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- “My funnel's cold, my funnel's cold! I want a scarf, I want a scarf!"
"Rubbish, Percy! Engines don't wear scarves."
"Engines with proper funnels do! You've only got a small one!” - ― Percy and Henry arguing over scarves
A Scarf for Percy is the first episode of the third series. It is based on Percy and the Trousers from The Railway Series book, Henry the Green Engine.
Plot
It is a very cold winter morning on the Island of Sodor, with Thomas and Percy in the sheds feeling the brunt of the cold weather. Thomas complains that their firelighter is late but Percy tells him that the cold weather actually woke them up early. As wind and snow make the two engines even colder, the two decide to take their minds off the weather by talking about warm things in the hopes that they will feel less cold as a result. Percy lists off some "warm" things: sunshine, steam and scarves, to which Thomas jokes that Percy needs a nice warm scarf around his funnel. But, while he is only joking, Percy thinks happily about how warm a scarf would be until the firelighter finally arrives.
The Fat Controller is much warmer, that morning, as he enjoys hot porridge for breakfast while looking forward to taking some visitors on a tour of the Island. He tells his wife that he has pressed his best trousers and will put them in his trunk, ready to be changed into before the photographs are taken. Then, he leaves to catch his train.
Soon, Percy is hard at work, still thinking about scarves, which he sees on all the people around him. He complains about his cold funnel to Henry, telling him he wants a scarf. Henry tells Percy that engines do not wear scarves but Percy retorts that Henry cannot because his funnel is too small. Henry is insulted but Percy puffs away before he can answer, leaving the bigger engine to huff it off as he prepares to pull the special train.
At the station, it is nearly time for the photographs and the Fat Controller is waiting anxiously for his trousers. The trousers are in a trunk on a baggage trolley being carried across the line by two porters walking backwards, so as to ensure that nothing falls off the trolley. Percy, still feeling cheeky, arrives at the station and his driver shuts off steam as usual. Percy decides to startle the coaches by coming in as quietly as possible. However, he is so quiet that the porters do not hear him either. Percy does not stop until it is too late. He crashes into the trolley and the force of the impact sends the luggage, including a crate of jam, flying into the air.
The jam splatters across Percy, the Fat Controller and the passengers while a top hat lands on Percy's lamp iron and the Fat Controller's best pair of trousers are wrapped around Percy's funnel as if they were a scarf. Everyone is very angry, especially the Fat Controller, who seizes his hat before discovering what has become of his trousers, making him even angrier. He tells Percy that, now, they will have to pay the passengers for their ruined clothes and warns him to never play tricks on the coaches again. Percy feels very silly and quickly leaves for the yard.
Percy soon encounters James, who jokes that Percy found a scarf after all and runs off to tell Henry the news. That evening, Thomas and a now-cleaned Percy prepare to go to sleep, happy that the firelighter has agreed to arrive early the next morning. Henry arrives, having enjoyed taking the passengers on their tour and feels sorry for Percy. Henry mentions the weather will be warmer the next day and jokes that Percy will not need a scarf. Percy replies that engines do not need scarves, they need warm boilers.
Characters
- Thomas
- Henry
- James
- Percy
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Lady Hatt (not named; does not speak)
- Jeremiah Jobling (cameo)
- Farmer Trotter (cameo)
- The New Signalman (cameo)
- The Father (cameo)
- The Firelighter (mentioned)
- Troublesome Trucks (deleted scene)
Locations
- Tidmouth Sheds
- Topham Hall
- Dryaw
- Knapford
- The Watermill (deleted scene)
Trivia
- This episode marks the first of several things:
- The first episode narrated by Michael Angelis in the UK, Gro Solemdal in Norway for the original Norwegian dub, Håkan Mohede in Sweden and Aku Laitinen in Finland.
- The first episode produced solely by The Britt Allcroft Company (later known as Gullane Entertainment).
- The first episode to feature Thomas' smaller footsteps.
- The first episode to premiere on home video before airing on television in the UK, as well the first to be redubbed in English before its UK TV broadcast.
- Britt Allcroft's first episode as producer, as well as Angus Wright's first episode as executive producer.
- The first episode to use the shot of Thomas in front of Tidmouth Sheds for the end credits, though only in the later versions.
- The first episode video edited by Lee Myung-pil for JEI TV since the first series episode, Thomas' Christmas Party in South Korea.
- The first episode to have original material from Allcroft and Mitton added on to one of the Awdrys' stories, by means of extending the plot as the length of the original story 'Percy and the Trousers' was considered too short.
- Henry, James and Sir Topham Hatt's first speaking roles in the series premiere.
- The first episode in the series to be dubbed in Finnish.
- A deleted scene shows a truck getting splashed with jam. This shot is later used in Accidents Will Happen. Another deleted scene shows Percy pulling the red coaches past the water mill. A third shows Percy wearing a different scarf. This was used for the song Winter Wonderland.
- When first repeated on CiTV on 8 January 1993, Thomas and Percy's dialogue at the beginning has been trimmed and all the scenes featuring Henry were cut out to fit the time slot.
