Air date: June 9th, 1992 (UK), May 17th, 1993 (US)
Adapted from: Enterprising Engines, "Escape" and "Little Western"
Douglas tells Edward off for wasting time by talking to Trevor, but Edward shuts him up by telling him they have something in common - they have both escaped from scrap.
Douglas is later taking a goods train to the Other Railway when a stranded and rusted steam engine named Oliver begs him to take him to the North Western Railway. Douglas is glad to help, and they manage to get to the works despite being stopped by an Other Railway foreman.
The Fat Controller soon finds out, and arranges for Oliver and his brakevan, Toad, to be mended and repainted to work on Duck's branch line.
Tropes featured in the episode:
- Adapted Out: In the book's version of the story, Isabel the Autocoach is saved from scrap along with Oliver and Toad. In this episode, she's neither seen nor mentioned. Also not appearing in the episode's ending are Alice, Mirabel and Dulcie who were rescued and restored by the Fat Controller in the book, as well as Bear who was stated to have been bought as well.
- Call-Back: Edward mentions to Douglas about saving Trevor from scrap, which in turn causes Douglas to remember how he had done the same. It's these events that inspire Douglas to save Oliver and Toad.
- Compressed Adaptation: Takes elements of both stories from the Enterprising Engines book "Escape" and "Little Western". However, it had added a scene of Edward telling Douglas how he saved Trevor.
- Disneyfication: Diesels are only seen as background characters in the episode and there is No Antagonist besides the porter just doing his job, while the original story, made at the height of railway Standardisation, put heavy emphasis on them as an antagonistic force. Some had in fact been searching for Oliver and one even exposes him to the porter to prevent him escaping scrapping.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Douglas is by no means a jerk (just no-nonsense and a hard worker), but this trope still applies when he calls out Edward for gossiping when there's work to do.
- Noble Fugitive: Oliver.
- Run for the Border: Due to the heavy push for Dieselization of all Railway lines in Great Britain, Steam Engines were automatically being slated for scrapping. Due to the Island of Sodor being in its own jurisdiction where Steam Engines are kept in service: Oliver, his Driver, Fireman, and their Break Van Toad made a push to escape to Sodor for their safety.
- Trauma Button:Edward: You and Trevor have a lot in common, you know.
Douglas: And what might that be?
Edward: Scrap.
Douglas: Don't use that word! You're making my wheels wobble!
