Percy Proves a Point

*“🎵Said Harold Helicopter to our Percy, 'You are slow. Your railway is out of date, and not much use you know.' But Percy with his stone trucks did the trip in record time, and we beat the helicopter on our old branch line.🎵”*
―Percy's fireman singing the victory song
***Percy and Harold***, retitled ***Percy Proves a Point*** in American releases, is the ninth episode of the second series. It is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Percy the Small Engine.

## Plot

Percy is now working at the new harbour on Thomas' Branch Line. He often has to fetch trucks, and although he works hard he still likes his new job and prefers branch line work over shunting for the mainline engines at the big station. Along the branch line is an airfield and Percy hears the planes flying overhead. The loudest though is a helicopter. Percy complains about the noise it would make.

One day Percy stops with his train at the airfield. The helicopter is there and they begin by introducing each other. The helicopter's name is Harold and it is not long before he insults Percy by calling railways slow and out of date. When they finish, Harold flies away and Percy sets off for the quarry. Percy finds Toby and expresses his feelings about Harold. Afterwards, he collects his trucks and heads back to the harbour.

On Percy's trip back to the harbour, they hear Harold's unmistakable buzzing. Percy's crew encourage the two to race each other. Percy has never been allowed to go that fast before. The trucks wail and beg Percy to stop, but it is no use. They have to slow down when they reach the wharf and Percy is sure that they have lost the race. But when the fireman climbs onto the roof of the cab, he can see Harold still looking for a place to land.

In celebration of Percy's victory, the fireman sings a song about the race, which Percy loves, especially the last line.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Percy
* Troublesome Trucks
* Harold
* Toby *(does not speak)*
* Harold's Pilots *(cameo)*
* Henry *(stock footage cameo)*
* Sir Topham Hatt *(mentioned)*

## Locations

* Ffarquhar Quarry
* Knapford Harbour
	+ Knapford Harbour Bridges
* Knapford Airfield
* The Watermill
* The Branch Line Bridge
* The Branch Line Cutting
* Suddery Castle
* The Dual Bends

## Trivia

* Stock footage from Coal is used.
* In the Japanese version, the music is omitted during Percy's Victory Song.
* Events of this episode were mentioned and recreated in CGI for the twentieth series episode, Letters to Santa.
* This episode was reran back to back with Percy, James and the Fruitful Day on Storytime with Thomas.
* This is the first and last time we see Knapford Airfield in the Television series.

## Goofs

* In the first shot, Percy pushes a box close to the rails, his eyes are wonky, and trucks throughout his train bounce slightly.
* After Thomas says "Well done, Percy! The Fat Controller is very pleased with us," the camera then cuts to Percy. This is the same shot as the fireman singing, as noted by the fact that the fireman's legs can be seen on Percy's cab. Also, blu-tack is seen on Percy's tender.
* When the narrator says "An airfield was close by," Thomas' face moves slightly. The same thing happens with Percy's face when he says "Stupid thing. Why can't it go and buzz somewhere else?"
* In the close-up of Percy complaining to Toby about Harold, Percy's eyes are wonky.
* Because stock footage is used, it shows the driver in Henry's cab when Percy's cab says "Well I'll be a ding dong dang!" and Percy's fireman changes appearance at the wharf.
* When Percy says "Yes! Let's!" it is possible to see through his left eye.
* When Percy gains speed, his back wheel derails.
* Percy's trucks gain faces when they say "We don't want to, we don't want to!"
* When Harold prepares for take-off, right before the shot cuts to Percy, a crew member's shadow is seen on Harold for just a split second. Also, the windsock doesn't move at all.
* In the aerial shot of Harold flying alongside Percy, a truck vanishes from Percy's train.
* When Harold flies through The Branch Line Cutting, he clips a tree.
* In the bird's-eye view of Harold flying over Percy, the end of Harold's red stripe can be seen peeling off.
* When Percy says "Oh, dear. I'm sure we've lost," his eyes are wonky.
* After Percy's fireman's song, his right eye (viewer's left) pops out of the face mask slightly.
* Throughout the episode, Percy's left (viewer's right) cylinder is loose.
* Percy only has half of his screw-link coupling.
* A rare picture of Percy at the quarry shows a gear visible between his left driving wheels.
* In the restored version, after Percy's fireman finishes his song, the shot of Percy freezes mid-take.
* When Percy leaves the Quarry, his goods train has a BR 20 Ton Brake Van. When he passes the water Mill, it switches to an SR 25 Ton one. Then when Percy puffs past Suddery Castle, the brake van is another BR 20 then in the scene where he passes the shack, it is another SR 25.

## Merchandise

* Buzz Books - Percy and Harold
* My Thomas Story Library - Harold
* Magazine stories - Percy and Harold
* Ladybird Books - Percy and Harold/Percy Takes the Plunge
* Engine Adventures - Harold

## Home Media Releases

### UK

* Percy and Harold and Other Stories
* The Best of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
* Thomas Comes to Breakfast and Other Stories
* Thomas' Christmas Party and 17 other stories
* Chases, Races and Runaways
* The Complete Series 2
* The Best of Percy
* Percy Takes the Plunge

#### DVD Boxsets

* Classic Collection
* The Best of Friends

### US

* Thomas Breaks the Rules and Other Stories *(Ringo Starr's narration)*
* Thomas and His Friends Get Along
* Best of Percy
* Thomas' Fan Favorite Adventures
* Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 2

#### VHS/DVD Boxsets

* Special Video Collector's Set
* Totally Thomas Volume 2
* Best Tales on the Tracks
* Best of Collection
* Best of Thomas, Percy and James Platinum Edition
* 3 DVD Lunchbox Set

### AUS

* Percy and Harold and Other Stories
* The Complete Series 2
* My First Thomas with Percy

#### DVD Boxsets

* Complete Series 1-10
* My First Thomas
* My First Thomas
* Classic Collection
* Series One and Series Two **Double Pack**

### NZ

* Percy and Harold and Other Stories
* Bumper Video Collection Volume 3
* Thomas Train Set Compilation Video Volume 5

### JPN

* Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 8
* Best of Percy
* The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.8
* Thomas the Tank Engine in Two Languages Vol.8
* The Complete DVD Box 1
* Anytime With Percy!
* The Best Collection
* Thomas and Harold
* 75th Anniversary Edition: Thank You as Always! Thomas & Friends Masterpieces

### NL

* Percy and Harold
* The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Thomas, Percy and Gordon

### GER

* Old Iron and 4 Other Adventures
* Show What You Can!
* Thomas and His Friends Vol. 4

### NOR

* Thomas Celebrates Christmas
* Thomas the Tank Engine 4

### MYS

* Percy and Harold and Other Thomas Adventures
* Bertie’s Chase and Other Adventures

### HK

* Thomas and Friends Volume 4 (VCD)
* Thomas and Friends Volume 5 (DVD)