TTTE S6E23: Edward the Very Useful Engine

Time for another Season 6 review. One focused on the first character in the books and the last to be written by the late David Mitton.

Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the image.

153. Edward the Very Useful Engine/Edward the Really Useful Engine.

Written by: David Mitton.

Aired: UK: 16 October 2002. AUS: 20 November 2002. CAN: 12 February 2003.

Gordon thinks that Edward is old and should be retired. Henry and James agree with him, but Percy is concerned about this. He tells his driver and the Fat Controller about what Gordon said about Edward, who attends to the matter immediately.

The Fat Controller arranges for Edward to teach Stepney to run a new loop line, while Duck does Edward's work, Henry was happy about this, but it makes no difference to Gordon. Edward enjoys working with Stepney, but Duck does not enjoy working with the trucks, especially when they hold him back on Gordon's Hill. Duck is stuck on Gordon's line, and it is too late to switch him to the middle line, so the guard tries to flag him down, but Gordon passes by and tries to push Duck up, but it is no good.


Gordon's crew sends for Edward to help both engines, and as the strange train sets off and pulls into the station, Gordon feels rather embarrassed and is scolded by the Fat Controller for saying rude things about Edward who has proven to be responsible, reliable and very helpful. The next day, Gordon apologises to Edward and says that he really is a useful engine. Now, there is no more talk about Edward retiring.


First of all, I noticed that some people nitpicked that Percy said that Edward doesn't have tyres, after hearing Gordon say Edward "Should be retired.", where Percy thinks being retired means get new tyres. Their nitpick is that locomotives do have tyres, traction tyres. I would like to counter that nitpick by saying this: When Percy said Edward "Doesn't have tyres", he was probably referring to the tyres we see on road vehicles.

But overall, this was a nice episode, showing that you shouldn't underestimate those who are old. Who knows? Those who are old may not be so useless after all. But how rude Gordon was here was pretty uncalled for, but then again, he did get what was coming to him later.

Now no more talk about Edward being retired, okay?

My rating: 8.5/10.

Season 6 scorecard:

9. It's Only Snow: 9/10.

14. Middle Engine: 3/10.

17. Gordon Takes a Tumble: 9.5/10.

22. Thomas the Jet Engine: 10/10.

23. Edward the Very Useful Engine: 8.5/10.

Season 6 rating so far: 8.6/10. 

TTTE S5E04: Lady Hatt's Birthday Party

I've just planned on reviewing this episode. And why did I decide on reviewing this? Well it's about the main human character.

Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the image.

108. Lady Hatt's Birthday Party.
Written by: Britt Allcroft, David Mitton and David Maidment.
Aired: UK: 17 September 1998. AUS: 26 November 1998. CAN: 14 January 1999.

One Summer's Day, Bertie asks Thomas and Percy if they have noticed something different about the Fat Controller. Percy tells Bertie that he saw the Fat Controller staring into the clouds this morning and he wonders why. It is Lady Hatt's birthday and the Fat Controller has a new outfit to wear especially for the birthday party. Lady Hatt tells him not to be late and her husband tells her that he will be spic and span and right on time.

The Fat Controller is leaving work early to attend the party at Kirk Ronan. He tells the stationmaster that he will be taking the car when the engines are busy. He thinks it is reliable, but it is not. His mood soon changes when his car becomes stuck in a pothole with a flat tyre. He decides not to risk changing it because it will dirty his suit and it will never do for his wife's party.

The Fat Controller then sees Caroline and explains the situation and hitches a lift in her, but Caroline does not like going fast and she breaks down. George the Steamroller then arrives and insults Caroline, but his driver is more polite to the Fat Controller and offers him a ride to Thomas, who is just down the line, and he agrees, promising Caroline that he will send for help. George enjoys rolling along the road, but not the Fat Controller, who quickly becomes covered in oil. Worse is to follow; George cries for help, slips out of control due to a malfunction, and ends up into a muddy ditch close to where Thomas is taking on water and the Fat Controller catapults and ends up waist-deep in the mud.


Thomas had never seen the Fat Controller in such a mess and he asks Thomas' driver for a ride, but Thomas' fireman had taken ill, so the Fat Controller offers to be Thomas' relief fireman. He works hard and coal dust and soot fly everywhere and at last, Thomas arrives at Kirk Ronan, just in time. The Fat Controller quickly buys a bunch of flowers for the party and as the clock strikes three, the Fat Controller arrives, tired but triumphant. He gives his wife the flowers and she is most grateful and she knew it was her special birthday party, but she did not know it was 'fancy dress'. Everyone laughs and then the party begins.


