Whistles and Sneezes (2024)

This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the vinyl record, the Welsh VHS or the magazine story.

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Credits

Whistles and Sneezes[]

Writer[]

• Rev. W. Awdry (original story)
• Britt Allcroft and David Mitton (adaptation)

Director[]

David Mitton

Producer[]

• Britt Allcroft
• David Mitton
• Robert D. Cardona

Composer[]

Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell

Narrator[]

• Ringo Starr (UK)
• George Carlin (US)

Series[]

1

Series no.[]

1.20

Number[]

20

Shining Time Station episode(s)[]

• Achoo
• Paint the Town Red

Released[]

“It isn't wrong but we just don't do it.”

― Gordon and Henry

Whistles and Sneezes is the twentieth episode of the first series. It is based on Gordon's Whistle and Henry's Sneeze from The Railway Series book Henry the Green Engine.

Plot[]

Henry has recently returned from Crewe. One morning, Gordon is jealous that Henry now gets to pull the Express, remarking that he did not need a new shape and complaining that Henry left the others all of his work as well as their own. He also claims that Henry whistles too loudly at stations, saying, "It isn't wrong, but we just don't do it." Henry is upset by this remark, but Percy says that he is glad that Henry is back and likes his whistling.

Later, when Henry arrives at Wellsworth, Edward tells him that he was glad to hear his whistle the day before, cheering Henry up. Suddenly, to the engines' confusion, the sound of a high-pitched, droning whistle can be heard in the distance. It turns out to be Gordon, whose whistle is jammed. He flies down the hill and vanishes through the station. Edward is surprised, while Henry tells him what Gordon had said about whistling.

Gordon speeds down the line, the awful noise from his whistle continuing even when he reaches the Big Station. This makes everyone, including the Fat Controller, hold their ears and Gordon leaves the Express behind. He is then taken to a siding and some fitters hammer his whistle valve back into place, which finally stops the noise. That night, Gordon finds the Sheds empty, to his relief. As the other engines arrive at the Sheds, Henry softly says to no one in particular, "it isn't wrong, but we just don't do it," and says nothing about whistles.

The next morning, Henry, feeling better than ever, takes a passenger train and soon approaches a bridge where some boys are waiting. Henry whistles in greeting, but suddenly feels pain as the boys do not respond back, but instead pelt stones on him and his train, breaking some of the coaches' windows and grounding Henry to a complete halt.

While unhurt, the passengers are cross. They want to call the police, but are interrupted by Henry's driver, who has a plan to get their own back. After getting everyone to promise to keep the plan a secret, the driver tells them. The plan is to have Henry sneeze, releasing the ashes that are built up in his smoke box. The passengers are excited and on the way back from the other end of the line, the driver makes sure everyone is ready and warns them to keep their windows shut until the train has passed the bridge because Henry is about to sneeze. Although the driver says that Henry is just as excited, Henry feels too stuffed up to answer.

Soon Henry approaches the bridge, where the boys are waiting with more stones. Judging the moment, the driver has Henry sneeze at exactly the right time, coating the boys from head to toe in soot. Henry goes home satisfied; he knows that thanks to a whistle and a sneeze, he has educated both Gordon and the boys with a lesson they will not soon forget.

Characters[]

• Edward
• Henry
• Gordon
• Percy
• Sir Topham Hatt
• Green Express Coaches
• The Stone-dropping Boys (do not speak)
• Thomas (cameo)
• James (cameo)
• Charlie Sand (cameo)
• Sidney Hever (cameo)

Locations[]

• Island of Sodor:
  • Tidmouth Sheds
    • The Works
  • Wellsworth
  • Gordon's Hill
  • Knapford
    • Sheds
  • Lower Tidmouth
  • Rail Under Road Bridge and Signalbox
  • Rail Under Road Bridge and Stone Wall
  • The Pond Runby (deleted scene)
• Crewe (mentioned in UK dub; not named in US dub)

Trivia[]

