Gordon
Large blue tender locomotive with a bold personality
A large blue tender steam locomotive running on the Island of Sodor. Proud and bossy, but also loyal and caring toward his friends.
Quotes
- Express coming through!
- Oh, what a mess!
- Great Gears!
- Oh, the indignity!
Trivia
- Name derived from the bully kid in the author's neighborhood.
- Modelled after real LNER A1/A3 class steam locomotives.
- In TV version, uses 'ore (sama)' first-person and bold speech.
- Episode nicknamed 'Gordon's Hill'.
- Called 'Shooting Star' after streamlining modification.
- Held the fastest engine position for a long time but stepped down in renewed version.
Alternate names
Gordon
Shooting Star
Ore-sama
Profile
- Species
- Tender steam locomotive
- Gender
- Male
- Birth year
- Early 1920s (original setting)
Appearance
- Overall appearance
- Large blue tender steam locomotive. Equipped with a 6-wheeled tender, and the body displays the number '4'. Became the Shooting Star after streamlining modification.
- Distinguishing features
-
- Blue body
- Body number 4
- Large tender type
- Iconic items
-
- Coaches
- Pulling express trains
Personality and abilities
- Core personality
- Bossy
- Detailed personality
- High pride, bossy, and conceited. Takes work seriously but is picky. Sometimes looks down on friends, but at heart is a loyal and boisterous big brother figure. Proud of his speed and jealous of fast friends.
- Keywords
-
- Bossy
- High pride
- Mean
- Loyal
- Boisterous
- Jealous
- Big brother
- Caring for friends
- Motto
- Express coming through!
- Talents
-
- Powerful traction
- High-speed running
- Leadership as a locomotive
- Skills
-
- Pulling express trains
- Pulling freight trains
- Long-distance running
- Motivation
- To always maintain pride in being the fastest. To be a respected and reliable figure among friends.
- Habits
- Catchphrase is 'Express coming through!' and in times of trouble, 'Oh, what a mess.'
- Disliked situations
- Pulling freight trains, Running on branch lines, Job swaps
History
- Backstory
- Early 1920s, designed by Great Northern Railway's chief mechanical engineer Nigel Gresley for express passenger service. Built as an experimental engine, later sold to North Western Railway. Large tender steam locomotive active on Sodor Island. Name derived from the bully kid in the author's neighborhood.
- Debut date
- January 1, 1945
- Work title
- The Railway Series 'The Three Railway Engines'
- Media type
- Manga
Gordon's Hill
- Significant event
- Gordon's Hill
- Description
- Known as the hill episode where he gets stuck unable to reach the summit.
Brake Failure Accident
- Significant event
- Brake Failure Accident
- Description
- In TV series season 5, brakes fail causing runaway and crash into the wall at Kirk Ronan station.
Shooting Star Modification
- Significant event
- Shooting Star Modification
- Description
- In feature film 12, body streamlined for representation at the Great Railway Show.
Speed Record
- Significant event
- Speed Record
- Description
- In TV series season 10, achieves speed record and receives coaches from Sir Topham Hatt.
Relationships
Flying Scotsman
Brother-like relationship. Shares model locomotive basis.
Thomas
Teammate
Teammates who cooperate on each other's jobs.
James
Rival
Mischievously tease small locomotives together.
Henry
Rival
Clashed over job swap but ultimately became friends.
Spencer
Rival
Speed rivals who compete in velocity.
North Western Railway
North Western Railway: leader
Sodor locomotives
Sodor locomotives: moodmaker
Media appearances
The Railway Series
Manga / Supporting
Original picture book series published around 1945
Thomas & Friends
Anime / Supporting
TV series season 1 to latest
Thomas & Friends (2021 anime)
Anime / Supporting
2021 onwards, renewed version
Thomas and the Magic Railroad
Movie / Supporting
Feature film series
Voice cast and creators
Kenji Utsumi
- Voice actor
- Kenji Utsumi
- Language
- Japanese
- Version or series
- TV seasons 1 - 8
- Notes
- Old version voice actor
Kenta Miyake
- Voice actor
- Kenta Miyake
- Language
- Japanese
- Version or series
- Feature films 2 - 17
Shunsuke Takeuchi
- Voice actor
- Shunsuke Takeuchi
- Language
- Japanese
- Version or series
- 2D anime version (2021 onwards)
Neil Crone
- Voice actor
- Neil Crone
- Language
- English
- Version or series
- Feature film 1, North American version
Keith Wickham
- Voice actor
- Keith Wickham
- Language
- English
- Version or series
- Feature films 4 - season 24
Kerry Shale
- Voice actor
- Kerry Shale
- Language
- English
- Version or series
- North American feature films 4 - season 24
Wilbert Awdry
- Creator name
- Wilbert Awdry
- Role
- Original author
Poplar Publishing
- Creator name
- Poplar Publishing
- Role
- Publisher
Related goods
Gordon Figure
- Item name
- Gordon Figure
- Category
- Figure
- Availability
- Regular
Gordon Plush
- Item name
- Gordon Plush
- Category
- Plush or doll
- Availability
- Regular