Percy (T&F)

PercyRWS.pngPercyTVModel.pngPercyCGI.png
**Percy** is a green 0-4-0 saddle tank engine who is number 6 on the North Western Railway. He was first brought to Sodor to help run the railway while Gordon, James and Henry went on strike and later became station pilot at Knapford. Following the renovation of New Harbour, Percy was moved permanently to Thomas's Branch Line, where he now works as a goods engine. His favorite job is pulling the Mail Train and he is Thomas's best friend.

## Biography

### Railway Series

Percy was built sometime after the turn of the 20th century, by the Avonside Engine Company, and had a subsequent rebuild in the period before he was sold second or third hand to the North Western Railway by a factory on the Mainland. He is said to have been found to contain Hunslet parts, among others, according to workers at Crovan's Gate Works.

Sometime between 1925 and 1935, when Gordon, James and Henry went on strike in protest of fetching their own coaches following Thomas's departure to run his branch line, Sir Topham Hatt decided the railway needed another tank engine. At the engine workshop, Sir Topham Hatt saw a green saddle tank engine. When the saddle tank engine said that he was willing to work hard, Sir Topham Hatt brought him and named him Percy. Bringing him back to Sodor, Percy was charged with running the branch line while Thomas ran the Main Line with Edward and was allowed to stay after the big engines surrendered and returned to work. At first, Percy liked to annoy the big engines. Percy was later waiting at Knapford, but forgot to whistle to the signalman and thus was startled when Gordon came running towards him with the express. Gordon managed to stop in time, but Percy was so frightened, he ran away and ended up stuck in a sandbank. He was rescued by Gordon and took up the duty of station pilot at Tidmouth.

Percy was still a cheeky engine and often liked to play jokes on Gordon and James, only for the two engines to have their revenge when Percy failed to recognize a "backing signal". After this, Percy was subject to bullying from the big engines until Duck arrived and helped Percy to put the big engines in their place, although Percy still received a reprimand from Sir Topham Hatt for it.

With Duck's arrival, Percy was sent to Thomas's Branch Line to help build Knapford Harbour and has stayed there ever since as a goods engine. He met a white helicopter named Harold who said that railways were "slow and out-of-date", so Percy decided to race him and won. When Percy had to take the Sunday School children home, he came across a flooded paddock which swashed away his fire. Thankfully, he got some help from Harold who dropped supplies of hot drinks for his crew and the passengers and was able to get the children home.

Despite being really useful, Percy was prone to having accidents were due to him sometimes acting naughty or being careless. He was naughty when he asked the trucks to push him past a danger notice, only to end up in the water until he could be lifted out and taken to the works by Henry. When a diesel railcar named Daisy came to look after Thomas's Branch Line, she constantly kept leaving behind the milk van every time Percy shunted it for her. Fed up with taking the milk for her, Percy offered to take Toby's trucks for him while he took the milk. However, the trucks were unfamiliar with Percy and when he ordered them about, they decided to seek revenge by pushing him onto a line of stone trucks that caused an awkward predicament.

### Television Series

While Gordon, James and Henry went on strike after Thomas left the yard, Sir Topham Hatt went to an engine workshop to purchase an engine to take over shunting duties at Knapford. He chose Percy and the little engine was shown what to do by Edward. While Gordon, James and Henry were shut up in the sheds, he ran Thomas's branch line with Annie and Clarabel while Thomas helped Edward on the Main Line.

Shortly after Gordon, James and Henry were let out of the sheds again, Percy was at Wellsworth and forgot to whistle to remind the signalman that he was there, resulting in Gordon nearly hitting him with the Express. Fortunately, Percy was able to start just in time to avoid a collision, however ended up running all the way to Lower Suddery without a driver or fireman, where he crashed into a bank of earth. Percy was then pulled out from the bank by Gordon and vowed to be more careful while on the Main Line.

Percy was still a cheeky engine and often liked to play jokes on Gordon and James, only for the two engines to have their revenge when Percy failed to recognize a "backing signal". After this, Percy was subject to bullying from the big engines until Duck arrived and helped Percy to put the big engines in their place, although Percy still received a reprimand from Sir Topham Hatt for it.

With Duck's arrival, Percy was sent to Thomas's Branch Line to help build Knapford Harbour and has stayed there ever since as a goods engine. He met a self-centered helicopter named Harold who said that railways were "slow and out-of-date", so Percy decided to race him and won.

Due to his lack of experience, Percy has been involved in a number of accidents, especially during his early days on the railway. Some of these have included being pushed into the sea by troublesome trucks, crashing into a brake van after becoming a runaway and being covered with jam after running over a porter's trolley.

For a time, Percy worked the branch line to the coal mines and became rather ill-tempered as a result of feeling overworked. While on the branch line, Percy had an incident with some runaway trucks and was nearly crushed by a landslide when the mines collapsed. Fortunately, Percy's quick thinking to get under the canvas barrier saved him and his crew. Sir Topham Hatt rewarded his bravery and intuition with a fresh coat of paint.

Once - after a series of late deliveries - Percy overheard Sir Topham Hatt talking outside the sheds and thought that he was going to scrap him after hearing him tell his driver that he had to go to the scrap yards. After causing a series of incidents in an attempt to get his jobs done on time the next day, Percy hid in the shed. With Thomas's help, Sir Topham Hatt eventually found Percy and was able to explain what he had actually said: he had told Percy's Driver that he was late because he was working too hard and that, after taking a train of scrap to the scrap yard, he could be reallocated to the mail train for the week, which made him much happier.

