Percy the Small Engine



"Percy the Small Engine" was first published in 1956. It was written by the Reverend W. Awdry and illustrated by C. Reginald Dalby.

Percy The Small Engine Foreward
DEAR CHRISTOPHER, AND GILES, AND PETER, AND CLIVE, Thank you for writing to ask for a book about Percy. He is still cheeky, and we were afraid (The Fat Controller and I) that if he had a book to himself, it might make him cheekier than ever, and that would never do! But Percy has been such a Really Useful Engine that we both think he deserves a book. Here it is. THE AUTHOR

=Stories=

Percy and the Signal
Ater playing jokes on Gordon and James, Percy decides to stay out of their way for a while, but when he is asked to take a train to Knapford he gets careless and goes over to tell them. Seizing their chance, they warn him about "backing signals", and as he stops for the signal outside Knapford, he is convinced that he is waiting for a "backing signal". He ends up making a fool of himself, and Gordon sees the whole episode.

Duck takes Charge
The Fat Controller is getting a new engine to help Percy, but Gordon and James tell Percy that if he worked harder, they wouldn't need one. Percy, cross, works all day and is exhausted, but is happy when the new engine, Montague, known as Duck for his "waddle", arrives. They have a happy day together, but then the big engines order them about. Percy and Duck, in retaliation, block the entrance to the sheds. The Fat Controller comes and tells all five engines off. Percy is sent to work at Knapford, and Duck manages the workload alone.

Percy and Harold
One day at the airfield Percy meets a noisy helicopter, Harold, who says railways are slow and out-of-date. Percy, furious, is later taking some trucks to Knapford when he sees Harold in the air and decides to race him. At the harbour, Percy thinks he's lost, but his fireman sees Harold looking for a place to land. In congratulation, his crew and the workmen sing a song about the race.

Percy's Promise
Thomas is busy and asks Percy to take the Sunday School children home. Percy agrees, but it starts to rain heavily as it's time to leave. Percy stops in front of a flooded paddock, but can't go back, as a bridge has collapsed. As he crosses the paddock, water sloshes into his fire and he stops. Percy struggles on, fuelled by floorboards from the guard's van. After Harold drops some supplies for them, unfortunately landing on Percy's boiler, they make it to safety, and the Fat Controller congratules the two.

=Featured Characters=
 * Percy
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Harold
 * Duck
 * Henry
 * Thomas
 * Toby (does not speak)
 * Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
 * The Fat Controller

=Trivia=
 * The Reverend W. Awdry said Percy looked like "a green caterpillar with red stripes" in the illustrations, which led to C. Reginald Dalby refusing to do any more illustrations for the series. This was later referenced in "Tramway Engines".
 * First appearances of Duck the Great Western Engine, Harold the Helicopter, Ffarquhar and Knapford Harbour.

=Goofs=
 * The workmen in the first illustration of "Percy and the Signal" are dramatically out of perspective.
 * In the sixth illustration of "Duck takes Charge" Duck appears to be taller than Henry.
 * In the final illustration of "Percy and Harold" Percy's fireman is dramatically out of perspective.
 * The electric pole by the single track shed in "Percy and the Signal" disappears.
 * Dalby has drawn Duck with 8750 class windows instead of 5700 windows.