Air date: December 11th, 1984
Adapted from: Henry the Green Engine, "Gordon's Whistle" and "Henry's Sneeze"
One morning, soon after Henry has returned from Crewe in his new shape, Gordon is jealous that Henry now gets to pull the express and complains that he never needed a new shape. He also claims that Henry whistles too loudly at stations, saying that "it isn't wrong, but we just don't do it". For the first time since he got back, Henry stops feeling happy and is hurt at these words. Percy tells Henry he's glad that he's back and likes his whistling.
Later when Henry arrives at Wellsworth, Edward tells Henry that he was glad to hear his whistle, cheering Henry up. Suddenly, the sound of a far-off and continuous whistle can be heard much to the engines' joint confusion. It turns out to be Gordon, who flies down the hill and through the station. Edward is surprised, while Henry tells him what Gordon had said about whistling.
Gordon tears down the line, the awful noise from his whistle continuing until he reaches the station which causes everyone, including The Fat Controller to hold their ears. The Fat Controller, having to shout over the horrendous racket, gives the workers two closely-related orders: "Take him away, and stop that noise!" Gordon leaves the express behind and is taken to some fitters who hammer his whistle back into place. Gordon sneaks home that night to an empty shed, much to his relief. As the other engines arrive back, Henry whispers that "It isn't wrong, but we just don't do it", but says nothing about whistles.
The next day, Henry takes a train feeling as well as ever and soon approaches a bridge where three boys are waiting. Henry whistles in greeting, but suddenly feels pain as the boys don't answer but instead throw stones on him and his train, which makes the passengers cross.
Henry's driver, however, 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 and release the ashes that are built up in his smokebox. The passengers are pleased and on the way back from the other end of the line, the driver makes sure everyone is ready and that Henry is about to sneeze.
Soon Henry appoaches the bridge where the boys are waiting with stones. Judging the moment, the driver has Henry sneeze at exactly the right time, causing him to cover the boys from head to toe in soot.
Henry goes home satisfied knowing that, thanks to a whistle and a sneeze, he was able to teach Gordon and some boys a lesson they won't quickly forget.
Tropes featured in the episode:
- Ash Face: All three of the naughty boys end up "as black as soot" (to quote the book version) after Henry sneezes all over them.
- Bowdlerise: In the ending of the UK version, the narration states that Henry went home very pleased that he taught Gordon and the boys a lesson with a whistle and a sneeze. In the US, it states that Henry went home, hoping that next time he saw Gordon and the boys, they would've learned not to be so mean.
- Break the Cutie: Henry becomes sad after hearing Gordon's harsh remarks about him after returning from Crewe.
- Compressed Adaptation: Of both the stories "Gordon's Whistle" and "Henry's Sneeze" from Henry the Green Engine. "Percy and the Trousers", which took place in between, wouldn't be adapted until Series 3.
- Digital Destruction: In the restored version, all of the fade transitions in the second half of the episode are missing.
- Disneyfication: In the original story "Henry's Sneeze", Henry's fireman is injured by the boys when a stone hits him in the head. This doesn't happen here, but an unused prop of the fireman's head clearly shows a
Cranial Eruption. - Green-Eyed Monster: Gordon, as the previous episode implied, lashed out at Henry in jealousy of his new shape and almost being able to pull the Express as well as him.
- Ironic Echo: Henry, to no one in particular, says the same thing Gordon said to him earlier in regards to whistles:Henry: "It isn't wrong, but we just don't do it."
- Jerkass: Gordon for complaining about Henry's whistling and the boys for throwing stones at the coaches' glass windows.
- Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: Even Gordon stops himself for a moment from chewing out Henry for a moment to say everyone's glad he's back. Because he's Gordon though, it doesn't stick.
- Kids Are Cruel: The boys who throw stones at Henry's coaches. Henry soon taught them a lesson.
- Laser-Guided Karma:
- Gordon's jammed whistle as a result of his rude words towards Henry.
- The boys getting covered in soot by Henry when they tried throwing stones at his coaches a second time.
- Leave Him to Me!: The passengers request that the driver call the police to have the boys arrested, but he tells them that he and Henry will deal with the boys on their own by having Henry sneeze at them.
- Nasal Weapon: Henry sneezes at the boys as retribution for throwing stones at his coaches' windows.
- Nice Guy: Percy and Edward for complimenting Henry on his whistle.
- Percussive Maintenance: How the workmen fixed Gordon's whistle into place with a hammer.
- Rambling Old Man Monologue: Gordon's diatribe against Henry (see below) starts with complaining about Henry's new post-repair shape, but then he begins complaining about how happy Henry is, and then about how Henry whistles too much and too loudly.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Although it isn't directly towards Henry, Gordon has a rant concerning his return from Crewe at the beginning of the episode:Gordon: "Why should Henry have a new shape? A shape good enough for me is good enough for him. He goes gallivanting off to Crewe leaving us to do his work and comes back saying how happy he feels. It's disgraceful! And there's another thing - Henry whistles too much. No respectable engine ever whistles loudly at stations. It isn't wrong, but we just don't do it."
- Stock Footage: Footage from "Coal" and "The Flying Kipper" is used.
- The Unreveal: It's never said what caused Gordon's whistle to jam and begin constantly blowing in the first place.
- Title Drop: In the UK dub: "[Henry] taught Gordon and silly boys a lesson, with a whistle and a sneeze."