• Events from the previous episode are mentioned.
• According to the Production Packet the two stories that the episode was based on were initially not planned to be adapted, but were added in later for unknown reasons.
• This is the only episode of the first series that is not re-narrated by Ringo Starr for Shining Time Station in the US, as well as the first Series 1 episode narrated by George Carlin in said show. The original UK dub with Ringo's narration was released on The Early Years US/Canadian DVD in 2004, giving US and Canadian viewers a first time exposure of him narrating the episode.
• This is Henry's last episode with a leading role until the third series episode, Henry's Forest.
• When Gordon leaves Knapford, music can be heard in the US and international dubs but not in some versions of the UK one and the Ukrainian voice-over.
• This episode marks the first appearance of Lower Tidmouth in the television series (in this episode seemingly replacing Crosby from the original book).
• A close-up model of Henry's fireman with a bumped head (like in the book) was made but left unused. It was once owned by Jonathan Saville.
• The Rail Under Road Bridge and Signal box replaces Crosby Road Bridge in the original book, while Crosby Road Bridge does not appear until the second series episode Old Iron.
• In the restored version:
  • The scenes of Percy coming back to the shed at night, Henry pulling the express, arriving at Lower Tidmouth and the last scene have no fade effects.
  • When Henry approaches the bridge, the scene where he looks angry before sneezing at the boys was omitted.
• Stock footage from Coal is used, as well as a deleted scene from said episode.
• In a promotional picture, Gordon (with his jammed whistle) is seen passing through the pond.
• This episode and The Flying Kipper were the last two episodes to be repeated in a ten minute block on 9 September 1987; at this point, the series was broadcasted on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ending its runtime in Australia on 28 December. Two days later, Thomas' Christmas Party was aired individually in the UK on 30 December 1987.
• This episode was never released on home video in South Korea.
• This episode marks the only appearances of Gordon's sulky face until the fifth series episode A Better View for Gordon (not counting a deleted scene appearance), Henry's wincing face until the eighth series episode Henry and the Wishing Tree and the last appearances of Henry's stuffed-up face until the tenth series episode It's Good to Be Gordon, albeit in a different expression.

Goofs[]

• At Tidmouth Sheds, some of the tracks are off-centred.
• In the beginning of the episode, Gordon's buffer beam is dented and his right buffer is also slightly crooked.
• Henry's face is not put on properly after Gordon criticises him.
• When Henry approaches Wellsworth, his eyes jitter before he stops.
• Gordon is shown going up his hill from the Maron station side even though he had already passed through Wellsworth going away from his hill.
• When Gordon goes down his hill, his wheels are moving a slower pace and studio equipment can be seen reflecting off his coaches.
• When Gordon arrives at Knapford:
  • The track he is on rises briefly.
  • His face moves slightly while his eyes move.
  • He also has several problems with eyes:
    • His eyes are misaligned.
    • They jitter multiple times.
    • They do not move at the same time at least twice.
    • They disappear for a split second due his eyes moving too far right.
  • The narrator says, "everyone held their ears", but no one is holding their ears.
• In the shot of the Fat Controller telling Gordon to depart right away, there are three holes around his chin. Also, his right arm is chipped.
• In the close-up of Gordon's whistle:
  • The shed beside him is gone.
  • There is a stain on Gordon's boiler.
  • Studio equipment is visible at the top of the screen.
• Because stock footage is used, Henry is in his old shape in a close-up of himself before reaching the bridge, his coaches are not seen and the red stripe on his cylinder is also peeling away.
• When Henry first passes under the bridge, a tree branch of the bottom right-hand corner of the screen can be seen shaking, giving the illusion that the boys are throwing stones. However, two shots later, it becomes clear how this effect was achieved: the branch is strategically placed over the track where Henry could run into it at just the right moment.
• When the passengers complain about the broken coach windows, there is a chip on the lining of Henry's tender.
• In the scene of Henry departing Lower Tidmouth, the chuffing sound effect is slightly delayed until after Henry starts moving.
• In the wide shot of Henry puffing towards the bridge each time, he is not moving for the first couple of seconds and when he finally moves, the telephone pole near him shakes in the second scene.
• In the original version, when Henry sneezes, a bush near the bridge changes shape. The restored version shows Henry with his wincing face as he is passing by before he sneezes with the bush in the same position, indicating a take of Henry passing underneath the bridge with his angry face was filmed after the shot of him passing with his wincing face.
• The boys are covered in ash prior to filming the shot of the steam coming towards them on the bridge to indicate the effect when Henry sneezes at them. However, the shot starts too early with the steam first hitting the boy in the middle, thus making it obvious what was done to the models.

