A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter

"It made me feel like a Really Useless Engine!"

- Percy

A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter, retitled A Bad Day for Harold in American releases, is the fourth episode of the sixth season.

Plot
Percy is getting annoyed that Harold keeps on delivering the mail, even though it's his job, but Harold just says it's what friends are for. One morning, Percy is happily delivering the mail, but gets stuck at a broken signal. He could not go past it as it was stuck at danger, so Harold had to be called to take the mail for him. At first they load a few bags in his net, but Harold demands that all the mail should be loaded in so he isn't slow, like Percy. So they load all the mail into the net, and Harold begins to set off.

Just as Harold sets off with the mail, the signal is fixed. Everyone tries to call Harold back, but he does not hear them. But his net is far too heavy for him. While he is up in the air, his engine starts to rattle and the heavy mail causes him to lose control. The mail net gets stuck in a tree and Harold falls down into a haystack. Percy was shocked and puffs over to Harold and asks if he is alright. Harold tells Percy to get someone to pull him out of the haystack, which he does at once.

Back at Tidmouth Sheds, some of the engines were teasing Harold. The helicopter thanks Percy for helping him out of the haystack and Percy said that is what friends are for.

Characters

 * Percy
 * Harold
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Thomas (cameo)
 * Henry (cameo)
 * Gordon (cameo)
 * James (cameo)
 * Toby (cameo)
 * Duck (cameo)
 * Donald or Douglas (cameo)
 * Bill and Ben (cameo)
 * Mavis (cameo)
 * Henrietta (cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Centre Island Quarry
 * The Fat Controller's Office
 * Misty Valley
 * The Seaside Village

Trivia

 * In a picture of Harold flying through Misty Valley, Toby and Henrietta are not present.
 * This is one of the few episodes of the sixth season later re-narrated by Michael Brandon.
 * This marks the final appearance of Percy and Harold's rivalry.

Goofs

 * When Percy stops at the broken signal, the steam disappears and then reappears due to a film cut.
 * In some close-ups of Percy at the broken signal, the track beside him stops at the background.
 * When Harold crashes into the haystack, he is smiling and his rotor blades have disappeared.
 * Studio equipment and a crew member are visible in the reflection of James' carriage windows when he passes the camera.
 * In the shot of Percy beside the haystack, Harold looks as if he landed on the haystack.
 * In a close-up of Thomas, a camera's shadow can be seen on James.
 * In the shot of Percy passing the church, he has three mail cars. In all the shots after that, he has two.
 * When Percy arrives at the broken signal, his first mail truck shakes.

UK

 * The Fogman and Other Stories
 * Bumper Party Collection!
 * The Complete Sixth Series

US

 * Salty's Secret and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Engine Friends

AUS

 * Thomas and the Jet Engine
 * The Complete Sixth Series
 * The Best of Thomas and Friends - Volume 1
 * My First Thomas with Bertie and Harold