This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the 2015 magazine story, the 2017 magazine story or the DVD. |
- "And what do you say?"
"Oh, the indignity...!"
"Sorry?"
"I mean thank you. Thank you, Edward..."
"You're welcome, Gordon. Any time." - ― Edward and Gordon
Old Reliable Edward is the first episode of the eighteenth series.
Plot
Edward is an old engine and is teased a lot, especially by Gordon, who calls Edward unreliable. But the Fat Controller knows that Edward is a really useful engine.
One day, Gordon is going up his hill when he sees something red blowing beside the track. Believing it to be a danger signal, Gordon stops, but he quickly discovers that it is actually a pair of red trousers, which quickly blow into his face. Feeling foolish for his blunder, Gordon tries to get back up to speed, but because of his heavy express coaches, he ends up being unable to move up the hill. Meanwhile, at Wellsworth Station, Edward is flagged down by the stationmaster, who states that Gordon is stuck on the hill. While still sore over Gordon's insults and his hypocrisy, Edward heads off to give him a push, though not without minor grumbling.
Back at the hill, Gordon is waiting impatiently for Edward to arrive. While he waits, he gets teased by both Emily and Thomas, the latter of whom Gordon makes the mistake of revealing the reason he stopped. When Edward finally arrives, Gordon is very angry and calls Edward old and slow. Despite this, Edward manages to push Gordon to the summit of the hill, though the instant Gordon is able to move on his own he speeds away without thanking Edward. The older engine later meets Thomas at the yard and talks with the tank engine about his grievances with Gordon. Deciding Gordon needs to be taught a lesson, Thomas shares a look with Edward and then puffs away, with the older engine slowly realising his intentions as he does so.
That night in the sheds, all of the engines are laughing about what had happened to Gordon earlier and laugh even more when Thomas adds in the red trousers. Edward says that Gordon needed him to push him to the top of the hill, though Gordon insists that he did not need Edward at all. Seeing an opening, Thomas decides to put his plan into action and bets Gordon that he cannot go faster than him. All the engines gasp and think that Thomas is very silly for thinking he can go faster than Gordon. Even Gordon thinks it is unfair and says that he will have no problem following Thomas across the island, going as far as giving him a ten-minute head start. While the other engines look around concerned, Thomas shares a wink with Edward, who smiles back knowingly.
As agreed, Thomas and Gordon meet at Knapford, exchanging banter before Thomas leaves before Gordon and starts to puff along the main line. Annie and Clarabel express concern, not wanting to be seen as fools, but Thomas reassures them before continuing on. It is not long before Clarabel sees Gordon approach on the other line, and both she and Annie are sure Gordon is about to pass them, but Thomas then switches to Gordon's line. Gordon is not impressed by Thomas' speed and orders him to move back to the other line, but Thomas objects to switch tracks and clarifies the details of the agreement they made last night. Realising that he fell right for one of the tank engine's tricks, a now unhappy Gordon has no choice but to slowly follow Thomas towards the hill.
When they reach Gordon's Hill, Thomas starts to slow down even more and continues doing so even after Gordon resorts to begging. Eventually, they get so slow that Gordon gets stuck on the hill again. Thomas' plan has worked and he carries on his way while Edward pulls up next to Gordon. This time, it is Edward's turn to call Gordon unreliable for always sticking on his hill, with the bigger engine calling out Thomas' bluff. Edward goes to puff away, but Gordon calls after him, asking for a push. In response to this, Edward throws Gordon's earlier insults back at him, and continues to leave, forcing Gordon to swallow his pride, apologise, and promise to do better before the express engine desperately asks again. Deciding the bigger engine has learned his lesson, Edward relents to Gordon's pleas and returns to buffer up behind the express. Pushing him up the hill, Edward catches Gordon falling back into old habits, and the latter is forced to quickly correct himself, finally thanking Edward as he finally gets over the hill. Satisfied, Edward stops on the crest of the hill and sees Gordon off with a knowing smile.
Characters
- Thomas
- Edward
- Henry
- Gordon
- James
- Percy
- Emily
- Annie and Clarabel
- The Wellsworth Stationmaster
- The Dark Uniformed Children
- Toby (cameo)
- Salty (cameo)
- The Teacher (cameo)
- The Blond-haired Boy (cameo)
- Dowager Hatt's Friends (cameos)
- The Great Composer (cameo)
- Headkeeper Jack (cameo)
- The Female Puppet Show Entertainer (cameo)
- Big Mickey (faceless, cameo)
- Sir Topham Hatt (mentioned)
Locations
Cast
UK
- Ben Small as Thomas
- Keith Wickham as Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy and the Wellsworth Stationmaster
- Teresa Gallagher as Emily, Annie and Clarabel
US
- Martin Sherman as Thomas and Percy
- William Hope as Edward
- Kerry Shale as Henry, Gordon and James
- Jules de Jongh as Emily
- Teresa Gallagher as Annie and Clarabel
- Keith Wickham as the Wellsworth Stationmaster
Trivia
- Apart from laughter, Henry, James, and Percy do not have any dialogue in this episode.
- This episode is similar to the sixth series episode, Edward the Very Useful Engine.
- This episode marks the first of several things:
- This is the first episode to be directed by David Stoten.
- This is the first episode narrated by Ane Barmen in Norway.
- This is the first episode since the seventh series episode Three Cheers for Thomas to not be dubbed in German.
- Edward's Branch Line is mentioned for the first time since the third series.
- Most of the television guides in the UK list this episode's title as "Ole Reliable Edward".
- The episode's American air date coincides with the 70th Anniversary of The Railway Series.
- In the Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Baltic Russian and Vietnamese dubs, the UK dub can be heard in the background as a dubbing track was not used.
Goofs
- The ocean usually seen in the distance at the bottom of Gordon's Hill is missing in this episode.
- When Edward begins to push Gordon up the hill the first time, Thomas has Edward's whistle sound.
- After Gordon gets stuck on the hill the second time, in the shot following Thomas, all the lines behind Gordon are clear; in the next shot, Edward is seen pulling up besides Gordon.
- When Gordon is asking for Edward's help to be pushed up the hill, Edward is next to Gordon, but as Edward puffs away laughing, a first person perspective from Edward shows him on Gordon's line.
- After the trousers land on Gordon's buffer beam, they move independently on Gordon - so when he moves up or down, the trousers do not.
- In the closing shot, Edward's steam appears not to disperse in the upper left-hand corner of the screen.
Merchandise
In Other Languages
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Home Video Releases
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#01 Old Reliable Edward | #10 Thomas and the Emergency Cable | #19 Duncan the Humbug |
#02 Not So Slow Coaches | #11 Duncan and the Grumpy Passenger | #20 The Perfect Gift |
#03 Flatbeds of Fear | #12 Marion and the Pipe | #21 Emily Saves the World |
#04 Disappearing Diesels | #13 Missing Gator | #22 Timothy and the Rainbow Truck |
#05 Signals Crossed | #14 No Steam Without Coal | #23 Marion and the Dinosaurs |
#06 Toad's Adventure | #15 Spencer's VIP | #24 Samson at Your Service |
#07 Duck in the Water | #16 Toad's Bright Idea | #25 Samson Sent for Scrap |
#08 Duck and the Slip Coaches | #17 Long Lost Friend | #26 Millie and the Volcano |
#09 Thomas the Quarry Engine | #18 Last Train for Christmas | |