Air date: December 3rd, 1986
Adapted from: Main Line Engines, "Wrong Road"
Thomas and Edward's branch lines are important to the railway, but their tracks and bridges aren't as strong as those on the main line. The Fat Controller restricts the larger engines to run on them. Although this is for safety of the engines, Gordon thinks the rule is for an entirely different reason. He complains to Edward about BoCo being allowed to take main line trains when he's supposed to work on the branch line. Edward jokingly suggests that Gordon ask if he can take BoCo's trucks sometime around, but Gordon finds the idea abhorrent. Edward notes that it might be a nice change, but Gordon claims the Fat Controller would never approve of this and states that branch lines are vulgar.
Every evening, Gordon and Edward take late-night trains. Gordon takes an Express along the main line, while Edward leaves five minutes later for the branch line. Everything is going well until a lady with a large green floppy hat says goodbye to a friend on the platform. When it's nearly time for Gordon to leave, his fireman looks back and sees something large and green waving, assuming the guard is waving the flag. This results in Gordon setting off while the passengers, the luggage and the guard are left behind. Eventually, when Gordon is stopped, told of the mishap and brought back, he's embarrassed of this mistake. Unfortunately, Edward is late, so he sets off instead. There's worse to come as the signalman at the junction wasn't told about the change and sends Edward down the main line. When Gordon follows, he's sent down the branch and is later forced to sleep in a siding near the harbour.
The next morning, Bill and Ben arrive to pick up trucks from BoCo, but neither him nor the trucks are in sight, so they amuse themselves in teasing Gordon. They joke that the big blue engine near them can't be Gordon, as Gordon would never go on branch lines as he thinks them vulgar. The twins consider throwing the pile of old iron and dump it into the sea, which put Gordon in a serious panic. BoCo then arrives and Gordon begs the diesel to save him from the mischievous Bill and Ben. BoCo soon knows what's happening and threatens to take the trucks away if Bill and Ben don't behave. As the twins scatter, Gordon thanks BoCo for saving his life. Then again, we do know the twins were only teasing.
Tropes featured in the episode:
- Adaptation-Induced Plot Hole: In the episode, Gordon complaining about BoCo pulling main line trains is seemingly referring to a Noodle Incident as BoCo has never been seen pulling coaches. However, in Main Line Engines, this refers to BoCo taking James' express in "Buzz, Buzz", the story prior to "Wrong Road", which wasn't adapted until the the following series, and even then it removes the scene of BoCo pulling the express from the story.
- Berserk Button: Gordon loses it when Edward says BoCo will let him pull his trucks.Edward: Nevermind, Gordon, I'm sure BoCo will let you pull his trucks sometime.
Gordon: [spluttering] I won't pull BoCo's dirty trucks! I won't run on branch lines! - Bratty Half Pints: Bill and Ben towards Gordon. BoCo soon straightens them out.
- Disneyfication: The episode omits a bit of Black Comedy in which the twins continue arguing about whether to have mortified Gordon cut up into scrap or hurtled into the sea in increasingly graphic detail.
- Fantastic Racism: Gordon's opinion on diesels. That all soon changed.
- Gossipy Hens: Bill and Ben tease Gordon by pretending not to recognize him and arguing about how to dispose of him.
- Just Ignore It: Gordon tries to ignore Bill and Ben's teasing, but it didn't work when they mention dumping him in the sea.
- "Just Joking" Justification: The narrator mentions in the end that Bill and Ben were only teasing Gordon.
- Luminescent Blush: Gordon is bright red when they bring him back to the station after the mix-up with the hat.
- Off-the-Shelf FX: Many of the passengers at Tidmouth are represented by unpainted Scalextric figures.
- Oh, Crap!: Gordon just ignores Bill and Ben until he hears they want to dump him into the sea.
- A Tragedy of Impulsiveness: All this starts because Gordon's fireman mistakes a woman's green floppy hat for the Guard's flag.
- Trauma Button: Gordon gets shocked after Bill and Ben say they were going to dump him in the sea.Gordon: I am Gordon! Stop! Stop!
