Edward's Exploit is the twenty-third episode of the second series. It is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book Main Line Engines.

Plot

Bertie is giving some visitors a tour of the Island of Sodor. On their last afternoon, Edward prepares to take them to meet Bill and Ben but has trouble starting due to the packed and heavy coaches. Henry and James mock him and Gordon adds that he should be retired before it is too late. Duck and BoCo come to Edward's defence, knowing that the old blue tender engine is capable of more than the other engines claim. Edward, having heard everything, finally manages to pull the train out of the station.

When Edward arrives at the harbour, the passengers meet Bill and Ben, who enjoy the attention and having their photos taken. The passengers then board the twins' brake van special and travel to the China Clay Works. The visitors have a wonderful day, being very impressed with the place as well as the twins. Afterwards, the twins return to the harbour with the passengers, who board Edward's coaches for the trip back to Knapford.

On the way back home, the weather changes for the worse. As strong winds and rain buffet Edward, his sanding gear fails, so his fireman rides on the running board and manually sands the rails by hand. However, before the driver can check anything, Edward's wheels suddenly slip and a crankpin breaks, making his side rods come loose and bringing him to a stop. Edward's crew examine him and find the problem. They remove his side rods, to which his driver remarks that Edward looks like an old-fashioned engine. His driver reminds Edward that they must get the visitors back home to the station as soon as possible since they must leave tonight. Edward promises to try and do what is possible.

Edward tries to start by pulling his hardest but the heavy train and the slippery rails prevent him from moving. The passengers grow anxious, so Edward's crew and the guard loosen the couplings between the coaches so that Edward will be able to pick them up one at a time as he does with trucks. Edward cautiously makes another attempt to start, and this time he is able to start slowly. He eventually increases in speed to a steady pace and finally makes it back to Knapford, where Henry is waiting for him. The Fat Controller is initially cross with Edward for being late and points to the clock, but immediately lets it go once the passengers exit the coaches to thank Edward and his crew for all their hard work.

Afterwards, Edward wearily returns to the shed. Duck and BoCo ensure that Edward is left in peace, while Gordon and James remain silent out of respect.

Characters

• Edward
• Henry
• Gordon
• James
• Duck
• BoCo
• Bill and Ben (do not speak)
• Sir Topham Hatt (does not speak)
• The Enthusiasts (do not speak)
• Bertie (stock footage; does not speak)
• Jeremiah Jobling (cameo)
• Mrs. Kyndley (cameo)
• One Little Boy (cameo)
• The Tidmouth Stationmaster (cameo)
• The Tidmouth Stationmaster's Wife (cameo)
• The Tidmouth Stationmaster's Son (cameo)
• One stone-dropping boy (cameo)
• The Control-meddling Boy (cameo)
• The Barber's Customer (cameo)
• Jem Cole (cameo)

Locations

• Knapford
• Brendam Docks
• Tidmouth Sheds
• Lower Suddery
• Sodor China Clay Company
• Crosby
  • C&B Barber

• The Dual Bends
• Hackenbeck Tunnel (stock footage)

