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This article is about the fourth series episode. You may be looking for the sixth series episode, the US/Canadian VHS/DVD, the Australian DVD, the Philippine DVD or the book.
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“Excuse me, do you like bluebells?"
"Yes. Bluebells are beautiful!"
"Then, you're soon going to see lots of them because I'm getting you out of here!”
― Rusty and Stepney

Rusty to the Rescue is the fifteenth episode of the fourth series.

Plot

In springtime, Rusty loves to visit a far away place filled with bluebells. The air is sweet and he thinks there is no better place to be. One day, while Rusty is being refueled, Thomas passes by, remarking that Rusty's driver looks worried. Rusty questions his driver, who replies that another engine is needed to run this special line. Rusty is intrigued by the idea of finding a "Bluebell Engine."

Later, Rusty consults with Douglas (who is with Percy) about finding another engine on the Other Railway, where Douglas had found Oliver. Douglas says that he would like to help but notes that only diesels travel there now. Rusty readily accepts the idea and decides to go there. That evening, his driver comes with news that the Manager will make a home for a "Bluebell Engine" if they find one. Rusty determines to find one the next day.

It takes them all of the next day to travel to the Other Railway and, when they arrive, it is nighttime with a cold wind blowing. Creaks of lonely scrap are heard and Rusty pulls up beside the diesels lined up on guard. He escapes the diesels' suspicion by bluffing about being an "inspection" diesel and asks if any engines are in the shed. The other diesels note there are none in the shed. Refusing to give up, Rusty asks about the sidings and the diesels state they do have one engine. Rusty plucks up courage and decides to find the engine in the siding.

A small tank engine with a tall funnel named "Stepney," which is written on his side tanks, stands sad and alone in a shadowy siding. His driver is huddled in the cab, keeping him company. Rusty rolls up beside him and asks him if he likes bluebells. Although startled, Stepney replies that he believes bluebells are beautiful. Rusty, then, tells Stepney that he will soon see lots of bluebells and promises to save him from scrap. Rusty's crew works quickly to get Stepney started. It is initially difficult to light the fire but it soon burns nicely with a good head of steam. Rusty's engineer agrees to act as Stepney's fireman and, together, the two engines run past the line of diesels and head off for the Bluebell Railway. The other diesels ask where Stepney is going and Rusty replies that he is just going "down the line." When Rusty and Stepney cross the border onto the Fat Controller's Railway, Rusty shouts "Mission accomplished!" in triumph.

The next morning, Rusty and Stepney arrive at the Valley Station where a big welcome awaits. The Manager promises to have Stepney mended and given a new coat of paint, much to the delight of Stepney's driver. Stepney thanks Rusty for everything. After being mended and painted, Stepney is as happy as can be and helps all the passengers who visit when the bluebells bloom. He is colloquially nicknamed "the Bluebell Engine."

Characters

Locations

Trivia

  • In real life, the Bluebell Railway is a heritage line located mostly in West Sussex (except for Sheffield Park which is in East Sussex) in England, United Kingdom.
  • This episode marks several things:
    • The first episode to feature both standard-gauge and narrow-gauge diesels together.
    • The first fourth series episode featured on Shining Time Station.
    • Daisy's first appearance since the second series episode Percy's Predicament.
    • The only fourth series episode not directly adapted from a story from the Railway Series. A few plot elements were adapted from Bluebells of England, which was also loosely adapted into the beginning of the next episode. Douglas and Percy mingling at the water tower is also a remnant from the aforementioned story.
    • Diesel's only appearance in the fourth series, as well as his last appearance until the sixth series episode The World's Strongest Engine.
    • The only episode in which Daisy and BoCo appear together.
    • The Bluebell Railway Manager's only appearance, excluding a mention in the next episode.
    • The second episode that Douglas has a speaking role but without Donald, although the latter appears as a scrap model.
    • The last appearance of the second red bus.
    • The only Apperance of Vicarstown Sheds in the model series.
  • The set of the Other Railway is a heavily modified version of the Skarloey Engine Sheds set where Rusty met Percy and Douglas.
  • In the US, this episode aired before Rusty Helps Peter Sam meaning the American audience may not have known who Rusty was.
  • This episode plot is similar to the second series episode Saved from Scrap and the third series episode Escape, where an engine promises to save another from scrap before being scheduled to being broken up. The latter episode is also mentioned when Rusty asks where Douglas found Oliver.
  • Scrap models of Thomas, Gordon, one of the Scottish twins, Toad and the TUGS goods engine can be seen on the Other Railway.
  • The engines of the Other Railway are represented by Diesel, BoCo, Daisy, Mavis and Class 40, all facing opposite to the camera.
  • A non-motorized chassis was constructed for Daisy in this instance, as she and BoCo shared a chassis.[2]
  • It may appear that Rusty had brought two crew with him, the first being his driver, the other his engineer, who agreed to act as Stepney's fireman.
  • After this episode, Bertie is given a different horn sound in Bowled Out up until the seventh series, excluding Thomas and the Magic Railroad.
  • A 49-second long piece of music from this episode when Rusty rescues Stepney was released by Junior Campbell on YouTube on 7 March 2016.[3]

