06x23 - Edward the Very Useful Engine

[bunniefuu]

(upbeat music)

(train tooting)

- [Conductor] The engines

on the island of Sodor

are good at different things.

(train tooting)

Gordon is a very good express.

Percy is good at

carrying the mail,

and when Edward is not

hauling freight cars,

he is very good at

being a back engine.

When engines have heavy loads,

Edward buffers up behind and

helps push, but Edward is old.

Some engines think this

makes him unreliable.

"Edward is a useless

old steampot,"

Gordon sniffed.

"He should be retired."

"But he doesn't have tires,"

Percy said.

"Retired,"

said Thomas,

"means taken out of service."

"And not a moment too soon,"

said Gordon,

and the other big

engines agreed with him,

but Percy was very upset.

(playful music)

Later his driver asked

him why he looked so glum.

Percy told him about Edward.

"The big engines don't

think he's useful anymore,"

he said.

(serious music)

(whistling)

Percy's driver saw

Sir Topham Hatt

and told him what

Percy had said.

"I will attend to the

matter immediately,"

said Sir Topham Hatt.

Sir Topham Hatt had a plan.

"The new loop line

is completed,"

he said to Edward.

"I want you to teach Stepney

how to run it properly."

"But sir,"

he asked,

"who will look after

the freight cars?"

"Duck will do your work,"

Sir Topham Hatt replied.

(whistling)

(train chugging)

When the other

engines heard Duck was

going to help them,

they were pleased.

"Duck is very reliable,"

said Henry.

"It makes no difference to me,"

said Gordon pompously.

"I don't need a back engine,"

(whistling)

and he wheeshed away.

(train tooting)

(jazzy music)

(train chugging)

Edward enjoyed

working with Stepney.

It was great fun

delivering passengers

to stations in the

beautiful countryside,

(cheery music)

but Duck was not happy.

The trucks were playing

their silly games.

"Duck should play

with other ducks,

"'cause he's no good

at pulling trucks

"Quack, quack, quack, quack

"Hold back, hold back,"

they giggled.

(giggling)

Duck found himself going

slower and slower and slower.

Halfway up Gordon's Hill, his

wheels stopped altogether.

Duck was stuck.

"Oh no,"

said his driver.

"This is Gordon's line."

Duck's guard phoned the

signalman to warn him.

"It's too late to switch

Gordon to the middle line,"

said the signalman.

"You'll have to flag him down."

Gordon saw the guard.

"If I stop on this hill, I'll

never get started again,"

he said crossly, and

he buffered up to Duck.

Gordon tried to set off again,

but his wheels spun and spun.

"It's no use.

"We need a back engine,"

said the driver.

"I'll send for Edward."

Gordon was cross.

Edward was excited.

He was going to be the

back engine for two trains.

(cheery music)

(train chugging)

Edward cheerfully buffered up

and the strange train set off.

(triumphant music)

(train tooting)

They chuffed gently

into the station.

(triumphant music)

"Look at that,"

laughed a boy.

"The back engine must be

the strongest and the best."

Gordon was embarrassed.

Sir Topham Hatt spoke

severely to Gordon.

"You have said rude

things about Edward.

"He proved today that

he is useful, reliable,

"and very helpful."

Gordon felt very ashamed.

(train chugging)

The next morning,

Gordon apologized.

"Thank you for

helping me, Edward,"

puffed Gordon.

"You really are

a useful engine."

"It's good to be back,"

Edward chuffed happily.

Sir Topham Hatt's

plan had worked.

There was no more talk

about Edward retiring.

(upbeat music)