This is a breath of fresh air. An episode focused on one of the human characters rather than the transport.

Although I'll have to question why there weren't warning signs around the hole in the road. Surely Fat Controller wasn't the only one who noticed the large hole in the road.

Sadly, this was Caroline's last speaking role, and it emphasises on her dislike of going fast.

George's mishap was funny, especially when oil splashed on Fat Controller, and when George landed in the ditch, causing Fat Controller to fall in too.

Overall, this episode was a fascinating one, especially since it barely focuses on the engines, but more on Fat Controller. Something we've been having some of recently, especially considering The Beast of Sodor and Dowager Hatt's Busy Day. And Fat Controller's fancy dress was funny too.

This further proves while shows aimed at young children like this one have child characters in them, the child characters don't need more than half the focus.

My rating: 10/10.

Season 5 scorecard:

3. A Better View for Gordon: 10/10.

4. Lady Hatt's Birthday Party: 10/10.

7. Bye George!: 9/10.

10. Toby and the Flood: 5.5/10.

12. Double Teething Troubles: 9.5/10.

17. Thomas and the Rumours: 9/10.

25. Snow: 3.5/10.

26. Rusty and the Boulder: 7.5/10.

Season 5 so far: 8.7/10.

TTTE S5E07: Bye George!

Now we're in for an episode centred around everyone's favourite steam roller going too far with his antics.

Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the image

111. Bye George!
Written by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.
Aired: UK: 22 September 1998. AUS: 1 December 1998. US: 7 September 1999.

George has been working with the little engines and is waiting for Percy to take him to a new workplace. George is insulting Skarloey and Rheneas when Percy arrives. When they leave, the two engines are pleased to see George go. George grumbles all the way to an old branch line, much to the annoyance of Percy. The branch line is to be turned into a new road. Percy is still fuming when he meets Thomas. Thomas and Percy agree to just ignore George's rude remarks.

George is enjoying himself when Thomas races by. George calls to him, but Thomas ignores him twice. Thinking he was being ignored, George grows cross. When he comes to a crossing, George deliberately tarmacs the rails, but he knows it is not properly finished. Thomas soon runs through on the same line; the signalman has forgotten to warn his driver about the tarmacked crossing because he had dozed off. Thomas derails and crashes through a barn.

The next day, Percy explains to Gordon about what had happened but Gordon takes no notice. Later on, George is working in a station yard when Duck arrives with some trucks, but George is blocking the way. A truck is still on the main line, but the signalman has already set the points for Gordon. Before Gordon and the express can be alerted, Gordon rushes through and hits the truck, sending it flying through the air, and smashing to pieces when it hits the ground, much to Duck's horror.

At the next station, Gordon is worried that the Fat Controller will be cross about what happened. He is cross, but not with Gordon; with George. As a punishment, the Fat Controller sends George to saw wood at the timber yard for a whole week so that he can learn himself some better manners. A few days later, Thomas and Percy arrive to see him and Thomas jokes that George will just be rude as before, George's expression says that he might not.

Now this is an episode that has George going too far with his hatred of steam engines. Pretty ironic considering he's a steam engine himself.

George did go too far with his moments when all the construction workers tarmacked the railway and he made Duck the Great Western Engine stop, leaving the truck at the end of his train stranded on the main line, causing Gordon the Big Engine to smash it. That was an epic crash. That and the way Thomas the Tank Engine crashed into a chicken barn.

Though one thing puzzles me about this. Why would the workmen tarmac over the rails? What if a train was to come?

The way George was punished just goes to show what can happen if you keep doing bad things. Bad things can happen to you.

So this episode, while puzzling, was entertaining too.

My rating: 9/10.

Season 5 scorecard:

3. A Better View for Gordon: 10/10.

7. Bye George!: 9/10.

10. Toby and the Flood: 5.5/10.

12. Double Teething Troubles: 9.5/10.

17. Thomas and the Rumours: 9/10.

25. Snow: 3.5/10.

26. Rusty and the Boulder: 7.5/10.

Season 5 so far: 8.6/10.

TTTE S6E22: Thomas the Jet Engine

Here comes a jet engine review! It's coming through!

Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the image

152. Thomas the Jet Engine/Thomas and the Jet Engine.

Written by: Ross Hastings.

Story by: David Mitton.

Aired: UK: 15 October 2002. AUS: 19 November 2002. CAN: 11 February 2003.

Gordon is boasting about how fast he can go, when Thomas has given the job of delivering a jet engine to Dryaw; he now wishes he could go faster than Gordon.

