TTTE S4E15: Rusty to the Rescue

Time for me to review another controversial episode of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. One that Reverend Awdry detested just as much if not more than Henry's Forest. That is.....

93. Rusty to the Rescue.

Written by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.

Aired: US: 7 January 1995. UK: 3 November 1995. AUS: 10 May 1996.

Rusty enjoys visiting the Bluebell Railway, but his driver is concerned that the line needs an engine, so Rusty consults with Douglas about finding one on the Other Railway. Douglas mentions that only diesels travel there nowadays, which is where he found Oliver. That suits Rusty and the next day he travels to the Other Railway, slipping past the diesels by fibbing that he is an inspection diesel. He finds a tank engine named Stepney alone in a siding, and he asks him if he likes bluebells. Stepney replies puzzledly that he believes bluebells are beautiful, and Rusty promises to help him run away. Their drivers agree and Rusty helps him to escape to Sodor. Thanks to Rusty, Stepney now happily runs on the Bluebell Railway.


Alright, like everyone else, I've found some problems with this episode.


1. The Bluebell Railway is not on Sodor. It's a real railway in England.


2. The Bluebell Railway Society rescued Stepney, not Rusty.


3. The plot of this episode copies Escape.


I think I can figure out why they didn't adapt Bluebells of England. Either they couldn't afford to build a real replica of the Bluebell Railway or they just wanted to give Rusty a lead role.


This episode could have been even better with a few tweaks or so.


Say, replace Rusty with an underused character. Boco for instance. Replace Stepney with Christopher's unused character, Barry from Barry the Rescue Engine which was supposed to be published the year this episode aired, but shelved for a 50th anniversary book.


But all in all, this is definitely the weakest of all the Classic series adaptations, if you can call it one. Nope, it wasn't adapted from the Railway Series, so it's not an adaptation!

My rating: 5/10. (and that's being generous)

Season 4 scorecard:

1. Granpuff: 8/10.

2. Sleeping Beauty: 6/10.

3. Bulldog: 8.5/10.

4. You Can't Win: 9/10.

15. Rusty to the Rescue: 5/10.

23. Paint Pots and Queens: 9/10.

Season 4 rating so far: 7.8/10.