"Thomas and Gordon" is the first episode of the first season. It aired in 1984.
Plot
Thomas The Tank Engine is a very cheeky little engine, with 6 small wheels, a short, stumpy funnel, and a short, stumpy boiler under a short, stumpy dome. Thomas helps in the big station known as Knapford, pushing coaches around for the big engine to take out on long journeys. Thomas doesn't think that any engine works as hard as he does. He loves playing tricks on them, especially Gordon, the biggest and proudest engine of them all, who Thomas likes whistling teasingly at him. Now, this morning, after hauling the big express, Gordon is sleeping on the sidings, when Thomas comes up in his cheeky way, waking Gordon up with "Wake up lazy bones!", and off he runs, laughing. Gordon, not bothering to sleep again, starts thinking of how he can pay Thomas back. The next morning however, Thomas isn't feeling quite as clever, as he has no fire, and not enough steam. It is nearly time for the express, but the coaches aren't ready. Thomas eventually gets started, and makes an uncomfortable journey to Knapford station, where Gordon is waiting. Gordon tells him to hurry up, which Thomas replies to him rudely: "Hurry up yourself!". As Thomas pulls the coaches to the platform, Gordon reverses quickly and is coupled to the train. The passengers get in quickly, and Gordon starts before Thomas has had a chance to get uncoupled, and is pulled along at the back of the train for the ride of his life. He goes faster than ever before, and his wheels hurt him, until at last, they stop at Wellsworth station. Thomas, feeling very silly and exhausted, is uncoupled. As he crosses the viaduct, he decides he will never again tease Gordon to feel important, and he puffs slowly home.
Featured Characters
Trivia and Goofs
- Introduces Thomas and Gordon. James and Henry are introduced, too, but they do not have speaking roles, and their names are not alluded to until "The Sad Story Of Henry" and "Thomas & The Breakdown Train".
- Released in the USA as Thomas Gets Tricked. A video of the same name was released.
- The first episode to have characters names in the title.
- * George Carlin's narration of this episode can be found on the "Thomas' Halloween Adventures" DVD.
- The first story written was 'Edward's Day Out'. But they filmed this first to introduce Thomas.
- First appearance of Knapford, the Tidmouth Sheds, the Viaduct and Wellsworth (sometimes referred to as Edward's Station). Also that of (what is known later as) Henry's Tunnel.
- Thomas's configuration is 0-6-0 and Gordon's configuration is 4-6-2 with a 6 wheel tender.
- First episode shown on Shining Time Station.
- In the Japanese version,individual voice actors do the characters.
- Thomas is number 1 and Gordon is 4.
- From this episode up to the series 3 finale, the series were broadcast on ITV.
- From this episode up to the series 2 finale, the episodes were shown in double bills, with a show of characters between each episode.
- Themes first heard: the busy theme, Gordon's theme and the turntable theme.
- The scenes in the opening credits all come from the episode "Thomas and the Guard."
- When Thomas rolls his eyes in the first shot, his face slightly moves.
- The end of the set can be seen when Thomas puffs off to Knapford Station yawning and when Gordon puffs with the express with Thomas behind him.
- First use of stop-motion animation (to make Gordon open his eyes).
- In the scene where Henry and James run past with their passenger trains, a strange grey object is over the church.
- When Henry leaves Tidmouth his train has a brake coach at the front and two extra coaches.
- When Ringo Starr says "One day after pulling the big Express . . . ", the ground Gordon passes over sinks.
- When Thomas says "Hurry yourself!" his eyes are looking to the left, but Gordon is to his right.
- When [[Thomas]Bold text] gets the coaches ready, the coupling sound comes earlier then it should.
- In one scene there is a set of points leading from the track outside Platform 5 to the track outside Platform 4. In the next scene, it disappears.
- When Gordon says "Come on! Come on!" studio equipment is visible in the top left.
- When Gordon comes out of Henry's Tunnel the track bounces up and down.
- In a close-up of Gordon, he isn't pulling anything.
- This is the last time Thomas is seen wearing his yawning face until Season 8's "Chickens To School".
- When the train crosses the viaduct, the edge of the set is visible.
- In the final scene when Thomas is going across the Viaduct, you can see that his shadow is pointing to where the sun is setting!
- At one point Thomas isn't being pulled along.
- When Thomas puffs into the siding, there's a camera stand at the left of the screen.
- When Thomas goes on the turntable, a camera stand is visible and a small white mark is visible on his tank.