The Super-Long Shortcut

"What are you doing?" "I'm taking us the new way!" "But this is not the right way!" "Yes, it is." "No, it isn't!" "Yes, it is!" "No, it isn't!"

- Gordon and Thomas arguing about which way to go

The Super-Long Shortcut is the thirty-second episode of the first series.

Plot
Thomas, Diesel and Kana are having a race down the line, discussing on how quickly they can get to Norramby, with Thomas mentioning a "super secret shortcut". While they're talking about it, Gordon comes along behind them, pushing some flatbeds of bricks. The three engines see that Gordon is looking worried, so when they catch him up, Thomas asks the big engine if everything's okay. Turns out everything is not okay; Gordon has lost a pin in his rear coupler, his brakes are leaking air pressure, and he is running late to get his delivery of bricks to Norramby. Feeling bad for Gordon, Thomas offers to help him, and couples up to the front of his train, and they go. After they're gone, Diesel brags he can get there before them.

Meanwhile, Thomas switches a track, diverting him and Gordon onto a very bumpy line. Gordon is worried, so Thomas slows down. After passing another junction, Thomas takes the track through the Dark Woods. They cross Crovan's Creek, much to Gordon's confusion, as he never crosses it when he goes to Norramby, but Thomas assures him everything is fine. Gordon flips the next switch they pass, going away from Thomas' "shortcut". In order to distract Gordon, Thomas questions him about a large cement delivery the big blue engine had done. With Gordon distracted, Thomas flips the next switch he sees, and goes back onto his "shortcut". Gordon realizes they're not going the right way, so he switches another track, and Thomas switches another, so on and so on. The two engines travel all over Sodor, arguing over which way they should go.

On the next switch, Gordon and Thomas both go onto opposite tracks. Up ahead is a steep hill down, and because Gordon's brakes are faulty, he can't slow down, so Thomas comes to his rescue. Then the two engines notice a dead end ahead. Luckily, they manage to stop, but the two engines realize they're lost because of their arguing. Gordon mentions he had a speed record from Peel Godred to Norramby when he was a young engine. So the two engines take the route through Peel Godred, and through working together to find the right path, they soon arrive at Norramby, where Carly is waiting. Diesel also arrives soon after. Thomas offers to tow Gordon home, but Diesel insists he does it, as Thomas brought him here in the first place. So Thomas cheekily lets Diesel tow Gordon back home, knowing that Gordon will critique Diesel all the way to the yard.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * Diesel
 * Carly
 * Kana
 * James
 * Cranky
 * Farmer McColl
 * Sandy

Locations

 * The Dark Woods
 * Crovan's Creek
 * McColl Farm
 * Quickdraw Bridge
 * The Windmill
 * Peel Godred
 * Vicarstown Lighthouse
 * Crumble Canyon
 * Norramby Beach
 * Kirk Ronan
 * Knapford
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Whiff's Recycling Plant
 * Cannonball Curve

UK

 * Aaron Barashi as Thomas
 * Will Harrison-Wallace as Gordon
 * Henry Harrison as Diesel
 * Eva Mohamed as Carly
 * Chloe Raphael as Kana

US

 * Meesha Contreras as Thomas
 * Neil Crone as Gordon
 * Shomoy James Mitchell as Diesel
 * Jenna Warren as Carly
 * Ava Ro as Kana

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the thirty-third episode of the first series.
 * This episode marks the first of a few things:
 * Gordon's first major leading role in an episode of All Engines Go.
 * The first time Peel Godred has appeared in the franchise since the original series episode, Percy and the Left Luggage.
 * This marks the first episode of All Engines Go to air on a special day, that being Valentine's Day. Song of Sodor would later do the same but instead on Independence Day.

Goofs

 * When Thomas backs down onto the flatbeds of bricks, the vector of his funnel is missing for a few frames before reappearing again.
 * The second time Thomas and Gordon are in the Dark Woods, the first flatbed of bricks disappears.
 * In the close-up of the coupling between Gordon and the second flatbed, Gordon's running board is completely red.
 * Although Gordon's knuckle coupler broke, the knuckle coupler completely disappears in subsequent shots of the back of his tender.