Percy and the Signal

"We had spoken of backing signals. They need extra special care, you know. Would you like me to explain?" "No thank you, James. I know all about signals!"

- James and Percy

Percy and the Signal is the seventh episode of the second season. It aired in the US on the Shining Time Station episode Stop the Press in 1991 and aired on the last airing of Storytime with Thomas on Fox Family.

Plot
Percy works in the yard and although he works hard, he can also be very cheeky and often plays jokes. One day, Percy is feeling particularly cheeky, and startles Gordon by telling him his train is ready. Gordon immediately thinks he is running late, only for Percy to reveal a line of dirty trucks. Gordon is cross and tries to think of a way to get back at him.

Percy then goes to James, and tells him that the Fat Controller has sent a message for James to not leave the shed until he comes to see him. James is delighted, thinking the Fat Controller wants him to pull a special and refuses to leave when his driver and fireman try to take him out. As a result, the other engines have to do James' work as well as their own. Finally, an engine inspector arrives and tells James to move. James tells him about the message the Fat Controller sent. The inspector points out the Fat Controller could not have sent a message as he is away. James is furious and quickly leaves to find Percy, but Percy had decided to make himself scarce. When the Fat Controller returns, he tells both engines off for causing trouble.

Sometime later, Percy boasts to Gordon and James that the Fat Controller has sent him to take trucks to Thomas' junction, thinking he was chosen because he is a really useful engine. James, however, thinks it was probably just to keep him out of the way. The big engines then realise that they have a chance to give Percy a dose of his own medicine and claim they were talking about being careful with the signals at the junction, especially "backing signals". Percy, keen to show off, claims that he knows all about signals, but worries as he has never heard of a backing signal before.

Soon, Percy arrives at a signal set to danger. However, when its arm moves up instead of down, Percy, having never seen anything like it before, guesses that it is a backing signal, and begins reversing. Percy's driver is shocked and quickly stops him, but Percy insists that it is a backing signal, and tells him what Gordon and James had said. After the driver tells him the truth, Percy is eager to leave before he is seen, but before he can, Gordon goes past and sees that Percy fell for the trick. Percy quickly and quietly finishes his work.

That night in the sheds, Gordon and James talk about signals; while they think it is funny, Percy is less than impressed.

Characters

 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Thomas (does not speak)
 * Sir Topham Hatt (does not speak)
 * Edward (cameo)
 * Henry (cameo)
 * Annie and Clarabel (deleted scene)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Knapford
 * Knapford Yards
 * Ffarquhar Sheds
 * Elsbridge
 * Suddery Castle
 * The Carriage Shed

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book Percy the Small Engine.
 * Stock footage from Coal is used.
 * In a deleted scene, it is shown that Thomas also had to do James' work when Percy told him to stay in the shed.
 * A season 1-styled truck can be seen behind James in the shed.

Goofs

 * Percy's left cylinder is hanging off throughout most of the episode.
 * When Gordon says "James and I had just been speaking about signals at the junction," part of James' face is coming away from his smokebox.
 * In the close-up of Percy's wheels when he reverses from the signal, a wire is visible.
 * When Percy goes under the pedestrian bridge at Elsbridge, the reflection of a studio member or camera is visible in the shiny part.
 * The signal which Percy stops at is not the sort that is meant to point upwards.
 * The wire used to change the signal is visible.
 * Gordon's eyes are wonky throughout the episode.
 * When Percy pulls away from Gordon, the coal in his second truck is lifted.

Merchandise

 * Magazine stories - Percy and the Signal
 * My Thomas Story Library - Percy (discontinued)
 * Engine Adventures - Percy (discontinued)

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Thomas, Percy and the Coal and Other Stories
 * The Best of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
 * Percy Takes the Plunge (UK DVD)
 * Biggest Party Video Ever!
 * The Best of Percy
 * The Complete Second Series

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection
 * The Best of Friends

US

 * Thomas Gets Bumped and Other Stories
 * Thomas and His Friends Get Along
 * Best of Percy
 * Thomas' Fan Favorite Adventures
 * Season 2 (Digital Download)

DVD Boxsets

 * Best Tales on the Tracks
 * Totally Thomas Volume 8
 * Best of Collection

NZ

 * Thomas, Percy and the Coal and Other Stories
 * Bumper Video Collection Volume 2
 * Thomas Train Set Compilation Video Volume 3

HRV

 * Duck Takes Over

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.8
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.3
 * Anytime With Percy!
 * I Love Thomas DVD Collection
 * The Complete DVD Box 1

FRA

 * Saved from Scrap

AUS

 * Thomas, Percy and the Coal and Other Stories
 * The Complete Second Series
 * The Best of Thomas and Friends - Volume 1
 * My First Thomas with Percy

DVD Boxsets

 * My First Thomas
 * Complete Series 1-10

GER

 * Old Iron and 4 Other Adventures
 * Thomas and His Friends Vol. 4

DNK

 * The Runaway Train and Other Stories

NL

 * A Nasty Case
 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Thomas, Percy and Gordon

NOR/FIN/ISL

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 3

IN

 * Down the Mine and Other Stories

ITA

 * A Daring Rescue

PHL

 * Old Iron (DVD)

MYS

 * Percy and Harold and Other Thomas Adventures

IN

 * Down the Mine and Other Stories

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends

ROM

 * Thomas and the Great Runaway (DVD)

DVD Packs

 * Triple Pack 1

SER

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 3

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4 (DVD)

THA

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 4 (Thai DVD)
 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 5 (Thai DVD)
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