This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the magazine story. |
- "Who does he think he is calling me little? He can't tell me what to do. It's bad enough being told what to do by one Gordon!"
- ― Thomas
The Other Big Engine is the fourth episode of the twenty-third series.
Plot
Thomas is working on the Brazilian Railway when a big blue engine rushes past him and Gabriela. Thomas later sees the engine, who introduces himself as Gustavo and asks Thomas about how he is liking it on the Railway. When Thomas says he loves it, Gustavo tells Thomas that Brazil is seen as the land of the future. He then tells Thomas that he will see him later, while calling him a little engine.

Oh, indignidade!
Thomas cannot help but think that Gustavo reminds him of another engine on Sodor but cannot think of who it is. After accidentally causing Cassia to knock some crates of fruits off Gabriela's truck, Gustavo accidentally crashes into the fruit while saying "Oh the indignity" in Portuguese. After Thomas apologises for what he did, this also makes him realise that Gustavo reminds him of Gordon. This makes Thomas shocked to find he has travelled to another railway to meet an engine like Gordon.
Gustavo later pulls up alongside Thomas at a signal and accidentally offends Thomas when Gustavo calls him a little engine while telling him not to take the express line. Thinking Gustavo is being bossy to him, Thomas decides to take the express line anyway. Although he initially likes the view of it, he ends up running low on coal and water, but cannot find a coal bunker or water tower for miles. He runs out of coal just in front of a tunnel, only to see an engine coming up ahead that is set for a collision course with Thomas.
The engine is revealed to be Gustavo, who is able to stop in time. While Thomas attempts to explain to Gustavo that he did not listen to what Gustavo told him to do because of his dislike for being bossed around by big blue engines, Gustavo tells Thomas he was only trying to help him, explaining that he runs on an electric line that has no coal or water stops. He then states that he likes Thomas, thinking he has fire and pushes him back to help him get some coal. The two resolve to start over and become friends, and Thomas then tells Gustavo about Gordon, the engine Gustavo initially reminded him of, when he first saw him.
Characters
- Thomas
- Gabriela
- Gustavo
- Cassia
- Gordon (fantasy)
- Edward (photo only; does not speak)
- Henry (photo only; does not speak)
- Toby (photo only; does not speak)
- Flying Scotsman (photo only; does not speak)
- The Brown Tender Engine (cameo)
Locations
- Brazil
- Island of Sodor
- Tidmouth Sheds (fantasy)
- Tidmouth Goods Station (fantasy)
- Knapford (photo only)
- Vicarstown (photo only)
- Wellsworth Sheds (photo only)
- Tidmouth Sheds (fantasy)
Cast
UK
- John Hasler as Thomas
- Keith Wickham as Gordon
- Francisco Labbe as Gustavo
- Monica Lopera as Gabriela
- Laura Cucurullo as Cassia
- Gabriel Porras as Two Parrots (uncredited)
US
- Joseph May as Thomas
- Kerry Shale as Gordon
- Francisco Labbe as Gustavo
- Monica Lopera as Gabriela
- Laura Cucurullo as Cassia
- Gabriel Porras as Two Parrots (uncredited)
Trivia
- Going by production order, this is the seventh episode of the twenty-third series.
- This is the first episode with a few things:
- The first episode that takes place in Brazil.
- The first episode to feature the song, Let's Dream at the end for this series.
- As Gustavo shunts Thomas away, Thomas makes a reference to The Great Race.
- Francisco Labbe, Monica Lopera and Laura Cucurullo join the voice cast, the latter taking over as Cassia from Teresa Gallagher.
- This marks the only episode with a few things:
- Gustavo and the Flying Scotsman's only appearances in the twenty-third series if a photo appearance counts for the Flying Scotsman.
- Edward's only appearance in a regular-length episode in the twenty-third series.
- The only time Edward and Henry are referred to by names in the twenty-third series.
- On the Nick Jr. US airing of this episode, it was paired with Grudge Match, and in Japan, this episode is paired with Chucklesome Trucks.
- With the exception of the Flying Scotsman, the engines Thomas compares Gustavo to are all the former members of the Steam Team who were dropped for the Big World! Big Adventures! rebrand.
- Gustavo's phrase "Oh indignidade" actually translates to Oh indignity and not to Oh the indignity.
- On Dutch television airing, the Let's Dream song was played an instrumental version for the end song.
Goofs
- When Gabriela is translating Gustavo's "Oh, the Indignity" to Thomas, he is missing from the scene in her lamp's reflection.
- When Gustavo runs into Thomas, Thomas' twenty-third series details are not shown.
- In the fantasy sequence, one of the Gustavo clones is not on the rails and clipping through the sheds.
- On Channel 5 subtitles, Gabriela is mistaken as Nia, despite Nia not appearing in the episode.
Merchandise
- Magazine Stories - The Other Big Engine (2020/2023)
In Other Languages
Language | Title |
---|---|
Arabic | يخلق من الشبه أربعين |
Brazilian Portuguese | A Outra Grande Locomotiva |
Czech | Další velká mašinka |
Dutch | De Andere Grote Locomotief |
Estonian | Teine suur Vedur |
Finnish | Toinen Iso Veturi |
German | Die andere große Lok |
Hebrew | קטר גדול אחר |
Indonesian | Kereta Besar Lainnya |
Italian | L'altre Grande Locomotiva |
Japanese | えらそうなグスタボ |
Korean | 또 하나의 고든 |
Latin American Spanish | La Otra Gran Locomotora |
Latvian | Otra Lielā Lokomotīve |
Lithuanian | Kitas Didelis Garvežys |
Polish | Inna duża lokomotywa |
Romanian | Cealaltă Locomotivă Mare |
Russian | Двойник |
Spanish | Otra Gran Locomotora |
Vietnamese | Đầu Máy Xe Lửa Bự Con Khác |
Home Media Releases
UK
NL
#01 Free the Roads | #09 Diesel Do Right | #17 Lorenzo's Solo |
#02 Crowning Around | #10 Grudge Match | #18 Deep Trouble |
#03 Chucklesome Trucks | #11 Panicky Percy | #19 Too Loud, Thomas! |
#04 The Other Big Engine | #12 Laid Back Shane | #20 Diesel Glows Away |
#05 Heart of Gold | #13 Rangers of the Rails | Special #01 Steam Team to the Rescue |
#06 Batucada | #14 Wish You Were Here | Special #02 All Tracks Lead to Rome |
#07 Gordon Gets the Giggles | #15 Out of Site | Special #03 Mines of Mystery |
#08 Thomas Makes a Mistake | #16 First Day on Sodor! | |