Tender Engines

"That's what I need! Now if I had two tenders I wouldn't have to stop so often, and I wouldn't have to listen to silly little engines!" "Those tenders belong to a visitor."

- Gordon and his driver about the visiting engine

Tender Engines is the twentieth episode of the third series. It is based on the story Tenders for Henry from the Railway Series book, Enterprising Engines.

Plot
Gordon grows agitated when he gets criticism from James for taking on too much coal and from Duck for taking on water from a temporary standpipe. He claims that big engines have big needs and little engines are just annoying. Later, Gordon is impressed when he sees a visitor with two tenders and wishes he had the same, but he becomes depressed when Diesel arrives and gloats about the diesels' victory over steam engines on the Mainland.

Gordon's mood worsens when Duck and Henry tease him about boiler-ache the next day, but he perks up when the Fat Controller assures him that steam engines will never become obsolete on his railway. The Fat Controller also mentions that the visitor had two tenders due to the lack of coal and water in between stations on the Mainland.

While Gordon feels much better, Henry is cross and says that he deserves two tenders for his hard work. Duck decides to play a trick on Henry with Donald's help and coerces Henry into pulling some spare tenders. Henry is initially delighted, but when he comes to claim them at the end of the day, he finds out that they are old, dirty and filled with boiler sludge. As the other engines watch Henry grudgingly pull his tenders through the station, Gordon teases him with the same joke Henry used earlier.

Characters

 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Duck
 * Donald
 * Diesel
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Flying Scotsman
 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Percy
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Bertie
 * Jem Cole
 * Big Mickey
 * British Railways Diesels

Locations

 * Island of Sodor
 * Tidmouth
 * Yards
 * Ffarquhar Sheds
 * Tidmouth Tunnel
 * Upper Brendam
 * Brendam Docks
 * The Three Way Road
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Knapford
 * Knapford Yards
 * The Mainland

Trivia

 * In the United Kingdom, a photograph from this episode was released as a Royal Mail stamp in 2011 to mark the Reverend W. Awdry's centenary.
 * Most of Henry's old tenders have "NE" on the sides, indicating that they are North Eastern Railway 4,200 gallon tenders.
 * Flying Scotsman was originally intended to have a larger role in this episode, but due to budgetary constraints, the entire locomotive model could not be constructed and never appears. As a result, Flying Scotsman was rewritten oddly as a stranger to Gordon rather than his brother. Flying Scotsman would later appear in The Great Race, where he is properly established as Gordon's brother.
 * This is the first episode where Donald appears without Douglas, and well as the first episode where either of the Scottish twins appears without the other.
 * For some reason, the modern television description refers to Flying Scotsman as "a two-engine."
 * Big Mickey, the fire station, a grey building, a large brown building, the steel company and steel rig from TUGS appear in the episode.
 * The JEI TV version of the Korean dub added subtitles to inform viewers what tenders are.
 * This episode was never released on DVD in South Korea.

Goofs

 * When James first arrives at the coal chute to speak to Gordon, his pony truck is derailed. But when James leaves the coal loader, his face and eyes are both misaligned.
 * The scene where Gordon sees the Flying Scotsman and is demoralised by Diesel takes place at Brendam, but the narrator states that "Gordon steamed into the yard at the big station."
 * Flying Scotsman's second tender is a standard LNER corridor tender when it should be an auxiliary water tender.
 * When Henry bangs the trucks, one bounces upwards.
 * Henry's face is loose when he complains about always working hard enough for two tenders.
 * When Henry apologizes to Duck, his left eye (viewers' right) moves on it's own a couple times.
 * Before Henry comes out with the tenders, James' first wheel is crooked.
 * Henry passes Thomas twice while pulling the tenders.
 * In the restored version, a tripod camera is seen when Gordon says "Don't be vulgar!"
 * Studio equipment can be seen when Gordon leaves Tidmouth.
 * In the Hungarian and Polish dubs, Duck is referred to as Diesel when he says, "I know. It's boiler-ache."
 * When Duck passes the water tower, his bunker handrail is loose.
 * When Gordon talks to Duck, at one point his eyes jolt, and Duck's eyes are wonky.
 * In some scenes throughout:
 * Gordon's buffer and lamp irons are crooked.
 * Duck's face is loose.