Goofs

  • Some VHS and DVD descriptions say that Rusty got advice from Oliver, when it was actually from Douglas.
  • In the UK and international dubs:
    • Thomas has Edward's whistle sound as he passes through Bluebell Valley Station.
    • When Rusty and Stepney return, Thomas, Gordon and James' whistle sounds are heard, yet they are nowhere to be seen. This is because stock audio of the engines whistling is reused from the first series episode Thomas' Christmas Party.
  • In the Danish dub, when Rusty is taking fuel, the narrator incorrectly says that Rusty is drinking water, despite him being a diesel.
  • When Thomas passes Rusty, Clarabel is facing the wrong way.
  • Rusty's truck and brake van disappear in the close-up shot of the driver in the cab.
  • Dried-up glue is visible around Rusty's face during the line, "Right, we'll find one [a 'Bluebell Engine'] tomorrow."
  • When Rusty first arrives on the Other Railway, some chains are hanging beside the signal box but when Rusty asks "Oh, what's that?" the chains disappear.
  • On the Other Railway, the diesels constantly change places:
    • When the voice calls out, "Who are you?" Mavis has somehow moved from Rusty's right to behind Diesel.
    • In the shot after Rusty says, "Then, I'll just go and inspect," Mavis is back to her original position, Diesel has somehow moved in front of her and Class 40 appears in front of BoCo.
    • In the point-of-view shot of Rusty escaping, Mavis is on Daisy's track.
    • In the following shot, Daisy is on the far right track, Class 40 has somehow moved to the smaller shed and Mavis and Diesel have moved to the narrow gauge track.
    • In the final shot of the Other Railway, Daisy and Class 40 are back in their original positions.
    • The tar wagon seen between BoCo and Daisy disappears in the last shot of the Other Railway.
  • When Stepney's fire is lit, one of the people inside him is wearing a driver's uniform for the North Western Railway rather than the usual Skarloey Railway one Stepney and Rusty's drivers wear.
  • There is a visible chip in Rusty's paintwork when his engineer agrees to be Stepney's fireman.
  • Rusty and Stepney pass a shed twice while escaping from the Other Railway.
  • Stepney's eyes are misaligned in the final shot.

Quotes

Rusty: Can you help me find another engine?
Douglas: Where?
Rusty: Where you found Oliver.
Douglas: You mean on the Other Railway?
Rusty: Yes! I'm looking for a "Bluebell Engine."
Douglas: I'd like to help but, these days, it's only diesels that go there.
Rusty: So, that's where I'll go!
Douglas: Take care.

Narrator: Darkness fell and the cold wind blew.
Rusty: Oh? What's that?
Narrator: But it was only the sounds of the lonely scrapyard. Diesels, silent and still, lined up on guard.
Diesels: Who are you?!
Narrator: Rusty plucked up courage.
Rusty: I'm a shed and sidings inspection diesel. Have you any engines in the shed?
Diesels: No. None!
Narrator: Rusty rallied again.
Rusty: Then, uh, what about the sidings?
Diesels: One. We have one.
Narrator: Rusty grew braver still.
Rusty: Then, I'll just go and inspect.

Narrator: So, off they set, past the bleak and brooding line of diesels.
Diesels: Where is he going?!
Rusty: Just down the line.
Narrator: And they chuffered quickly away.
Rusty: We've done it! We're over the border and back on our own railway. Mission accomplished!
Narrator: When Rusty and the engine arrived in the valley, a big welcome awaited them.
Bluebell Railway Manager: We shall mend you and give you a new coat of paint.
Narrator: His driver was delighted!
Stepney's Driver: You lucky old engine! You've been saved by the Bluebell Railway!
Stepney: And my friend Rusty. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Rusty.
Narrator: Now, the little engine is as happy as can be and helps all the passengers who visit at bluebell time. His name is Stepney but everyone calls him "the Bluebell Engine."

In Other Languages

View content
Language Title
Brazilian Portuguese Linha dos bravos
Chinese Mandarin 罗斯提来救援
Czech Rusty záchraně
Danish Rusty kommer til undsætning
Dutch Rusty de redder
Finnish Risto pelastaa
German Rusty hilft
Greek Ο Ράστι ψάχνει για βοήθεια
Hungarian Rusty, a megmentő
Italian La locomotiva delle campanelle
Japanese ブルーベルれっしゃ
Korean 블루벨 기관차
Latin American Spanish Rusty al rescate
Norwegian Rusty til redning
Polish Misja Rusty'ego (TVP3)
Rudik ratownik (JimJam)
Romanian Rusty salvatorul
Russian Расти спешит на помощь
Slovenian Zlatko prihiti na pomoč
Swedish Räddaren Rusty
Ukrainian Iржавець iде на порятунок
Welsh Achub Injan

Home Video Releases

UK

UK DVD Boxset

WAL

US

CAN

  • Rusty to the Rescue and Other Thomas Stories

US/CAN DVD Pack

AUS

AUS DVD Packs

NZ

  • Thomas and Stepney and Other Stories

ZA

IND

MYS

PHL

ITA

NL

GER

GER DVD Boxset

NOR

DK

SWE

SVN

GRC

GRC DVD Boxset

THA

JPN

KOR

CHN

HK

TWN

Episode

References



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