Cows

Cows, retitled A Cow on the Line for American releases, is the second episode of the second season. It first aired in the US on the Shining Time Station episodes Impractical Jokes in 1989 and Fortune Teller Schemer in 1993. In this episode, Gordon and Henry tease Edward for letting cows uncouple his trucks, but Edward has the last laugh.

Plot
Edward is the oldest engine on the Island of Sodor and has some worn-out parts which cause him to clank as he runs. One bright and sunny day, Edward is taking some cattle trucks to a nearby market town. The trucks are making a lot of noise, as is Edward by this point. On the line is a field where some cows were grazing. The noise and smoke produced by Edward and the trucks disturbs the animals as they're not used to it. As Edward passes by, a number of cows break the fence, run across the line, and break a coupling, causing a truck, the brakevan, and the guard to be left behind. Edward, believing the jerk to be the trucks getting up to mischief, continues on his journey, clueless about the mishap. It isn't until Edward gets to the next station that either he or his driver realise what happened.

When Gordon and Henry learn about the accident, they laugh and tease Edward constantly, making him very angry. Toby is also indignant towards the larger engines, knowing they've never encountered cows and don't know the trouble they cause.

A few days later, Edward is still in a bad mood when Gordon sails through Wellsworth with the express, teasing him. Gordon continues down the line telling the coaches to hurry, when he and his driver think they see something on the upcoming bridge. The driver shuts off steam and applies the brakes and as Gordon gets closer, he sees the obstacle is a cow. Gordon isn't worried and tries to shoo the cow away but she doesn't budge having had her calf taken away and feeling upset. Gordon's crew and the passengers try to get the cow to leave to no avail.

Henry soon comes by with his train and also thinks that the cow can simply be ordered away. When this doesn't work, Henry gets nervous and backs off claiming he doesn't want to hurt her. Reversing back to the station, Henry's guard tells the stationmaster about the cow blocking the line. The porter realises it's Bluebell and says that her calf is it at the station. The two men decide to send the calf in a truck pulled by Percy.

At the bridge, Percy arrives with the calf and reunites it with its mother. The two cows are then easily led away by the porter. As they leave, Gordon and Henry make an agreement not to tell anyone about the incident. Despite this, the story quickly gets around and Edward is ready to tease Gordon and Henry that night in the shed. Gordon defends himself, claiming that he simply didn't want Bluebell to hurt herself by running up against him.

Edward tells Gordon that he understands and Gordon worries that Edward all too well does understand.

Characters

 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * Toby
 * Percy   (does not speak)
 * Thomas   (cameo)
 * James (cameo)
 * Mrs. Kyndley (cameo)

Locations

 * Wellsworth
 * Lower Suddery
 * Brendam
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Rolf's Castle
 * The Viaduct
 * Crosby

Errors

 * When Edward crosses the viaduct, he was pulling five trucks. However, in the next shot, he was pulling four trucks, and when the cows break the coupling, he was pulling five again.
 * The narrator says that "some trucks were left behind", but only one truck was left behind.
 * When Gordon comes through Wellsworth he was pulling two brake coaches at the rear of his train.
 * When Gordon goes on the bridge he stops but his wheels go on for a few more seconds.
 * When Gordon looks into the camera in the last shot his right eye was slightly off-centre.
 * The coaches are assembled without most of the undercarriage.
 * The narrator says that "Henry backed away nervously", but Henry was still smiling.
 * Edward's eyes are wonky in some scenes, including the ones with his angry face.
 * When Percy's on the bridge, he has a large lump of glue keeping his middle lamp iron on.
 * When Percy puffs through Crosby, he passes Henry, in the next shot, Percy passes Henry again.
 * When Edward says, "Well, well, well, two big engines afraid of a cow?", Gordon can be seen next to him, but in the following scene, Gordon just backs off the turntable.
 * This was said that Edward was taking the cattle trucks to a market town, but he delivers the trucks to Tidmouth Sheds.
 * When Percy leaves Crosby, there are points in front of Henry that lead to nowhere.

US Home Video Releases

 * Thomas Breaks the Rules and Other Thomas Stories
 * Thomas Comes to Breakfast and Other Thomas Adventures

UK Version

 * [Transitions Brendam where Edward was pulling cattle trucks as he whistles]
 * Narrator: Edward was  getting old. His bearings were worn, and he clanked as he puffed along. [fades to Edward pulling cattle trucks in another shot] He was taking empty cattle trucks to a market town. [fades to a shot of Edward pulling cattle trucks at Lower Suddery] The sun shone, birds sang, [fades to Edward pulling cattle trucks on the viaduct] but Edward was heading for trouble.
 * Trucks: Oh, oh, oh, oh!
 * Narrator: Screamed the trucks. Edward puffed and clanked. The trucks rattled and scremed. [fades to Edward puffing to a village where the cows live. The cows made some noise] Some cows were grazing nearby. They were not used to trains. [Edward passes some cows] The noise and smoke disturbed them. [some cows made more noise as Edward passes some more cows] As Edward clanked by, they broke through the fence and ran across the line. [just then a breakvan and a cattle truck have come loose making Edward and the other cattle trucks keep going] A coupling was broken, [fades to a driver on a breakvan looking the cows] and some trucks were left behind.