Air date: September 22nd, 1998 (UK), September 7th, 1999 (US)
George has been working with the little engines and is waiting for Percy to take him to a new workplace. George is insulting Skarloey and Rheneas when Percy arrives. When they leave, the two engines are pleased to see George go. George grumbles all the way to an old branch line, much to the annoyance of Percy. The branch line is to be turned into a new road. Percy is still fuming when he meets Thomas. Thomas and Percy agree to just ignore George's rude remarks.
George is enjoying himself when Thomas races by. George calls to him, but Thomas does not notice him twice. Believing he was being ignored, George becomes insulted. When they reach the crossing that intersects the unused railway with the active one, George deliberately tarmacs the rails, knowing it is not properly finished. Thomas soon runs through on the same line; the signalman has forgotten to warn his driver about the tarmacked crossing because he has fallen asleep. Thomas derails and crashes through a barn.
The next day, Percy explains to Gordon what had happened but Gordon takes no notice. Later on, George is working in a station yard when Duck arrives with some trucks, but George is blocking the way. A truck is still on the main line, but the signalman has already set the points for Gordon. Before Gordon and the express can be alerted, Gordon (who is already in a bad mood) rushes through and hits the truck, sending it flying through the air, and smashing to pieces when it hits the ground, much to Duck's horror.
At the next station, Gordon is worried that the Fat Controller will be cross about what happened. He is cross, but not with Gordon; with George. As punishment, the Fat Controller sends George to saw wood at the timber yard for a whole week so that he can learn himself some better manners. Thomas and Percy arrive to see him a few days later and Thomas jokes that George will just be rude as before once his punishment is over, though George's expression says that he might not.
Tropes featured in the episode:
- Bowdlerise: A few examples:
- In the US dub, Skarloey does not say "Rollers are rubbish, so good riddance!"
- In the UK dub, the chicken clucks were heard until the narrator says "Next day, Percy told Gordon all about George". In the US dub, the chicken clucks were shortened.
- Chronic Villainy: Thomas states that as soon as George's punishment is lifted, he'll be just as rude as before.
- Fantastic Racism: As usual, George complains about the railways.
- Foreshadowing: When Percy meets up with Thomas at Tidmouth Sheds, Duck and Gordon are seen in the background. All four characters have a grievance with the steamroller.
- Funny Background Event: Right after George causes Gordon to crash into one of Duck's trucks, in the very next shot, Gordon can be seen passing by in the background, shooting a glare at George.
- Jerkass: George was horrible in the episode. Along with his general rudeness towards the engines, he deliberately tarmacs the rails knowing it wasn't finished, causing Thomas to come off the rails and crashes into a barn. Then he blocks Duck's way, causing one of his trucks to remain on the main line where Gordon wrecks it.
- Laser-Guided Karma: The Fat Controller gave George a stern talking to and sent him to the timber mill to learn some manners.
- No Sympathy: When Percy tells Gordon how George was rude to him, Gordon tells Percy it's because he's a small engine.
- Pun-Based Title: The title of the episode is based off of an old English oath "by George".
- Synchronous Episodes: This episode most likely took place during the events of "Duncan Gets Spooked" and "Rusty and the Boulder", as Boulder Quarry was seen in this episode. However, in the latter episode, it was stated it was brand new and was also closed in a short amount of time. Furthermore, George is seen at the digging site, meaning he served his week-long punishment and was brought back to the quarry to help.
- Tempting Fate: Gordon believes that George wouldn't cause any trouble for him because he's a big engine. He's proven wrong when George blocks Duck and causes an accident involving Gordon and one of his trucks.
- Track Trouble: George the Steamroller is sent to build a new level crossing. He deliberately does so very poorly, so that the asphalt covers the rails. As Thomas tries to deliver some vegetables, his driver notices the unsafe level crossing and tries to stop him (as the signalman didn't tell him about it earlier), but Thomas ends up derailing when he goes over the crossing and crashing into a chicken coop.
- Ungrateful Bastard: Skarloey invokes this in an attempt to get George to stop being rude. He gets a Shut Up, Kirk! response.
