Percy and Harold

"Stupid thing! Why can't it go and buzz somewhere else?"

- Percy

Percy and Harold retitled Percy Proves a Point in American releases, is the ninth episode of the second season. In the US, it aired on the Shining Time Station episodes Just Wild about Harry's Workshop in 1989 and Field Day in 1991.

Plot
Percy is enjoying life at the harbour, save for the noise of a helicopter often taking off. Percy soon meets the helicopter, Harold, who claims railways are "slow and out-of-date"; Percy is furious. When Percy later puffs down the valley, he sees Harold in the sky and races him. Percy narrowly wins - Harold has to find a suitable landing position - and Percy's fireman sings a song in celebration.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Percy
 * Harold
 * Toby (does not speak)
 * Henry (cameo)
 * Sir Topham Hatt (mentioned)

Locations

 * Anopha Quarry
 * Knapford Harbour
 * The Watermill

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 - you can tell from the shot of Percy's driver leaning out of the cab during the race that it is Henry's cab.
 * In the restored version, the shot of Percy saying "Oh, thank you" is paused.
 * When Percy sees Harold flying, in both of Ringo's narrations, he calls Harold a "stupid thing", while in George's narration, he says "silly thing".

Goofs

 * In the first shot, Percy pushes a box close to the rails.
 * After Thomas says "Well done, Percy! The Fat Controller is very pleased with us!" the camera then cuts to Percy. This is the same shot as the one of the fireman singing; look up at Percy's cab and you can see the fireman's legs.
 * When the narrator says, "An airfield was close by", Thomas' face moves.
 * When Percy says "Stupid thing! Why cannot it go and buzz somewhere else?", his face moves.
 * It is odd that Percy was still smiling after Harold said that he thinks railways are slow, not much use, and out of date.
 * The wind sock beside Harold should have been blown by his rotors when he took off.
 * In the close-up of Percy complaining to Toby about Harold, Percy's eyes look wonky.
 * When Percy gains speed, his back wheel derails.
 * In the aerial shot of Harold flying alongside Percy, a truck vanishes from Percy's train.
 * When Harold flies over the valley, he clips a tree.