Thomas is very excited when he arrives at the Docks and is soon ready to leave, but Cranky is taking his time. Thomas tells him to hurry up and Cranky gets cross because he does not like to be told what to do by an engine. Suddenly, Cranky carelessly turns the jet engine on with his hook. The jet engine is soon rocketing Thomas along the track. Thomas' driver tries to apply the brakes, but Thomas cannot stop.

Signals were changed and points were switched for the runaway Thomas, who is very excited and soon flies by James, Henry and Percy, who were all very amazed. When Bertie sees Thomas, he asks Thomas to have a race, but when Thomas whooshes past him, he quickly changes his mind. Gordon, who is pulling the Express, does not know Thomas is racing on the main line. Soon Thomas whooshes past Gordon, who is very surprised.

At last, the jet engine runs out of fuel and Thomas is back to his normal speed. He steams gently into Knapford and teases Gordon by saying that he is the fastest engine. Henry and James agree, Percy feels sorry for Gordon and tells the engines that he does not have to go as fast as a jet engine even though James says that Gordon is full of hot air and Gordon fumes away.

Well, this was an entertaining episode, though unrealistic. Gordon's boasting got the better of him when Thomas the Tank Engine went faster than him.

I'll have to question Michael saying Thomas the Tank Engine wanting to go as fast as Gordon. He did go as fast as Gordon before, in Thomas and Gordon, and he hated it.

There were comical moments throughout this episode, Cranky's "Uh-oh!" was funny, Bertie's "Want a race, Thomas? Never mind." and Thomas was all "Hi Gordon! Bye Gordon!".

Also, another nitpick. How did Gordon the Big Engine get to Knapford before Thomas the Tank Engine when Thomas the Tank Engine passed him with the jet engine?

A brilliant episode, though unrealistic, and a well done remix of the William Tell Overture played through.

My rating: 10/10.

Season 6 scorecard:

9. It's Only Snow: 9/10.

14. Middle Engine: 3/10.

17. Gordon Takes a Tumble: 9.5/10.

22. Thomas the Jet Engine: 10/10.

Season 6 rating so far: 8.6/10. 

TTTE S7E16: The Runaway Elephant

Another Narrow Gauge review coming your way.

Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the image

168. The Runaway Elephant.
Written by: George Tarry.
Aired: UK: 22 October 2003. AUS: 2 November 2004. US: 7 February 2006.

A new park is being opened and Duncan is bossing the other engines about and telling them to do their work quicker. When Duncan finishes his jobs, he is asked to take an elephant statue down to the park, but carelessly leaves without a brake van. Duncan also ignores the warnings to slow down and thus runs out of control, finally derailing at the park and sending the elephant flying into the pond. Duncan is repaired in time for the opening, but is surprised to find the elephant still in the pond due to general favour of the elephant's position, and embarrassed to be lauded by the others for his fortunate mistake.

While it would've been wiser for Duncan the Rock n' Roll Engine to have waited for a brakevan, that would've made this episode pointless. Besides, the way Duncan went on a runaway shows why brakevans are a requirement.

Also, I thought Duncan was quite rude to Rusty and Skarloey, especially calling the former "Slowcoach". This also goes to show we should take our time when it comes to working.

Also, the way Duncan was on his runaway was entertaining to watch, and his mistake was a good thing after all, after the elephant statue landed in the lake.

So this episode is a well written one.

My rating: 9.5/10.

Season 7 scorecard:

2. Percy Gets it Right: 9.5/10.

9. The Spotless Record: 10/10.

12. Rheneas and the Roller Coaster: 5/10.

16. The Runaway Elephant: 9.5/10.

Season 7 rating so far: 8.8/10.

TTTE S5E17: Thomas and the Rumours

After that fun April Fool's prank I played yesterday, I thought it time to continue with my reviews.

Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the image

122. Thomas and the Rumours.
Loosely based on "Rumours and Speculations" by Andrew Brenner.
Adapted by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.
Aired: UK: 6 October 1998. AUS: 15 December 1998. CAN: 2 February 1999.

One day, Thomas comes to a small station on his branch line, and he sees some children on the platform. The children are upset that their playground has been closed, as the sand pit is soiled and too dirty to play in. The children ask Thomas to help them, and Thomas promises to see what he can do as he sets off with his passengers. Thomas hopes things aren't as bad as they are described, but as he passes the playground, he realizes the children are right. There is a large sign reading, "Playground closed until further notice".

Later, Thomas puffs back into the yard. But before he can tell the others about the children's playground, Percy rushes in with news that Sir Topham Hatt has chosen Harold to show a special visitor around Sodor rather than the engines. The big engines are shocked at this, saying that engines are meant to show visitors around the island, not "that whirly-bird thing", as James quotes.

