The Deputation

"Edward says we need a-- a depot station!" "Of course! The question is..." "What is a desperation?" "It's when engines tell the Fat Controller something's wrong."

- Gordon, Henry and Percy

The Deputation is the seventeenth episode of the second season. It aired in the US on the Shining Time Station episode, Sweet and Sour in 1991.

Plot
Heavier than normal snow has fallen on the Island of Sodor and while the other engines hate it, Donald and Douglas are used to the conditions and clear the lines. They soon encounter one snow drift which is deeper than the rest and which has nearly buried Henry; they promise to get him out.

Henry is rescued and returns to the shed, but both Donald and Douglas are upset. They know the Fat Controller will be returning soon and after destroying a signal box and the Spiteful Brake Van between them, are worried that he will send one or possibly both of them away, which would lead to them being scrapped. The other engines agree that Donald and Douglas both deserve to stay and decide something has to be done; however, no-one can think of what.

Percy talks to Edward about the situation and he suggests that the engines nominate someone to talk to the Fat Controller, a deputation. Percy relays this to the others that they need a "disputation" and they agree to this. After a long silence, Gordon nominates a horrified Percy to do the job.

The Fat Controller returns and a nervous Percy stammers through his speech about allowing the twins to stay. The Fat Controller catches on that Percy is a deputation and tells him he understands.

Later in the sheds, the Fat Controller responds to the engines' request. After informing them, although he understands their feelings, he does not appreciate them interfering in his decision making. He then surprises everyone by awarding Donald and Douglas, as a result of their good work in the snow, with new coats of paint and their names painted on them and warns them that he does not want to see any more mistakes. The engines realise that the Fat Controller is allowing both twins to stay and overjoyed, drown out the rest of his speech with happy whistles.

Characters

 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Duck
 * Donald and Douglas
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Bertie (cameo)
 * The Spiteful Brake Van (mentioned)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Suddery Castle
 * Tidmouth
 * The Watermill
 * Wellsworth

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, The Twin Engines.
 * A pre-filmed deleted scene from Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree is used - the viewer can tell because in the first shot, greenery appears in the snow in the top left corner.
 * This marks the first time the works unit coach is used without the Breakdown Train.
 * The "Chorus of Whistles" at the end of the episode is re-used in Paint Pots and Queens and Thomas and the Special Letter.

Goofs

 * When Donald and Douglas leave the yard back-to-back, a truck is being derailed.
 * Gordon's right buffer is bent when he says "A lot of nonsense about a broken signal box."
 * When James remarks about the Spiteful Brake Van, there appears to be a spot of paint above his right eye (viewer perspective).
 * When Percy reverses to tell the engines about a deputation, the track in front of him bounces upward.
 * During the long silence, Douglas' tender is derailed.
 * Gordon and Percy's eyes are off-centre for the majority of the episode.
 * When the engines whistle, one of the twins is missing an eyebrow and James' eyes stop rolling.
 * Sir Topham Hatt says that their names would be painted on, but they instead received nameplates.
 * Donald and Douglas are seen with nameplates in a few scenes. In the scene where the twins rescue Henry, Donald has his on one side, but not on the other.
 * To the left of the watermill, there is green grass that is not covered in snow.
 * One of the twins does not have his snowplough on in the opening scene.
 * It is said that Donald and Douglas had a van between their tenders, but they actually had a coach.
 * During the long silence, Percy's cab roof is lifted at the back.
 * After the long silence, Percy's eyes are wonky.
 * The captions with the Amazon Video release mistakenly refer to Henry as James when he cries for help while stuck in the snowbank at the beginning of the episode.

Merchandise

 * Motor Road and Rail - Donald and Douglas Snowplough set (Japan only; discontinued)
 * My Thomas Story Library - Donald and Douglas (discontinued)

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * The Deputation and Other Stories
 * The Best of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
 * A Close Shave (DVD)
 * Thomas' Christmas Party and 17 other stories
 * Ghost Train and other stories/Time for Trouble and other stories
 * The Complete Second Series

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection

US

 * Sweet and Sour
 * Thomas, Percy and the Dragon and Other Stories
 * Season 2 (Digital Download)

DVD Packs

 * Totally Thomas Volume 7
 * Thomas and the Treasure/Thomas, Percy and the Dragon and Other Stories Double Feature
 * On-the-Go Pack

AUS

 * The Deputation and other Stories
 * The Complete Second Series
 * My First Thomas with The Twin Engines

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10 (Boxset)
 * Classic Collection
 * Series One and Series Two Double Pack

NZ

 * The Deputation and Other Stories
 * Thomas Train Set Compilation Video Volume 5

KOR

 * Stories to Raise Cooperation

NL

 * Percy and Harold (Dutch DVD)
 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Thomas, Percy and Gordon

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 9
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.1
 * The Engine Twins
 * The Best Collection
 * Fun Stories Popped Out from Picture Book

DVD Boxsets

 * The Complete DVD Box 1

PHL

 * The Deputation (DVD)

HRV

 * Better Late Than Never (Croatian DVD)

GER

 * Better Late Than Never and 4 Other Adventures
 * Friends Help Friends
 * Thomas and His Friends Vol. 5

DVD Boxsets

 * Thomas and His Friends Box Set 1

NOR

 * Thomas Celebrates Christmas
 * Thomas the Tank Engine 4 (Norwegian VHS/DVD)

FIN/ISL

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 4

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends

SA

 * Volume 4 (VHS)

ITA

 * The Brave Locomotive

MYS

 * The Deputation and Other Adventures
 * Thomas Comes to Breakfast and Other Thomas Adventures (Malaysian DVD)

IND

 * Pop Goes the Diesel and Other Stories

ROM

 * Thomas Comes to Breakfast (Romanian DVD)

DVD Packs

 * Triple Pack 2

SER

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 3

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4 (DVD)

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 7 (Thai DVD)
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 5 (Thai DVD)
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