Gordon Takes a Shortcut

Gordon Takes a Shortcut is the fifteenth episode of the twelfth series.

Plot

Some workmen and a group of railway inspectors are waiting at Knapford. Gordon tries to take a shortcut to beat Stanley there, but when he ignores advice from Duck, Oliver and Toad he ends up getting lost. After banging into Ben's log truck, spilling logs onto Stanley's line, he realises that trying to take a shortcut had not been such a good idea after all. Gordon knows he must stop Stanley from hitting the logs, so he asks for advice from the other engines on how to get down to Stanley's line. He manages to stop Stanley just in time. The two go to Great Waterton and as a sign of friendship, Gordon allows Stanley to take the inspectors.

Characters

• Gordon
• Duck
• Oliver
• Ben
• Stanley
• Toad
• Sir Topham Hatt
• Rocky (does not speak)
• Three members of the Railway Board (not named; do not speak)
• 'Arry and Bert (cameos)
• Sir Topham Hatt's Assistants (cameos)
• Barrow Football Fan (cameo)

Locations

• Great Waterton
• Knapford
• Brendam Docks
• The Repair Yard
• The Lumber Mill
• Cabalnoo

Trivia

• A sampled recording of the story with Pierce Brosnan's original narration is featured on Dino Athanassiou's website.
• Stock footage from the eleventh series episode, Gordon and the Engineer is used.
• This episode marks Oliver and Toad's first speaking roles since the seventh series episode, Snow Engine as well as the latter's first appearance since that episode.
• This episode aired before The Great Discovery premiered in the UK. It was originally supposed to be shown after The Great Discovery but was brought forwards for unknown reasons, meaning the audience may have not known about Stanley or Great Waterton.
• Harvey appears in the annual story of this episode, which means he may have originally played a role in this episode.
• This episode marks the last of several things:
  • Ben's last appearance until the seventeenth series episode, Percy's Lucky Day and his second and last appearance without Bill.
  • The last episode until the seventeenth series episode, Luke's New Friend and thus, the last episode in the model series, where Thomas does not appear at all.
  • Oliver's last appearance until Tale of the Brave, Toad's last appearance and Oliver's last episode appearance until the eighteenth series episode, Signals Crossed, and both of their last speaking roles until Toad's Adventure.
  • 'Arry and Bert's last appearances in the model series.
  • Duck's last speaking role until the seventeenth series episode, Henry's Hero and thus, his last speaking role in the model series.
  • The last episode written by Wayne Jackman to date, as well as the only episode written by him in the twelfth series.

Goofs

• Duck's face is smaller than usual.
• Toad's face is bigger than usual in some scenes.
• Stanley's whistle sound has changed since The Great Discovery.
• Gordon's tender shakes when he arrives at the logging station.
• One of the vans in the siding with 'Arry and Bert is derailed.
• When the narrator says, "But Gordon didn't know which track to take to find Stanley," Ben's eyes are wonky.

Merchandise

• Magazine Stories - Gordon's Shortcut
• Books - Gordon's Shortcut

In Other Languages

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