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This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the Railway Series book, the Danish VHS/DVD, the Malaysian VCD, the Philippine DVD, the Buzz Book or the My First Thomas book.
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“I'll do it, I'll do it...! I've done it!”
― Skarloey successfully reaches Crovan's Gate

Four Little Engines is the fifth episode of the fourth series. It is based on the stories Skarloey Remembers and Old Faithful from the Railway Series book of the same name.

Plot

High in the hills of Sodor, there is a narrow gauge railway that runs alongside a lake by the woods and a picturesque waterfall. The railway is run by four little engines named Skarloey, Rheneas, Sir Handel and Peter Sam. Skarloey and Rheneas have run the line for many years and know everybody who visits them. Sir Handel and Peter Sam, who used to be named Falcon and Stuart respectively, are relatively new to the railway.

One morning, Edward is sent to the works to be mended by the Fat Controller. As he approaches the works, he spots Skarloey, who is resting in his own open-side shed. Skarloey tells Edward that he was put there so he could see everyone and not feel lonely. He then reveals that Rheneas has been sent to the works to be mended and admits that not only does he miss his friend, but wishes he could be mended too. Soon, some workmen come to take Edward, who says goodbye to Skarloey and compliments his railway, which cheers the old engine up.

Meanwhile, Sir Handel is having trouble; he is trying to be kind to some coaches he is pulling (who he previously insulted) but they refuse to trust him and become awkward and rude. When he has to stop due to a flock of careless sheep straying on the tracks, the coaches angrily think that he deliberately bumped them, so they charge at Sir Handel and cause him to derail. No one is hurt, but Sir Handel sadly limps home. With no engine to take the passengers home, Skarloey volunteers to pull the coaches.

When Skarloey arrives at Crovan's Gate, he reprimands the coaches for their bad behaviour. The coaches apologise and, as soon as the guard blows his whistle, their journey begins. Skarloey stops at every station making good time until they get to a steep hill. His driver encourages him to take his time, while Skarloey thinks it will be easier when they go downhill but it is not; his springs have become weak due to his old age and the rail joints jar his wheels. As they are coming down the hill, one of his springs completely breaks, leaving him tilted to one side. His driver says a bus will be needed to take the passengers but Skarloey refuses any such notion, as he is determined to get them back to Crovan's Gate.

Later, James is waiting impatiently at Crovan's Gate. Skarloey limps slowly into the station and James collects the passengers and takes them home, remaining respectfully silent. Everyone is pleased with Skarloey but he laments that he is in no state to pull trains any more like younger engines. However, he is delighted when his driver tells him he will be able to once he is mended and that he deserves it.

Characters

Locations

Trivia

  • This episode actually takes place after A Bad Day for Sir Handel and Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady, despite being produced and subsequently aired before them.
  • This episode marks the last mentions of Sir Handel and Peter Sam's original names, Falcon and Stuart respectively.
  • The Thin Controller and the Owner's roles in the original story were replaced by Skarloey and Sir Handel's drivers in the episode.
  • This is the only episode of a few things:
    • The only episode in the UK named after a Railway Series book as opposed to one of its individual stories. In the US, this is the second episode to bear the name of a Railway Series book, with the first being Toby the Tram Engine.
    • The only episode from the first four series not released on home video in the UK during Wilbert Awdry's lifetime.
    • Terence and Farmer Finney's only appearances in the fourth series.
    • The only fourth series episode outside of the Duke the Lost Engine saga that was adapted for the Buzz Books.
  • James has Duck's whistle sound but at five steps higher-pitched for the rest of the fourth series (excluding Bowled Out where he uses Smudger's whistle sound) and some parts of the fifth series.
  • This is the first episode in which:
    • The narrator uses the phrase "No one was hurt" following an accident.
    • An engine has problems with springs, the second being the twenty-first series episode Springtime for Diesel.
    • An engine is pushed by a coach, the second being the twenty-first series episode Hasty Hannah.
  • This episode has never been released on DVD in the US but it aired periodically on PBS Kids Sprout and was released digitally as part of Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 4 in 2016.
  • This episode was paired alongside A Bad Day for Sir Handel in an airing of Storytime with Thomas.
  • The Korean title of this episode has the same name as Skarloey.

