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For other uses, see Rock 'n' Roll (disambiguation).
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“Send Rusty packin'! Send Rusty packin'!”
― Duncan after James tells him about Diesel being sent away

Rock 'n' Roll is the tenth episode of the fourth series. It is based on the story of the same name from the Railway Series book The Little Old Engine.

Plot

Skarloey loves all the sounds and the sights along the line and he knows them very well. One morning, he tells Rusty the railway looks drastically different because of the recent repairs to the rails. Rusty explains that the Manager had planned to give Skarloey a surprise, namely, the repaired rails, upon his return. Rusty, however, warns Skarloey that there is still a damaged portion of track just outside the first station. He is also worried that Duncan, with his habit of "Rock 'n' Roll," will derail there. Duncan overhears the end of the engines' conversation and demands to know why they are talking about him. Rusty attempts to warn him but Duncan dismisses the warning and rudely calls Rusty a smelly diesel.

Duncan collects some coaches and arrives at the station, where James is waiting for him. When Duncan explains his grievances with Rusty, James tells him about Diesel, the lies he told to frame Duck and claims credit for sending Diesel packing. Filled with admiration and unaware James was bragging and is not always honest, Duncan becomes more reckless, seeing Rusty's warning as just a joke and begins to "Rock 'n' Roll." This, ultimately, causes him to derail when he reaches the damaged track Rusty had warned him about just before reaching the first station.

When called to help, Rusty initially refuses, until Skarloey expresses disappointment at him for leaving the passengers stranded. Upon being reminded of the passengers, Rusty's mood quickly changes and he sets off with some workmen. Duncan now feels sad and thinks everyone will know how silly he is. As soon as Rusty arrives, the workmen, with the help of the passengers (who are not pleased about the derailment), work hard to lever Duncan back onto the rails. Duncan finishes his journey without any further mishaps and, that evening, apologises to Rusty and asks if they can be friends. Rusty agrees and promises to mend the damaged track in the morning.

Characters

Locations

Trivia

  • Going by production order, this is the ninth episode of the fourth series.
  • In the original UK dub, the line "James was already there waiting for him" is heard a second later.
  • James mentions the events of Dirty Work and A Close Shave from the second series.
  • This episode marks the last time the Narrow Gauge Coaches are seen with faces, excluding stock footage in the fifth series episode Make Someone Happy and the seventh series episode James and the Queen of Sodor, respectively.
  • This episode marks Duncan's first accident/derailment.
  • A rare promotional image shows Rusty coming to rescue Duncan on a different track.
  • This episode was released in Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales before Home at Last, meaning the American audience would not know who Duncan was unless they had already seen said episode on the Thomas and the Special Letter and Other Stories VHS.
  • This is the final episode released on VHS in Sweden and Finland.

Goofs

  • In the Latin American Spanish dub, the narrator mistakenly says Skarloey's name as Sharloey.
  • When Skarloey meets Rusty, he is on (viewers' perspective) the left side of Rusty. Further down the line, they seem to have switched tracks. Skarloey also has a new line of trucks.
  • When Duncan "rocks 'n' rolls" in his first scene, the track is tilted.
  • Duncan's coaches have faces when he fetches them but lose them when Duncan meets James at Crovan's Gate.
  • Duncan's eyes jitter up and down when he says "Silly old diesel, clever me!"
  • When Duncan comes off the track:
    • He has his happy face mask on.
    • The pole used to derail him is clearly visible.
    • The coach behind him also derails as well.
    • His face moves a bit.
  • Rusty's right eye pokes in and his face moves when he almost forgets about the passengers. Both of Rusty's eyes are also misaligned in the very last shot.
  • When Duncan is put back on the rails in the close-up of his wheels, not only his rear wheel remains derailed and no people are visible but the shadow of a crew member's hand putting him down can also be seen.
  • When the narrator says that Duncan was extra careful for the rest of the day, he is shown wearing his cross face.

Quotes

Skarloey: You know, if I couldn't see these familiar faces and places, I'd think I was on a different railway. You've done wonders with these rails.
Rusty: I'm glad you're pleased. Manager said let's mend the tracks so well, he won't know where he is. And we did and you didn't, if you take my meaning.

Rusty: I shouldn't like his passengers getting hurt.
Duncan: What's that about me? I'm a plain speakin' engine and I believe in plain speakin'. Speak up!
[Rusty informs Duncan about the bad tracks]
Duncan: Hmph! I know my way about. I don't need smelly diesels to tell me what to do.
Narrator: Rusty felt hurt.

[Duncan arrives at Crovan's Gate station]
James: You're late!
Duncan: I know. It's that smelly diesel's fault. Rusty tries to teach me how to stay on the rails and then goes off leaving me to find my own coaches.
James: You poor engine. I know all about diesels. One crept into our yard and ordered us about. I soon sent him packing.
Narrator: Duncan was filled with admiration. He didn't know that James was boastful and sometimes didn't tell the truth.

[during Duncan's journey]
Duncan: Send Rusty packin', send Rusty packin'.
[cut to the hill; he climbs it furiously]
Driver: Well done, boy. Keep it up.
Narrator: [cut to the countryside] Soon they were near the first station. Duncan was pleased.
Duncan: Nothing's happened, nothing's happened! Silly old Diesel, clever me!
Driver: Steady, boy!
[suddenly, Duncan derails]
Duncan: Sleepers and ballast! I'm off!
Narrator: And he was.

[after having heard of the news of Duncan's derailment]
Rusty: I warned him. But all he did was called me names. [refuses to move]
Skarloey: I'm ashamed of you, Rusty. Think of the passengers. What are they going to do?
Rusty: Oh, I've forgotten them. Yes, of course, we must help the passengers.
[Rusty leaves to the scene of Duncan's incident; cut to the said scene]
Narrator: Duncan stood sad and solitary. He couldn't rock 'n' roll now.
Duncan: Oh, dear. Everyone will know how silly I am.

[last lines]
Duncan: Rusty, thank you for helping. I'm sorry I was rude to you.
Rusty: That's all right, Duncan.
Duncan: I wish all diesels were like you. Let's be friends.
Rusty: Suits me. We'll mend that bad bit of rails first thing tomorrow.

In Other Languages

View content
Language Title
Albanian Muzik dhe vallëzim
Chinese Mandarin 摇滚乐
Czech Rokenrol
Danish Rock 'n' roll
Dutch Rock 'n roll
Finnish Rock n' roll-veturi
German Rock'n Roll
Greek Το ατύχημα του Ντάνκαν
Hungarian Rock and Roll
Italian Rock 'n' Roll
Japanese ロックンロール
Korean 친구가 된 러스티와 덩컨
Latin American Spanish Rueda que te rueda
Norwegian Rusty vikarierer
Polish Tańczący Damian
Romanian Rock 'n' Roll
Russian Рок н ролл
Slovenian Ples na tirih
Swedish Rock 'n' Roll
Ukrainian Танцюрист
Welsh Roc a Rôl!

Home Video Releases

UK/AUS

UK DVD Boxset

AUS DVD Packs

WAL

US

CAN

  • Thomas and the Special Letter and Other Stories (Direct-to-VHS)

US/CAN DVD Packs

NZ

  • Rock 'n' Roll and Other Stories

ZA

IND

MYS

PHL

ITA

NL

GER

NOR

DK

SWE

FIN

SVN

GRC

GRC DVD Boxset

THA

JPN

KOR

CHN

HK

TWN

Episode

Reference



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