Trouble in the Shed

**Trouble in the Shed** is the sixteenth episode of the first season. It is based on the story of the same name from the fifth Railway Series book, Troublesome Engines.

## Plot

At Knapford, there is no sign of the morning train, causing the passengers to become angry. The Fat Director is told by the stationmaster that Henry is refusing to leave his shed, so he goes to find out what is going on. Gordon tells him that he, James, and Henry will no longer fetch their own coaches or shunt in sidings, declaring that shunting is for common tank engines like Thomas, not important tender engines. The Fat Director is very surprised that the bigger engines are trying to tell him what they are willing to do and leaves for Wellsworth to enlist Edward as a station pilot to ensure that the day's trains run as normal. On the way, he notes to himself that the yard has never been the same since Thomas left to run his branch line. Edward is happy to shunt the coaches and the rest of the day's trains run as usual.

The next day, the Fat Director visits the yard to see how Edward is getting along. To his dismay, he sees Gordon puff by and hiss loudly at Edward, who tells the Fat Director that all the big engines hiss him and say he has black wheels, thinking he is a traitor since he is a tender engine as well. The Fat Director kindly assures Edward that he has nice blue wheels and is very proud of his work, saying that tender engines *do* shunt. All the same, however, he decides that they do need a new tank engine to find a permanent solution to the problem.

Visiting an engine workshop, the Fat Director looks at all kinds of engines. Soon, he is shown a smart little green saddle tank engine and decides this is the one he wants. The Fat Director asks the engine if he is willing to work hard. The engine eagerly responds that he is. With that, the matter is settled. The Fat Director names the engine Percy and takes him back to the yard.

The Fat Director asks Edward to get Percy acquainted with the yard and the pair set off for work. Edward is very impressed by Percy's hard work and loud wheeshing - something he learned in the workshop so as to be heard, which startles Henry when he attempts to insult Edward again and runs back to the shed. The Fat Director then decides to send for Thomas and calls all three engines to the yard for an announcement. He tells them that he has shut up the big engines in the shed for their little mutiny until they learn to behave and, in their absence, the two tank engines and Edward will be doing their work running the railway.

Edward and Thomas are put in charge of the main line, while Percy is put in charge of both Thomas' branch line and looking after Annie and Clarabel. While there are fewer trains, the passengers do not mind as they understand that the three engines are doing their best to keep the railway running while the big engines are in the middle of learning a lesson.

Gordon, James, and Henry are left cold, lonely and miserable in the sheds meanwhile. The three finally start to realise just how silly they have been.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Edward
* Gordon
* Percy
* The Fat Director
* Henry *(does not speak)*
* James *(does not speak)*
* Annie and Clarabel *(do not speak)*
* Green Express Coaches *(do not speak)*
* Orange Coaches *(do not speak)*
* Old Coaches *(do not speak)*
* Percy's Workshop Friends *(wheels and buffers only; do not speak)*

## Locations

* Island of Sodor
	+ Tidmouth Sheds
		- The Works
		- Tidmouth Goods Station
	+ Knapford
		- Sir Topham Hatt's Office
	+ Wellsworth
		- Yards
	+ Dryaw
		- Airfield
* The Mainland
	+ Avonside Engine Company Ltd, Bristol

## Trivia

* This episode marks the first appearance of Percy in the series.
* Edward claims that the big engines told him he had black wheels. This insult is a play on the word "blackleg," which is a derogatory term for someone who works during a strike.
* The stationmaster mentions the episode's title when he says, "There's **trouble in the shed**, sir."
* Gordon's infamous theory of stating that "tender engines don't shunt" would be used again later from the eleventh season onwards.