Gordon's Hill

"**Gordon's Hill**" is the nickname of the steep grade on the Main Line, between Wellsworth and Maron. It got its name after Gordon stalled there while pulling a goods train in 1923.

## History

### *The Railway Series*

Over a distance of eight kilometres (five miles), the line climbs around a hundred metres (280 feet) from Suddery Junction to reach Maron, meaning a gradient of 1:75 and a severe test for engines on the North Western Railway.

Bankers are often required to help trains up the hill. However, they run the risk of being chased by a runaway train or rear ending the train they are helping - something Duck found out the hard way twice, once with Edward and again with Henry.

When the railway was first built, this stretch was made even more difficult by strong winds blown in by the sea. This was attempted to be countered by the planting of trees on either side of the line, but in autumn there can be the additional risk of slippery leaves on the line, as James soon discovered.

### *Thomas & Friends*

Gordon's Hill has been seen frequently throughout the television series. Edward is usually seen banking engines on the hill when stuck halfway up, though ocasionally other engines such as Toby and Duck have done the job.

From King of the Railway onwards, there has been a junction leading to the Ulfstead Branch Line near the bottom of the hill.

The foot of the hill is also the site of many crashes, such as when a calliope ran away from Percy and came off the rails at the bottom of the hill, or when a giant snowball knocked Emily off of the tracks.

## Appearances

* Railway Series
* Television Series
* Other Media

### *The Railway Series*

* **The Three Railway Engines** - Edward and Gordon
* **Thomas the Tank Engine** - Thomas and the Trucks
* **James the Red Engine** - James and the Top-Hat and Troublesome Trucks
* **Troublesome Engines** - Percy Runs Away (*mentioned*)
* **Toby the Tram Engine** - Dirty Objects (*mentioned*)
* **Gordon the Big Engine** - Leaves
* **Duck and the Diesel Engine** - A Close Shave
* **The Twin Engines** - Break Van
* **Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine** - Bowled Out (*mentioned*)
* **Really Useful Engines** - Fish and Triple Header
* **Gordon the High-Speed Engine** - Fire Escape
* **Henry and the Express** - Overhaul

### *Thomas & Friends*

* **Series 1** - Edward and Gordon, Thomas and the Trucks, Thomas and the Breakdown Train (*deleted scene*), James and the Coaches, Troublesome Trucks, James and the Express (*mentioned*), Percy Runs Away, Whistles and Sneezes and Dirty Objects
* **Series 2** - Percy Takes the Plunge (*deleted scene*), A Close Shave and Break Van
* **Series 3** - The Trouble with Mud
* **Series 4** - Bowled Out, Fish and Special Attraction
* **Series 5** - Gordon and the Gremlin, James and the Trouble with Trees, Double Teething Troubles and Busy Going Backwards
* **Series 6** - Twin Trouble, The World's Strongest Engine, Percy's Chocolate Crunch, Thomas the Jet Engine and Edward the Very Useful Engine
* **Series 7** - The Spotless Record, Something Fishy and Gordon and Spencer
* **Series 8** - James Gets a New Coat, Percy's Big Mistake, Edward the Great, Squeak, Rattle and Roll, Thomas and the Circus, As Good as Gordon, Fish, You Can Do it, Toby!, Chickens to School and Too Hot for Thomas
* **Series 9** - Thomas and the Rainbow, Thomas' Milkshake Muddle, Thomas and the Toy Shop, Thomas Tries His Best, Thomas' New Trucks, Thomas and the Golden Eagle and Keeping Up with James
* **Series 10** - Thomas and the Shooting Star and Thomas and Skarloey's Big Day Out
* **Series 11** - Thomas and the Storyteller, Dream On, Thomas and the Spaceship, Henry's Lucky Day, Thomas and the Lighthouse, Don't be Silly, Billy, Edward and the Mail and Thomas and the Runaway Car
* **Series 12** - Steady Eddie, Rosie's Funfair Special, Excellent Emily, James Works it Out, Thomas Puts the Brakes On and Best Friends
* **Series 13** - Thomas and the Runaway Kite, Snow Tracks
* **Series 14** - Merry Winter Wish
* **Series 15** - Stop That Bus! and Big Belle
* **Series 16** - Percy and the Calliope, Ho Ho Snowman and Happy Birthday Sir!
* **Series 17** - Scruff's Makeover, Wayward Winston, Henry's Hero, Percy's Lucky Day, Away From the Sea, Gone Fishing, The Afternoon Tea Express and No More Mr. Nice Engine
* **Series 18** - Old Reliable Edward, Flatbeds of Fear, Toad's Adventure, Duck in the Water, Missing Gator and Emily Saves the World
* **Series 19** - Henry Spots Trouble, Helping Hiro, Best Engine Ever and Philip to the Rescue
* **Series 20** - Sidney Sings, Henry Gets the Express, Bradford the Brake Van, Saving Time, Hugo and the Airship and Over the Hill
* **Series 21** - Dowager Hatt's Busy Day, Stuck in Gear, Hasty Hannah, Philip's Number, The Fastest Red Engine on Sodor, A Shed for Edward, The Big Freeze (*mentioned*) and Emily in the Middle
* **Series 22** - An Engine of Many Colours (*fantasy*) and Thomas' Animal Ark
* **Series 23** - Chucklesome Trucks, Steam Team to the Rescue and Rangers of the Rails

