Gordon's Hill (T&F)

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Gordon's Hill
Overview
Location	Island of Sodor
Operations
Managed by	North Western Railway
Line(s)	The Main Line
Station Guide
← Previous	Wellsworth
Next →	Maron

"Gordon's Hill" is the nickname of the steep grade on the Main Line, between Wellsworth and Maron. It got its name after Gordon stalled there while pulling a goods train in 1923.

History

The Railway Series

Over a distance of eight kilometres (five miles), the line climbs around a hundred metres (280 feet) from Suddery Junction to reach Maron, meaning a gradient of 1:75 and a severe test for engines on the North Western Railway.

Bankers are often required to help trains up the hill. However, they run the risk of being chased by a runaway train or rear ending the train they are helping - something Duck found out the hard way once with Edward and once with Henry.

When the railway was first built, this stretch was made even more difficult by strong winds blown in by the sea. This was attempted to be countered by the planting of trees on either side of the line, but in autumn there can be the additional risk of slippery leaves on the line, as James soon discovered.

Appearances

Thomas & Friends Season 1 - Edward and Gordon, Thomas and the Trucks, Thomas and the Breakdown Train (deleted scene), James and the Coaches, Troublesome Trucks, James and the Express (mentioned), Percy Runs Away, Whistles and Sneezes and Dirty Objects Season 2 - Percy Takes the Plunge (deleted scene), A Close Shave and Break Van Season 3 - The Trouble with Mud Season 4 - Bowled Out, Fish and Special Attraction Season 5 - Gordon and the Gremlin, James and the Trouble with Trees, Double Teething Troubles and Busy Going Backwards Season 6 - Twin Trouble, Percy's Chocolate Crunch, Thomas the Jet Engine and Edward the Very Useful Engine Season 7 - The Spotless Record, Something Fishy and Gordon and Spencer Season 8 - James Gets a New Coat, Percy's Big Mistake, Edward the Great, Squeak, Rattle and Roll, Thomas and the Circus, As Good as Gordon, Fish, You Can Do it, Toby!, Chickens to School and Too Hot for Thomas Season 9 - Thomas and the Rainbow, Thomas' Milkshake Muddle, Thomas and the Toy Shop, Thomas Tries His Best, Thomas' New Trucks, Thomas and the Golden Eagle and Keeping Up with James Season 10 - Thomas and Skarloey's Big Day Out Season 11 - Thomas and the Storyteller, Dream On, Thomas and the Spaceship, Henry's Lucky Day, Thomas and the Lighthouse, Don't be Silly, Billy, Edward and the Mail and Thomas and the Runaway Car Season 12 - Steady Eddie, Rosie's Funfair Special, Excellent Emily James Works it Out, Thomas Puts the Brakes On and Best Friends Season 13 - Thomas and the Runaway Kite, Snow Tracks Season 14 - Merry Winter Wish Season 15 - Stop That Bus! and Big Belle Season 16 - Percy and the Calliope, Ho Ho Snowman and Happy Birthday Sir! Season 17 - Scruff's Makeover, Wayward Winston, Henry's Hero, Percy's Lucky Day, Away From the Sea, No More Mr. Nice Engine, Gone Fishing and The Afternoon Tea Express Season 18 - Old Reliable Edward, Flatbeds of Fear, Toad's Adventure, Duck in the Water, Missing Gator and Emily Saves the World Season 19 - Henry Spots Trouble, Helping Hiro, Best Engine Ever and Philip to the Rescue Season 20 - Sidney Sings, Henry Gets the Express, Bradford the Brake Van, Saving Time, Over the Hill and Hugo and the Airship Season 21 - Dowager Hatt's Busy Day, Stuck in Gear, Hasty Hannah, Philip's Number, The Fastest Red Engine on Sodor, A Shed for Edward and Emily in the Middle Season 22 - An Engine of Many Colours, Runaway Truck (stock footage) and Thomas' Animal Ark Specials 2005 - Calling All Engines! 2008 - The Great Discovery (music video) 2009 - Hero of the Rails 2013 - King of the Railway 2014 - Tale of the Brave 2015 - The Adventure Begins 2018 - Big World! Big Adventures! Learning Segments Season 8 - How Does Emily Get to the Station?, Helping One Another and Edward Helps Emily Up Gordon's Hill Calling All Engines! - Which Engine for Which Job? and Which Diesel Engine with Which Steam Engine? Season 9 - Getting to Bluff's Cove, What Makes Thomas Happy?, Knowing What to do?, Getting Up Gordon's Hill and Who Respects Whom? Season 10 - Help From Your Friends Videos 2015 - Welcome to the Island of Sodor Logan! and Welcome to the Island of Sodor Sam! 2016 - Shooting Star Gordon of Sodor and Henry of Sodor

Trivia

• Gordon's Hill is based on the Lickey Incline near King's Norton station on the Midland Railway.
• Whilst it is probably a coincidence, there is a real place in London called "Gordon Hill".
• While the occasional accidents/events have happened on the hill, it has been the starting place for countless runaway trains, with either couplings breaking or an engine has faulty brakes.
• Gordon's Hill has had numerous modifications throughout the years:
  • Season 1:
    • The incline was curved and single sided (with Wellsworth at the bottom and Maron at the top).
  • Season 8:
    • The rails on the hill became straight with the track being curved at the bottom of the hill.
    • The bridge at the bottom also disappeared.
  • Season 9:
    • In Thomas and the Golden Eagle, there was a road leading to the top of the hill.
  • Hero of the Rails:
    • It becomes double sided and much steeper.
      • There also appears to be two models of the hill. On one version, the ocean could be seen on the curved rail side and the other model has the ocean on the straight rail side.
  • Season 15:
    • In Big Belle, the hill was much taller and steeper than usual.
  • King of the Railway:
    • There is a junction on the other side that goes to Ulfstead Castle.

Merchandise

• TrackMaster

The Main Line

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* RWS only | ** T&F only

Locomotives	Henry | Gordon | James | Donald and Douglas | Thomas** | Emily** | Murdoch** | Molly** | Rosie** | Hiro** | Nia** | Rebecca** | Bear* | The Works Diesel* | Pip and Emma* | Philip**
Rolling Stock	Express Coaches | Branch Line Coaches | Thomas' Special Coach* | Annie and Clarabel** | Emily's Coaches**
Locations	Tidmouth (Harbour, Engine Sheds, Tunnel, Loop) | Knapford (Yards, Engine Sheds, Bus Yard**) | Crosby (Tunnel, Washdown**) | Wellsworth (Yards) | Suddery Junction | Gordon's Hill | Maron | Cronk (Viaduct) | Killdane | Balladrine Bridge | Kellsthorpe Road | Crovan's Gate (Works, Yards**) | Henry's Tunnel | Vicarstown (Engine Sheds, Yards, Bridge, Goods Depot**, Junction**, Dieselworks**) | Barrow-in-Furness | Lower Tidmouth** | Sodor Suspension Bridge** | West Maron Junction** | East Maron Junction** | Balladrine** | Kellaby** | Whispering Woods** (Halt) | Kirk Ronan Junction** | The Difficult Bend** | Sodor Steamworks** | Neville's Bridge** | Henry's Forest** (Wishing Tree) | The Lumber Mill** | Great Waterton** (Water Works)