Fun Fact:the Railway Series version actually served as the finale to Gordon’s arc in his book about learning sense. From getting himself in the most trouble he’s ever been by running into a ditch to avoid pulling a goods trains and having the express taken away from him as a consequence for his action, to being sympathetic to James, forming an alliance with Thomas, and finally with his help, regaining Sir Topham Hatt’s trust, earns him the express back and having the honor of bringing the Queen in the royal train.

It’s kinda surprising how they left Caroline’s eyes on her headlights in the show. She looks a bit odd with her eyes there.

One time when I was a kid, I thought I remembered seeing a blooper that showed Falcon falling off the cliff and landing 25 ish feet down.

My favorite episode of series 4.

In reality, S.C. Ruffey died just like in the original story. The one we see at the end is probably a new truck the S.C. Ruffey company built.

This adaptation is another bad one IMO. I mean, they tried to set it during Season 1, yet they have Duck and Donald, who were introduced AFTER the events of the stories of Down The Mine and Paint Pots and Queens. I never noticed the error as a little kid, but these days I just cannot un-notice it. I would be lying if I said I didn’t have any nostalgia for this episode as well though. I agree with you that the music was so well composed. It did sound really grand. And The Queen’s Model did look a bit like the original Queen when she was young in the 60s. And as always, Michael Angelis does really well at narrating, especially when he is The Painter scolding Henry. XD. So yeah, even if I cannot like the adaptation now, I still treasure the nostalgia I have for it. R.I.P Queen Elizabeth The 2nd.

You have to wonder if Gordon had a pretty picture.

I feel a way to work around the continuity error with Duck and the twins is to have it Off The Rails and Down The Mine take place during Season 2.

Great video, Simon! I started watching your Series 4 reviews a couple of days ago, and I have been enjoying hearing your take on the episodes. Something I never really noticed until you mentioned it is that Gordon's buffers are painted white when he pulls the royal train. Looking forward to hearing you finish up what really is one of the best seasons in the classic series.

Henry an Iced Cake😆

I know fans view this episode as not a good adaptation, but in my opinion - despite it taking place after the events of Gordon the Big Engine and I agree that this could've been included in S1 as the finale instead of Christmas Party, but at least it was sorta faithful to the original source material (if you ignore Donald and Duck's cameos). I really love Thomas and Gordon's alliance continuation and how the latter opted to STH to give the former back his branch line rather than asking if he could have the Express back first (that is true growth within Gordon). On the humorous side of things, Henry's incident w/ the painter (which is also inspired from a real incident) is pretty funny. I almost didn't know when watching George Carlin's dub of the episode that it was the moan of Michael Angelis faintly used in the US dub until now upon rewatch. I also love the rendition of God Save the Queen and how the engines came together to welcome Her Majesty to their Island for the first time (since she and the Royal Family had read the Railway Series books prior). I also love the shot of Gordon pulling the Royal Train into Knapford w/ how the camera is placed low to the ground which makes him giant like an actual steam engine would be (and his real brother Flying Scotsman from certain angles). I kinda wish it was the actual season finale than Mind That Bike because it does feel finale-esque w/ the engines having this one big unity. Also, this episode is the 100th episode in Norway while Gallant Old Engine is the hundredth episode in Japan.

Another gem from the classic era and I always watched this ep whenever something big was happening with our late Queen wether it was her special birthday or a jubilee, I also watched it on September 8th 2022 just after the tragic news came out and I found it so difficult getting through the episode knowing our Queen Elizabeth II our very constant of 70 years had now left us- it was very emotional. RIP Queen Elizabeth II. 1926-2022

This is my favourite episode from series 4 of Thomas and friends 👍😊🤩😎😁

I loved this episode when I first saw it. It was a great story to have in the 4th series shortly after the 100th episode of the whole series. The parts with the flashbacks make the opening scenes work and the bit with the paint pot landing on Henry is so funny. I loved the visit from the Queen and it's amazing how much hard work went into making everything in the story work so well. The music that Mike and Junior used for the Queen's visit was very fitting 🙂.

