Air date: October 21st, 2010 (UK), December 11th, 2010 (US)
It's a very busy day at the Steamworks. 'Arry and Bert are to have new valves fitted, Percy is waiting to have a new coat of paint applied, Edward has his broken boiler, and there are also trucks being repaired. Then, the Fat Controller and Gordon, who has blocked valves, arrive. Gordon needs to be repaired urgently as he is to take some children to Brendam to go on a boat trip. Victor promises to mend Gordon, despite there being no room at the Steamworks.
Next, Thomas arrives with a broken footplate. Victor knows that there is no room and no time to fix Thomas, but Victor is determined to be the best, so he agrees to fix Thomas too. Then, Emily arrives. She is to collect a very important visitor from Brendam Docks and wants her buffers polished. Victor knows that he doesn't have the room or the time to polish her buffers, but he wants to be really useful, so he allows her to stay and wait.
By now, the Steamworks is packed with engines. Victor orders Gordon to chuff backwards, but his blocked valves shoot soot all over the Fat Controller's car as he returns to check on Gordon. The Fat Controller is very cross when he sees all the chaos. Victor apologises to Sir Topham Hatt and promises to put everything right.
Victor starts to organize the engines. First, he tells the workmen to clear Gordon's valves, he tells Emily her buffers will be polished the next day, he tells Edward to wait his turn and promises to have his boiler fixed very soon, then he tells Percy he will be repainted soon, next he promises that 'Arry and Bert will be fixed straight after Gordon, and Thomas decides to come back the next day.
Later, when Victor looks around the Steamworks, he sees that everything is under control and so does the Fat Controller when he returns. The Fat Controller calls Victor a really useful engine. Kevin asks Victor if he thinks he is really useful. Victor explains that they are both really useful together, despite Kevin's clumsiness when he drops another load, leaving the two of them to laugh about it.
Tropes featured in the episode:
- An Aesop: Although there are many problems your friends have, you can only attend to one at a time.
- A Day in the Limelight: For Victor.
- Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick: Arry and Burt need their valves checked, Edward's boiler is broken, Percy needs a new coat of paint, Gordon's valves are blocked, Thomas' footplate is loose... and Emily needs her buffers polished.