When Gordon sees Harold, he believes Harold thinks he is faster than Gordon. Later, when Henry sees Harold, he believes Sir Topham Hatt chose Harold because he believes Harold is more important than Henry. Henry immediately denies this, saying Harold can't fly through tunnels. Finally, Percy sees Harold near a field where there are sheep grazing on the branch line. Percy decides that Harold must be counting sheep, and he feels much better as he steams away.

That evening at the sheds, the big engines are starting to believe that Harold is trying to replace them altogether. Percy states that Harold is just counting sheep, but Gordon doesn't believe this, saying Harold is instead counting how many engines he can get rid of, and he decides to show Harold how useful he is the next day. Thomas still wants to mention the children's playground, but he knows that solving the mystery of Harold and his visitor is the first priority.

The next day, Gordon is on his way to collect his train when he sees Harold. Unfortunately, he and his crew are watching Harold, and they go down the wrong line. Ahead is a tunnel under repair, and Gordon's driver reduces steam and applies the brakes, but it is too late. Gordon plunges into the tunnel and crashes into something, with dust spreading everywhere.

Later, Thomas arrives with the Breakdown Train to rescue Gordon, and Sir Topham Hatt arrives as well, who is very cross with Gordon's driver. Thomas is worried that Gordon will be scrapped, which makes Sir Topham Hatt wonder where Thomas got such idea. Thomas, plucking up courage, tells him the whole story about the engines and Harold. As it turns out, this is not true; Sir Topham Hatt explains to Thomas he shouldn't listen to rumours, and then that the gentleman is making a new playground for the children; Harold was showing the visitor the island because it was easier to find a suitable site for the new playground from up in the air. The man declares that the sand cleared from the tunnel will be perfect for the playground; found by rumour, and by accident, as he laughs.

After that, Sir Topham Hatt still uses Harold to fly above the island, but now all the engines know Harold isn't spying on them; he is, in his own way, just being very useful.

I'd like to see this episode as a metaphor of that rumour about Edward and Henry leaving the "Steam Team" last year, as well as that rumour Ffarquhar Road keeps spreading that Percy will be replaced by Philip (Like that's going to happen!), thus the former was confirmed true.

As for this episode, it has a good message that you shouldn't listen to rumours unless they're confirmed true, especially how Percy spread it here by saying Harold wants to get rid of the engines.

Here are some minor flaws I have with this episode. First off, it's based on a magazine story written by Andrew Brenner, yet Daisy and Boco were replaced by Henry and Thomas respectively. This could've been great potential for the 2 diesels to appear together.

Also, Gordon the Big Engine's driver was all "We'll show that whirly bird just how fast you can go." Why would he take the rumour so seriously? Now I realised why. Because if the rumour were true, he'd be out of the job.

However, there was an awesome crash Gordon had in the tunnel, whatever he crashed into, we don't know. When I watched this episode as a kid, I was kind of terrified when I watched Gordon's crash.

But even so, this is a nice episode that teaches kids they mustn't listen to rumours, even if Daisy and Boco weren't in it.

My rating: 9/10.

Season 5 scorecard:

3. A Better View for Gordon: 10/10.

10. Toby and the Flood: 5.5/10.

12. Double Teething Troubles: 9.5/10.

17. Thomas and the Rumours: 9/10.

25. Snow: 3.5/10.

26. Rusty and the Boulder: 7.5/10.

Season 5 so far: 8.5/10.

No more reviews on this blog

To anyone who's reading this, this'll be my final blog post. I have run out of things to review and I have no business using this blog anymore. Besides, reviews and rankings are a waste of time, so I can't be bothered doing it.

And by the way, if anyone wants me to review anymore stuff, forget it, because I'm done. Looking back on my reviews, they were poorly written, poorly reviewed and I was being ultra biased towards the things I've been reviewing. So no more reviews on this blog. I'm finished! Goodbye, Blogger.........

Ah! Tricked you into thinking I wouldn't be using this blog anymore, huh? Just wanted to play a prank.

Besides, I've got plenty of reviews planned. Besides, I haven't reviewed the entirety of Thomas the Tank Engine Seasons 5-20, only some of those episodes I have reviewed, but I have reviewed the entirety of Seasons 1-4 and Season 21.

Plus, as you can see, I'm planning to review the entirety of The Magic School Bus TV show, especially since I've ranked all those main kids from my least favourite to most favourite, and stated my thoughts on the new series that's been streaming on Netflix as of September.

So overall, Happy April Fool's Easter!