During Gator's visit to Sodor, Percy formed a deep connection with him, despite having initially mistaken him for a monster. When Gator went to leave Sodor, Percy nearly went with him, until being convinced not to by Gator. Later on that night, he saved James from a landslide at the China Clay pits, earning his respect.

When Gator eventually did leave Sodor, Percy missed him and tried to cope by working hard so as not to think about him. When he had to deliver trucks full of precious sculptures and paintings for a special exhibition, he did not stop to be coupled and the Troublesome Trucks went rolling into the old mine. After remembering Gator's advice on how to be brave, Percy rescued the trucks from the mine. The pair later reunited - after a series of near misses - when Gator returned to Sodor for Christmas.

In Season 19, Percy was given the job of taking Farmer McColl's ewes to Maithwaite for the Spring Fair. The next morning - while rushing - he accidentally bumped the livestock van too hard, creating a hole in the back of the wagon. After he had picked up the sheep, they would hop out whenever he stopped. Fortunately, Thomas, Annie and Clarabel were able to pick up the lost sheep as they were travelling not too far behind.

Percy was also given the job of taking Sir Topham Hatt and the Mayor of Sodor to present a special bell for the Sodor Search & Rescue Center's 100th rescue, and hoped he would have his picture taken for the newspaper. After overhearing him, a jealous Diesel tricked him into going to an old quarry instead, where he ran into a flooded section of track and became stranded. Diesel later came back for Percy after being confronted by Thomas, however his generator was damaged after he rolled into the water to get Percy out. Fortunately, the pair were shortly rescued by Rocky and the Search and Rescue team.

In Season 20, Percy had the job of taking the Christmas Mail to Vicarstown for Hiro to take to the Mainland and onwards to the North Pole, however was prevented from doing so by a snowdrift at a tunnel. Harold took the mail on for him, however later had to perform an emergency landing when he ran out of fuel. The next morning, Percy found Harold stuck in a field and out of fuel. Not wanting Harold to spend Christmas stranded and alone, he fetched his fuel and the two returned to Sodor.

Later, while Percy was taking the Mail Train at night, he heard a moaning sound from underneath the Watermill bridge, which gave him a fright. Percy later told Thomas and Toby about it and, remembering the story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff, he thought it was a troll that was living under the bridge. The three engines reluctantly crossed the bridge and discovered it was only a lost cow.

After Thomas was involved in a collision with Norman, Percy was initially intended to take his place in the shunting competition of the Great Railway Show. Later, however, Thomas managed to make it to the show and Percy opted to drop out of the competition, being too nervous to compete in it.

In Season 21, Percy became confused because of the new P.A. system which was not working properly. Because of this, he ended up taking a delivery of pigs to Lord Callan at Callan Castle. He was also told by Dowager Hatt to pull Gordon's Express instead of Gordon doing so, but because he was not strong enough to pull it, he got stuck on Gordon's Hill and ended up severely delayed.

In Season 22, when Merlin first came to Sodor, Percy thought everyone was talking about how Merlin is an invisible engine, so that was why Percy had not seen him. He looked everywhere for the invisible engine until he met up with Merlin (who did not get a chance to introduce himself) and heard what he believed was the invisible engine's whistle (which was actually Trevor's whistle) and rushed off to tell Thomas about hearing what he thought was Merlin's whistle.

In Season 23, Thomas began to miss Percy while in China, though with prompting, he decided to send a postcard. Percy later began worrying about Thomas when snow came, and he got himself into an accident looking for Thomas when he became late. His friends soon found him in his current predicament, and Percy felt foolish when he learned that Thomas was only late due to a salt delivery.

In Season 24, Percy overheard some talk about a railway show at Ulfstead Castle for little engines, though when Wilbert Awdry found out, he clarified it was a model engine show. Percy felt foolish for the misunderstanding, having wanted a moment for himself to shine, but he felt proud that after the confusion was cleared up, the winning model was one of himself.

### Thomas and the Magic Railroad

When Diesel 10 was attempting to find and destroy Lady, Percy helped Thomas in solving the clues which would lead them to the Magic Buffers first, to stop him. After overhearing Mr. Conductor talking in his sleep, he concluded that he travels to Sodor via the Magic Railroad and discussed it with Thomas at Knapford. Thomas told Percy about the missing truck and realised about how the buffers led to the magic railroad.

Later, Thomas told Percy to guard the buffers to ensure that Diesel 10 did not find them, only for him to find Splatter and Dodge there already. After witnessing this, he raced to warn Thomas and Lily to get to Muffle Mountain before Diesel 10 could destroy the railroad.

## Technical Details

### Basis

P6305421.jpgGWR Avonside Class SS
 (Percy's Basis)
Percy is based on a GWR Avonside Class SS with an added coal bunker.

### Livery

Percy is painted NWR green with red lining. His number (6) is painted on his bunker in yellow with a red outline. He has a white running board with red bufferbeams and valences. His coal rails are painted black and he has a gold dome.

## Appearances

* Railway Series
* Television Series

### *Railway Series*

* **Troublesome Engines** - Trouble in the Shed and Percy Runs Away
* **Percy the Small Engine** - Percy and the Signal, Duck Takes Charge, Percy and Harold and Percy's Promise

### *Thomas & Friends*

* **T&F Season 1** - Trouble in the Shed, Percy Runs Away, Whistles and Sneezes, James in a Mess, Gordon Takes A Dip and Thomas's Christmas Party