Now this is one of the 4th series episodes I always cherish forever as I saw it a lot on VHS when I was younger and I always used to quote it word for word with my Wooden Railway Models. I always find it funny when Sir Topham Hatt welcomes the Queen and I always watch this in memory of Queen Elizabeth the 2nd (1926 - 2022)

I think this episode would have been a brilliant season finale.

I'm surprised Plarail/Tomy didn't make a model of Gordon or Henry based on this episode.

Thomas and his Friends: Long Live The Queen! 👑

What a heartwarming conclusion to the Duke stories, even if it is the second in the show.

Hi Dalek44, me and my friends and family got three more days until Christmas! And which is mine me, what do you want for Christmas?

This episode feels so weird not being adapted in season 2, but I’m glad they went back to adapt it in this season, despite its weird circumstances.

This was a brilliant episode to celebrate 100 episodes.

This episode was definitely worth being the 100th episode of the series. It tells a lovely story and it shows the engines coming to the Big City. What I love is the large cast of engines, the letter from the little girl, Thomas's accident and the big shed at the end. The message at the end from Thomas to Percy was really a loving touch to it. I remember how I laughed at the crash course Thomas went on when he was trying to show off.

This adaptation I have to very reluctantly dislike. I say reluctantly, because I know the exact reasons why they didn’t make models of The Other Railway Engines, due to tight budget and the fact that many other characters beside the first eight engines had been introduced since Season 2. Both reasons are completely understandable, and I do respect the fact that it is the best what they could do. Though, I am afraid that I still have to dislike the adaptation, due to the fact that I prefer the idea of engines from The Other Railway coming to Sodor. And I also prefer them to say “England” to “Big City”, as mentioning a real location makes the story sound more real. And Thomas’s crash in the book makes it much more believable that he would be mended in a day IMO. When Thomas crashes into a wall in the adaptation, it feels less believable that he would mended in just one day, unlike the book where it was only a little part on his front that was damaged. As always, the music and narration are good still though. Well done to Mike, Junior and Michael Angelis there. I wish I could like this episode, but I just can’t as I prefer the original book version of the story so much more.

This episode will always be my favorite from season 4. Whenever I watched the Thomas And The Special Letter VHS and DVD, I'll be excited to watch it :)

Ah Thomas making mistakes.

My favourite part of the episode is Thomas's crash though the wall

This episode is very heartwarming.

Thomas & the Special Letter really is a brilliant choice to be the 100th episode of the entire show (if we're not gonna count the production order cause it's the true milestone episode)! Every character gets to appear (minus Daisy for understandable reasons on the model side of things BTS) and I love Thomas' crash. The Big City Shed also reminded me of the National Railway Museum's layout as well. Also, since I know the TVS was being universal given the fact it was being popular in other countries including Japan and the US, kids would probably want the Island of Sodor as being an individual world as part of their life than just a one-note British place hence the Mainland is referred to as the Big City (especially cause Bank Holiday isn't celebrated for those even outside the UK). However, the team do confirm that the engines are going to London like in the original story. Speaking of which, I do prefer this version cause rather than proving to the world they are indeed real than fiction, instead they went to the Mainland to visit all the children whose parents can't afford to visit Sodor which is wholesome. It's also interesting that this episode inspired Thomas & the Magic Railroad based on that one letter Barry London's daughter sent to Britt Allcroft about wanting Thomas to come stay at her place (as she loves the show thanks to Shining Time Station). Another absolute fan-favorite that's worth checking out for anyone who's new to Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends.

I've always loved the crash scene in the episode. It's both serious and funny at the same time. Maybe better than what happened in the book. Plus, I think this is the first time we see a prop take some actual physical damage in the form of Thomas's bent front. While Thomas did have a bent front in Thomas Comes to Breakfast, the bent front was actually a separate prop if you look carefully.

