Gallant Old Engine (episode)

"You're a gallant little engine! When you're rested, we'll mend you, so you'll be ready for tomorrow."

- Rheneas' driver congratulating him

Gallant Old Engine is the fourteenth episode of the fourth series. It is based on the story of the same name from the Railway Series book of the same name.

Plot
Duncan has been grumbling about being "overworked," not being polished and mainly the passengers. Skarloey is dismayed by Duncan's stubbornness and poor attitude, especially in regards to the time he stopped on a viaduct in protest and bluntly tells him that he hopes Rheneas - who is due to return home soon - can talk some sense into him. When Duncan demands to know what Rheneas has to do with him, Skarloey points out that Rheneas single-handedly saved the Skarloey Railway.

At Peter Sam's insistence, Skarloey tells the two engines about the railway prior to when they arrived. It had been facing hard times and faced the threat of closure if the engines could not keep it running. Skarloey had been feeling sick, so Rheneas did his work for him, always reaching a station to rest no matter how tired he felt. Skarloey explains to an annoyed Duncan that Rheneas did this so as not to upset his passengers, as they get cross when a train stops where it should not. He then recalls a time that Rheneas stopped in the wrong place.

That day, the weather was bad and Rheneas was puffing home with a full train. The ride was very uncomfortable and there were even passengers in the guard's brake van. When they approached a steep hill, Rheneas' wheels kept slipping but he made it to the top. Unfortunately, he was heading back down when his valve gear on one side jammed and he was forced to stop in the middle of nowhere. Rheneas' crew fixed him up as best they could and urged him to get the passengers to the next station. Rheneas promised to do so and continued on. Despite feeling very sore and tired to continue, he kept going, knowing that the railway would close if he failed. After one last valiant effort, Rheneas finally reached the station. The passengers thanked him and promised to tell their friends about the railway. Rheneas' driver praised his "gallant little engine" and promised to fix him up ready for tomorrow.

Skarloey concludes his story by explaining that Rheneas was always "ready for tomorrow." A humbled Duncan, who now finally realised that passengers were more important than his selfish needs, admits he was wrong, and thanks Skarloey for telling him about Rheneas. The next day, Edward brings Rheneas home and a big celebration is held from the Skarloey Engines and some of the standard gauge engines. Rheneas is delighted to be back, especially with Skarloey and says he feels he truly has come home.

Characters

 * Skarloey
 * Rheneas
 * Peter Sam
 * Duncan
 * Jem Cole
 * Refreshment Lady
 * The Boy
 * One Little Boy
 * Mrs. Last
 * Edward
 * Blue Narrow Gauge Coaches
 * Mr. Hugh
 * Thomas
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Sir Handel
 * Duke
 * Red Narrow Gauge Coaches
 * Charlie Sand
 * Sidney Hever
 * The Mid Sodor Railway Manager
 * Smudger

Locations

 * Skarloey Engine Sheds
 * Crovan's Gate Yards
 * Duke's Station
 * Duke's Shed
 * Skarloey
 * Hawin Dooiey
 * Sodor Castle
 * Forest Runby
 * Rheneas Bridge
 * Mountainside Runby
 * Rheneas Viaduct
 * Glennock

