Middle Engine

"Help! I'm not a truck!"

- Percy on the coal tipper

Middle Engine is the fourteenth episode of the sixth season.

Plot
'Arry and Bert play a trick on Percy by shunting trucks in front and behind him, which leads to Percy being pushed onto the coal tipper by Henry by mistake. Percy is sent to work in the yard until the incident is sorted out, and the Fat Controller nominates James to do Percy's work after he makes a snide comment. When 'Arry and Bert play the same trick on James, he refuses to move and so Percy has to pull James to the Docks. Percy then jokes that James is learning to be a middle engine, leaving James humiliated.

Characters

 * James
 * Percy
 * 'Arry and Bert
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Thomas (does not speak)
 * Henry (does not speak)
 * Gordon (does not speak)
 * Duck (cameo)
 * Annie and Clarabel (cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Callan
 * The Coaling Plant
 * Brendam Docks
 * Knapford
 * Maron
 * The Viaduct
 * The Smelters Yard

Trivia

 * The Coaling Plant manager has a Bronx accent in the American narration.
 * Scrap models of Thomas, Gordon, James, Toad, and Donald or Douglas are seen.
 * This episode marks the first of a few things:
 * 'Arry's referred to by name.
 * Bert the Diesel's first speaking role.
 * In the US narration, the same singular recording of the line "coal cars" is used throughout the episode. This is most noticeable when Percy is approaching the tipper.

Goofs

 * In the first close-ups of 'Arry and Bert, James is meaninglessly standing between them: stock footage from later into the episode is used. James cannot be seen next to Bert on 4:3 centre cut prints of this scene.
 * In the shot after Henry arrives, Percy is pushed onto the ramp. In the next shot, he is pushed onto the ramp again.
 * When Percy gets pushed onto the ramp he isn't tethered to it, but he is in the next scene.
 * Percy's siderods immediately change position when he's on the loading ramp.
 * When 'Arry and Bert roll alongside James, James and Bert's eyes are wonky.
 * Percy's steam platform is visible when he leaves with James and the trucks.
 * In a close-up of Percy being tipped over, the rails underneath him disappear.
 * Percy's cab windows are blacked out when he is on the tipper.
 * In some of the scenes of Percy being lifted, his wheels do not have counterweights.
 * James said he would not move, but in the shots when Percy is pulling him and the trucks, steam is coming out of James' funnel, as if he was moving.
 * At the start of the episode, the narrator states that "Thomas likes his branch line", though Thomas is shown at Maron, which is not on his branch line.

Quotes

 * Percy: Oh bother!
 * 'Arry: Little green piggy in the middle!


 * 'Arry: Little red piggy in the middle!
 * Bert: Just like Percy!
 * James: I am not like Percy, I am not a middle engine, and I'm not moving!
 * Narrator: And he didn't!


 * Manager: Right on time! But what is that big red engine doing in the middle?
 * Percy: Learning.
 * Manager: Learning what?
 * Percy: Learning to be a middle engine!

Merchandise

 * Books - Thomas, James and the Diesels (Germany only)

UK

 * The Chocolate Crunch and other stories
 * The Complete Sixth Series

DVD Packs

 * Classic Collection
 * Pulling Together! & The Chocolate Crunch Double Pack
 * Peep Peep Party, Engines to the Rescue, & The Chocolate Crunch Triple Pack
 * Double DVD Giftset

US

 * Percy's Chocolate Crunch and Other Thomas Adventures

DVD Packs

 * Totally Thomas Volume 1

AUS

 * Twin Trouble
 * The Complete Sixth Series

DVD Packs

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * 60th Anniversary - Limited Edition Boxset

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.2
 * Mischief Strategy

PHL

 * The World's Strongest Engine (Philippine DVD)

NOR

 * Percy's Chocolate Crash

DK

 * Percy's Chocolate Crash

DVD Boxsets

 * Danish DVD Boxset (2008)

MYS

 * Scaredy Engines and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Scaredy Engines and Other Adventures

SWE

 * Percy's Chocolate Dip

ITA

 * The Jet Engine (Italian DVD)

TWN

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 14 (Taiwanese DVD)