Tenders and Turntables

Tenders and Turntables is the fifteenth episode of the first series. It is based on the story of the same name from the Railway Series book Troublesome Engines.

Plot
Life in the yard has been harder for Gordon, James and Henry ever since Thomas left to run his own branch line. Without a station pilot, they must shunt in sidings and fetch their own coaches. Their complaining causes the Fat Controller a lot of trouble. In addition, while Thomas, being a tank engine, does not need a turntable, the larger tender engines do, as it is dangerous for them to run fast backwards. However, Gordon soon starts acting as though his tender is a symbol of his importance.

One windy afternoon, after talking to Thomas about the recent work, Gordon heads for the turntable at the end of the line. The turntable is by the sea, so the wind is very strong, and unless an engine is perfectly balanced on the turntable, it becomes difficult to turn. Gordon is in a bad mood and is unable to get perfectly balanced, and and neither his crew are unable to get him to cooperate. After several attempts, they give up and Gordon is forced to pull his next train tender first.

When Gordon arrives at Elsbridge, a group of schoolboys taunt him by calling him a tank engine. Thomas, waiting on the other side of the platform, laughs and suggests that Gordon should scrap his tender and get a nice bunker. James passes by with his train and laughs at Gordon as well. Gordon warns him that he may also stick on the turntable, to which James replies that he is not "fat" like him.

James later returns to the yard sheds and carefully lines up on the turntable, allowing it to move very easily. But the strong wind begins to spin James around like a top, making his face turn green. Gordon arrives and sees the whole thing. When the turntable finally stops spinning, Gordon laughs and asks James if he was playing "roundabouts" as James silently backs into the shed feeling dizzy, and completely humiliated.



That night, Gordon, James, and Henry hold an indignation meeting. They decide it would be best, after the day's events, to go on strike.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Green Express Coaches
 * Orange Coaches
 * Old Coaches
 * One Little Boy
 * The Stone-dropping Boys
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Bertie

Locations

 * Knapford
 * Sheds
 * Yards
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * The Works
 * Goods Station
 * Elsbridge
 * Vicarstown

Trivia

 * Deleted scenes from Troublesome Trucks and Coal are used.
 * This episode's opening exposition is taken from the story, Henry and the Elephant, which was not adapted for television until the fourth series.
 * This episode is one of the few instances where the term "fat" is kept intact in the US dub; in other episodes such as Thomas and the Guard and Off the Rails, the word is replaced with less pejorative terms due to broadcasting concerns.
 * James' whistle as he puffs onto the turntable and goes into the sheds after being spun is absent in both of Ringo Starr's dubs.
 * A behind-the-scenes photo taken at the time of filming for this episode shows that the Märklin Engine was used. The photo also shows Thomas with the same train he pulled in Troublesome Trucks, indicating that the beginning of said episode was filmed alongside this one.
 * Freeze frames are used when Thomas talks to Gordon about pulling his train backwards and for James' closeup in Tidmouth Sheds.
 * The JEI TV version of the Korean dub added subtitles to inform viewers what tank engines and tender engines are.
 * The ditch that Gordon later fell into is briefly seen when he tries to balance himself onto the turntable.
 * This is the first episode where the Fat Controller appears and is named, but does not speak.
 * This is the first episode where a character's name is not in the title.

Goofs

 * The Korean title of the episode is 고든, 제임스, 헨리의 꿍꿍이 (Godeun, Jeimseu, Helliui kkungkkungi). However, this is incorrect grammar, and the correct title should have been 고든, 제임스 그리고 헨리의 꿍꿍이 (Deun, Jeimseu Geurigo Helliui kkungkkungi).
 * When the engines say "We get no rest! We get no rest!", Henry has no crew in his cab and his train has no brake coach.
 * When the coaches say "You're lazy and slack! You're lazy and slack!" the second coach slightly bounces a few times.
 * In the close-up of the Fat Controller looking upset, his hat's brim has two chips in it.
 * When Gordon is on the turntable the first time, some wires can be seen inside his cab.
 * When Thomas and Gordon are at Elsbridge:
 * Clarabel is facing the wrong way.
 * Gordon's left buffer is crooked.
 * Both engines' puffing noises are heard before they start to move.
 * The narrator says that the fireman tried to turn the handle on the turntable, but there is a workman stationed at the turntable booth instead.
 * When James puffs onto the turntable, he is facing the sheds, but in the close-up shot of him, he is facing away from the sheds.
 * In the close-up of James moving on the turntable, the reflection of crew member Frank Schultz can be seen in his smokebox, and his dome is scratched.
 * The turntable stops on the last berth to the right, but when James backs into the shed, the turntable is in the center.

Merchandise

 * Magazine Stories - Tenders and Turntables

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Further Adventures of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends
 * Troublesome Trucks and other stories
 * Troublesome Trucks, Coal and other stories
 * Thomas and Gordon, Troublesome Trucks and other stories
 * Down the Mine and Other Stories
 * Biggest Party Video Ever!
 * Truck Loads of Fun
 * The Complete Series 1
 * Thomas and Bertie

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection
 * Bumper Party Collection! and Truck Loads of Fun Double Pack

WAL

 * Troublesome Trucks and 8 Other Stories

US

 * Tenders and Turntables and Other Stories
 * Thomas and His Friends Get Along
 * The Early Years
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 1

CAN

 * Tenders and Turntables and Other Stories
 * Thomas and His Friends Get Along
 * The Early Years

DVD Boxsets

 * Totally Thomas Volume 2

AUS

 * Troublesome Trucks and other stories
 * Truck Loads of Fun
 * The Complete Series 1
 * My First Thomas with James

DVD Boxsets

 * 60th Anniversary - Limited Edition Boxset
 * Essential Collection
 * Trainloads of Thomas Fun
 * Complete Series 1-10
 * My First Thomas
 * My First Thomas
 * Classic Collection
 * Series One and Series Two Double Pack

NZ

 * James and the Express and other stories
 * Troublesome Trucks and other stories
 * Bumper Video Collection Volume 1

FRA

 * The Magic of Sodor

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 4
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.7
 * Anytime With James!
 * A Lot of Engines!
 * The Complete DVD Box 1

KOR

 * Stories to Raise Cooperation

PHL

 * Thomas and Friends Collection
 * Thomas, Terence and the Snow

MYS

 * Tenders and Turntables and Other Adventures
 * Thomas, Terence and the Snow and Other Adventures

SWE

 * Thomas in Trouble

GRC

 * The Adventures of Thomas

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends

NL

 * The Great Race!
 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Thomas, James and Henry

HRV

 * Thomas and Brakesman

GER

 * Thomas and His Friends Vol. 1/Thomas and His Friends Vol. 2
 * Thomas and the Guard and 4 Other Adventures

IND

 * Thomas and Bertie Adventures

NOR/FIN/ISL

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 2

DNK

 * Thomas in Trouble and Other Stories

ITA

 * Trouble in Store

ROM

 * Thomas and Percy

DVD Packs

 * Triple Pack 1

SER

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 1

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 2
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 1

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 3

LATAM
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 * Personajes Favoritos Vol. 6

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