| For other uses, see Pop Goes the Diesel (disambiguation). |
- “Trucks are waiting in the yard, tackling them with ease'll,
'Show the world what I can do,' gaily boasts the Diesel.
In and out he creeps about, like a big black weasel.
When he pulls the wrong trucks out, 'Pop!' goes the Diesel.” - ― The trucks singing about Diesel
Pop Goes the Diesel is the twelfth episode of the second series. It is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book Duck and the Diesel Engine.
Plot
Duck works very hard on the Island of Sodor and everything goes smoothly when he is around. He can keep the trucks in line, the coaches quiet and the passengers happy. He is very proud of his Great Western heritage and talks endlessly about it, which irritates the larger engines, who quickly grow tired of hearing about "the Great Western way."
"If you're revo-thing-a-gummy, perhaps you would collect my trucks while I fetch Gordon's coaches."
One morning, a visitor arrives. The Fat Controller introduces the new engine as Diesel, stating that he has agreed to give him a trial and tells Duck to show him around and teach him what to do. Diesel introduces himself before heaping compliments on Gordon, James and Henry, who are in awe by his flattery. Duck, however, takes a dislike to Diesel's oily nature and shows him to the yard, where it becomes apparent that Duck's dislike of Diesel is mutual as Duck orders Diesel to refer to the Fat Controller as "Sir Topham Hatt" before Diesel smugly tells Duck that he does not have to be taught what to do, saying diesels know everything and come to a yard to improve it, dubbing himself as "revolutionary." Duck is not impressed with Diesel's boasting, and orders him to arrange his trucks while he leaves to take Gordon's coaches to the station. Eager for the chance to show off, Diesel quickly gets to work.
When Duck returns, he finds Diesel trying to move some very old, near-derelict trucks with stiff joints and brakes from a siding. Duck decides to let the events play out and watches with interest. Diesel struggles to move the trucks and gets so forceful with them that some of their brakes snap and the gear jams in the sleepers, causing several of the trucks to derail and overturn in the process. Diesel tries to push the remaining trucks back but he still cannot move them and is forced to give up.
As Duck finally comes around carrying some other trucks, Diesel asks Duck why he did not tell him about this when he had gone through so much trouble. Duck replies that Diesel never asked him, as he was having fun being "revolutionary". Duck leaves happily, while Diesel fumes angrily.
Diesel is later forced to help the workmen clear the mess, a job that he hates, especially as the trucks have started laughing at it and he hears them singing a degrading song at him too. It grows in loudness, soon echoing throughout the whole yard. Now livid and furious with Duck and the trucks, Diesel storms off to the sheds to sulk when the clean-up is over.
Characters
- Henry
- Gordon
- James
- Duck
- Diesel
- Troublesome Trucks
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Percy (not named)
Locations
Trivia
- The title of the episode, as well as the song featured, is a pun on the nursery rhyme "Pop Goes the Weasel".
- Despite being Diesel's introduction episode, he made a cameo in the previous episode.
- The trucks in the sidings are in the same positions as when they laugh at the big engines in the next episode. An additional truck is present in Duck's siding in Dirty Work. Because some deleted scenes from the other episode are used in this one, the extra truck appears and disappears during the song.
- In the restored version, during both close-ups of Diesel, his eyes move differently compared to the original version of the episode.
- This is the first episode for a few things:
- The first episode where vans have faces.
- The first episode where trucks have rectangular faces.
- The first episode to feature Salt Vans, LBSC Railway 8 Ton Vans and Cattle Trucks with faces.
- The first time Diesel tried to pull a line of trucks with the brakes on. He would eventually do it again in the sixth series episode, The World's Strongest Engine.
- Diesel's first speaking role in the series as well as the first time he is referred to by name.
- The first and only episode in the second series where Duck has his smirking/sly face.
- The events were later mentioned by Duck in the third series episode, Diesel Does It Again.
- In the Romansh, Hungarian, Turkish, Korean, Cantonese and Italian dubs, the song sung by the Troublesome Trucks is not dubbed over and the English backing vocals can be heard, although JEI TV's version of the Korean dub has subtitles.
- Ringo Starr did not re-sing "Pop Goes the Diesel" for his US dub. Instead, the word "trucks" in each stanza was replaced with "cars," while "trucks out" was replaced with a newly recorded "cars out".
- The footage of Diesel "giving a great heave" is reversed as the derailed truck behind him can be seen moving as Diesel pulls forward.
- The episode's title would have shared the same name of an episode of the Jack and the Sodor Construction Company spin-off series but the latter was cancelled.
- This episode was never released on home video in South Korea.
Goofs
- Due to the majority of the script being taken verbatim from the original book, the Narrator said the derelict trucks were on a siding, but they're actually in the middle of the line.
- In a promotional sideview image of Duck at Knapford Yards, the handrail on his coal bunker is missing.
- When Duck is on the turntable in the beginning:
- The turntable bounces back and forth a little when it stops.
- A gap is visible between his face and the smokebox.
