Best Dressed Engine

Best Dressed Engine is the twenty-second episode of the seventh series.

Plot
The Engines are celebrating May Day. Knapford Station is being decorated and the Fat Controller agrees to let the engines be decorated, but Gordon states that decorations are indignifying for an important engine like him and puffs away.

At Tidmouth Sheds, everyone is being decorated. Percy has flags and streamers, Thomas has big red banners and Murdoch is being decorated, despite his shyness. James gets the idea of having a competition for the "Best Dressed Engine." When Gordon arrives and hears about a competition, he wants to join in, but James tells him that he needs to be decorated since it is a Best Dressed Engine contest. Gordon rejects the competition after hearing everything.

Later, Gordon is crossing a bridge when a banner is blown onto his front. Since Gordon is pulling the express, he cannot stop and so remains "dressed up." Trevor is pulling a cart of apples for the children's apple bobbing. When he hears Gordon's whistle, he tries to go as fast as he can, but it is no use, and Gordon smashes all the apples. James is the last to reach the station for the contest until Gordon arrives. Everyone is surprised that Gordon is decorated (even Gordon admits he never wanted to), but James says that he is definitely the Best Dressed Engine. Everyone agrees and Gordon is announced the winner of the competition. Although Gordon does not want to admit it, he is pleased about it.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Murdoch
 * Trevor
 * Farmer Collett
 * Salty
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Harold
 * Lady Hatt
 * Bridget Hatt
 * Mrs. Kyndley
 * Jem Cole
 * Mrs. Last
 * Farmer Trotter
 * The Tailor
 * Mrs. Collett
 * Henry
 * Oliver
 * Bulgy
 * The Vicar of Wellsworth
 * Refreshment Lady
 * The Crovan's Gate Policeman
 * The Dryaw Policeman
 * Sir Topham Hatt

Locations

 * Knapford
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * The Works
 * The Mountain Village
 * Maron
 * Tidmouth Tunnel
 * The First Three-Track Station
 * The Runby Bridge
 * Suddery Castle
 * Three-Track Level Crossing and Signalbox
 * Collett's Farm
 * Henry's Tunnel
 * Tidmouth Bay
 * The Seaside Village

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the seventeenth episode of the seventh series.
 * Stock footage from Special Attraction, Percy's Chocolate Crunch and Bulgy Rides Again are used, as is mirrored stock footage from Thomas and the Breakdown Train, and a deleted scene from Thomas and Stepney.
 * Headmaster Hastings' pipe organ from the sixth series episode, Faulty Whistles is visible at the beginning of the episode, Thomas is pulling it when the narrator says "They knew there'll be music and lots of fun."
 * Footage from this episode is seen briefly in a 2004 episode of Rikon Bengoshi (離婚弁護士). In the same series, Wooden Railway toys of Henry, Gordon, Donald and Douglas are seen.
 * This episode marks last of a few things:
 * Murdoch's last speaking role until the twelfth series episode, Excellent Emily.
 * The last episode written by Polly Churchill, fifteen years before her death in 2018.
 * Because of the use of stock footage, Percy's Chocolate Crunch, Bulgy Rides Again and this episode all have the same opening shot.

Goofs

 * It is said that the banner wraps around Gordon's firebox, but it actually wraps around his smokebox.
 * When Trevor is chuffing along, studio equipment is reflected in his paintwork.
 * When Gordon breaks through the crossing gates, Trevor's cart is not hit over. But in the next scene, the cart is smashed.
 * After Gordon collides with the cart, his left (viewer's right) buffer becomes severely damaged, but later at Knapford, it is still intact.
 * The shot of Trevor passing the farm with the apple cart is mirrored, as his flywheel is on his right side, when it should be on his left side.
 * The stock footage from Bulgy Rides Again causes a few inconsistencies:
 * When Gordon leaves Knapford, he is pulling four coaches, but in the next scene, he is pulling three.
 * Bulgy is in his original scarlet livery.
 * Gordon goes under the same bridge twice. However, an effort: the removal of the upper part of the bridge is made to disguise it the second time.
 * Because the stock footage from Thomas and the Breakdown Train is mirrored, Thomas' number is reversed and his lamp is on the wrong side of his running board.
 * When Murdoch asks Gordon "What decorations will you have, Gordon?", his left eyebrow (viewer's right perspective) is scratched.
 * In the shot of Trevor chuffing along before Gordon hits the crossing gates, Gordon cannot be seen behind him puffing.
 * If one were to closely examine and slow down the part where Gordon collides with the banner, the banner actually rolls up into Gordon's funnel like when he is at Knapford by the end.

Quotes

 * Percy: I'm going to have flags and streamers.
 * Thomas: I'm going to have a big red banner.
 * Murdoch: What decorations will you have, Gordon?
 * Gordon: Decorations aren't dignified for an important engine like me! I pull the Express!




 * James: We could have a competition/contest for the Best Dressed Engine.
 * [Gordon arrives]
 * Gordon: A competition/contest? I'm bound to win any competition/contest!
 * James: You'll have to be decorated. This is a Best Dressed Engine competition/contest!
 * Gordon: Not me! You'd never catch me looking so ridiculous!

Merchandise

 * Books - Gordon and the Competition and A Hooray for Thomas!

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Pulling Together!
 * The Complete Series 7

DVD Packs

 * Classic Collection
 * Pulling Together!/The Chocolate Crunch Double Pack

WAL

 * Machines Co-Extract

US

 * Hooray for Thomas and Other Adventures
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 7

CAN

 * Hooray for Thomas and Other Adventures

DVD Boxsets

 * On-the-Go Pack
 * Totally Thomas Volume 5

AUS

 * The Complete Series 7

DVD Packs

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * Series Seven and Series Eight Double Pack

ZA

 * Arise and Shine

DVD Boxsets

 * 5 DVD Boxset

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.4

KOR

 * The Story of Getting to Know Nature
 * Character Special Edition Series Vol. 4

DK

 * Snow Engine and Other Stories

DVD Boxsets

 * Danish DVD Boxset

SWE

 * The Snow Engine

MYS

 * Fergus Breaks the Rules and Other Adventures
 * Something Fishy and Other Adventures

TWN

 * Confident Brave Little Engine
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 6

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 26

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 18
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 2

ITA
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 * Hooray for Thomas

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