The Party Surprise

"*What a wonderful party*"
— Colin

The Party Surprise is the ninth episode of Season 12.

## Plot

Every year, a winter holiday party is held at Mr. Percival's house. Colin the crane lives at the wharf and is upset that he cannot go. While Colin is loading cargo into barges, Mr. Percival is visiting Mountain Village Station and is set to return in time for Freddie to take him to the party. Freddie, however, feels sorry for Colin and decides to ask Mr. Percival if they could hold the party at the wharf instead, so Colin could join in.

However, he sees Peter Sam and Rusty carrying party supplies. Not wanting the supplies to reach Mr. Percival's house, he tells the two engines that the party is now at the wharf, and asks them to leave their trucks and inform the other engines. Freddie shunts the trucks by Colin, asking him not to touch them until he returns. Freddie then hurries to Mountain Village Station to find Mr. Percival, only to discover he has already left.

Mr. Percival sees the cargo in front of Colin and, not knowing they are the party supplies, demands Colin load them immediately. Despite what Freddie told him, Colin complies so as to not get Freddie into trouble. Freddie returns to see them floating away on a barge. Realising his mistake, he hurries to Mr. Percival and explains everything. Mr. Percival agrees to hold the party at the wharf, also telling Freddie that he should have asked him first. Freddie manages to chase down the barge and redirect it back to Colin, whom Freddie explains the plan to. Freddie collects Mr. Percival, his family, and the children from the house. The party is a wonderful success and Colin is grateful to Freddie.

## Characters

* Peter Sam
* Freddie
* Rusty
* Colin
* Mr. Percival
* The Bargeman
* Thomas (*does not speak*)
* Mrs. Percival (*does not speak*)
* Skarloey (*cameo*)
* Rheneas (*cameo*)
* Sir Handel (*cameo*)
* Duncan (*cameo*)
* Mighty Mac (*cameo*)
* The Percival Children (*cameos*)
* The Blond-haired Boy (*cameo*)
* The Ginger-haired Boy (*cameo*)

## Locations

* The Wharf
* Mountain Village Station
* The Depot
	+ Mr. Percival's House

## Trivia

* Freddie gains an Irish accent in the UK narration.
* This is the first and only appearance of Colin. However, he was supposed to appear in King of the Railway, and the concept art of the film by Guru Studiosshows that he would have been based at Ulfstead Castle.
* This episode marked the last of several things:
	+ The last episode in which Thomas does not have a speaking role until the sixteenth series episode, Percy and the Monster of Brendam.
	+ Mighty Mac's last appearance.
	+ Freddie's last starring role.
	+ Peter Sam's last speaking role until Blue Mountain Mystery and his last speaking role in an episode until the sixteenth series episode, Don't Bother Victor!.

## Goofs

* When Freddie sees Peter Sam from the main Wharf station, he catches up to him. But when he does, he ends up in the same place as Peter Sam.
* Mr. Percival says "All this cargo must be loaded before the party" when he meant to say that the cargo must be unloaded.
* Freddie's voice in the US narration switches after Mr. Percival approves having the party at the Wharf.
* At the party, Rheneas has Skarloey's CGI face.

## Merchandise

* My Thomas Story Library - Colin (*discontinued*)
* Magazine Stories - The Party Surprise!
* TrackMaster - Colin in "The Party Surprise" set (*discontinued*)