A Scarf for Percy

**A Scarf for Percy** is the first episode of the third season and the 61st episode overall. It is based on the story Percy and the Trousers from the sixth Railway Series book, Henry the Green Engine.

## Plot

It is a very cold winter morning on the Island of Sodor, with Thomas and Percy in the sheds feeling the brunt of it. Thomas complains that their firelighter is late, but Percy tells him that the cold actually woke them up early. As wind and snow make the two engines even colder, the two decide to take their minds off the weather by talking about warm things in hopes that they will feel less cold as a result. Percy lists off some things known for keeping away the cold and his mind soon turns to scarves, to which Thomas jokes that Percy needs a nice warm scarf around his funnel. But while he is only joking, Percy thinks happily about how warm a scarf would be until the firelighter finally arrives.

The Fat Director is much warmer that morning, as he enjoys hot porridge for breakfast while looking forward to taking some visitors on a tour of the island. He tells his wife that he has pressed his best trousers and will put them in his trunk ready to be changed into when it is time for photographs. He then leaves to catch his train.

Percy is soon hard at work, still thinking about scarves, which is not helped by seeing one on everybody. He complains about his cold funnel to Henry, telling him he wants a scarf. Henry tells Percy that engines do not wear scarves, but Percy retorts that Henry cannot because his funnel is too small. Henry is insulted, but Percy - still fuming - puffs away before he can answer, leaving the bigger engine to scoff it off as he prepares to pull the special train.

At the station, it is nearly time for the photographs and the Fat Director is waiting anxiously for his trousers which are in a trunk on a baggage trolley being carried across the line. The two porters pulling the trolley walk backwards to ensure nothing falls off, but they are also unable to see what is coming. Percy, still feeling cheeky, arrives at the station and his driver shuts off steam as usual. Percy decides to startle the coaches by coming in as quietly as possible. However, he is so quiet that the porters do not hear him either. Percy does not stop until it is too late. He crashes into the trolley and frightens the porters. The force of the impact sends the luggage and a crate of jam flying into the air. The jam ends up splattering across Percy, the passengers and the Fat Director, while the Fat Director's top hat lands on Percy's lamp iron and his best trousers end up wrapping themselves around Percy's funnel as if it was a scarf. Everyone is very angry, especially the Fat Director, who seizes his hat before discovering what has become of his trousers, making him even angrier. He tells Percy that now they will have to pay the passengers for their ruined clothes and warns him to never play tricks on the coaches again. Percy feels very silly and quickly leaves for the yard.

Percy soon encounters James, who jokes that Percy found a 'scarf' after all and runs off to tell Henry the news. That night, Thomas and a now-cleaned Percy prepare to go to sleep happy that the firelighter has agreed to arrive early the next morning. Henry arrives, having enjoyed taking the passengers on their tour and feels sorry for Percy. However, he cannot resist a small joke as he mentions the weather is meant to be warmer the next day and there will not be any need for a scarf. Percy assures his friends that he is now well aware that engines do not need scarves but nice warm boilers instead.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Henry
* James
* Percy
* The Fat Director
* Dowager Hatt *(not named; does not speak)*

## Locations

* Ffarquhar Sheds
* Topham Hall
* Dryaw
* Knapford
	+ Knapford Yards
* Tidmouth Sheds

## Trivia

* Percy's accident was based on an event which took place at a railway station in Salisbury, Wiltshire.
* This is the first episode to have original material from Allcroft and Mitton added into one of Awdry's stories, by means of extending the plot as the length of the original story 'Percy and the Trousers' was deemed too short.
* A flashback of the scene where Percy crashes into the baggage trolley was made for Blue Mountain Mystery as well a reference of this episode in said special.