Dirty Work (Series 11 )

This article is about 'the eleventh season episode'. You may be looking for 'the second season episode or the Taiwanese DVD'.

“You're not cross with me sir, even though my flags are drooped and I'm covered coal dust, quarry dust, and fish?!”

― James

Dirty Work is the fourth episode of the eleventh season.

Plot

James has barely returned from the Works when news comes of a special; an engine is needed to take the Mayor of Sodor to the Festival of Light at the Scottish Castle. James volunteers and Thomas, Percy, and Emily get to do goods work. James is cleaned and arrives at the castle, but is shocked to discover the others have not finished their work and goes to help his friends at once, even though he gets dirty. The four manage to get to see the Festival of Light and the Fat Controller is proud with James.

Characters

Thomas
James
Percy
Emily
Sir Topham Hatt
The Mayor of Sodor (does not speak)
Sodor Brass Band (does not speak)
Henry (cameo)
'Arry and Bert (cameo)
The Refreshment Lady (cameo)
Lord Callan (cameo)

Locations

Trivia

Going by production order, this is the twenty-second episode of the eleventh season.

Goofs

When James helps Thomas with his coal trucks by pushing from behind, he gets covered in coal dust, which is impossible as there was a brakevan between James and the last truck.
Emily's trucks should have been covered to protect the fish inside. To add to that, the fish should have been in refrigerated vans.
The repair yard is right next to Tidmouth Sheds, so James would not need to go out into the countryside at all.
When James buffers up to Percy's trucks at the quarry, you can see James' steam platform, then, when he buffers up behind Emily's trucks, you can see a pipe in the rails used for James' steam.
Brakevans should have been added to Percy and Emily's trains.
In the first scene of Emily with the fish, she has a brakevan, but when James helps her, it is uncoupled and parked on a different track.
In the American narration, the word truck is used once.
James should've remembered from James Goes Too Far that no job is more important than helping another engine, and therefore helped his friends before getting washed and repainted.
James could've easily avoided getting dirty by coupling in front of his friends and helping them that way rather than risk getting dirty at the back.