Percy and the Signal

"We had spoken of backing signals. They need extra special care, you know. Would you want 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!".

Plot
One moring, Percy is being cheeky to Gordon by telling him that his train is ready, but then showing him a line of dirty trucks. Next he tricks James into staying in the shed, saying that the Fat Controller wants to talk to him. But when the inspecter arrives and tells James that the Fat Controller is away for the week, James quickly moves and goes to look for Percy.

When the Fat Controller comes back, he is cross with both James and Percy for causing so much trouble. But the very next day, Percy is still being cheeky. Gordon and James deicide to get back at him and talk about "backing signals". Percy believes that they are talking about a real type of signal and claims to know all about them. Percy is worried, but feels better after he sets off with his trucks.

When Percy comes to a signal, the signal's arm moves up instead of down. Percy thinks that is is a backing signal, so he reverses until his driver stops him. Percy tells his driver what Gordon and James told him. His driver laughs and explains. Percy then tries to leave before anyone could see him, but it is to late; Gordon saw everything. That night, the big engines talk about signals. They think it is very funny, but Percy thinks they are being very silly.

Characters

 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Thomas (does not speak)
 * Sir Topham Hatt (does not speak)
 * Edward (cameo)
 * Henry (cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Knapford
 * Knapford Yards
 * Ffarquhar Sheds
 * Elsbridge

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 the restored version of this episode, when Sir Topham Hatt is cross with James and Percy, instead of showing both Percy and James, only James is shown.
 * There are some differences between the UK version and the US versions:
 * In the UK version, Starr says "When The Fat Controller came back, He did see James and Percy too. Both engines wished he hadn't". But in the US version, Carlin says "When Sir Topham Hatt came back he was cross with James and Percy for causing so much trouble".
 * In the UK narration, after Gordon gets teased, Starr says "Gordon thought how to pay Percy out". But in the US version, Carlin says "Gordon thought how to get back at Percy for teasing him".
 * In the UK version, as Gordon and James make their plan, Starr says "They were making a plan", whereas Carlin says "They were going to play a trick on Percy".
 * In the UK version, Starr says "One morning, Percy was careless". But in the US version, Carlin says "But the very next day, Percy was still being cheeky".
 * In the US version, when James says "Where's Percy?", a little music ditty is used. This is absent in the UK version.

Goofs

 * 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.