Philip to the Rescue is the eighteenth episode of the nineteenth series.
Contents
Plot
Philip, the new diesel boxcab on the North Western Railway, continues to boast about how he won a race against Gordon. Little did Philip know, however, was that Gordon did not actually participate in the race. Gordon simply sent him racing off just so he could be left alone to rest.
One day, as he is showing Thomas how fast he can shunt in the yard, James arrives to collect a goods train, which are not the type of trains he favours pulling. Philip asks James if he saw how fast he shunted, which James was not watching. Thomas likes little Philip, but James thinks that he is just a "show-off," which Thomas finds funny that James should say such a thing.
James, completely annoyed and determined to show Philip how strong he is, assembles a long train of trucks, flatbeds carrying steel girders and oil wagons: seventeen in total. At Knapford Station, Thomas sees Philip pulling a longer train than James', though he is only pulling empty trucks. Thomas tells Edward that Philip is really cheeky, to which Edward says that reminds him of a little tank engine who wanted to see the world. Thomas blushes at this.
James now feels sorry for taking so many trucks, as they are hard to pull, especially up Gordon's hill. At last, he barely reaches the top, but as it turns out, it is harder to control them downhill. The trucks push James down the hill and around a bend. James, now balancing on the single sleepers, is in a state of panic and soon his balancing act ends, hurtling him into a bridge. He finds himself wedged against the undamaged rocks, rocking back and forth over the bottom rails.
Philip is on his way back from the quarry when he sees James, who begins to lose his balance. James warns Philip not to come any closer, but tells him to go get help. However, he slips and Philip rushes just in time to catch him with his particularly strong roof. While James is thankful, he cannot get back on the tracks on his own. Philip offers to get help, but then realises that he cannot move, not without the risk of James falling on the ground. In any case, they are both stuck.
Fortunately, James' guard telephones the Fat Controller, who sends help right away. Soon, Percy and Rocky arrive to lift James onto Rocky's flatbed. James is upset about his paint being all scratched. Once again, he thanks Philip, then apologises for accusing him of being a show-off, something that catches Philip off guard. The Fat Controller points out to James that he was in over his head with taking too many trucks and soon, Percy takes James over to the steamworks.
Before being sent for repairs, Philip tells the other engines at Tidmouth Sheds about what happened. He tells them that the Fat Controller said James was being a show-off, to which Edward tells him that right now, he is being a show-off. Philip agrees, but cannot help adding that he is not as much as James, though. This makes all the engines laugh, except Gordon, who thinks Philip needs to get his own shed.
Characters
- Thomas
- Edward
- Henry
- Gordon
- James
- Percy
- Emily
- Philip
- Annie and Clarabel
- Rocky
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Some Workmen
- James' Guard (does not speak)
- Duck (cameo)
- Rosie (cameo)
- Stanley (cameo)
- Charlie (cameo)
- Diesel (cameo)
- Paxton (cameo)
- Stafford (cameo)
- The Teacher (cameo)
- The Bird Watcher (cameo)
- One of Dowager Hatt's Friends (cameo)
- The Lady with the Big Hat (cameo)
- The Great Railway Show Judge (cameo)
- The Female Puppet Show Entertainer (cameo)
Locations
- Knapford
- Tidmouth Sheds
- Knapford Station Yard
- Knapford Yards
- Gordon's Hill
- Bridge Over Tunnel Runby
- Sir Topham Hatt's Office
- Sodor Steamworks (mentioned)
- Blue Mountain Quarry (mentioned)
Cast
UK
- John Hasler as Thomas
- Keith Wickham as Edward, Henry, Gordon, James and The Fat Controller
- Nigel Pilkington as Percy
- Teresa Gallagher as Emily, Annie and Clarabel
- Rasmus Hardiker as Philip
- Matt Wilkinson as Rocky (uncredited)
US
- Joseph May as Thomas
- William Hope as Edward and Rocky
- Kerry Shale as Henry and Gordon
- Rob Rackstraw as James
- Christopher Ragland as Percy
- Jules de Jongh as Emily
- Teresa Gallagher as Annie and Clarabel
- Rasmus Hardiker as Phillip
- Keith Wickham as Sir Topham Hatt
Trivia
- Going by production order, this is the twentieth episode of the nineteenth series.
- Flashbacks from The Little Engine Who Raced Ahead as well as stock footage from said episode is used and references to said episode and The Adventure Begins are made in this episode too.
- A brief instrumental of Really Useful Engine is heard. This, therefore, makes this the first episode since the seventh series episode, Three Cheers for Thomas, where a Thomas and Friends music video is heard instrumentally.
- The plot and events of the episode are similar to the sixth series episode, Gordon Takes a Tumble.
- The way James derails is similar to the first series episode, Thomas and the Breakdown Train in its retelling in The Adventure Begins.
- This episode marks Charlie's only appearance in the nineteenth series.
- This is the last episode (with The Great Race being the last special) in which Rosie is seen in her original lavender livery as starting from the twenty-first series onwards, she is painted in a cherry red livery.
Goofs
- Matt Wilkinson is not credited in the UK credits for voicing Rocky.
- In the flashback, it takes a while for Gordon to act surprised after Philip interrupts his nap.
- When James puffs up the hill, James' leading wheels are moving slower than the speed James is actually moving at.
- The position of James' trucks changes between the first and second shots of his accident.
- In one shot of James going down the hill, his tender is merged with the truck behind him.
In Other Languages
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Home Media Releases
UK
- Start Your Engines!
- The Complete Series 19 (Start Your Engines! Bonus Disc)
US
- Start Your Engines!
- Season 19 (Digital Download)
AUS
- Start Your Engines!
CHN
- The Other Side of the Mountain
Merchandise
- Wooden Railway - Speedy Surprise Drop (discontinued)
