Keeping Up with James

This article is about 'the episode'. You may be looking for 'the magazine story'.

“You must slow down and take care!"
"I am taking care! Taking care to finish first!”

― Edward and James

Keeping Up with James is the twenty-fifth episode of the ninth season.

Plot

James is teamed with Edward to clear a path through the snow to Knapford. Edward can not go fast and James is afraid he will delay him, but cheers up when he finds he can slide at high speeds on the icy rails. James and Edward later collect coal from the coaling plant, and Edward warns James to take care on the icy rails, to no avail. James slides too fast down Gordon's Hill, loses control and derails into a snowdrift. The Fat Controller is cross and tells James he will not be able to pull the presents train, the reason why James wanted to go so fast, and gives the train to Edward. James offers to be Edward's back engine, and the Fat Controller agrees but tells him to be careful. The presents train arrives on time, and James feels proud.

Characters

Edward
Henry
James
Sir Topham Hatt
The School Choir (vocalizes)
Gordon (does not speak)
Salty (does not speak)
Thomas (cameo)
Percy (cameo)
Toby (cameo)
Emily (cameo)
Cranky (cameo)
Stephen Hatt (cameo)

Locations

Trivia

A deleted scene shows Thomas passing James and Edward. An alternate angle of the same scene is edited to show Thomas wearing a Day Out with Thomas face.
Percy's snowplough is Duck's from the sixth season episode, Toby Had a Little Lamb.
In 2011, Hilary Fortnam expressed her dislike of this episode, saying that her father would be distressed if he saw it. The reason is because with the airing, the term "Christmas" was omitted in favour of "winter holidays", offending her.
Going by production order, this is the twenty-third episode of the ninth season.

Goofs

Edward and James' snowploughs become blue and red respectively in the first scene of them in the snow.
When Edward and James pull the presents train down Gordon's Hill, James applies his brakes, but his wheels still move.
In the first scene of James and Edward clearing snow, James' front bogie is derailed.
As the scene fades to James and Edward going up Gordon's Hill with the empty trucks, James stops.

Merchandise

Magazine stories - Keeping up with James

In Other Languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Italian	Tenere il Passo di James	Keeping Up with James
Norwegian	Holde følge med James	Keeping Up with James
Gaelic	Suemas Cabhagach	Hasty James
Danish	James og Julegavetoget	James and the Christmas Train
Japanese	ジェームスについていく	Keeping Up with James
Spanish	Alcanzando a James / James Quiere ser el Primero	Keeping Up with James / James Wants to be the First
Hungarian	James sietni akar	James Wants to Hurry
Swedish	Bråttom, bråttom!	Hurry, Hurry!
Chinese	跟上詹姆士	Keep James
Korean	제임스와 선물짐차	James and Gift Wagons
Portuguese	Alcançando James	Reaching James
Russian	Поспевая за Джеймсом	Keep Up with James
Romanian	Ținând Pasul cu James	Keeping Up with James
Czech	Jak dohonit Jakuba	How to Catch James
German	James hat es zu eilig	James Has to Hurry
Polish	Trzymając się z Kubą	Holding with James
Slovak	Jak dohnať Jakuba	How to Catch James
Thai	การทำงานกับเจมส์	Working with James