Trusty Rusty is the twenty-fifth episode of the seventh series.

Plot

While Rusty is crossing a wooden bridge during his routine inspection, he hits a bump and his driver inspects the bridge, realising that it is in early stages of collapsing. Realising that it may soon be dangerous to cross, Rusty immediately hurries off to warn the engines. Arriving at the depot, where all the engines are getting their coal, he warns them about the bridge. Duncan, however, is sceptical with Rusty and he dismissively puffs away without waiting to be filled up with coal. Rusty tells the Fat Controller about the bridge and he agrees to send engineers to inspect it. After Rusty's driver puts up a sign saying "Line Closed" the engines have to take a different route for their journeys.

Meanwhile, Duncan realises his plan on getting more coal for the journey home but the coal staithe is empty. When he asks Skarloey where he can find the nearest staithe, he tells him it is on the other side of the wooden bridge. Despite warning Duncan that he knows not to cross it under Rusty's orders, Duncan retorts that Rusty keeps making things sound worse then they are and he and his driver decide to face the risks, much to Skarloey's shock. When Duncan arrives at the junction, his driver removes the warning sign and they puff off towards the bridge. Oblivious due to it being a mistake, Duncan runs out of steam, causing him to stop midway across the bridge, which then suddenly starts to collapse from his weight. Hearing the news from Skarloey, Rusty races off to rescue Duncan who is still hanging on for dear life. Rusty slowly rolls onto the bridge and with a long chain coupled to Duncan, he pulls him off the bridge in time, right before it finally comes down.

That evening, the Fat Controller reprimands Duncan for ignoring Rusty's warning advice about the bridge. Duncan readily apologises and thanks Rusty for saving him and being brave to help and the Fat Controller praises him as a Really Useful Engine. Rusty smiles and feels really reliable too.

Characters

• Skarloey
• Rusty
• Duncan
• Sir Topham Hatt
• Rheneas (cameo)
• Peter Sam (cameo)
• Jem Cole (cameo)
• Refreshment Lady (cameo)
• Stepney (stock footage cameo)
• Other Engineers (mentioned)

Locations

• The Old Wooden Bridge
  • Maura
• Sodor Castle
• West Lakeside Junction
• The Depot
• Tea Room Station
• The Old Trestle Bridge
• Rocky Ridge Line
• Skarloey Railway Yard
• Passing Loop and Water Tower Runby
• Bluebell Valley (stock footage)

Trivia

• Going by production order, this is the twenty-second episode of the seventh series.
• A deleted scene from the fourth series episode Rusty to the Rescue is used as stock footage at the beginning of this episode.
• The episode's title would later on be referenced by Rusty in the twenty-fourth series episode The Great Little Railway Show.
• This episode marks the last of many things:
  • Rusty's last episode with a leading role and appearance in an episode and Skarloey and Duncan's last speaking roles until the ninth series episode Tuneful Toots.
  • Duncan's last episode with a leading role until the ninth series episode Duncan and the Old Mine.
  • The last episode to have Tomohisa Asō, Hideo Ishikawa and Ryōichi Tanaka as part of the Japanese voice cast.
  • If stock footage counts, this would be the last appearance of Stepney until the twelfth series episode Rosie's Funfair Special. If stock footage does not count, then Stepney's actual last appearance until the said episode would be in the sixth series episode Edward the Very Useful Engine, as stock footage is also used for his role in the seventh series episode Edward's Brass Band.
  • The last episode to feature the Fat Controller as controller of the Skarloey Railway.
  • The last appearance of the narrow gauge engines in the Gullane era.
  • Skarloey, Peter Sam and Duncan's last appearances until the ninth series episode Mighty Mac.
  • The last appearance of Skarloey's smirking face until the tenth series episode Fearless Freddie.
  • The last appearance of Rusty until the special Calling All Engines!.
  • The last episode in the Gullane era in where Thomas does not appear at all.
  • The last time until the sixteenth series episode Don't Bother Victor! where narrow gauge engines are seen with drivers and firemen.
  • The last usage of Rusty's original horn sound.
  • If stock footage counts, the last appearance of Rusty's small scale model in an episode.
  • The last episode until the tenth series episode Duncan Drops a Clanger not to feature any members of the soon-to-be-established Steam Team.

Goofs

• When Duncan arrives at the coal bunker, Skarloey already looks shocked even before the former headed for the bridge.
• When Rusty races to the rescue, the scene is mirrored because viewers can see that his number and name are reversed and the door to his cab is on his left when it should be on his right.
• When Rusty pulls Duncan clear of the bridge in time, it suddenly jerks downwards slightly as it begins to fall and they fade away; this is due to a film cut.
• Wires can be seen under Duncan when the narrator says, "A beam snapped." The wires are also seen when he is about to fall and when Rusty pulls him clear.
• The narrator says, "Rusty chuffed bravely onto the bridge," but Rusty is a diesel.
• When Rusty moves closer to Duncan on the bridge, studio equipment is seen sliding out behind the cliffs behind Rusty on the right hand side of the screen and again when the narrator says "soon they were coupled up."
• When Duncan runs out of steam on the bridge, the narrator says he used up all his coal but the coal can still be seen in his bunkers.
• Most of the sound effects of the support beams splashing into the water are out of sync.
• When Rusty begins to pull Duncan off the bridge, Rusty's coupling hook moves a little.
• In the US dub, right before the bridge collapses, Rusty's earlier line, "Don't use the old wooden bridge. It's dangerous," repeats.

In Other Languages

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