Gordon the Big Engine

Gordon the Big Engine

Author	Wilbert Awdry
Illustrator	C. Reginald Dalby
Publication date	June 19, 1953-Present
Published by	Edmund Ward Egmont Publishing
Publication Order
Preceded by Toby the Tram Engine	Followed by Edward the Blue Engine

Gordon the Big Engine is the eighth book of the railway series.

Foreword[]

Dear Ian,

You asked for a book about Gordon. Here it is. Gordon has been naughty, and Sir Topham Hatt was stern with him.

Gordon has now learned his lesson and is a really useful engine again.

The Author

Stories[]

Off the Rails[]

Gordon is angry one day to find that, whilst Henry is taking the express, he has to take a special goods train. His fire is slow to start, so Edward has to push him to the turntable. Gordon decides to "jam" the table, but when he moves forward, he crashes through a fence and slithers into a ditch. Sir Topham Hatt calls for Edward to take the special and Gordon to be left in situ until the evening. Henry and James pull Gordon out of the ditch using a cable and a rope, and the big blue engine trundles into the shed a sadder and wiser engine.

Leaves[]

Gordon is banned from pulling passenger trains until further notice. James's unfazed observation of Gordon's bother towards trucks is offset by Gordon's warning about the slippery conditions when climbing Gordon's Hill. James claims he doesn't need help going up Gordon's Hill with the express, but fallen leaves and heavy rain combined make for a nerveracking experience. James is pulled back down the hill by the weight of his train, but with a knowing Gordon's help, the two engines bring the train safely over the top. Gordon watches James disappear wistfully before returning to his work.

Down the Mine[]

Thomas claims he smells something funny after Gordon arrives at his Junction with a goods train, whereupon he makes his punch-line about Gordon's recent mishap, but Annie and Clarabel both rebuke this. Thomas leaves them and shunts some trucks at a mine. He knocks his driver off the footplate during a heavy shunt and goes past a danger board; the ground beyond it breaks up and he falls into a hole. Sir Topham Hatt is displeasured with the blue tank engine but arranges for Gordon to pull him out, since a crane isn't ideal to lift Thomas up due to the unstable ground. After the rescue, Thomas and Gordon discover that they are both now in disgrace and form an alliance as they puff home into the sunset.

Paint, Pots and Queens[]

When some painters explain that the Queen is due to come to Sodor, the engines are keen to find out who's going to pull her train. Gordon says he is in disgrace, Edward says he is too old, James says Sir Topham Hatt will choose him but Henry says he will be the most likely candidate for his strength and good record. One rainy day, Henry arrives at the Big Station but his black smoke causes a painter to fall off his ladder, and his paint pot splatters all over Henry. Sir Topham Hatt makes other arrangements, which leads to promising Thomas he will sort out the coaches, whilst assuring Gordon will pull the Royal Train.

With Toby, Henry, Percy and James bringing people to the celebrations, Edward clears the line ahead of Gordon, who arrives with the Royal Train with spotless paint and proudly carrying the royal arms. Sir Topham Hatt meets and bows to the Queen, who wants to see the engines. The engines whistled while Toby rang his bell. The Queen smiles as Sir Topham Hatt holds his ears due to the engines' whistling; later, she thanks Thomas, Edward and Gordon who helped make this special event for her, making the three blue engines very proud indeed.

Characters[]

Worldwide date[]

June 19, 1953 (UK)
June 23, 1953 (USA)
July 10, 1957 (Australia)
September 5, 1957 (Russia)
May 15, 1958 (France)
June 19, 1958 (Germany)
April 4, 1974 (Japan)
June 23, 1985 (Canada)

Goofs[]

In the last illustration of "Off the Rails", Henry, James and Gordon all lose their faces when they pulled Gordon out of the ditch.
In "Leaves", James loses one coach while going up Gordon's Hill.
In the first illustration of "Paint, Pots and Queens", James has an extra pair of wheels and should Henry move forward, he would collide with the shed column with his bufferbeam.