Paint Pots and Queens

"I'm too old to pull important trains." "I'm in disgrace." "He'll choose me, of course!" "You?! You can't climb hills! He'll ask me to pull the train and I'll have a new coat of paint."

- Edward, Gordon, James and Henry debating who will pull the Royal Train

Paint Pots and Queens, retitled Thomas Meets the Queen in two North American home video releases, is the twenty-third episode of the fourth series. It is based on the story of the same name from the Railway Series book, Gordon the Big Engine.

Plot
Thomas and Gordon are puffing home together after having reconciled and formed an alliance. They arrive back at the sheds to discover decorations are being put up. Thomas wonders what is happening, and Percy tells him to remain silent, saying that they are about to find out. Right on cue, the Fat Controller tells the engines that the Queen is coming to visit Sodor. The engines then wonder who will pull the Royal Train. Edward says he is too old and Gordon says he is still in disgrace. James thinks he will be chosen, but Henry disagrees, claiming James cannot climb hills and then brags that he will pull the Royal Train and have a new coat of paint too.

The next day, rain is pouring and Henry's driver and fireman cover the cab for shelter from the rain at Knapford. A painter is on a ladder above the line, but Henry's steam blows high into the air, making the painter lose sight and cause him and his paint pot to fall onto Henry, much to both Henry's shock and the painter's fury. The Fat Controller then decides that Henry's appearance will not be appropriate for the Royal Train and that he must make other arrangements, much to Henry's disappointment. Later, Thomas and Gordon are waiting for the Fat Controller, who can see that both engines are sorry and deserve a treat. He tells the two blue engines that Thomas will look after the coaches, Edward will go in front to clear the line and Gordon will pull the Royal Train.

The great day comes and the engines are busy bringing in people from all over the island for the special occasion. Edward soon steams in and announces that the Queen has arrived. Gordon then pulls into the station with the Queen and her train with white buffers and carrying the Royal Arms. The Fat Controller stands to attention and welcomes the Queen. She thanks him for a splendid ride and asks to see the engines. When Percy whistles and Toby rings and cheer for the Queen, Henry and James initially shush them angrily, trying to enjoy the event in peace, but Percy and Toby ignore them by carrying the noise on, prompting the other engines to join in. When it is time for the Queen to leave, she speaks especially to Thomas, courtesy of providing her coaches, Edward and finally Gordon, who takes her home, and all of The Fat Controller's engines whistle proudly, and cannot be more proud.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Painter
 * Elizabeth II
 * Duck
 * Donald
 * Henrietta
 * Mrs. Kyndley
 * Jem Cole
 * Farmer Trotter
 * The Crovan's Gate Policeman
 * The Dryaw Policeman
 * The Portly Man
 * The Important Passenger
 * Mrs. Last
 * The Boy with His Father
 * Prince Philip
 * The Queen Mother
 * The Railway Society
 * The Parade Organizer

Locations

 * Tidmouth Beach
 * Tidmouth Lighthouse
 * Wellsworth
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Knapford
 * Knapford Sheds
 * The Lead Mines

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the twentieth episode of the fourth series.
 * Despite its placement in the fourth series, this episode is a direct continuation of the first series episode, Down the Mine.
 * This is episode marks last for many things:
 * The last proper appearance of Thomas' infamous "O" face was the second series episode, Ghost Train; it reappears in this episode with the use of stock footage from Down the Mine.
 * The last episode to use stock footage produced by Clearwater Features until the seventh series episode, Emily's New Coaches.
 * The last episode that was written by Wilbert Awdry until the twentieth series episode, Tit for Tat.
 * The last appearance of Knapford Station until the sixth series episode, It's Only Snow.
 * The last appearance of Queen Elizabeth II until the twenty-fourth series episode, Thomas and the Royal Engine.
 * The last episode to feature Gordon's winch.
 * The last episode in which Sir Topham Hatt's original blue car appears; following this episode it is replaced.
 * The last episode to have three dubs in South Korea.
 * The last appearance of Edward's sad face until the sixth series episode, Harvey to the Rescue.
 * Stock footage from Off the Rails, Down the Mine and Thomas and Stepney are used. References to the two former episodes are made, as well as a reference by Henry to the third series episode, The Trouble with Mud.
 * The flag of Saint George's Cross is visible in one scene. In real life, the same flag is used to represent England.
 * From the scenes with Gordon pulling into the station with the royal train to the engines cheering for the Queen with a shush uttered by Henry and James in between, Zadok the Priest (a British anthem, as well as the music that played during Queen Elizabeth II's coronation) plays in the background.
 * As the narrator says, "When it was time to leave..." God Save the Queen, the British national anthem, begins playing. Another instrumental version of the same anthem also plays at the end of the Shining Time Station episode, Mr. Conductor's Fourth of July under My Country 'Tis of Thee'' instead due to international differences. Though, coincidentally, they both have the same melody.
 * This episode, along with the fourth series episode, Special Attraction, were the last episodes featured on Shining Time Station.
 * The events of this episode were later mentioned by Gordon in the eighteenth series episode, Emily Saves the World, as well as by the Fat Controller in the twenty-fourth series double-length episode, Thomas and the Royal Engine.
 * Behind the scenes footage for this episode was filmed for the 1995 documentary, The Thomas the Tank Engine Man. A television screen also shows a deleted scene of Edward passing Wellsworth.
 * On 12th May 2015, which was the 70th anniversary of the Railway Series, behind the scenes footage of this episode was revealed in a report on BBC South Today.
 * This was the 100th episode to air in Norway.
 * This episode was paired alongside Gordon and the Famous Visitor in an airing of Storytime with Thomas.
 * Footage from this episode can be seen in the Japanese game, Magical Adventure.
 * When the rain comes, a thunderclap sound effect is heard in the UK and Ukrainian dubs. However, the thunderclap sound effect is omitted in the US and other international dubs.
 * This episode marks the only time with two things:
 * The only appearance of Queen Elizabeth II until the twenty-fourth series double-length episode, Thomas and the Royal Engine.
 * The only episode and the first time in which Thomas' upset face is used until the eighth series premiere. This also makes it the only Britt Allcroft episode to feature it.
 * The three berth garage from TUGS appears at Knapford. The Fuel Depot Manager's office from TUGS also appears at Wellsworth.
 * This also the first episode since the second series episode, The Runaway to feature Thomas' shocked face without a bucktooth.
 * The man and woman who come to Sodor with the Queen appear to represent Prince Philip and the Queen Mother.
 * The Greek dub of this episode mistakenly credits Ringo Starr even though it was redubbed and Michael Angelis was the English narrator at the time.
 * In foreign dubs, George Carlin's voice is used when the painter falls.

