Gordon and James each suffer a setback with the Express, which causes great damage to the Nor’ Easters' public image.
Tropes featured in this episode:
- Acquired Situational Narcissism:
- Gordon became arrogant after getting praised from the passengers about doing an excellent job with the express services.
- James becomes conceited about taking the Express while Gordon is put on goods work.
- The Freelance Shame Squad:
- Gordon and Reginald, express engine rivals, each delight in any setbacks the other one endures.
- Reginald teases Gordon when his safety valve bursts on the hill.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Reginald is kind of on parr with the Nor'easters, particularly Gordon and Alfred, being snobbish just because "Express engines don't shunt their own coaches."
- Laser-Guided Karma: After the incident on the hill, Gordon rips Mr. Starr about making him shunt his own coaches, calling him a fool at least twice. No surprise that Gordon is stuck doing goods work.
- To a lesser extent, him shunting his own coaches can be seen as this for being an Upper-Class Twit to Thomas.
- Recycled Plot:
- Gordon's mishap seems based on "Edward and Gordon" except that he's pulling coaches and has burst a valve.
- That and he's brought down by Mickey.
- James' mishap seems based on "James and the Coaches"; Jeremiah Jobling is omitted, the bootlaces coming from a guard.
- Gordon's mishap seems based on "Edward and Gordon" except that he's pulling coaches and has burst a valve.
