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 signalbox and the spiteful break 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 doesn't 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 doesn't 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 Brakevan (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 reference to Break Van is made.
 * A pre-filmed deleted scene from Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree is used - you 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 signalbox."
 * When James remarks about the Spiteful Brakevan, 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.
 * 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 the other.
 * To the left of the watermill, there is green grass that's not covered in snow.
 * One of the twins doesn't have his snow plow on in the opening scene
 * It's 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.

Merchandise

 * Motor Road and Rail - Donald and Douglas Snowplough set (Japan only; 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
 * Classic Collection

US

 * Sweet and Sour
 * Thomas, Percy and the Dragon and Other Stories

DVD Packs

 * Thomas and the Treasure/Thomas, Percy and the Dragon and Other Stories Double Feature

AUS

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

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10 (Boxset)

NZ

 * Thomas Train Set Compilation Video Volume 5

NL

 * Percy and Harold (Dutch DVD)

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 9
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.1
 * The Engine Twins

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

NOR

 * Thomas Celebrates Christmas (Norwegian VHS/DVD)
 * 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
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