- "Gordon's a mess, Gordon's a mess, he's the largest and jammiest!"
- ― Thomas
Respect for Gordon is the fourth episode of the ninth series.
Plot
Gordon's firebox has lately been rattling whenever he cools down at night, which has resulted in teasing from Thomas and Percy. Gordon tells them that tank engines have very bad manners, though he feels quite embarrassed about his problem.
The next morning, Gordon finds Percy still teasing him. When he arrives at Knapford, the teasing continues, this time by Emily and Diesel. This enrages Gordon, as he has had enough, and he decides to make demands in order to stop the teasing. So, he pulls ahead of James at the water column, tells Percy not to hang around at platform one as it is his platform and finally, he tells Thomas, James and Emily to give a polite "toot toot" of their whistles the next time they see him - because he is the fastest and best.
However, when Gordon passes Emily, he does not get the polite "toot toot" that he expects. Instead, she ignores him intentionally. Gordon is so angry that he misses a red signal and crashes into a train of jam tankers ahead of him, getting covered in jam. Whilst waiting to be rescued, Gordon gets ridiculed again by Percy, Thomas and James, leaving him feeling very foolish and humiliated. Soon, Edward arrives with the breakdown train and takes Gordon to the fitters' yard to be cleaned and mended. With the amount of jam in his boiler, Gordon has to stay at the fitters' yard for a long time.
Meanwhile, Emily and Henry take turns in pulling the express and they quickly realise that Gordon must be quite strong to do it regularly, as they find it to be hard work. Even Percy misses Gordon as the rattle helps him go to sleep. A few days later, Gordon is mended with all the jam cleaned out of his boiler and in addition, the workmen have repaired his firebox so that it is no longer rattling. That night, Gordon apologises to his friends for his rattling firebox and for his "toot toot" demands because he did not deserve it. However, Thomas and the other engines state that Gordon does deserve it as he works very hard as the express engine.
From then on, all of the Fat Controller's engines greet each other with a polite toot of their whistles for being really useful.
Characters
- Thomas
- Henry
- Gordon
- James
- Percy
- Emily
- Diesel
- Edward (does not speak)
- Annie and Clarabel (cameos)
- Lorry 3 (faceless; cameo)
- Sir Topham Hatt (mentioned)
Locations
- Knapford
- Tidmouth Beach
- Sodor Suspension Bridge
- Gordon's Hill
- Tidmouth Sheds
- The Central Bridge
- The Runby Bridge
- The Headlands
Trivia
- Going by production order, this is the second episode of the ninth series.
- This is the first appearance of Gordon's worried face.
- Sweet chili sauce was used for the jam splashing on Gordon.
- The plot point of Gordon wanting the others to whistle at him is similar to the magazine story, Thomas and the Whistle.
- This is the third (fourth time counting the second series episode, Woolly Bear, where Percy gets splashed by a crate of sticky treacle) time an engine crashes into something and gets something sticky splattered all over it, with the first being in the first series episode, Dirty Objects and the second being in the third series episode, A Scarf for Percy.
Goofs
- When Gordon departs Knapford, his tender appears to be widely detached from his cab.
- When Gordon skips James, his whistle is low pitched, sounding almost similar to Hank's.
- In the close up of Gordon after Emily ignored him and when he saw the jam tankers, a small piece of hair can be seen on the right side (viewer's left) of his running board.
- When Gordon crashes into the jam tankers, his front wheels come off, but in the shot he was put back onto the rails, they are on.
- The jam drips down Gordon's face twice: once on his shocked face, and then again on his sad face.
- When James pulls up to Gordon, the latter jolts down and the former has a big gap between his face and eyes.
- When Edward shunts Gordon to the Works, his bogie wheels appear to be broken.
- When Gordon is at the fitter's yard to be repaired, the narrator said "It was hard to get the jam out of his engine" but steam locomotives do not have engines like petrol-driven vehicles have.
Quotes
- Percy: Rattlebox is awake at last!
- Emily: Oh, look! Rattler Gordon's here! He's pulling the "click-clunk express"!
- Diesel: I hope your "click clunk" gets better soon. (laughs) See you later, rattler!
- Percy: You're a boastful, bossy, big, blue boiler!
Merchandise
- Tomica (discontinued)
In Other Languages
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Home Media Releases
UKDVD BoxsetsAUS
DVD Boxsets
US/CANDVD BoxsetsNOR/DK/SWE/FINCZSPNDVD BoxsetsZA
JPNMYSNLHUNTHAKORHKTWN |
| #01 Percy and the Oil Painting | #10 Rheneas and the Dinosaur | #19 Thomas' New Trucks |
| #02 Thomas and the Rainbow | #11 Thomas and the New Engine | #20 Duncan and the Old Mine |
| #03 Thomas' Milkshake Muddle | #12 Toby Feels Left Out | #21 Bold and Brave |
| #04 Mighty Mac | #13 Thomas Tries His Best | #22 Skarloey the Brave |
| #05 Molly's Special Special | #14 The Magic Lamp | #23 Saving Edward |
| #06 Respect for Gordon | #15 Thomas and the Statue | #24 Thomas and the Golden Eagle |
| #07 Thomas and the Birthday Picnic | #16 Henry and the Flagpole | #25 Keeping Up with James |
| #08 Tuneful Toots | #17 Emily Knows Best | #26 Flour Power |
| #09 Thomas and the Toy Shop | #18 Thomas' Day Off | |