It’s Good to be Gordon

**It's Good to be Gordon** is the twentieth episode of the first season.

## Plot

One morning, the Fat Director tells Gordon that if he is on time with the express, he will have set a new record. Gordon is happy about this and proceeds to go to the coaling plant to fill his tender. After his tender is filled with coal, the yard manager cries out for Gordon to stop as he has just been given Henry's special Welsh Coal by mistake. Gordon knows Henry needs special coal, but he thinks that it will help him with his record, so he pretends to not hear the yard manager and leaves with the special coal. Henry arrives at the goods station to fill his tender to take a long goods train to Vicarstown, but the yard manager tells him that there is no special coal remaining and that Henry will have to use ordinary coal. Henry is worried as using ordinary coal is not good for his firebox and therefore make him struggle to build up steam, but he all the same does so as it is only for one day.

Gordon starts puffing along the Main Line to set his new record. He is making good time and he feels good to be Gordon. But Henry is not at his best as he cannot go fast with his heavy trucks, his axels are aching and he is also rattling. Edward sees Henry at Wellsworth and thinks he looks very ill again. Gordon soon finds out from Edward, at Kellsthorpe Road, about Henry's illness and wishes he had not taken his special coal, but he continues to set a new record. When Gordon arrives at Maron, on the way back, he sees Henry taking on water and looking very poorly. Gordon feels guilty, but the stationmaster blows his whistle and Henry cheers for Gordon to set a new record.

Gordon is on time, but he stops just outside Knapford not caring for setting a new record and goes back to find Henry. Gordon finds him having a rest in a siding and tells Henry that he took his special coal. Henry forgives him and the two big engines swap tenders under Gordon's suggestion. Henry is filled with special coal and feels much better as they go to Knapford. Because Gordon was late with the express, everyone has left with Percy being the only one there and the Fat Director drives home for his tea. Gordon feels upset that he did not set a new record, but is cheered up when Percy reminds him that he is still the current record-holder and the two big engines laugh.

## Characters

* Edward
* Henry
* Gordon
* Percy
* The Fat Director
* Green Express Coaches *(do not speak)*
* Thomas *(cameo)*
* James *(cameo)*
* Eagle *(cameo)*

## Locations

* Tidmouth Sheds
	+ Tidmouth Goods Station
* Knapford
* Wellsworth
* Kellsthorpe Road
* Maron
* Vicarstown *(mentioned)*

## Trivia

* This episode was originally part of Season 10 in the official TV Series, but it had been moved to the first season in the Sodor Stories series. This change was made for the fact that this is the only time in the series where Henry actually needed special coal, when he was in his old shape.
* This was the first episode to show two engines switch their tenders. The Missing Coach would be the second episode to do so.
* This is the first time Henry is seen using ordinary coal while needing special Welsh coal since the previous episode, Coal. This is due to the fact that, in his old shape, his firebox was too small for regular coal, meaning he could not produce enough steam.
* During the filming of the Maron scene, the smoke mechanism used to make Henry puff black smoke overheated and exploded inside his tender. This was eventually turned into an online meme.