Escape

Escape, originally styled as Escape!, is the twenty-first episode of the third series. It is based on the story of the same name and Little Western from The Railway Series book Enterprising Engines.

Plot

One day, Edward is talking to Trevor when Douglas steams past and tells the former off for not working, which makes Edward angry. He later meets Douglas again and tells him that both he and Trevor have a lot in common as they were both nearly scrapped. The mere mention of the word "scrap" makes Douglas shudder. Edward continues, explaining how he and the Vicar saved Trevor from scrap and Trevor is now Really Useful. Edward also adds that the railway could use another steam engine, to which Douglas agrees.

That night, Douglas is taking a goods train to a faraway part of the Island where only the diesels work. He is shunting for his return journey when he hears a hiss of steam. He pauses and hears the hiss again. A voice comes from nearby, asking if Douglas belongs to the Fat Controller. The "voice" introduces himself as Oliver with his brake van, Toad, who have both run away from being scrapped but have run out of steam due to a lack of coal. Douglas is still nervous at hearing the word "scrap" but then remembers Edward's story about Trevor and decides to help. With no time to turn around, Douglas buffers up to Oliver and runs tender-first. Just before they clear the station, a watchdog barks and a foreman stops them. Douglas' driver explains that Oliver and Toad belong to them and although wary at first, the foreman lets them continue.

It is early morning when they finally arrive. Secretly, Douglas' driver points out that the works are nearby and he finds a place for Oliver there, who thanks them all. The next day, Douglas tells the engines all about Oliver. As they are talking, the Fat Controller arrives. The engines tell the Fat Controller that they really do need another engine, preferably a steam engine but the Fat Controller explains that, unless a steam engine is saved from scrap, there is little hope. Luckily, the Fat Controller already knows about Oliver and decides that, once repaired, Oliver will be the perfect addition to Duck's branch line. The engines whistle and cheer in delight.

Oliver and Toad are restored and both painted in Great Western colours. The other engines laugh and call the branch line "The Little Western" at first but it delights Duck and Oliver and the name sticks.

Characters

• Edward
• Gordon
• James
• Duck
• Douglas
• Oliver
• Sir Topham Hatt
• The Vicarstown Foreman
• Toad (does not speak)
• Trevor (does not speak)
• Thomas (cameo)
• Henry (cameo)
• Percy (cameo)
• Diesel (cameo)
• BoCo (cameo)
• Mavis (cameo)
• Jem Cole (cameo)
• British Railways Diesels (mentioned)
• The Vicar of Wellsworth (mentioned)

Locations

• Upper Brendam
• Tidmouth
  • Tidmouth Yards
    • Tidmouth Yard Sheds
  • Tidmouth Sheds
• The Works
• Vicarstown
  • Vicarstown Yards
• The Cliffs Runby

Trivia

• This episode marks the first of several things:
  • The first episode where Douglas appears without Donald, as well as the return of his cynical face with modified eyebrows representing a cross face.
  • The first appearance of two of Edward's faces:
    • The only time his angry face gains some teeth as well as the last appearance of it until the seventh series episode Edward's Brass Band.
    • The first time his cross face is used, which would later be frequently used between the seventh series to the end of the model era, excluding the 2008 special The Great Discovery and the eleventh series.
  • The first appearance of Douglas' shocked face. However, it is possible that this face was made for the cancelled adaptation of The Missing Coach from The Twin Engines for the second series since, in the last illustration of the story, Douglas had a shocked face which could have been shown at the end of the cancelled episode.
  • The first appearances of Vicarstown and Vicarstown Yards.
  • The first appearances of Oliver and Toad.
• This is Douglas' final episode with a leading role until the sixth series episode Twin Trouble.
• This episode and the next one feature musical variations on the theme from the 1963 film The Great Escape.
• According to Mike O'Donnell, when he and Junior Campbell presented David Mitton with "Oliver's Escape" theme, Mitton was so pleased with the end result, he invited everyone from the T stage of Shepperton Studios to listen to the music with the visuals.
• This episode marks the last time a driver's face without eyebrows is seen until the fifth series episode A Better View for Gordon.
• The events of the episode were later mentioned by Rusty in the fourth series episode Rusty to the Rescue.
• In the restored version, the scene of Duck passing Oliver and Toad is extended, cutting off a few seconds of the beginning of the last scene.
• This episode marks the only appearance of the Vicarstown Foreman, not counting a mention in the eighteenth series episode Toad's Adventure.
• The Vicarstown set is redressed from the Tidmouth set, while the works set is redressed from the Tidmouth Yard Sheds set.
• A reference to the second series episode Saved from Scrap is made.
• The LT building, the three berth garage, the large brown building and the steel company from Tugs appear in the episode.
• This episode was shown alongside with Diesel Does It Again in an episode of Storytime with Thomas.

Goofs

• At the beginning of the episode, Edward's whistle is crooked.
• Throughout the episode, Douglas' nameplates are loose and Douglas has Donald's whistle sound. Thomas and Edward also have the same whistle sound.
• When Edward confronts Douglas, a small hair can be seen above Edward's right eye (viewers' left).
• Wires can be seen behind Douglas' wheels while talking to Edward.
• When Douglas' point-of-view is shown of him backing away from his trucks before he finds Oliver, the track in front of him is crooked.
• When Oliver introduces himself, the word "SCRAP" is already painted on the side of his water tanks, even before the drivers and firemen agree to help.
• George Carlin gives Douglas' driver a Scottish accent when he speaks to the foreman but he loses it when they all arrive at the Works back to Sodor.
• Douglas has a black dot on his right cheek when he says, "That was a near thing."
• When Douglas reverses into the sheds, Henry's eyes are misaligned.
• In the scene where the engines are in the sheds, black glue is wrapped around James' funnel.
• White paint can be seen on the top of the front of Duck's boiler when he says, "Beg pardon, Sir, but we do need another engine."
• Duck's face is crooked when he puffs by Oliver with the red express coaches.

In Other Languages

Merchandise

Oliver (2004 My Thomas Story Library book)

Oliver (Engine Adventures)

Home Video Releases

Episode

English

Other Languages

References