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- “Old engines can't pull trains like the young ones can."
"They can if they're mended, Old Faithful, and that's what's going to happen to you. You deserve it.” - ― Skarloey and his driver
Four Little Engines is the fifth episode of the fourth season. It first aired in the US in the Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales episode, Wildlife in 1996 and aired on the last airing of Storytime with Thomas on Fox Family.
Plot
Edward is sent to The Works to be mended. On the way, he meets a narrow gauge engine called Skarloey, who is resting in a shed and is lonely as his brother Rheneas is going to be mended. The two talk for a while, until some workmen came to take Edward. Edward says goodbye and that Skarloey's railway is lovely before leaving.
Meanwhile, Sir Handel, with his punishment ended, is pulling some awkward and rude coaches who don't trust him whatsoever when he has to stop suddenly due to a flock of sheep straying onto the line. The coaches become angry, thinking that he deliberately bumped them, they bump him off the rails. No one is hurt, and Sir Handel limps home. With no engine to take the passengers home, Skarloey volunteers and goes to fetch the coaches.
When Skarloey arrives, he scolds the coaches for their behaviour and how they would have hurt their passengers. The coaches apologise and as soon as the guard blows his whistle, Skarloey's journey begins. Skarloey stops at every station making good time until they get to a hill. Skarloey thinks it would be easy when they go down, but it is not, as Skarloey's springs become weak from age and the rail joints jar his wheels. But as soon they come down the hill, his springs become completely broken coming down the hill, tilting him on one side. His driver says they would need a bus to take the passengers. Skarloey refuses the idea as he is determined to get them back to the last station.
Later, James waits impatiently at the station but Skarloey makes it on time. James collects the passengers and takes them home. Everyone is pleased, but Skarloey reflects afterwards that he is in no state to pull trains, but is delighted when his driver tells him he will be mended and that he deserves it.
Characters
- Edward
- Skarloey
- James (does not speak)
- Rheneas (does not speak)
- Sir Handel (does not speak)
- Peter Sam (does not speak)
- Sir Topham Hatt (does not speak)
- Thomas (cameo)
- Percy (cameo)
- Duck (cameo)
- Douglas (cameo)
- Oliver (cameo)
- Annie and Clarabel (cameo)
- Terence (cameo)
- Mrs. Kyndley (cameo)
Locations
- Crovan's Gate
- Rheneas
- Skarloey
- Glennock
- Callan
- Rheneas Viaduct
- Skarloey Railway Engine Sheds
- The Works (mentioned)
Trivia
- This episode is based on the stories Skarloey Remembers and Old Faithful from The Railway Series book, Four Little Engines.
- This marks the last time that Peter Sam and Sir Handel are refered to as Falcon and Stuart.
- This is the only episode in the entire series to be named after a Railway Series book, rather than one of the stories in the book.
Goofs
- This episode was broadcast out of order: the events of the episode takes place after A Bad Day for Sir Handel and Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady but aired before them for some reason.
- When Edward passes Skarloey, some of his wheels are not moving.
- Sir Handel has Rheneas' whistle sound.
- Just before the coaches derail Sir Handel, they are not coupled together.
- In the Crovan's Gate scene, either Thomas or Duck has James' whistle sound.
- Annie is facing the wrong way as Thomas passes through Crovan's Gate.
- After Skarloey leaves Crovan's Gate, the coaches lose their faces.
- When Skarloey says, "It'll be better downhill," the stripe on his tank is crooked.
- Skarloey is crooked before the spring broke.
- In the last scene, Skarloey whistles despite having no steam.
- James and Edward have different whistle sounds for the rest of the season.
- In a rare still, there are four coaches behind Sir Handel instead of three when he is bumped off the rails.
- In a rare still, red and black wires are seen underneath Sir Handel's cab.
- The front coach on Skarloey's train is swapped with another, as the bufferbeam is lower when being coupled.
Merchandise
In Other Languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish | Cuatro Locomotoras | Four Engines |
| Norwegian | Fire små lokomotiv | Four Little Engines |
| Japanese | がんばりやのスカーロイ | Persistent Skarloey |
| German | Vier kleine Lokomotiven | Four Small Locomotives |
| Dutch | Vier kleine locomotiefjes | Four Small Locomotives |
| Polish | Cztery Małe Lokomotywy | Four Little Engines |
| Finnish | Neljä Pientä Veturia | Four Small Locomotives |
| Hungarian | Négy kicsi mozdony | Four Small Locomotives |
| Italian | Quattro Piccole Locomotive | Four Little Engines |
| Welsh | Pedair Injan Fechan | Four Small Engines |
| Danish | Fire Små Lokomotiver | Four Small Locomotives |
| Russian | Четыре маленьких паровозика | Four Little Engines |
| Ukrainian | Чотири Паровозики | Four Locomotives |
| Chinese | 四小火车 | Four Small Trains |
| Slovenian | Štirje lokomotivčki | Four Locomotives |
| Czech | Čtyři malé mašinky | Four Small Locomotives |
| Romanian | Patru Locomtive Micuţe | Four Little Locomotives |
| Slovak | Štyri malé lokomotívy | Four Small Locomotives |
| Swedish | Fyra små lokomotiv | Four Small Locomotives |
| Greek | Τέσσερα μικρά ατμομηχανές | Four Small Engines |
| Thai | สกาโลอี้หัวรถจักรผู้มุ่งมั่น | Skarloey the Engine Determined |
Home Media Releases
UKWALUS
JPN
AUS
DVD BoxsetsGRDVD BoxsetsNOR
DKMYSUKR
FIN
INGERDVD BoxsetsNL
PHLITACHNTWNTHA |
Gallery
.PNG "FourLittleEngines(episode).PNG (1.02 MB)")
