Desperate Measures is the first episode of Season 1.
Plot
One morning at Tidmouth Sheds, The Fat Controller tells Gordon that the express is a bit heavier than usual. Gordon collects the train and moves off. Meanwhile, Percy and James argue about Percy's efficiency.
At Tidmouth, Gordon feels a pain in his boiler and it begins to get worse and he cannot pull the train anymore due to collapsed boiler tubes. James arrives to take over, but the train is too heavy so Percy has to help out. They arrive at Elsbridge where Henry is waiting for them. Gordon is sent to Crewe to be mended.
Director’s Cut
A Director's Cut of the episode was released in February 2021 for the 10th anniversary of Sodor: The Early Years. The remastered episode features reshot footage with WildNorWester's originally-designed models, the story slightly rewritten and the current voice cast.
Characters
Original
Remastered
- Gordon
- James
- Percy
- Donald
- Duncan
- Adeline
- Sir Charles Topham Hatt
- Patrick (not named; does not speak)
- Thomas (cameo)
- Edward (cameo)
- Henry (cameo)
- Toby (cameo)
- Duck (cameo)
- Douglas (cameo)
- Annie and Clarabel (cameo)
- Henrietta (cameo)
Locations
Original
Remastered
- Tidmouth Sheds
- Knapford
- Tidmouth
- Gordon's Hill
- Eldsbridge
- Crovan's Gate
- Barrow-in-Furness
Trivia
- A reference to The Railway Series story "Triple Header" is made.
- This episode marks the first appearances of Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, Donald and The Fat Controller.
- The remastered version is the first video to be shot in Trainz 2019 and the first in which all the characters have 3D faces.
- The remastered version also marks the first appearance of Adeline. More of her character and background later became the focus of the miniseries Adeline the Phantom Engine.
- The remastered version features appearances from Duncan and Adeline. In the original version, the Skarloey engines had not yet been introduced into the series, Duncan hadn’t arrived yet and Adeline wasn’t yet canon.
Goofs
- Junction switches can be seen in some shots (including the intro) in the original Version. This is fixed in the director’s cut, due wildnorwester’s increased production standards.
- In the original version, Henry is in his old shape at Elsbridge.
- In the original version, When Henry is waiting at Elsbridge, he is on the branch line track instead.
- Edward is not included in the intro of the original version. This is rectified in the remastered intro for the director’s cut.
- In the original version, James and Percy pass quite a lot of stations despite only going from Tidmouth to Elsbridge and even go over Gordon's Hill. However, there are no hills or even other stations between Tidmouth and Elsbridge. This is also rectified in the director’s cut.
Voice Cast (Director’s Cut)
- WildNorWester as Narrator, Sir Charles Topham Hatt and Gordon's Driver
- Generations113 as Gordon
- Edward Tear as James
- Tines Sensahthe as Percy
- Evsta101 as Donald
- NickOnPlanetRipple as Duncan
- Avery Dillon as Adeline
Gallery (Original Version)
Gallery (Director’s Cut)
Episode
