"Edward and Gordon" ("Edward Helps Out"- North America) is the second episode of the first season. It aired in 1984.
Plot
One day, Edward is sad that he hasn't been out for several days. The other engines, bigger than Edward, boast about Edward. However, his driver and fireman, sorry for Edward, asks Edward if he would like to come out today. Edward agrees whole-heartedly, so his fire is lit and he steams away, making the other engines very cross at being left behind. Edward has a lovely day and when he gets back to the shed, he falls asleep at once. The next morning, Gordon's is still boasting. He advises Edward to watch for him, as he rushes through with the express. Later on, after playing with some trucks, Edward has a rest. Presently, he hears Gordon's whistle. Gordon, looking cross, passes, pulling a goods train of a lot of dirty old trucks! But later, Edward is called to assist Gordon on a hill, where Gordon has managed to get stuck on. His mood isn't improved when Edward arrives. As the two engines slowly make their way to the top of the hill, Gordon realizes that this isn't as hard as he thinks and rockets down the rest of the way leaving Edward far behind. An exhausted Edward sadly puffs into the siding. But the driver and fireman are pleased with him and decide to give him a beautiful new blue coat of paint with red stripes. Then Edward would be the shed's smartest engine.
Featured Characters
Trivia
- Edward the Blue Engine is introduced.
- Themes first heard: Edward's theme and the Rescue theme.
- First appearances of the Tidmouth Milk Wagons, and the Troublesome Trucks are properly introduced.
- First appearances of Gordon's Hill, Maron station and the brick bridge before it.
- Edward is number 2. Edward's configuration is 4-4-0 with a 6 wheel tender.
- The plot of the television episode is based on the first two stories from the book The Three Railway Engines (Edward's Day Out and Edward and Gordon respectively)
Goofs
- Although the narrator says that "the others were all bigger than Edward", Thomas is smaller.
- Edward's brake coach is backwards.
- When Edward says "I'm going out again tomorrow", an empty siding in the background has steam venting from it.
- In one scene Henry already has his new shape.
- On The Early Years DVD as Gordon says, "The shame of it!" his trucks disappear.
- When Gordon is stuck on the hill, the ocean in the background is made of wood.
- When Edward buffers up behind Gordon the sound comes earlier than it should be.
- When Gordon says "I've done it!" the ground sinks slightly.
- When Edward is puffed out he is wearing James' tired face.
- When Edward stops at Maron, his paintwork becomes dirty.
- James is not meant to appear until "Thomas and the Breakdown Train", so his presence creates a continuity error.
- When Edward leaves the turntable, one side jerkes up a little.
- When they show the coupling on the trucks, they bump then it bumps again.