Thomas, Percy and Old Slow Coach

"You said that the countryside runs got you all fired up, James, but I didn't think you meant it in this way!" "Pah! It was the stupid trucks/cars fault, not mine!"

- Percy teasing James over his accident.

Thomas, Percy and Old Slow Coach is the sixteenth episode of the fifth season.

Plot
Thomas, James and Percy look up at the early morning sky. Thomas says that all the villagers of Sodor are happier when springtime comes, except for the Fat Controller, as said by James, who complains about the hard work he has been given especially the coastal runs he has been running on lately. But Percy tells James that the Fat Controller wants everything to be ready for the holidays and the salty air makes him feel good. James scoffs and prefers being in the countryside instead, before leaving the shed to collect his goods train from the docks.

Thomas and Percy then leave the sheds to take some empty trucks to the scrapyard. When they finish their job, they discover an old coach in the scrap yard. She looks very dirty and sad and says that she is not useful any more despite being in perfect shape. The yard manager arrives and is asked by Percy's driver about the coach, whose name is Old Slow Coach and is due to be broken up soon. Thomas and Percy are very upset. Thomas promises to help, though he is unsure how yet.

Meanwhile, James enjoys his journey but there is trouble; one of the fuel tankers in his train leaks fuel, causing all the tankers to ignite immediately. James' driver immediately pulls the train into a siding and notifies the fire department. Thomas and Percy then arrive at the junction and the guard reveals that the fuel tankers' fire was caused by sparks that billowed from James' funnel. Although it is quite a mess, the fire is now extinguished. Percy teases him about being fired up in the countryside, rather than being in the literal way, but James scoffs and says that it was the trucks' fault that caused the fire. Thomas and Percy are now given the all-clear signal by a firefighter to proceed with their journey at a reduced speed, while they feel sorry for James.

Later that day, Thomas and Percy take on water when they find out that there is another fire at the workmen's hut near them, so they decide to go see how they can help. Unfortunately, the fire engines have a bigger problem; they are completely out of water and they cannot use water from the sea because it clogs their pumping apparatus, so it is decided they have to let the hut burn. Thomas suggests that they use the water from his and Percy's tanks. The plan works well and the fire is soon put out, but the workmen's hut is destroyed. A foreman arrives and worries about housing for the men and says that they cannot sleep on the beach. Percy then comes up with the idea of using Old Slow Coach as the workmen's new temporary hut. Percy's crew then phones the Fat Controller, who agrees to the idea.

Old Slow Coach is cleaned up, repainted and restored and feels splendid. Thomas and Percy collect her and she sets off happily enjoying her new life with the workmen. They all agree there is nothing old or slow about her and she will always be really useful.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * James
 * Percy
 * Old Slow Coach
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Fire Brigade
 * Big Mickey (cameo)
 * Jem Cole (cameo)
 * Jeremiah Jobling (cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Hault
 * Tidmouth Hault Sheds
 * The Flour Mill
 * The Lighthouse
 * Brendam Docks
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * The Workmen's Hut
 * Sir Topham Hatt's Office
 * The Ffarquhar Stationmaster's House
 * The Scrapyards (mentioned)

Trivia

 * Pre-filmed footage from the episode Thomas and the Rumours is used.
 * Elements of the magazine story Fire are used.
 * Scrap models of Thomas, Gordon, Donald, Douglas, City of Truro, Toad and the old tenders can be seen in the background in shots of the scrapyard.
 * Gordon's pilot model can be seen in the first shot of the scrapyard.
 * In the first shot of Thomas and Percy at the scrapyard, Big Mickey's model from TUGS can be spotted.
 * The steel rig and a scrapped OBB boxcar from TUGS can also be spotted.
 * In the Latin American, Polish and Czech dub, Old Slow Coach is referred to as a male.
 * When Thomas and Percy puff to see what they can do about the fire at the workmen's hut, behind them in the background at Tidmouth Hault is the stationmaster's house from the second season episode, Thomas Comes to Breakfast.
 * This episode marks a guard's last speaking role until the eighteenth season episode, Thomas and the Emergency Cable.
 * This episode came out the same day Spooks and Surprises came out on VHS.
 * The Workmen's Hut is the same model of Dryaw Goods Station.

Goofs

 * In one scene, Thomas' scared face mask is missing the eyebrows.
 * In one shot of Old Slow Coach at the scrapyard, Percy and his trucks are missing.
 * When Thomas and Percy shunt their trucks in the sidings, Percy's eyes are wonky.
 * When the guard says: "It's quite a mess", Thomas lurches forward a bit.
 * When Percy says: "You said the countryside runs got you all fired up James", his lamp is wonky.
 * In one shot in the scrapyard, part of the rails are oily.
 * When Thomas and Percy take Old Slow Coach away, something is hanging on top of the screen.
 * In a close-up of James, the tracks next to him lead to bushes.

Merchandise

 * Books - Thomas and Percy to the Rescue

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Peep Peep Party
 * The Complete Series 5

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection
 * Peep Peep Party and Brave Little Engines Double Pack
 * Peep Peep Party/Engines to the Rescue/The Chocolate Crunch Triple Pack

US

 * Cranky Bugs and Other Thomas Stories
 * Races, Rescues and Runaways and Other Thomas Adventures (digital download)
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 5

DVD Boxsets

 * Totally Thomas Volume 3

AUS

 * Happy Holidays
 * The Complete Series 5

DVD Packs

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * Classic Collection
 * Series Five and Series Six Double Pack

NZ

 * Happy Holidays

ITA

 * Back All!

SWE

 * Little Engines Help Out

NOR

 * The Old Coach (Norwegian VHS/DVD)

DK

 * Forward and Backward and Other Stories

GR

 * The Trains Have Fun

MYS

 * Haunted Henry and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Put Upon Percy and Other Adventures

PHL

 * Oliver's Great Adventure

JPN

 * New Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.4
 * A Nice Little Story of Thomas the Tank Engine
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.3

WAL

 * Fleas and 15 other Stories

THA
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 12 (Thai DVD)
 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 18 (Thai DVD)

Thomas, Percy y el Viejo Vagón トーマスとふるいきゃくしゃ Tomek, Piotruś i Stary Wolny Wagon