The Trouble with Mud

"Dirty or clean, I'm a famous machine!"

- Gordon

The Trouble with Mud is the tenth episode of the third series. It is based on the story Leaves from the Railway Series book Gordon the Big Engine.

Plot
One morning, Thomas is being cleaned when Gordon arrives covered in mud. Thomas tells Gordon to have a wash down, but Gordon does not care and leaves. A strong wind is blowing and Gordon's driver tells him to slow down, but that only makes Gordon more cross at being dirty and late.

In the goods yard at the next station, Gordon sees a sign saying "All trains must wash down daily." James is just finishing with his wash down and Gordon's driver tells him it is his turn now, but Gordon angrily lets off steam and mud flies all over his driver, the workmen, and even James. Gordon's driver scolds him and now he has to wait until James gets another wash, but Gordon does not wait and leaves to pull the express. The Fat Controller is waiting for Gordon at the big station and is shocked to see the big engine looking very muddy. He tells Gordon that Henry will have to pull the train instead and orders the former to get cleaned up at once.

After Gordon finally receives a wash down, he pulls and shunts trucks for the rest of the day, much to his anger, while James gets ready to take the express. Earlier, a storm swept across Gordon's Hill, blowing leaves onto the tracks. Though the storm is over, the hill is still slippery. Gordon warns James about the hills being slippery and says that he may need help, but James denies this and leaves.

When James comes to the hill, he picks up speed as he tries to pull the train over the hill by himself. But halfway up, despite his best efforts, his wheels begin slipping on the leaves and he rolls back down the hill. Gordon sees everything and after teasing James for not listening to his advice, he decides to help him up the hill. Then, thanks to Gordon's pushing from behind, James makes it to the top of the hill.

That night, Thomas asks the Fat Controller if Gordon can pull coaches again. The Fat Controller says that Gordon may, as long as he understands the importance of having a good wash down. As the other engines settle to sleep, Gordon states that "Dirty or clean, I'm a famous machine," even though there is no one else left awake or around to hear him.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Henry
 * Troublesome Truck
 * Percy
 * Mrs. Kyndley
 * One Little Boy

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Tidmouth Goods Station
 * Henry's Forest
 * The Washdown
 * Knapford
 * Knapford Yards
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * Wellsworth
 * Wellsworth Yards
 * Gordon's Hill

Trivia

 * Thomas' line "Please Sir, can Gordon pull coaches again now?" is taken from Paint Pots and Queens, which would later be adapted in the following series.
 * In the episode, the express coaches of James' train are red, but in a few promotional photos, they are green.
 * In the original UK dub, the music was omitted in the following scenes of:
 * Gordon letting off steam and spraying mud onto James.
 * The narrator saying, "Gordon saw everything," after James was being brought back down the hill.
 * The end of the episode after Gordon says, "Dirty or clean, I'm a famous machine!" though a second of it is slightly heard when the credits started.
 * In the US and Ukrainian dubs, the sound effects in the scenes of Gordon and Henry at Knapford to the one of James and Gordon at the yards are barely audible.
 * In the restored version:
 * The close-up shot of Gordon's driver being covered in mud and saying, "You're a very naughty engine!" uses an alternate take with much more steam.
 * Henry's eye movements are different in the shot of him at Knapford.
 * The scene with Gordon bumping the trucks is slowed down.
 * This marks the only appearance of Gordon's Hill in the third series.
 * This episode marks the first time James' drowsy face was used at the end of the episode when Gordon says, "Dirty or clean, I'm a famous machine!"
 * Audio from the original UK dub of this episode can be heard in the 2006 British Drama film, "After Thomas."
 * A few promotional images show Thomas with his chuckling face instead of his standard happy face when he teases Gordon.

Goofs

 * The cleaners washing Thomas all have skinny flesh-coloured wires for necks.
 * The mud on Gordon changes several times whenever he refuses to get a washdown. This was due to the layouts being set up and dismantled many times to film each of the episode's scenes.
 * Before Gordon sprays mud onto James, a studio equipment can be seen in the top left corner.
 * As Gordon says, "Mind my eyes!" his right eye is misaligned.
 * As the passengers boarded the express, one of the coaches has a hole in the roof.
 * When James first sets off with the express, his wheels slip.
 * When James is sliding back down Gordon's Hill, a wire can be seen attached to his rear coach pulling him back down the hill.
 * In the extended scene of James going back up the hill, Gordon is not seen pushing James, meaning that it was a stock footage of James going up the hill for that first time. This was cut to pretend that Gordon is pushing James.
 * Gordon's eyebrows are missing at the beginning.
 * When Gordon and James are at the bottom of Gordon's Hill, a signal above them is set for stop.
 * The signals at the bottom of Gordon's Hill are incorrect as the yellow distant signal is above the red home signal.
 * In the Norwegian and Swedish dubs, James is referred to as Henry when he says, "Trucks will be trucks."
 * When Gordon puffs through the forest, he rounds the same bend twice.
 * Gordon's buffers are crooked throughout the episode.