Goofs

  • The description of the episode on VHS and DVD releases say that Sir Handel has trouble with some trucks when they were actually coaches.
  • When Edward passes Skarloey, some of his wheels are not moving.
  • Sir Handel has Rheneas/Stepney's original whistle sound.
  • During Skarloey and Edward's conversation, Thomas's whistle sound is cut off as he blows it and his goods train's Brake Van also changes from an SR 25 to a BR 20.
  • In the Crovan's Gate scene:
    • Duck and his goods train are not in the background but later suddenly appear.
    • Thomas has James's whistle sound.
    • Annie is facing the wrong way.
    • The front coach on Skarloey's train is swapped with another, as the bufferbeam is lower when being coupled.
  • 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 becomes crooked before the spring breaks.
  • James' train has no brake coach and the roof and windows are damaged.
  • Skarloey's face moves towards the end of the episode and his right eye (viewers' left) also briefly moves on its own.
  • In a promotional image, Sir Handel was pulling four red coaches instead of three.

Quotes

Edward: It's Skarloey. What's he doing here?
Skarloey: I've been sent here for a rest. I was put in this Shed so that I could see everything and not be lonely but I do miss Rheneas. He's going to be mended. I wish I could be mended too and pull coaches again.
Workmen: We're going to take you to the Works now, Edward. Come along.
Edward: Goodbye, Skarloey! Your railway is a lovely line!
Skarloey: Oh, it is! It is! You've cheered me up, Edward! Goodbye!

[after Sir Handel stops due to sheep on the tracks]
Coaches: He's bumped us! Let's pay him out!
[they lurch into Sir Handel and push him off the rails, Sir Handel sadly limps back to the sheds for a rest]
Sir Handel's Driver: No more work for you, today. How are we going to pull the visitors' train without an engine?
Skarloey: What about me, sir?
Sir Handel's Driver: Skarloey, can you do it?
Skarloey: I'll try.

Skarloey: I'm ashamed of you. You might have hurt your passengers.
Coaches: We're sorry, Skarloey.

[Skarloey and his train approach a hill but the journey gets tricky]
Skarloey's Driver: Take your time.
Skarloey: It'll be better down hill.
[a spring inside him breaks, tilting him crooked on one side]
Skarloey: I feel all crooked!
Skarloey's Driver: [sighs] We'll need a bus now for our passengers.
Skarloey: [determined] No! I'll get them to the station or burst!

Skarloey: I'll do it, I'll do it...! I've done it!
Narrator: James collected his passengers and respectfully puffed away. Everyone was pleased with Skarloey but he was still worried.
Skarloey: Old engines can't pull trains like the young ones can.
Driver: They can if they're mended, old faithful, and that's what's going to happen to you. You deserve it!

In Other Languages

View content
Language Title
Albanian Katër lokomotivat e vogela
Chinese Mandarin 四小火车
Czech Čtyři malé mašinky
Danish Fire små lokomotiver
Dutch Vier kleine locomotiefjes
Finnish Neljä pientä veturia
German Vier kleine Lokomotiven
Greek Τα άτακτα βαγόνια
Hungarian Négy kicsi mozdony
Italian Quattro piccole locomotive
Japanese がんばりやのスカーロイ
Korean 스칼로이
Latin American Spanish Cuatro Locomotoras
Norwegian Fire Små Lokomotiv
Polish Cztery małe lokomotywy
Romanian Patru locomtive micuţe
Russian Четыре маленьких паровозика
Slovenian Štirje lokomotivčki
Swedish Fyra små lokomotiv
Ukrainian Чотири паровозики
Welsh Pedair Injan Fechan

Merchandise

Home Video Releases

UK

UK DVD Boxsets

US

CAN

  • Thomas Meets the Queen and Other Stories (Direct-to-VHS)

AUS

AUS DVD Packs

NZ

  • Thomas and the Special Letter and Other Stories

ZA

IND

MYS

PHL

ITA

NL

GER

GER DVD Boxset

NOR

DK

SWE

FIN

SVN

GRC

GRC DVD Boxset

THA

JPN

KOR

CHN

HK

TWN

Episode

Reference



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