My favourite episode of the entire show! 😊

Now this is a wonderful 100th episode that I remember watching on the Complete 4th Series VHS and I have to say I always cherish this one as I used to quote this episode word for word with my wooden train models and I still do today.

I love Special Letters!

An amazing episode and what a way to celebrate 100 episodes of Thomas!!!

Nice vid

How did you make this video

I appreciate you sharing your memories of this episode, as I also used to be scared of this episode for similar reasons: the scene of the elephant scaring the workmen (seeing the effect of the elephant's trunk did not sit well with me), followed by a quick cut to Henry's shocked face. It wasn't until years later that I finally mustered the courage to watch it. It just brings back nostalgic memories now. Today, I think Henry's reaction to the workmen running out of the tunnel is actually pretty funny. (He's like "What the heck is going on??") I wish they had adapted this episode in Series 1, but it makes sense why they could not do it, simply because the technology was not advanced enough to pull it off.

I really like this episode ^^ Though, I’m sorry, but, Micheal Angelis (may he rest in peace) in this episode, I didn’t like him as much as I thought I would. Especially for the singing parts, he just yells and wasn’t even singing accordingly with the trucks. I’m siding with George Carlin for this episode.

It's honestly possible that they change Stepney's original story due to the budget. Although I wouldn't be surprised if the story was also change due to the lack of story Bluebells of England had, they probably thought the scrapyard scene in Bluebells of England was a bit much.

This adaptation feels SO out of place, as it really should have come in between Daisy and Percy’s Predicament in Season 2. And it being here in Season 4 just retcons the ending of Daisy no longer being afraid of bulls and cows in Percy’s Predicament in Season 2. But if you ignore that continuity error, I would say this adaptation was an okay adaptation. At least a lot of the text from the book was kept in, as well as most of the events of the original story too. And those things that they left out of the adaptation from the book, I actually can understand them being left out here, (e.g. The Farmer and his men slapping the bull and using rods on it like they did in the book, as that would be too violent for the adaptation as it was aimed at slightly younger kids than the books).

I like this episode it one of my favourites and I like the music at the end when she hurries to her shed.

I find it funny how the narrator interprets the perspective of Champion the Bull what it thinks.

This is a fine tune 3:51 to 4:21, and I'm remember that part on Looney Tunes when the Doctor say to the horse 6:06.

“She shoed a cow off the line all by herself the other day, that shows you doesn’t it?” Well not really because we don’t see that side of her til a decade later but like they say.. Better late than never and Daisy’s theme is based on the theme song The Stripper but I always felt it sounded like Cruella DeVill from 101 Dalmatians

4:17 Brooklyn Guy 2

This story is a relaxing story after the exciting stories we've had in this series. What I like is how Daisy boasts how well she can shoo away animals. But when it comes to the real thing, she is quite a scaredy engine. I love the music used in the confrontation scene. The way Daisy says "Ooofff!" Is funny. I love that part a lot. Toby, being the wiser engine is always the engine who knows what to do 🙂.

George Carlin may've gotten the "moo" sound wrong in S2, but here he actually improved it for Champion. Also, since Rick Siggelkow was not involved w/ Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales, having left Shining Time Station to join the BBC, then HiT Entertainment before working at NYU as a professor of how to write for children's TV - this must mean Britt and the production team decided to bring Daisy back (even though I think Daisy and Percy's Predicament could've also been put on said-spinoff of STS). This is also another episode I wish to see get re-released on home media in the US (if they ever done a Best of Toby VHS/DVD, then this episode would've been perfect for it).

Now this is an episode I love a lot because of Daisy's boastful attitude but becomes scared after meeting champion and Toby being wise about bulls which makes Daisy feel she doesn’t know how to handle bulls

I think part of the reason for this episode not being part of season 2 may have something to do with the theory that the two other Daisy's stories were green lit at the last minute to replace Percy's Promise and Double Header. Hence why Daisy's faces are just BoCo's with make up on and that they use the same power bogie.

James: Go Find a Daisy Or Something! Daisy: Did Somebody Call my Name? James: No Not You Daisy!