Baa!

**Baa!** is the tenth episode of the fifth season and the 119th episode overall.

## Plot

One evening, Percy is fed up with the smell of fish after shunting Flying Kipper vans at the harbour all day. He asks his driver to have a washdown, but there is not enough time because the Fat Controller is waiting for him at the sheds. At the sheds, the Fat Controller announces a festival of flowers and that a sign saying "Best Dressed Station" shall be awarded to the winner. He also tells the engines to help out with the arrangements. Thomas and Toby discuss their favourite stations: Elsbridge and Maithwaite. And Toby asks Percy which is his favourite, but Percy is too tired to think properly and says the harbour by mistake. Thomas can see why when he notices Percy's fishy smell, but Toby laughs saying that the harbour is full of fish and not flowers. This makes Percy cross, saying that Ffarquhar is his favourite since it is where Toby sleeps and then rudely wishes Toby good night as he enters the sheds.

The next morning, Percy collects some trucks loaded with vegetables and flowers. His driver explains that they will be displayed on Maithwaite's platform. On the way, Percy sees Harold, and is questions why he is buzzing about. Suddenly, Percy is stopped by a ram on the tracks. Percy now worries that he will be late and realises that Harold was trying to warn him, but his fireman knows just what to do. His fireman lures the ram off the track with some cabbage and Percy is soon on his way again. When Percy arrives at Maithwaite, the stationmaster tells them the ram has a reputation for always being hungry.

A little while later, Maithwaite is decorated with the flowers and vegetables that Percy delivered. Percy is quite confident that Maithwaite will win. He then moves into the station’s siding and is looking forward to having a rest, when he hears a commotion at the station and heads back to investigate. He discovers that the decorations have been ruined and Percy's driver and the passengers suspect that the mess was the ram's fault. The passengers cannot get into the waiting room because of the ram, but Percy's driver also notices three boys inside, pleading to be let out. The stationmaster and the passengers then realise that the boys vandalised the station, and that the ram has been blocking them in the waiting room so that they would do no further damage. The boys apologise for vandalising the station, and promise to put everything back the way it was before.

A few days later, the Fat Controller invites some of the engines to Maithwaite, winner of the "Best Dressed Station" award. The Fat Controller then gives one more prize for the ram; a pumpkin, and proclaims that he will eat his hat if the ram does not like it. But the latter chance comes when Harold arrives and the wind from his rotor blades blow the Fat Controller's hat off, and the ram devours it within seconds. The Fat Controller laughs and says that he wouldn't be able to eat his hat despite his proclamation. Everyone laughs in reply, and the only sound to come from the ram is a contented hiccup.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Percy
* Toby
* The Fat Controller
* Harold *(does not speak)*
* Henry *(cameo)*
* Gordon *(cameo)*
* James *(cameo)*
* Annie and Clarabel *(cameo)*

## Locations

* Maithwaite
* Ffarquhar
* Knapford Harbour
* Tidmouth Sheds
* Knapford Yards
* Maithwaite
* Elsbridge *(mentioned)*

## Trivia

* This episode marks the first time actual names of Sudrian locations have been mentioned in the episodes, in this case Elsbridge, Maithwaite and Ffarquhar. Prior to this, locations would only be referred to by nicknames such as the big station or the harbour.
* This episode was inspired by events that happened during David Maidment's time as stationmaster of Aberbeeg (1964-1965), when a ram inhabited the waiting room of the derelict station at Llanhilleth and would attack vandals who tried to enter.