Trivia

 * This is the 100th episode to air in Japan.
 * On PBS Kids Sprout airings, this episode has stereo audio, while the US VHS and DVD releases have mono audio.
 * The events of the previous episode are mentioned.
 * This episode marks the last of a few things:
 * Not counting portrait cameos, this is Duke's last appearance, unless the stock footage cameo in Harold and the Flying Horse counts. Duke was meant to return in the fifteenth series episode, Kevin the Steamie along with Sir Handel and Peter Sam, but his role was cut in the finished episode.
 * Peter Sam's last speaking role until the sixth series finale, Faulty Whistles.
 * The last episode where Duncan speaks in a Scottish accent in the US dub until the seventh series episode The Runaway Elephant, because in his next speaking appearance in the fifth series episode Duncan Gets Spooked, he spoke more in a Liverpudlian accent, and a standard American accent with an obnoxious tone in the sixth series episodes Dunkin Duncan and Faulty Whistles.
 * This episode marks one of the few episodes in the television series' US dub that refers to the guard's van as a "caboose," its American term.
 * Despite their appearances in the episode, Percy, Sir Handel and Duke do not appear in the nameboard sequence at the end of the episode in the Japanese dub.
 * This episode's plot is similar to Edward's Exploit and Four Little Engines. The Italian title is the same as the former.
 * This episode was paired alongside Oliver Owns Up in an airing of Storytime with Thomas.
 * This episode marks several things for Rheneas:
 * His first and only leading role in the fourth series.
 * His first and only individual speaking role in the fourth series.
 * His last leading role until the seventh series episode, The Old Bridge (shared with Skarloey). It also marks the last appearance of Sodor Castle until that same episode (not counting the stock footage appearances in Toby and the Flood and Make Someone Happy).
 * In the United States and Canada, this episode was released early on VHS before Special Funnel, meaning the American and Canadian audiences may not know about Peter Sam's new funnel.

Goofs

 * Duncan has Peter Sam's whistle sound at the beginning of the episode.
 * Rheneas is wearing Smudger's sad face when he passes Skarloey in the first part of the flashback.
 * Throughout all of the field scenes, a wire is visible under Rheneas and one of his coaches.
 * When Rheneas is on the causeway, he has Duke's alternate whistle sound (his whistle from Granpuff to Bulldog).
 * When Rheneas arrives at Skarloey Station, his eyes abruptly change position, indicating a film cut.
 * In most dubs, the engines start whistling long before the narrator says they do.
 * Gordon's buffer is crooked in one scene.
 * When the passengers begin thanking Rheneas, Jem Cole is standing alone. Then in the next scene, he is standing with the Refreshment Lady amongst others.
 * In a deleted scene of Rheneas, Skarloey and Duncan at the Sheds, Rheneas is wearing one of Sir Handel's face masks.
 * On the PBS Kids Sprout airing and the US digital download release, the Thomas theme song is heard in the left audio channel when Skarloey talks about how he and Rheneas had to keep the trains running.

Quotes

 * Rheneas: [last line] You know, this helps a little engine to feel that at last, he has really come home!

Merchandise

 * My Thomas Story Library - Duncan

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Story and Song Collection
 * The Very Best of Thomas and Friends
 * The Complete Series 4
 * 1st Class Stories

DVD Boxsets

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

AUS

 * Thomas and the Special Letter and other stories
 * Story and Song Collection
 * The Very Best of Thomas and Friends
 * The Complete Series 4

DVD Boxsets

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

NZ

 * Thomas and the Special Letter and other stories
 * Story and Song Collection

WAL

 * Thomas the Tank Engine: Bumper Special 2

US

 * The Gallant Old Engine and Other Thomas Stories/Henry and the Elephant
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 4

CAN

 * The Gallant Old Engine and Other Thomas Stories/Henry and the Elephant

JPN

 * New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.6
 * Thomas and the Mountain Railway Engines
 * The Best Collection

PHL

 * Rusty to the Rescue

GER

 * On High Polish for the Passengers and 4 Other Adventures
 * The 9 Best Christmas Stories
 * Thomas and His Friends Vol. 8
 * The Grandpa-Motive

NL

 * Rock 'n Roll

NOR

 * On New Adventures

DK

 * The Brave Engine and Other Stories

GRC

 * A Day at the Station

DVD Boxsets

 * 3 DVD Boxset 2

MYS

 * Passengers and Polish and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady and Other Adventures

ITA

 * Here Comes the Queen

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends
 * Thomas and Friends - Series 4

IN

 * Trucks and Other Stories

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4

KOR

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 4

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 10
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 4

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 14

TWN

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 12
 * }}

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