Trivia

• Stock footage from the first series episode, Thomas and Bertie and the second series episode, Bertie's Chase are used.
• A deleted scene shows Henry in the Sheds instead of James. Additionally, Henry had his shooing face that was not used on-screen until the fourth series episode, Fish.
• In the US, this episode aired before the second series episode, The Diseasel; this means that American viewers would not have known who BoCo and the tank engine twins were, though the twins first appeared but were not named in the second series episode, Percy Takes the Plunge.
• In the episode, James is smiling when he sees Edward struggling but, in promotional images, he instead looks cross.
• Mrs. Kyndley's Cottage appears at Lower Suddery.
• In the original story, Edward's left side splashers were severely battered during the return run. This was not done in the adaptation, most likely to prevent Edward's model from being damaged.
• An instrumental version of the theme that plays when Edward successfully pulls the passengers to Knapford can be found on several Korean DVD menus.
• Henry is shown pulling express coaches from the first series.
• This episode marks the only time of some things:
  • The only appearance of Gordon's serious face until the eighth series episode, Thomas, Emily and the Snowplough.
  • The only on-screen appearance of Duck's embarassed face.
• This episode marks the last of several things:
  • The last appearance of the Orange Stroudley Coaches that are not Annie and Clarabel, not counting a learning segment of the HiT Entertainment era.
  • The last appearance of the Enthusiasts.
  • The last second series episode not narrated by Ringo Starr in the US.
  • The last episode to have a character angrily say "Shut up!" as opposed to "Be quiet!" until Thomas and the Magic Railroad and the last time in the television series to do so. Starting with the third series episode Percy, James and the Fruitful Day onwards, characters would angrily say "Be quiet!" instead whenever necessary to make the television series use gentler language considering its target audience.
  • The last appearance of Crosby until the fifth series episode, Bye George!
  • The last appearance of BoCo's angry face until the fifth series episode, Double Teething Troubles, excluding a promotional image from the third series episode, Buzz, Buzz.
  • The last appearance of Edward's tired face until the ninth series episode, Keeping Up with James.
  • Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Duck and BoCo's last speaking roles in the Clearwater Features era.
• Going by release order, this is the first second series episode that is not re-narrated by Ringo Starr for Shining Time Station in the US, as well as the first second series episode narrated by George Carlin in said show that was not a re-narrated episode from the first season of said show.
• Every episode between this one and the second series episode, Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree, were not included for the 1989 double bills as the series was discontinued after The Diseasel and the previous episode.
• CEL Home Video did not release this episode, second series episodes Ghost Train, Woolly Bear nor Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree on any of their 1989 VHS releases in New Zealand. Instead, these four episodes later premiered on home video in New Zealand on Endeavour Entertainment's VHS release of The Deputation and Other Stories in 1992.

Goofs

• Because stock footage is used, studio equipment is seen at the top right of the screen.
• Edward's train has a loose running board off the first coach and no brake one.
• Edward's first and second coaches swap places in the scene where the sky is dark, then again when he passes through Crosby.
• At Knapford Station:
  • During the beginning of the episode:
    • Due to portions of the script being taken word for word from the original story, Henry says, "Did you see him straining?", even though Edward was still at Knapford and the "heavy" train contained only three short branch line coaches.
    • Edward, Gordon and BoCo's eyebrows are missing.
    • The back roof of Knapford is missing.
    • The man next to Gordon has Blu Tack under his feet.
    • Edward's steam platform is visible.
    • BoCo's angry face mask moves a little.
    • Edward's second front wheel is derailed.
    • Edward's last coach's paint is peeling up.
  • Towards the end of the episode:
    • Blue wires are visible on Edward and Henry's running boards, near their headlamps.
    • Blu Tack is also visible under the Fat Controller.
• Fingerprints are visible in the dust on top of Bill and Ben's brake vans.
• Someone on the back of Bill's brake van wobbles when he and Ben arrive at the quarry.
• As Edward begins to take the visitors back home and the weather changes, it is still sunny while thunder sound effects are heard.
• There are no dark clouds throughout the storm.
• Edward is not moving in the close-up of his fireman sanding the track.
• When Edward promises his driver that he will try to get the visitors home, the end of the set can be seen behind him.
• In the close-up of Edward's driving wheels without the side rods, some of the stickers used for Edward's lining are badly torn up.
• Edward's driver says that he and his fireman took off both of Edward's side rods but only the left one was removed while the right one is still on his wheels as he passes the trees before he passes through Crosby. When Edward enters his berth at Tidmouth Sheds, his left side rod is back on again.
• Edward mysteriously gains headlamps and the roof of the last coach is also loose when he passes through Crosby.
• At the Sheds, BoCo's shed doors are hanging loose and Gordon's eyes are also misaligned.

In Other Languages

Merchandise

Book

Edward's Exploit and Other Thomas the Tank Engine Stories (1993 Random House Pictureback book)

Home Video Releases

Episode

Edward's Exploit - UK

UK narration

References