Middle Engine

"Help! I'm not a truck!"

- Percy on the coal tipper (UK narration only)

Middle Engine is the fourteenth episode of the sixth season.

Plot
One day, Percy is collecting coal trucks from the Smelters Yard to take to the coaling plant, but 'Arry and Bert play a trick on Percy by shunting trucks in front of him, making him a "middle engine". Percy has to go slowly between the rakes of trucks and James teases him by calling him a "slowcoach". Percy has to shunt the front trucks onto the tipper for the coal to be dumped.

Percy knows it is against the rules for an engine to go on the tipper's loading ramp while it is operating, but when his driver and fireman leave, Henry arrives to collect some coal trucks but is not aware that Percy is there and accidentally bumps him onto the loading ramp, where he is lifted up and brought back down with his coal dumped out. The yard manager is cross with Percy for causing confusion and delay and reports the accident to Sir Topham Hatt.

That night at the sheds, Sir Topham Hatt is also cross with Percy for going onto the loading ramp and sends him to work in the yard until the incident is sorted out. James hopes that no one could hear him bragging that he could handle 'Arry and Bert, but Sir Topham Hatt overhears him and sends James to the Smelters Yard to do Percy's work tomorrow.

The next morning, James meets 'Arry and Bert at the Smelters and tells them to shunt his trucks for him. When James happily collects his trucks, he is sure he got 'Arry and Bert to behave, but 'Arry and Bert play the same trick they played on Percy. James says he is not a "middle engine" and refuses to move, so Percy has to pull James to the Docks. Percy then jokes that James was learning to be a "middle engine", leaving James angry and embarrassed.

Characters

 * James
 * Percy
 * 'Arry and Bert
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Coaling Plant Manager
 * Thomas
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * Duck
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Big Mickey
 * Farmer Trotter

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Callan
 * The Coaling Plant
 * Brendam Docks
 * Knapford
 * Maron
 * The Viaduct
 * The Smelters Yard

Trivia

 * The Coaling Plant manager has a Bronx accent in the American narration.
 * Scrap models of Thomas, Gordon, James, Toad, City of Truro and Donald or Douglas are seen.
 * This episode marks two firsts, one each for 'Arry and Bert:
 * The first time 'Arry is referred to by name.
 * Bert's first speaking role.
 * This is the second episode where a character says, "confusion and delay" after Oliver's Find, but the fourth episode where the phrase is used overall. In the other two episodes, Cranky Bugs and The World's Strongest Engine, it was said by the narrator.
 * In the US narration, the same singular recording of the line "coal cars" from is used throughout the episode. This is most noticeable when Percy is approaching the tipper.
 * The line "I'm not a truck!" is ommitted from the Amercian narration.

Goofs

 * In the first close-ups of Arry and Bert in widescreen, James is meaninglessly standing in between them: This is because footage from later into the episode is used. James cannot be seen next to Bert on 4:3 centre cut prints of this scene.
 * In the shot after Henry arrives, Percy is pushed onto the ramp. In the next shot, he is pushed onto the ramp again.
 * When Percy gets pushed onto the ramp he is not tethered to it, but he is in the next scene.
 * Percy's siderods immediately change position when he is on the loading ramp.
 * When Arry and Bert roll alongside James, James and Bert's eyes are wonky.
 * Percy's steam platform is visible when he leaves with James and the trucks.
 * In a close-up of Percy being tipped over, the rails underneath him disappear.
 * In some of the scenes of Percy being lifted, his wheels do not have counterweights.
 * James said he would not move, but in the shots when Percy is pulling him and the trucks, steam is coming out of James' funnel, as if he was moving.

Quotes
_______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________
 * Percy: Oh bother!
 * 'Arry: Little green piggy in the middle!
 * 'Arry: Little red piggy in the middle!
 * Bert: Just like Percy!
 * James: I am NOT like Percy. I am not a middle engine, and I'm not moving!
 * Narrator: And he didn't.
 * Manager: Right on time! But what is that big red engine doing in the middle?
 * Percy: Learning.
 * Manager: Learning what?
 * Percy: Learning to be a middle engine!

Merchandise

 * Books - Percy and James in the Middle and Thomas, James and the Diesels (Germany only)

Home Media Releases
{{Scroll box|

UK

 * The Chocolate Crunch and other stories
 * The Complete Series 6

DVD Packs

 * Classic Collection
 * Pulling Together! & The Chocolate Crunch Double Pack
 * Brave Little Engines and The Chocolate Crunch Double Pack
 * Peep Peep Party, Engines to the Rescue, & The Chocolate Crunch Triple Pack
 * Double DVD Giftset

WAL

 * Percy Yummy! and Other Stories

US

 * Percy's Chocolate Crunch and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 6

DVD Packs

 * Totally Thomas Volume 1

AUS

 * Twin Trouble (Australian VHS/DVD)
 * The Complete Series 6

DVD Packs

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * 60th Anniversary - Limited Edition Boxset
 * 3 DVDs (Boxset)
 * Series Five and Series Six Double Pack

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.2
 * Mischief Strategy

PHL

 * The World's Strongest Engine (Philippine DVD)

NOR/DK

 * Percy's Chocolate Crash

DK DVD Boxsets

 * Danish DVD Boxset (2008)

SVN

 * Chocolate Percy

MYS

 * Scaredy Engines and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Scaredy Engines and Other Adventures

SWE

 * Percy's Chocolate Dip

ITA

 * The Jet Engine (Italian DVD)

THA
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 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 21 (Thai DVD)
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 14 (Thai DVD)

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