Gordon the Big Engine (2024)

Gordon the Big Engine is one of the four tritagonists (alongside Emily & Annie and Clarabel) of the Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends franchise.

He is the senior member of the engine family and the fastest and most powerful express engine of all time. He's a pompous, bossy and arrogant steam engine who thinks he knows everything. But Gordon is good-hearted father figure and always willing to forgive and use his superior strength to help smaller engines out of trouble.

He shares a good-natured rivalry with James and Henry, and from time to time acts as a bully, particularly towards Edward, but following misadventures where Edward had to help him, Gordon had to acknowledge that Edward is still a Really Useful engine, despite being old.

Portrayals

In the Classic series, he is voiced by Ringo Starr and the late Michael Angelis in the UK, the late George Carlin, Alec Baldwin and Michael Brandon in the US, and Pierce Brosnan in The Great Discovery.

In Thomas and The Magic Railroad and the US dub of All Engines Go, he was voiced by Neil Crone. In Japanese, he was voiced by Kenta Miyake and Kenji Utsumi.

In the CGI series, he is voiced by Keith Wickham in the UK, and Kerry Shale in the US.

History

Gordon was built experimentally by Sir Nigel Gresley at the Great Northern Railway's Doncaster Works in 1922 as an "A0" Pacific, a so-called "prototype" of all his A1-A3 Pacific's. Gordon's cousin and rival is Spencer, who he never gets along well with, despite the fact they both share the same pompous attitude.

It's also mentioned that before arriving on Sodor, he used to be painted Green with black and white stripes and worked at King's Cross when he was still young. Inevitably there were faults which needed correction; so Gordon was kept "hush hush" and, apart from test runs, was never put into regular traffic or given a GNR number. When Sir Gresley design his siblings, He sold Gordon to Sir Topham Hatt, along with a spare boiler and firebox, to the North Western Railway.

On Sodor, he was repainted with blue and giving the number 4. Many years later, He found that all of his sibling are scrapped but only one engine who still save until now, the Flying Scotsman.

Personality

Gordon, also known as 'Gordon the Big Engine', is a grumpy, uppity and stuffy locomotive with a dominant personality. He can be perceived as a bully at times, but in reality, he has a kind heart and is always willing to help out those in need.

One of Gordon's defining traits is his grumpiness. He is easily irritated and has a low tolerance for certain situations. Whether it's waiting for the passengers to board the train or being stuck in a traffic jam, Gordon is not one to hide his frustration. His impatient nature often leads him to boast about his power and speed, making him somewhat arrogant in the eyes of the other engines.

Despite his grumpiness, Gordon is also quite uppity and takes great pride in his appearance. He is always the first to boast about his shining blue paint and the number 4 on his tender. He believes that he is the most important engine on the Island of Sodor and expects to be treated as such. He can be quite sensitive when it comes to his appearance, and any criticism can easily set him off.

Gordon's stuffy and pompous attitude often rubs off on the other engines, making him somewhat of a bully. He is not afraid to use his strength and size to intimidate smaller engines like Thomas and Percy. However, deep down, Gordon has a kind heart and does not mean to hurt anyone's feelings. Sometimes, his tough exterior is just a way to protect himself from feeling vulnerable.

When it comes to his relationships with other engines, Gordon has a complex dynamic. He often teases Edward about his age and outdated ways, but at the end of the day, he considers Edward a friend and respects his wisdom. Though he may belittle engines like Thomas and Percy, Gordon has helped them on a few occasions, showing that he truly does care about their well-being.

Even though he may not admit it, Gordon can sometimes feel insecure about living up to his reputation as the fastest and most powerful engine on Sodor. He takes his responsibilities as a mainline engine seriously and wants to prove himself at all times. This can lead him to be quite competitive and sometimes reckless, as he strives to be the best.

In conclusion, Gordon the Big Engine may come across as grumpy, uppity, stuffy, and at times, a bully. But beneath his tough exterior, he is a kind, helpful, and loyal engine. His determination, courage, and big heart make him a valuable asset to the Island of Sodor, and his fellow engines have come to appreciate his unique personality, quirks, and all.

Gallery

Trivia

• In the CGI series, he no longer has wrinkles on his forehead when he gets angry or grouchy. Also in the CGI series, he no longer has freaky spiky eyelashes on his eyelids and triangular eyes when he gets grumpy.
• In The Great Race, he was temporarily streamlined for a special competition.
• Gordon and his brother Flying Scotsman are the last kind of their classes and all of his siblings were already scrapped except for them.
• Gordon safety valve has burst twice, first in Edward, Gordon and Henry/The Adventure Begins, and then in The Great Race.
• In the Greek dub of the model series, Gordon was called Johnny (Τζονί). From the thirteenth series onwards, Gordon has been referred to with his original name.
• Neil Crone, who voiced Gordon in Thomas and the Magic Railroad, would later reprise his role as Gordon in the sub-series All Engines Go!, but only in the US dub.
• From the twenty-second series onwards, Gordon is the only member of the Steam Team to originate from the first book in The Railway Series. He and Thomas are also the only current members to share the same livery.
  • Gordon, Henry, Thomas and James are the only engines to appear in every special. The latter three, however, are the only ones to have at least one line of dialogue in every special.
  • In the magazines "The Fat Controller's Engine Fact File", it is stated that Gordon and Spencer are cousins, most likely due to the fact that their real life basis's were both built by Sir Nigel Gresley. This was never mentioned in the show, however; Spencer simply refers to Gordon as a friend.
  • Gordon is the only engine in the franchise to have suffered a boiler explosion, experiencing a partial one in The Great Race.
  • In 2014, Gordon and Rosie's whistle sounds at Drayton Manor Theme Park were accidentally swapped when they changed shed berths with each other.
  • He was named after a child that Christopher Audrey used to play with.

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