- A CGI Series recreation of the scene where Percy crashes into the baggage trolley was made for the 2012 special, Blue Mountain Mystery, as well a reference of this episode in said special.
- From this episode to the fifth series, Thomas' cross face now has stern-looking eyebrows above his left and right eye sockets. Also, Henry's smiling face now has smaller eyebrows till the fifth series.
- This episode was shown alongside Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party in an airing of Storytime with Thomas.
- In the restored version:
- An alternate take of Percy pulling up next to Henry at Knapford Yards is used where he pulls up further past Henry. However, in the next scene, he is right next to Henry.
- Henry's eye movements are different when he tells Percy that engines do not wear scarves compared to the original version.
- The shot of Percy's eyes spinning when he says, "Oh!" is left at its original speed, thus he does not look up at the end.
- One of the shots of the jam and crates falling on him is omitted.
- The beginning of James' close-up is extended, as his eye movement is different compared to the original version and more steam is flowing.
- Percy's accident was based on an event which took place at a railway station in Salisbury, Wiltshire.
- A large brown building, the fire station and the steel rig from Tugs can be seen. This is the first episode that features props from said show.
- This episode was never released on home video in South Korea.
Goofs
- Percy's eyes are misaligned in many scenes.
- In the beginning:
- The source of the smoke is visible.
- Thomas and Percy do not appear to have frost on them but, in the next scene, they do.
- Thomas' eyes are misaligned.
- Thomas's dome is crooked a bit.
- The trousers are largely out of scale.
- In the UK re-dub, when the Fat Controller says, "I shall put [the trousers] in my trunk and change into them just before the photographs are taken," Michael Angelis waits an unusually long length of time before adding, "he said to his wife."
- In the restored version, when Percy passes the canal, he starts to slow down.
- Percy's lamp keeps disappearing and reappearing during the morning.
- When Percy puffs alongside Henry:
- The track he was on leads to a dead end.
- Henry's brake pipe is crooked.
- He also does not stop ahead of Henry in the original version, but in the next scene, he is ahead of Henry.
- One of the porters' trousers keep changing from green to brown.
- When Percy crashes into the trolley:
- Only one of the porters appears to be wobbling.
- He is smiling.
- He appears to have derailed after hitting the trolley but he is still on the track in the next shot.
- He seems to have run it over after he jumps. However, in the next shot, the trolley is somehow in front of him.
- The crate that was spinning in the air fell twice on him.
- There had been two suitcases on the trolley that were pulled upward by a string before Percy crashed into the trolley.
- The suitcases being pulled up can only be seen in an extended version of the crash featured in the third series version of Thomas' Anthem.
- When Percy leaves after having his accident, the Fat Controller and the passengers are suddenly clean.
- James' face is loose when Percy pulls up alongside him and his eyes are misaligned. Percy's cylinder is also coming loose.
- In the close up of Thomas at the end, the lighting appears to have changed.
Quotes
- Thomas: [tired of the blizzard] All I want is a warm boiler. Fire lighter knows that. He's late!
- Percy: He's not late. This cold weather woke us up early.
- Narrator: Gusts of wind swirled around the shed, tossing flakes of snow towards Thomas. Then they swooshed around Percy, too.
- Percy: Why don't we talk about something else?
- Thomas: Yes, like how silly we'll look when our funnels turn into icicles.
- Percy: That's not funny. Maybe we'll stop feeling cold if we talk about warm things, like sunshine and steam.
- Thomas: And fire lighters.
- Percy: [pictures himself in a scarf] Scarves!
- Thomas: Scarves?! That's what you need, Percy. A wooly scarf around your funnel.
- Narrator: Thomas was only teasing but Percy thought happily about scarves until the firelighter came.
- The Fat Controller: [seizes his top hat] Mine! Percy, look at this.
- Percy: Yes, sir. I am, sir.
- The Fat Controller: My best trousers, too.
- Percy: Yes, sir. Please, sir.
- The Fat Controller: We must pay the passengers for their spoiled clothes and my trousers are ruined. I hope this will teach you not to play tricks with the coaches.
- James: Hello Percy. So you found a scarf, eh? But legs go in trousers, not funnels.
In Other Languages
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Merchandise
- Take-n-Play - Tales from the Past Engines Pack (discontinued)
- Buzz Book - A Scarf for Percy
Home Video Releases
Episode
References
| #01 A Scarf for Percy | #10 The Trouble with Mud | #19 One Good Turn |
| #02 Percy's Promise | #11 No Joke for James | #20 Tender Engines |
| #03 Time for Trouble | #12 Thomas, Percy and the Post Train | #21 Escape |
| #04 Gordon and the Famous Visitor | #13 Trust Thomas | #22 Oliver Owns Up |
| #05 Donald's Duck | #14 Mavis | #23 Bulgy |
| #06 Thomas Gets Bumped | #15 Toby's Tightrope | #24 Heroes |
| #07 Thomas, Percy and the Dragon | #16 Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party | #25 Percy, James and the Fruitful Day |
| #08 Diesel Does It Again | #17 Buzz, Buzz | #26 Thomas and Percy's Christmas Adventure |
| #09 Henry's Forest | #18 All at Sea | |