Percy Runs Away

"I've got to stop, I've got to stop... I have stopped!"

- Percy

Percy Runs Away is the seventeenth episode of the first season.

Plot
The big engines where miserable being shut up in the shed. The Fat Controller came and told them that if they promised to work hard and not complain about shunting, he would let them out. Gordon, Henry, and James all agreed, so they resumed their duties on the mainline.

The Fat Controller was proud of Edward, Thomas, and Percy. As a reward for keeping the railway running, they were allowed to play on the branchline for a few days. Annie and Clarabel were delighted to have Thomas back whilst Percy and Edward played with trucks. Percy also enjoyed being cheeky to the big engines.

One evening, Percy had to run onto the mainline to return to the sheds. Edward told him to whistle when he got to the signalbox so that the signalman would know he was there, but Percy was too excited at the time to listen to him. When he arrived at the signalbox, he waited for the signalman to change the points, but forgot to whistle. Then heading towards him was Gordon with the express! Gordon stopped just in time, but Percy was so startled, he puffed all the way up Gordon's Hill and into a siding ending in a bank of earth. Gordon came to his rescue and congratulated Percy on stopping a nasty accident.

Characters

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

Locations

 * Knapford
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Lower Suddery
 * Wellsworth
 * Gordon's Hill

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Troublesome Engines.
 * Stock footage from Trouble in the Shed is used.
 * In the UK narration, the Fat Controller says, "I hope you are sorry, and understand that you are not so important after all." In the US narration, he says, "I hope you are sorry, and understand that every job on the island is important."
 * In both Ringo Starr versions, Percy says "You were clever to stop". But, in the George Carlin version, Gordon is the one who says it.

Goofs

 * Annie and Clarabel's names are missing when Thomas takes them away.
 * In the close-ups of Wellsworth, greenery appears behind Percy.
 * The narrator says that Edward took some empty trucks to the quarry, but the last three are full.
 * In one close-up of Percy at the points, the camera jumps a bit.
 * In some shots while Percy runs away, his crew is in his cab.
 * Percy goes further back from the signalbox without moving.
 * Gordon said to Percy that he started so quickly that he stopped an accident, but Percy started long after Gordon stopped.
 * If you look on a map of Sodor, the branchline to Suddery is between Wellsworth and Gordon's Hill. Percy should have passed the line before he went up Gordon's Hill, but he still ends up in Suddery. He should have ended up in Maron.
 * The signalman should not have set the signals for the express without first making sure the line was clear.
 * In the last shot, a track in front of the camera dead ends.