- When Duck passes James, Gordon and Henry:
- There are only two tracks to the right of the water tower and it is not in line with the Sodor Shipping Company building. When Diesel and Duck arrive, later on, there are three tracks to the right of the water tower and it is in line with the building.
- Henry and James' tenders are missing.
- Gordon's tender is tilted.
- At the sheds:
- When Diesel is on the turntable, camera equipment is reflected in the windows for several frames.
- The front right wheel on the Fat Controller's car is crooked.
- Most of the engines' eyes are misaligned, especially Gordon and Henry's.
- James' leading wheels are derailed.
- Gordon and Henry's faces are crooked.
- Gordon's buffers are crooked.
- A figurine has sticky tac under his feet.
- Duck's eyebrows are missing when Diesel first backs into the shed and when he and Diesel are frowning at each other.
- Henry's whistle sound is lower-pitched at one point during the scene at Tidmouth Sheds.
- Throughout the Knapford Yards and Brendam Warehouse scene sequence, Diesel is missing his eyebrows.
- In the Romansh dub, there is a large pause after Diesel says "We are revolutionary."
- In a close up of Duck at the Yard, his face is loose and a tiny piece of sticky tac can also be seen above his face.
- As Duck leaves to get Gordon's coaches, there is still steam venting from the track.
- The narrator says that Diesel was delighted to show off but he is still frowning.
- Duck disappears from the siding when Diesel tries to pull the trucks.
- When the narrator says "Diesel lost patience," one of the trucks has a clump of hair inside it.
- When Diesel first tries to move the trucks, the front truck derails.
- While Diesel tries to move the trucks, the truck right behind him is a China clay truck but when he pulls the truck off the track, it appears to be a coal truck.
- Steam can be seen around Diesel despite being a diesel engine after he derails some of the trucks.
- The footage of Diesel backing down onto the breakdown train is incorrectly used for the scene of Diesel trying to push the trucks back and one of the buffers stops on the left is also leaning over.
- When Duck runs around to collect his trucks with Diesel reversing towards him:
- His eyes jitter a little before he stops to talk to Diesel.
- His handrail is a bit crooked.
- Diesel moves forward a little so as to be directly in line with Duck. Similarly, when Duck leaves, he suddenly goes backwards before heading off.
- When the narrator says "Diesel had to help the workmen clear the mess," the breakdown train is missing its left buffer and the right buffer is also a little chipped.
- When Ringo Starr sings "Pop Goes the Diesel" in his US dub, it is obvious that only the lines "cars" and "cars out" are re-recorded, rather than the entire song.
- When this episode was originally released on the Thomas Comes to Breakfast 1998 VHS in Canada, it had no narration and only included the music and sound effects. This was later corrected on the 2000 VHS tape release in Canada.
Quotes
- The Fat Controller: Here is Diesel. I have agreed to give him a trial. He needs to learn. Please teach him, Duck.
- Diesel: Good morning. Pleased to meet you, Duck. Is that James and Henry and Gordon too? I am delighted to meet such famous engines.
- The engines: He has very good manners. We are pleased to have in our yard.
- Diesel: Your worthy Fat–
- Duck: "Sir Topham Hatt" to you!
- Diesel: Your worthy Sir Topham Hatt thinks I need to learn. He is mistaken. We diesels don't need to learn. We know everything. We come to a yard and improve it. We are revolutionary.
- Duck: Oh! If you're revo... revo-thinga-gummy, perhaps you would collect my trucks while I fetch Gordon's coaches.
- Narrator: Diesel, delighted to show off purred away.
- Old empty trucks: (groan while Diesel tries to pull them) We can't! We won't!
(after Diesel's snafu with the trucks)
- Duck: Thank you for arranging these, Diesel. I must go now.
- Diesel: Don't you want this lot?
- Duck: No thank you.
- Diesel: And I've taken all this trouble? Why didn't you tell me?
- Duck: You never asked me. Besides, you were having such fun being rev-whatever it was you said. Goodbye.
In Other Languages
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Merchandise
- Ladybird book - Pop Goes the Diesel and Dirty Work and A Close Shave
- Buzz Book - Pop Goes the Diesel
Home Video Releases
Episode
References
| #01 Thomas, Percy and the Coal | #10 The Runaway | #19 Daisy |
| #02 Cows | #11 Percy Takes the Plunge | #20 Percy's Predicament |
| #03 Bertie's Chase | #12 Pop Goes the Diesel | #21 The Diseasel |
| #04 Saved from Scrap | #13 Dirty Work | #22 Wrong Road |
| #05 Old Iron | #14 A Close Shave | #23 Edward's Exploit |
| #06 Thomas and Trevor | #15 Better Late than Never | #24 Ghost Train |
| #07 Percy and the Signal | #16 Break Van | #25 Woolly Bear |
| #08 Duck Takes Charge | #17 The Deputation | #26 Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree |
| #09 Percy and Harold | #18 Thomas Comes to Breakfast | Cancelled: The Missing Coach |
| Cancelled: Gordon Goes Foreign | ||