Diesel Does it Again

"What are you doing here?" "Your worthy Fat - um, Sir Topham Hatt sent me. I hope you are pleased to see me again. I am to shunt some dreadfully tiresome trucks." "Shunt where?" "Where? Why from here to there! And again from there to here! Easy, isn't it?"

- Duck, Diesel and Percy

Diesel Does it Again is the eighth episode of the third season. It first aired on Shining Time Station in the episode Yabba, Yabba, Yabba in 1991.

Plot
Duck and Percy enjoy their work at the harbour yards pulling trucks to and from the quay, but one day the engines feel exhausted. The Fat Controller understands this and promises that another engine will come and help out. Percy and Duck are very glad to hear this, but their relief turns to shock when none other than Diesel arrives. The two engines, who have not worked with Diesel for a long time, ask him what he is doing there. Diesel tells Percy and Duck that he is to shunt some dreadfully tiresome trucks and to make himself clear, he bumps some trucks hard.

Percy and Duck are horrified as they do not trust Diesel and refuse to work with him and do not leave the harbour shed. The Fat Controller is enjoying his tea when he gets a call on the telephone saying that there is trouble at the harbour yard. Diesel is working loudly and alone and as a result the work starts to pile up as the cargo and passengers are delayed on the quay. People soon start complaining about the railway.



The Fat Controller demands an explanation from Percy and Duck and they explain that they will not work with Diesel. The Fat Controller tells the two that he has to give Diesel a second chance as he was the only engine available and is trying to help Percy and Duck out by bringing him to the harbour, demanding that the two go back to work. With no choice, Percy and Duck do as they are told.

Next morning, things are no better as Diesel's driver had not put Diesel's brakes on properly and he bumps straight into Percy without apologising. Later, Diesel bumps some trucks so hard that the loads fall everywhere. Percy and Duck are worried as to what the Fat Controller will say, but they do not want to tell on Diesel since they do not want to be called "tattle-tales".

Next day, Diesel, who now thinks he can get away with anything, is ruder than ever as he shunts some trucks full of China Clay. He bumps the trucks into some unsecured buffers, which lead the trucks to sink into the sea. The Fat Controller heard the news. That evening, the trucks are lifted out of the sea, but the clay is lost. The Fat Controller is furious with Diesel, telling him that things worked better at the harbour before he arrived. He will be sent away again, only this time he will not be invited back. He then tells Duck and Percy that they will have to handle all the work by themselves again. Knowing that extra work is preferable to working with Diesel, Percy and Duck gladly agree and start their jobs as Diesel slinks away.

Characters

 * Percy
 * Duck
 * Diesel
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Thomas (cameo)
 * James (cameo)
 * Stephen Hatt (cameo)
 * Bridget Hatt (cameo)

Locations

 * Knapford Harbour
 * Sir Topham Hatt's Office

Trivia

 * This episode was adapted from the magazine stories, Trouble in the Harbour Yard and Bumps.
 * Diesel being the only available engine was based on Thomas and the Evil Diesel.
 * A CGI flashback of the scene where Diesel pushes the trucks into the water was later made for the nineteenth season episode, Diesel's Ghostly Christmas.
 * A tractor prop, S.S.Vienna and Big Mickey's models from TUGS are visible.
 * In the restored version, the last few seconds of the scene of Diesel passing Duck and Percy before he bumped the trucks are cut off, Sir Topham Hatt's head is turned different when he said "What's all this?" and Diesel's eye movement is different when he calls Duck and Percy tattle-tales.
 * In a deleted scene, Duck and Percy are in different spots when the Fat Controller questions their refusal to work with Diesel.

Goofs

 * When Percy and Duck are pulling trucks in the first shot, the steam under Percy goes off too late.
 * In one scene, Percy has Thomas' tired face mask on, but in a deleted scene, Percy is wearing his correct tired face mask.
 * When Thomas is seen leaving the station, he blows off steam, but it suddenly disappears as another train comes in, thus indicating a film cut.
 * The trucks Diesel shoved hit the end of the set, as Diesel's wheels continued moving. In addition, the track behind Diesel ends at a wall, indicating the edge of the set.
 * Shortly before Diesel bumps into Percy, the former's eyes are wonky.
 * When Percy leaves at the end, steam can be seen coming from the track after he has gone.
 * In the early UK narration, the narrator says "arrive" wrong when Duck and Percy were waiting for the engine to arrive.
 * The events of the accident that Diesel caused take place at Knapford Harbour, but Big Mickey is stationed at Brendam Docks, which did not appear until the fifth season.
 * When Sir Topham Hatt scolds Diesel, he is missing his eyebrows.
 * Before Diesel bumps into Percy, his piston appears to be broken.

Quotes
_______________________________________________________________________________________
 * Percy: What will the Fat Controller say?
 * Duck: He won't like it.
 * Diesel: So who's going to tell him I wonder? Two little goody-goody tell-tales like you I suppose.
 * The Fat Controller: [to Diesel, after his mishap with the trucks earlier] The harbour master has told me everything. Things worked much better here before you arrived. I shall not be inviting you back! Now, Duck and Percy, I hope you won't mind having to handle the work by yourselves again.


 * Percy: Oh, no, Sir.
 * Duck: Yes, please, Sir.

Merchandise

 * Buzz Books - Diesel Does it Again

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Time for Trouble and other stories (Direct-to-Home Video)
 * Thomas Gets Bumped and 17 Other Stories
 * Ghost Train and other stories/Time for Trouble and other stories
 * The Complete Series 3

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection

WAL

 * Thomas the Tank Engine: Bumper Special 1

US

 * Thomas Gets Bumped and Other Stories
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 3

DVD Packs

 * Totally Thomas Volume 8

AUS

 * Time of Trouble and Other Stories
 * The Complete Series 3
 * My First Thomas with Diesel

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * My First Thomas
 * Classic Collection
 * Series Three and Series Four Double Pack

NZ

 * Time for Trouble and other stories
 * Bumper Video Collection Volume 4
 * Thomas Train Set Compilation Video Volume 2

KOR

 * Stories to Raise Cooperation

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.13
 * I Will Not Loose to the Diesel
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.4
 * The Complete DVD Box 1

PHL

 * Time for Trouble (DVD)

NL

 * The Ghost Train (Dutch DVD)
 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Edward, Toby and the Diesels

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends

GER

 * Thomas and His Friends Vol. 6
 * Rail Free for Steam and Diesel!

NOR

 * Anniversary
 * Thomas, Percy and the Post Train

FIN

 * Thomas, Percy and the Post Train

DK

 * Now There Will Be Trouble and Other Stories

MYS

 * Diesel Does it Again and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Don't Tell Thomas and Other Adventures

IN

 * Ghost Train and Other Stories

ITA

 * On Christmas Eve

SER

 * Synchronized 1

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4 (DVD)

THA

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 6 (Thai DVD)
 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 9 (Thai DVD)
 * }}