#### Specials

* **2005** - Calling All Engines!
* **2008** - The Great Discovery (*music video*)
* **2009** - Hero of the Rails
* **2013** - King of the Railway
* **2014** - Tale of the Brave
* **2015** - The Adventure Begins
* **2018** - Big World! Big Adventures!

#### Learning Segments

* **Series 8** - How Does Emily Get to the Station?, Helping One Another and Edward Helps Emily Up Gordon's Hill
* **Calling All Engines!** - Which Engine for Which Job? and Which Diesel Engine with Which Steam Engine?
* **Series 9** - Getting to Bluff's Cove, What Makes Thomas Happy?, Knowing What to do?, Getting Up Gordon's Hill and Who Respects Whom?
* **Series 10** - Help From Your Friends

#### Videos

* **2015** - Welcome to the Island of Sodor Logan! and Welcome to the Island of Sodor Sam!
* **2016** - Shooting Star Gordon of Sodor and Henry of Sodor
* **2018** - Meet the New Steam Team and Still the Best of Friends
* **2019** - Meet Rebecca, Meet Gordon and Meet Nia

### Magazine Stories

* **1987** - Edward and Gordon and Thomas and the Trucks
* **1988** - James and the Troublesome Trucks, Percy Runs Away (*mentioned*) and Whistles and Sneezes (*mentioned*)
* **2004** - Emily Saves Henry
* **2005** - Chickens to School, A Treat for Trying and You Can Do it, Toby!
* **2007** - Easy for Edward
* **2010** - Thomas and the Rainbow!
* **2011** - Big Belle

### Books

* **2003** - James
* **2004** - Gordon
* **2005** - Spencer
* **2010** - Troublesome Trucks
* **2016** - James, Spencer and Gordon
* **2017** - Troublesome Trucks

## Trivia

* Gordon's Hill is based on the Lickey Incline near King's Norton station on the Midland Railway.
* Whilst it is probably a coincidence, there is a real place in London called "Gordon Hill".
* While the occasional accidents/events have happened on the hill, it has been the starting place for countless runaway trains, with either couplings breaking or an engine having faulty brakes.
* Gordon's Hill has had numerous modifications throughout the years:
	+ Series 1:
		- The incline was curved and single sided (with Wellsworth at the bottom and Maron at the top).
	+ Series 8:
		- The rails on the hill became straight with the track being curved at the bottom of the hill.
		- The bridge at the bottom also disappeared.
	+ Hero of the Rails:
		- It becomes double sided and much steeper.
			* There also appears to be two models of the hill. On one version, the ocean could be seen on the curved rail side and the other model has the ocean on the straight rail side.
	+ King of the Railway:
		- There is a junction on the other side that goes to Ulfstead Castle.

## Merchandise

* Plarail
* TrackMaster