Heart of Gold

This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the magazine story or the annual story.

Heart of Gold is the fifth episode of the twenty-third series.

Plot

The story begins with two suspicious figures laying a map onto a desk to confirm the location of King Godred's crown, laughing with certainty that it will soon be theirs.

At Ulfstead Castle, Toby has been asked by the Earl to work for him while Stephen is at the Steamworks. However, he is insulted by Diesel and two passengers, who believe he looks too old-fashioned and belongs in a museum. Millie, having brought Toby’s coaches, advises him to ignore them, but they continue to insult and ridicule him during their tour of the castle grounds. Meanwhile, while onboard Toby's train, the two suspicious people from earlier notice a disused pump trolley laying off to the side of the tracks.

That evening, Millie and Glynn advise Toby to forget about the passengers and get some sleep. He is awoken by the sound of breaking glass and sees that King Godred's crown has been stolen by the two thieves, who are escaping on the pump trolley. Toby pursues the two thieves, but they set the points against him and escape. They believe they have lost Toby until they accidentally turn on one of the animatronic dinosaurs in the Dinosaur Park. This alerts Toby to their presence and he is able to catch the thieves, who are then restrained by his driver and fireman while the Earl takes back the crown.

The next morning, the two snobby passengers have changed their stance on Toby, and they apologise to him for misjudging him when pointedly mocked by Millie. They and the Earl praise Toby as a hero for stopping the thieves, even defending him from Diesel when he teases him.

Characters

• Toby
• Glynn
• Diesel
• Millie
• Sir Robert Norramby
• The Birdwatcher
• The Crown Thieves
• The Man with the Green Waistcoat and Grey Hair
• A Castle Worker
• Albert's Wife (cameo)
• Stephen (mentioned)
• King Godred (mentioned)
• Thomas (narration only)

Locations

• Ulfstead Castle
  • The Dinosaur Park
  • Ulfstead Sheds
• Sodor Steamworks (mentioned)
• Sodor Museum (mentioned)

Cast

UK

• John Hasler as Thomas
• Rob Rackstraw as Toby, a Man with a Green Waistcoat and Grey Hair and a Thief
• Keith Wickham as Glynn, the Bird Watcher and a Castle Worker
• Kerry Shale as Diesel
• Miranda Raison as Millie and a Passenger
• Mike Grady as Sir Robert Norramby
• Ian McCue as a Thief

US

• Joseph May as Thomas
• William Hope as Toby
• Keith Wickham as Glynn, the Bird Watcher and a Castle Worker
• Kerry Shale as Diesel
• Miranda Raison as Millie and a Passenger
• Mike Grady as Sir Robert Norramby
• Rob Rackstraw as a Man with a Green Waistcoat and Grey Hair and a Thief
• Ian McCue as a Thief

Trivia

• Going by production order, this is the third episode of the twenty-third series.
• According to Michael White, this was the hardest episodes he had to work on but also his favourite as well.
• The title of the episode is a reference to the Neil Young song of the same name and the 1956 documentary "Railway with a Heart of Gold." According to Michael White, the original working title for this episode was Oldies but Goldies, which was a reference to lyrics from the song, "Toby", however "Heart of Gold" was decided upon instead.^[1]
• This is the first time since becoming narrator in the twenty-second series where Thomas does not appear in the episode itself.
• This episode marks the only occurrences of a few things:
  • The only time Stephen was referred to by name in the twenty-third series.
  • Toby's only speaking role in the twenty-third series.
  • Glynn and Sir Robert's only appearances in the twenty-third series.
• This episode marks the last of three things:
  • Glynn's last individual speaking role, outside of group lines in the twenty-fourth series episode World of Tomorrow.
  • Stephen's last non-cameo role.
  • This last episode in the US during Peter Fonda's lifetime before his death two weeks later.
• The workman's line "Oh, uh… sorry" is reused from Daisy's Perfect Christmas and Samson and the Fireworks.
• The passenger's line "He doesn't even look like an engine" is a reference to the sixth series episode, Harvey to the Rescue.
• Millie's line at the end of the episode, "You should never judge a book by is cover" is a reference to the song of the same name.
• This episode's subplot of Toby worrying he will be put in a museum is similar to the plot of the ninth series episode, Toby Feels Left Out.
• The lamp Sir Robert Norramby is seen holding is the exact same one used by Sailor John and Skiff in Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure.
• Toby's chase with the thieves was partially inspired by the train chase from the Wallace and Gromit film, The Wrong Trousers.^[2]
• On the Nick Jr. US airing of this episode, it was paired with Free the Roads.

Goofs

• In the first shot of Toby in the Dinosaur Park, the second coach's body is riding too low on its wheels.
• In the life lesson segment for this episode, steam emits out of Thomas' whistle at the start, but no sound is heard.

Merchandise

• Magazine Stories - Heart of Gold (2019/2022/2023)

In Other Languages

Home Media Releases

UK/AUS

• / The Royal Engine

NL

• Digs & Discoveries: The Complete 23rd Season

References

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