Quotes

 * James: That's the third load of coal you've had today, Gordon. Some might say you're being rather greedy.
 * Gordon: I'm an important engine. Important engines need plenty of coal, but I doubt if you would understand that James.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————


 * [Duck catches Gordon taking on water from an ordinary standpipe, as the water tower is under repair]


 * Duck: I wouldn't drink too much of that water if I were you, Gordon. It might give you boiler-ache.
 * Gordon: Pah/Peh! What's this? Educating Gordon Day? First James, and now you, Duck. Big engines have big needs. Little engines are just annoying.
 * Duck: Don't say I didn't warn you.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————


 * Diesel: Everyone knows that tenders are a mark of distinction, but I'm afraid that no amount of tenders will save you in the end. We diesels are taking over, and we don't need tenders to make us important, not even one.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————


 * Gordon: [disappointed after hearing Diesel's remark the day before] I'm not happy.
 * Duck: I know. It's boiler-ache.
 * Gordon: It's not boiler-ache. It's...
 * Henry: Of course, it is. That water's bad.
 * UK dub: Your boiler must be full of sludge. Have a good washout, then you'll feel a different engine.
 * US dub: Have a good washout, then you'll feel a different engine. Your boiler must be full of sludge.
 * Gordon: Don't be vulgar.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————


 * The Fat Controller: Cheer up, Gordon.
 * Gordon: I can't, Sir. Is it true what Diesel says, Sir?
 * The Fat Controller: What does he say?
 * Gordon: That diesels are taking over!
 * The Fat Controller: Don't worry, Gordon, that will never happen on my railway.
 * Gordon: (And) One more thing, Sir. Why did the visitor have two tenders?
 * The Fat Controller: Because he lives on a railway with long distances between coaling depots.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————


 * Henry: I always work hard enough for two. I deserve another tender.
 * Duck: [plans a trick with Donald] Henry, would you like my tenders?
 * Henry: Yours? What have you got to do with tenders?
 * Duck: Alright, the deal's off. Would you like them, Donald?
 * Donald: I wouldna deprive ye of the hono(u)r.
 * Duck: It is a great hono(u)r, but I'm only a tank engine. Perhaps James might–
 * Henry: I'm sorry I was rude. How many tenders have you and when can I have them?
 * Duck: Ah, hmmm... I have six and you can have them this evening.
 * Henry: Six lovely tenders! What a splendid sight I'll be!

Merchandise

 * Buzz Books - Tender Engines
 * Royal Mail Stamp

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Escape and other stories
 * Thomas Gets Bumped and 17 Other Stories
 * Biggest Party Video Ever!
 * My Little Thomas and the Royal Visitor
 * The Complete Series 3

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection

WAL

 * Help and 15 other stories

US

 * Daisy and Other Thomas Stories
 * Best of Gordon
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 3

CAN

 * Daisy and Other Thomas Stories
 * Best of Gordon

DVD Boxsets

 * Best Tales on the Tracks
 * Ultimate Thomas Collection
 * Best of Collection

AUS

 * Escape and other stories
 * All Aboard October!
 * All Aboard!
 * The Complete Series 3

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * Classic Collection
 * Series Three and Series Four Double Pack

NZ

 * Escape and other stories
 * Bumper Video Collection Volume 5

ZA

 * Buzz, Buzz

GER

 * It Goes Around on the Turntable and 4 Other Adventures
 * Show What You Can!

DVD Boxsets

 * Thomas and His Friends Box Set 2

DK

 * The Great Escape and Other Stories

GRC

 * The Twin Engines Were Confused!

DVD Boxsets

 * 3 DVD Boxset 2

NL

 * Rely on Thomas
 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Thomas, James and Henry

IN

 * The Trouble with Mud and Other Stories

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.16
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.3
 * The Complete DVD Box 1
 * I Love Thomas DVD 5
 * Operation Mischief!!

NOR/FIN

 * Edward, Trevor and the Useful Party

MYS

 * Toby's Tightrope and Other Thomas Adventures
 * One Good Turn and Other Adventures

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends

ITA

 * Locomotive in Trouble

SER

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 7

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4

KOR

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 1

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 11

HK
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 8
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 4

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