- “Thank you for helping me today. Maybe an important engine like me needs help sometimes.”
- ― Gordon thanking Donald and Douglas for helping him
Gordon and the Engineer, retitled Gordon and the Mechanic in North American releases, is the sixth episode of the eleventh series.
Plot
The points on the Fat Controller's Railway are jammed and Gordon is asked to collect an engineer from Maron. As Gordon rushes down the line with his express coaches, he runs past James and Henry who are stuck with their trains and cannot go anywhere. When he arrives, he sees a man with a toolbox, thinking he is the engineer and has him climb onboard. The stationmaster warns him to wait as Bertie is bringing more passengers, but Gordon - knowing that fixing the points is important - leaves anyway. However, Gordon does not know that the man in his express is not the engineer, who is actually one of Bertie’s passengers. Once Bertie arrives, he is angry that Gordon has already left.
Gordon races past Donald and Douglas who are also stuck at Maron and Abbey stations. When Gordon arrives at the signal box, Thomas tells the man about the points, but he says that he is a carpenter who thought Gordon was taking him to Brendam. Gordon realises he left the engineer behind and that he has to go back to get him, but the signalman tells him he cannot go back on the express line with his coaches. Thomas suggests that Gordon uses his line to reverse down to Maron. Gordon leaves his coaches and reverses to the next station, but Douglas is in the way. He tells him to move, but Douglas says he can go as far as where Donald is. Thinking quickly, Gordon suggests Douglas reverse to the next station to get Donald to reverse to Maron to collect the engineer and then work forwards again. The idea works and the railway returns to running normally again. As night falls, Gordon finds Donald and Douglas in a siding and thanks them for their help, and admits that even a grand engine like himself needs help sometimes.
Characters
- Thomas
- Gordon
- Donald and Douglas
- Sir Topham Hatt
- The Ginger-haired Carpenter
- The Brown-haired Engineer
- James (not named; speaks only in the Sprout Airings, US Digital Download and Japanese versions; does not speak in US PBS Airings, UK and other dubs)
- Bertie (does not speak)
- Henry (does not speak in Japanese dub; not named in English and other dubs)
- Percy (cameo)
- Toby (cameo)
- Arthur (cameo)
- Rocky (cameo)
- Sir Topham Hatt's Blond-haired Assistant (cameo)
- Big Mickey (faceless, cameo)
- Emily (stock footage cameo)
- Annie and Clarabel (stock footage cameos)
Locations
Trivia
- Going by production order, this is the second episode of the eleventh series.
- Stock footage from Emily's Rubbish is used.
- Kyousei Tsukui joins the voice cast in Japan.
- A deleted alternate angle of the scene of Percy, Toby and Gordon at Brendam Docks is used in another eleventh series episode.
- This episode marks the first of a few things:
- Donald and Douglas' first physical appearances since the seventh series episodes Bad Day at Castle Loch and Gordon and Spencer, respectively, though Donald appeared in stock footage in the seventh series episode Harold and the Flying Horse, they both appeared in a deleted scene from the eighth series episode, Edward the Great and were mentioned in You Can Do it, Toby!. This is also their only appearances in the eleventh series.
- Arthur's first appearance in an episode since the eighth series episode, Fish.
- This episode marks the only appearances of Donald and Douglas' unused eighth series smiling face.
- Gordon's original plastic model was used when he leaves Brendam Docks at the beginning of the episode and passing James and Henry being halted on the main line.
- This episode marks the last few things:
- The last episode to have Gordon's original plastic model being used.
- The last appearance of Abbey.
- In the TV Brasil version of this episode, it starts with a completely different take of any other version.
Goofs
- Both Scottish twins have Duck's whistle sound.
- When Gordon comes back to the signal box with the engineer, he is travelling on his express line and his coaches have disappeared.
- Although one is not seen, a shadow at the top of the screen reveals that there are at least three signals in the shot of Gordon with the express. However, there are only two tracks, so the third signal is redundant, and they are all up, so Gordon is passing a signal at danger.
In Other Languages
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Home Media Releases
UKDVD PacksAUS
DVD BoxsetsUS
JPNSWEGERDVD BoxsetsMYSSPNARATHAHKKORTWN |
| #01 Thomas and the Storyteller | #10 Thomas and the Big Bang | #19 Thomas and the Stinky Cheese |
| #02 Emily's Rubbish | #11 Smoke and Mirrors | #20 Percy and the Left Luggage |
| #03 Dream On | #12 Thomas Sets Sail | #21 Skarloey Storms Through |
| #04 Dirty Work | #13 Don't Be Silly, Billy | #22 Cool Truckings |
| #05 Hector the Horrid! | #14 Edward and the Mail | #23 Wash Behind Your Buffers |
| #06 Gordon and the Engineer | #15 Hide and Peep | #24 Duncan Does It All |
| #07 Thomas and the Spaceship | #16 Toby's Triumph | #25 Sir Handel in Charge |
| #08 Henry's Lucky Day | #17 Thomas and the Runaway Car | #26 Ding-a-Ling |
| #09 Thomas and the Lighthouse | #18 Thomas in Trouble | |