Quotes

 * Thomas: [sees Gordon covered in mud] Hello, Gordon. You look as if you've had a mud bath. Be a sensible engine and have a shower instead.
 * Gordon: I haven't time to dawdle over my appearance like fussy tank engines do.




 * Narrator: The wind blew stronger.
 * Gordon's Driver: Phew, Gordon! Slow down!
 * Narrator: This made Gordon (even) crosser (still).
 * Gordon: Now I'll be dirty and late! Dirty and late!




 * [at the washdown, James is finished]
 * Driver: Come on, Gordon. You'll feel better after a good hose down.
 * Gordon:
 * (UK) PAH!!!
 * (US) BAH!!!
 * [he angrily lets off steam, covering his driver, the workman and James in mud]
 * Driver: You're a very naughty engine! Now James will need another shower! You'll have to wait your turn till later!
 * Gordon: Good riddance! I'm far too busy to waste time with water!




 * Gordon: [while being cleaned] Mind my eyes!
 * Narrator: And/Then he pulled trucks/cars for the rest of the day.
 * Gordon (Early UK / US versions only): Goods/Freight trains, goods/freight trains!




 * Gordon: Ah well, we live and learn. Never mind, little James. I'm going to push behind.
 * [the two big engines climb Gordon's Hill]
 * Narrator: Clouds of smoke and steam billowed from the snorting engines as they struggled up the hill.
 * James: We can do it!
 * Gordon: We will do it!
 * [cut to the top of the hill, they make it up]
 * Narrator: At last they reached the top.
 * James: Peep, peep! Thank you, goodbye!
 * Gordon: Boop, boop! Goodbye!




 * Thomas: Please, sir? Can Gordon pull coaches again now?
 * The Fat Controller: If you understand that having a washdown is essential to every engine, then yes, Gordon. You may.
 * Gordon: Thank you. Dirty or clean, I'm a famous machine!
 * [the engines fall asleep except Gordon]
 * Narrator: But no one heard but him.

Merchandise

 * TrackMaster - Muddy Gordon
 * Books - Gordon's Trouble with Mud
 * Buzz Books - The Trouble with Mud
 * Magazine stories - The Trouble With Mud! and Leaves on the Line

Home Media Releases
{{Scroll box|

UK

 * Trust Thomas and Other Stories
 * Thomas Gets Bumped and 17 Other Stories
 * Biggest Party Video Ever!
 * The Complete Series 3
 * Seasonal Scrapes

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection

WAL

 * Thomas the Tank Engine: Bumper Special 1

US

 * Trust Thomas and Other Stories
 * Thomas and Bertie's Great Race and Other Adventures
 * 10 Years of Thomas
 * Best of Gordon
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 3

CAN

 * Trust Thomas and Other Stories
 * 10 Years of Thomas
 * Best of Gordon

VHS/DVD Boxsets

 * Special Video Collector's Set
 * Best Tales on the Tracks
 * Trust Thomas and Other Stories/A Big Day for Thomas Double Feature
 * On-the-Go Pack
 * Ultimate Thomas Collection
 * Totally Thomas Volume 6
 * Totally Thomas Volume 7
 * Best of Collection

AUS

 * Trust Thomas and Other Stories
 * All Aboard!
 * The Complete Series 3

DVD Boxsets

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

NZ

 * Trust Thomas and Other Stories
 * Bumper Video Collection Volume 4
 * Thomas Train Set Compilation Video Volume 2

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 14
 * Best of Gordon
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.1
 * No, No Troubles!
 * The Complete DVD Box 1

GER

 * Henry's Forest and 4 Other Adventures
 * Friends Help Friends

DVD Boxsets

 * Thomas and His Friends Box Set 1

KOR

 * Stories to Raise Cooperation

GR

 * The Twin Engines Were Confused!

DVD Boxsets

 * 3 DVD Boxset 2

NOR

 * The Old Coach
 * Thomas, Percy and the Post Train

FIN

 * Thomas, Percy and the Post Train

ITA

 * On Christmas Eve

MYS

 * Thomas' Christmas Party and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Donald's Duck and Other Adventures

IN

 * The Trouble with Mud and Other Stories

NL

 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Thomas, Percy and Gordon
 * The Ghost Train

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends

DK

 * Now There Will Be Trouble and Other Stories

SER

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 6

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 7
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 4

THA
}}
 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 9

Video Games

 * Magical Adventure

Los Problemas con el Barro הצרה עם בוץ どろんこゴードン Błotne Kłopoty Проблемы с грязью