Gordon

Gordon is a big blue express engine who works on the Main Line. Gordon is mainly used for passenger duties, but has occasionally pulled goods trains, much to his dislike, as he believes that these are below him.

Biography
Gordon was built as a prototype for the A1 pacific fleet of engines and is technically considered an A0. Gordon has a much wider boiler and smokebox. Gordon was built in 1921 by Sir Nigel Gresley himself. Gordon spent the first three years of his life living the dream in Doncaster as a famous high speed express engine. This caused him to become extremely conceited and arrogant. Gordon was originally painted dark green with white stripes like his brothers.

In November of 1924, Sir Nigel Gresley visited the Island of Sodor to propose a plan to Sir Bertram Topham Hatt and to try and sell Gordon to him. Sir Topham Hatt agreed and Gordon was brought to the railway. Sir Nigel Gresley surprised Bertram however by painting Gordon in NWR blue with red stripes like Thomas and Edward and gave him the number 4. Sir Bertram Topham Hatt was happy to have an express engine on Sodor, but wanted to trial his three tender engines to see who was the most worthy.

Upon his arrival, Gordon was very rude to Thomas and Edward and only seemed to have a decent respect for Henry. Sir Topham Hatt decided to give Edward, Henry, and Gordon each a trial run to see who had the best time and the smoothest ride. Gordon was very rude towards Edward following his trial and insisted that Henry rest before his. Gordon and Thomas also began to develop a feud. This continued during Gordon's trial run when Gordon tricked Thomas by pulling him along for the entire express ride. This caused Sir Topham Hatt to choose Henry to be the express engine. This didn't last long as Henry ended up in a huge crash with the flying kipper. Gordon was chosen to be the express engine and has remained in that position ever since.

In 1929, Gordon, James, and Henry went on strike following a series of incidents. They were also restless and were tired of shunting their own trains. Henry and James abandoned the strike right after it began, leaving Gordon all on his own. Gordon reluctantly went back to work after Percy arrived on the railway.

In 1953, Gordon warned Sir Handel of the increase in diesels on the mainland.

In 1957, Gordon was involved in a big confrontation between Duck and Diesel when Diesel framed Duck for spreading rumors about the big engines. Gordon initially took sides with Diesel, but soon grew increasingly suspicious of the diesel shunter. His suspicions proved to be correct when Diesel was eventually found out.

In 1959, Gordon agreed to a plan created by Henry to keep Donald and Douglas on the railway. The plan backfired and Gordon was forced to escort James, Henry, and Douglas to the Barrow-In-Furness Impound,

Personality
Gordon's important position as the engine who pulls the Express has made him proud, pompous and self-important, with a good reason too; he is the fastest engine on Sodor. He is extremely proud of this and is inclined to boast. He is goodhearted, always willing to forgive and uses his superior strength to help smaller engines out of trouble. He also has a great dislike for goods trains.

Gordon’s philosophy "tender engines don't shunt" meant that he looked down on tank engines and tender engines who do shunt, but after being locked in the shed with Henry and James after going on strike and before the seventeenth season, he seemed to have abandoned this philosophy. However, because of his rank in the social order of the North Western Railway, Gordon expects to get the important passenger jobs and either sulks when he does not and/or gets jealous of engines who do.

Sometimes, Gordon acts as a bully, particularly towards Edward, but following misadventures where Edward had to help him, Gordon had to acknowledge that despite being old, Edward is still a very useful engine.

Sometimes, Gordon shows a kinder side and gives the engines some advice, usually after he has had some mishap as a result of his foolhardiness. Some of his advice is not exactly helpful or honest though.

Basis
Gordon is the experimental prototype for Sir Nigel Gresley's A1 Pacific design for the Great Northern Railway. Gordon was built at Doncaster Works in Yorkshire. Once the first batch of A1 Pacifics appeared in 1922 Gordon would have more than likely have been reclassified A1/1 indicating he is a slight deviation from the "standard" A1 design.

Gordon, being an experimental engine, never received a number and was never put into regular traffic; he was only ever used on test runs. Owing to various problems, Gordon was rebuilt in 1939 at Crewe. Sir Topham Hatt and Sir William Stanier worked together to rectify these problems - everything under the running board is of Stanier's design while the running board itself is that of Sir Topham Hatt's.

Livery
Gordon is painted in NWR bright blue with red and yellow lining. His number 4 is painted on the sides of his tender in yellow with red lining and the lining around his cab windows is yellow

Before arriving on Sodor, he was painted in GNR apple green with white and black lining. His number of 1470 is painted on the sides of his tender in yellow with red lining and the lining around his cab windows is yellow

Season 1

 * Sodor Then and Now 4: Gresley's Greatest (S1, E4)
 * Sodor Then and Now 5: Proving Worthy (S1, E5)
 * Sodor Then and Now 6: Little Engines (S1, E6)
 * Sodor Then and Now 7: Old Faithful (S1, E7)
 * Sodor Then and Now 8: The Work Begins (S1, E8)
 * Sodor Then and Now 9: The Caledonian Engines (S1, E9)

Short Films

 * Sodor Then and Now: A Time of Joy

Trivia

 * Gordon's cab windows have been modified to be black using a black marker
 * Gordon's eyebrows have been repainted twice due to fading
 * GTSH considers his Gordon voice to be his worst voice to date.
 * Gordon does not have a lead role in any episodes in Season 1. 'Gresley's Greatest' stars Sir Bertram Topham Hatt as the lead.