Percy Takes the Plunge

**Percy Takes the Plunge** is the twelfth episode of the second season and the 42nd episode overall. It is based on the story of the same name from the twelfth Railway Series book, The Eight Famous Engines.

## Plot

At Vicarstown Sheds, a tired Henry is looking to rest. However, he is annoyed to find Percy telling some Mainland tank engines about the time he braved bad weather to help Thomas' passengers return home. Percy claims that "Water's nothing to an engine with determination," while the tank engines shower him with praise. Henry arrives and angrily sends them away, claiming that the shed is only for engines belonging to the Fat Director and calls them silly. Percy is furious at him because he was enjoying telling the tank engines his story. Henry also thinks Percy is also silly for his remark about water. Percy runs off, singing about the time that Henry refused to leave a tunnel in case the rain spoilt his paint, to Henry's annoyance as he huffs to himself that no one will ever let him forget that incident.

Later, at New Knapford Harbour, Percy finds Thomas looking at a "Danger" board on the quayside. Thomas tells Percy that they must not go past it, recalling when he went past it and fell down a mine. What Percy does not realize is that the foundations of the quay have sunk, causing the tracks to slope downward into the sea. As a result, Percy, who is now feeling very cheeky, remarks that the board is stupid and makes a plan to pass it.

One day, Percy is taking a line of trucks to the harbour. He secretly asks them to give him a bump once they get to the quay. The trucks happily agree, having never been asked to bump an engine before. Percy thinks that he can stop the trucks whenever he likes, but every wise engine knows that trucks are never to be trusted.

At the quay, Percy stops before the board, convinced his plan will work, but the trucks seize the opportunity and bump Percy hard enough to knock his crew off the footplate. Percy is frantic and urges the trucks to stop, but they ignore him and cause him to slide downward into the sea. The Fat Director arrives on a boat and scolds Percy for his deliberate disobedience. Percy begs to get out, but the Fat Director sternly refuses, as they apparently cannot do that until high tide, and hopes that the wait will teach Percy to obey orders. When night falls, floating cranes are brought in to hoist Percy from the sea and onto a flatbed, as he has become too cold, filthy, and stiff to move.

The next morning, Percy is arranged to be taken to the SteamWorks for cleaning and mending on Henry's goods train. Henry finds the incident very amusing, telling Percy he needs more determination and suggesting that he will like it better next time. Percy, however, is determined that there will not be a "next time".

## Characters

* Thomas
* Henry
* Percy
* Troublesome Trucks
* The Fat Director
* Jinty *(not named)*
* Pug *(not named)*

## Locations

* Vicarstown
	+ Vicarstown Sheds
* New Harbour Bridges
* New Knapford Harbour
* The Branch Line Cutting
* Sodor Steamworks *(mentioned)*
* Henry's Tunnel *(mentioned)*
* The Lead Mines *(mentioned)*

## Trivia

* The episode is the first time where an engine falls into the sea and has to wait until the tide is high enough to be rescued; the second is the fifth season episode, Something in the Air.
* The story Percy tells at the beginning is a reference to the previous episode Percy's Promise. References are also made to the first season episodes, The Sad Story of Henry and Down the Mine. However, the events of this episode are mentioned by the narrator in the twelfth season special, Tale of the Brave.
* The "DANGER" sign is re-used from Down the Mine.
* This episode is based on a real event that occurred at Burnham-on-Sea, where a contractor's locomotive ran off the end of a jetty.

## References to Other Stories

* Percy was telling some Mainland tank engines about the time he braved bad weather from the previous episode.
* Henry reminds himself of the time that he wouldn't come out of the tunnel in case the rain spoilt his paint.
* Thomas states that he fell down a mine after ignoring a "DANGER" sign.