Goofs

 * Gordon's brake pipe is facing downwards, while it was facing upwards in Down the Mine.
 * The narrator said that Thomas and Gordon whistled into the shed, but only Thomas' whistle is heard.
 * When Thomas rolls his eyes, his face moves a little.
 * Gordon and Duck have the same whistle.
 * When Henry says "You can't climb hills" to James, Percy's cab roof is slightly lifted. It is also lifted in the close up of him and Toby at Knapford.
 * At the end of the episode, a crowd of people can be seen at Knapford, but in the close-ups of James and Henry, the people disappear and then reappear.
 * When the engines whistle, Donald and Douglas' whistles can be heard, but they are nowhere to be seen. This is because the audio of the engines whistling is reused from the second series episode, The Deputation.
 * When Gordon comes to a halt in Knapford, Edward's eyes are misaligned.
 * In the close-up shots of Toby and Percy at Knapford,
 * The buffers on Toby's line are crooked.
 * A woman sitting on a bench does not have feet.
 * Some sticky tac can be seen under a man with green coat's feet.
 * When Toby brings the passengers to Knapford, his bell sounds completely different.
 * Duck's train of coaches is missing a brake coach.
 * In the close-up shot of Knapford station decorated in flags, one of the glass canopies is removed and seen in the corner.
 * Despite their appearances in this episode, Edward and Toby do not appear in the nameboard sequence at the end of the episode in the Japanese dub.
 * One of the passengers at Knapford is missing his arm.
 * When Thomas says "Bust my buffers! What's happening?!" his shocked face is missing the bucktooth.
 * When James and Henry hiss "Shhhh" at Percy and Toby they both have gaps between their face plates and eyes.

Quotes

 * Gordon: Remember, Thomas. United we stand, together we fall. You help me, and I'll help you.
 * Thomas: I'll remember, but I hope the Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt forgives us soon.




 * Narrator: The engines wondered who would pull the Royal Train.
 * Edward: I'm too old to pull important trains.
 * Gordon: I'm in disgrace!
 * James: He'll choose me, of course!
 * Henry: You?! You can't climb hills! He'll ask me to pull the train, and I'll have a new coat of paint!



Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Thomas' Train and 17 other stories
 * Thomas and Stepney and other Stories
 * The Complete Series 4
 * The Very Best of Thomas and Friends
 * My Little Thomas and the Royal Visitor

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection
 * The Fogman and The Very Best of Thomas and Friends Double Pack

US

 * Thomas Meets the Queen and Other Stories
 * Best of Thomas
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 4

CAN

 * Thomas Meets the Queen and Other Stories
 * Best of Thomas

DVD Boxsets

 * Best Tales on the Tracks
 * Best of James/Best of Thomas Double Feature
 * Ultimate Thomas Collection
 * Best of Collection
 * Best of Thomas, Percy and James Platinum Edition

AUS

 * Thomas and Stepney and other Stories
 * The Very Best of Thomas and Friends
 * The Complete Series 4
 * The Best of Thomas and Friends - Volume 1

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * Essential Collection
 * 60th Anniversary - Limited Edition Boxset
 * Classic Collection
 * Series Three and Series Four Double Pack

NZ

 * Thomas and Stepney and other Stories

NOR

 * Thomas and Stepney
 * The Old Coach

JPN

 * New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.1
 * Best of Gordon
 * Fuss Today!
 * Don't Be Defeated by Thomas and Friends!!

GER

 * Thomas and His Friends Vol. 8

PHL

 * Paint Pots and Queens

MYS

 * Thomas and the Special Letter and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady and Other Adventures

DK

 * The Brave Engine and Other Stories

ITA

 * Here Comes the Queen

NL

 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Thomas, James and Henry
 * Thomas and the Special Letter

GRC

 * Adventures at the Railway Station

DVD Boxsets

 * 3 DVD Boxset 2

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends
 * Thomas and Friends - Series 4 (Ukrainian DVD)

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4

KOR

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 5
 * Stories That Fosters Responsibility

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 10
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 8

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 14

TWN
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 2

Video Games

 * Magical Adventure