.
- The Korean title of this episode has the same name as Skarloey.
- When Sir Handel is in the sheep fields, three runner ducks are visible by the stream.
- The ducks were produced by toy company Britains.
Goofs
- The description of the episode on VHS and DVD releases say that Sir Handel has trouble with some trucks when they were actually coaches.
- Sir Handel's train has no guard's van, even when Skarloey takes it over.
- When Edward passes Skarloey, some of his wheels are not moving.
- Sir Handel has Rheneas/Stepney's original whistle sound.
- During Skarloey and Edward's conversation, Thomas' whistle sound is cut off as he blows it and his goods train's brake van also changes from an SR 25 to a BR 20.
- In a promotional image, Sir Handel is pulling four red coaches instead of three.
- In the Crovan's Gate scene:
- Duck and his goods train are not in the background but later suddenly appear.
- Thomas has James' whistle sound.
- Annie is facing the wrong way.
- The front coach on Skarloey's train is swapped with another, as the bufferbeam is lower when being coupled.
- After Skarloey leaves Crovan's Gate, the coaches lose their faces.
- When Skarloey says, "It'll be better downhill," the stripe on his tank is crooked.
- Skarloey becomes crooked before the spring breaking sound effect plays.
- James' train has no brake coach and the roof and some windows are also damaged.
- Skarloey's face moves towards the end of the episode and his right eye (viewers' left) also briefly moves on its own.
In Other Languages
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Merchandise
Four Little Engines (1996 Buzz Book)
Home Video Releases
Episode
Reference
#01 Granpuff | #10 Rock 'n' Roll | #19 Henry and the Elephant |
#02 Sleeping Beauty | #11 Special Funnel | #20 Toad Stands By |
#03 Bulldog | #12 Steam Roller | #21 Bulls Eyes |
#04 You Can't Win | #13 Passengers and Polish | #22 Thomas and the Special Letter |
#05 Four Little Engines | #14 Gallant Old Engine | #23 Paint Pots and Queens |
#06 A Bad Day for Sir Handel | #15 Rusty to the Rescue | #24 Fish |
#07 Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady | #16 Thomas and Stepney | #25 Special Attraction |
#08 Trucks | #17 Train Stops Play | #26 Mind that Bike |
#09 Home at Last | #18 Bowled Out | |