Percy and the Oil Painting

"Bust my buffers! You want to paint me?!"

- Percy

Percy and the Oil Painting is the first episode of the ninth season.

Plot
The Mayor of Sodor has invited an artist to paint the "Spirit of Sodor". The Fat Controller chooses Percy to collect him and show him around. Percy is curious to know what the "Spirit of Sodor" is and Thomas tells him that it is something special about Sodor. Full of confidence, Percy goes to Brendam Docks.

Percy collects the famous artist and takes him to Shen Valley. But, the famous artist dismisses it as being "too green", so Percy takes him to Norramby Beach. Once again, the famous artist is very negative and calls the sand "too yellow". All this negativity from the famous artist makes Percy upset deep inside his boiler.

Going about the Island, the famous artist calls the viaduct "too tall", the windmill "too round" and Knapford Station "too busy". This makes Percy very cross and Gordon thinks that the famous artist is very rude. Percy tells the famous artist that everywhere on Sodor is special including people, children, and engines. However, Percy accidentally lets off steam, blowing the famous artist's hat into the air. The famous artist wants to see the Fat Controller, making Percy think that he's in trouble.

But Percy is not in trouble - the famous artist tells the Fat Controller that he is going to paint a picture of Percy; because he's honest, hard-working, and never afraid to speak his mind - he is the "Spirit of Sodor". That night at Knapford Station, Percy and the other engines see the painting for the first time and Percy is very happy to be the "Spirit of Sodor".

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Percy
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Famous Artist
 * Gordon (does not speak)
 * James (does not speak)
 * The Mayor of Sodor (does not speak)
 * Edward (cameo)
 * Henry (cameo)
 * Toby (cameo)
 * Annie and Clarabel (cameo)
 * Caroline (cameo)
 * Lady Hatt (cameo)
 * Stephen Hatt (cameo)
 * Jeremiah Jobling (cameo)
 * The Refreshment Lady (cameo)
 * The Storyteller (cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Brendam Docks
 * Shen Valley
 * Norramby Beach
 * The Viaduct
 * The Windmill
 * Knapford

Trivia

 * Stock footage from Too Hot for Thomas is used.
 * In Germany, this episode is called "Percy and the Spirit of Sodor". The Norwegian title is "Percy and the Painting". In Denmark, it is named "Percy and the Artist". The Japanese title is "Percy and the Famous Painter".
 * The Mayor is not the same mayor that usually appears.
 * In the US version, the artist has a French accent.

Goofs

 * Percy blows the artist's hat into the air, but when the artist talks to the Fat Controller he still has his hat!
 * The artist paints Percy from the left side, but the painting shows Percy has been painted from the right side.
 * The river under the viaduct now has a railway line running underneath it.
 * Percy should have taken a van to carry the artist's canvas and paints, and a guard's van to transport the artist.
 * Gordon has Henry's whistle sound at the beginning of the episode.
 * Gordon's eyes are very wonky in the first shot of Knapford.
 * The Mayor is said to pull the cord that unveils the painting, but he is missing in the close-ups.