In Other Languages[]

Merchandise[]

• Magazine story - Whistles and Sneezes
• My Thomas Story Library book - Gordon
• Engine Adventures book - Gordon

Home Video Releases[]

UK[]

• Further Adventures of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends
• Coal and Other Stories
• The Sad Story of Henry and Other Stories
• Bumper Special
• Thomas in Trouble
• Thomas' Train and 17 Other Stories
• The Complete Series 1

UK VHS/DVD Boxsets[]

• Troublesome Trucks, Coal and Other Stories
• Classic Collection

WAL[]

• Letting Off Steam and 8 Other Stories

US[]

• Daisy and Other Thomas Stories
• Best of Gordon
• The Early Years (UK dub)
• Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 1

CAN[]

• Daisy and Other Thomas Stories (Direct-to-VHS)
• Best of Gordon
• The Early Years (UK dub)

US/CAN DVD Packs[]

• Best of Collection
• Ultimate Thomas Collection
• Best Tales on the Tracks

AUS[]

• Coal and Other Stories
• Series One

AUS DVD Packs[]

• Classic Collection: Series 1 - 5
• Series One and Series Two Double Pack
• The Complete Series 1-10

NZ[]

• Percy Runs Away and Other Stories
• Coal and Other Stories
• Bumper Video Collection Volume 2
• Thomas Train Set Compilation Video Volume 5

ZA[]

• Down the Mine (Volume Two)

IND[]

• Thomas and Bertie Adventures

MYS[]

• Toby and the Stout Gentleman and Other Thomas Adventures (VCD)
• Tenders and Turntables and Other Adventures (DVD)

PHL[]

• The Flying Kipper

ITA[]

• The Grumpy Locomotive

FRA[]

• The Magic of Sodor (VHS)
• The Talkative Trains (DVD)

ROM[]

• Thomas and Percy

ROM DVD Pack[]

• Triple Pack 1

NL[]

• The Great Race!
• Double Feature 1
• The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of James and Henry

NL DVD Boxsets[]

• Thomas Double DVD
• 2 DVD Double Box: Thomas Goes Fishing and Calling All Engines!

GER[]

• Trouble in the Depot and 4 Other Adventures (Direct-to-VHS)
• Thomas and His Friends Vol. 2
• Rail Free for Steam and Diesel!

NOR[]

• Favourites from Thomas & Friends
• Thomas the Tank Engine 2
• Sports Special

DK[]

• Thomas, Terence and the Snow (VHS)
• Thomas in Trouble and Other Stories (DVD)

SWE/FIN[]

• Thomas in Trouble

ICE[]

• Thomas the Tank Engine 2

ISR[]

• The Classic Collection: The Best Adventures of Thomas the Tank Engine

SVN[]

• Thomas and the Guard

HRV[]

• Thomas and Brakesman

SRP[]

• Thomas & Friends 2

GRC[]

• The Adventures of Thomas (VHS)
• Appointment at the Station! (DVD)

GRC DVD Boxset[]

• 3 DVD Boxset 1

TUR[]

• Brave Hero (VCD)
• Brave Hero and Hello Thomas (DVD)

THA[]

• Thomas & Friends - Volume 3

JPN[]

• Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 5
• The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.3
• I Love Thomas DVD 1

JPN DVD Boxsets[]

• The Complete DVD Box 1
• I Love Thomas DVD Collection

CHN[]

• Thomas & Friends Season 1-4

HK[]

• Thomas & Friends Volume 2 (VCD)
• Thomas & Friends Volume 10 (DVD)

Episode[]

Whistles and Sneezes - UK

UK Narration

Whistles and Sneezes - US

US Narration

Reference[]

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