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This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the magazine story, the VHS, the Dutch DVD, the German DVD or the Engine Adventures book.

“Let me in! Let me in!"
"No, no! Not by the smoke of my chimney, chim chim!"
"I'll chuff and I'll puff and I'll break your door in!”
― Percy and Toby

Ghost Train, retitled Percy's Ghostly Trick in American releases, is the twenty-fourth episode of the second series. It is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Tramway Engines.

Plot

Percy is telling Thomas and Toby the story of a ghost train that his driver told him the night before and is afraid to think of it. However, Thomas does not believe a word and runs off calling Percy a silly little engine. Percy tells his driver that Thomas did not believe in the ghost and Percy's driver explains that it was a story on television. Percy cannot help but be disappointed.

That evening, after his work at the harbour is done, Percy runs light back to the shed. Percy enjoys running at night and knows exactly where he is despite the dark. What Percy does not know is that a broken cart of lime is ahead on the tracks. While Sam the farmer has gone for help, Percy comes down the line and smashes the cart to pieces and the lime completely covers Percy, who runs to the nearest signal box.

At the signal, Percy meets Toby and his driver explains to the signalman what happened. The signalman arranges to sort out the hazard on the line but suggests Percy be cleaned up as he looks like a ghost. This gives Percy an idea to scare Thomas and asks not to be cleaned until he plays his trick. Toby agrees to help.

At the sheds, Thomas is preparing to take his evening train, when Toby, pretending to be scared, arrives and tells him that Percy has had an accident. Thomas is concerned for Percy but also worries that this will make him late. Toby tells him the line has been cleared, but that he thinks he saw Percy's ghost. Thomas is unconcerned and tells Toby not to worry.

After this, however, a ghostly voice comes from outside demanding to be let in. Thomas is frightened as the shed doors open and reveal what appears to be Percy's ghost. Thomas, terrified, quickly runs off to collect Annie and Clarabel.

The next morning, Thomas finally returns and meets Toby at the station. When Toby asks what happened, Thomas reveals he slept in the goods shed claiming he did not want to intrude as Toby would be sad about Percy. However, as he makes his excuse, Percy whistles in the distance and allows Thomas to run off, still scared.

Percy, who is now cleaned up and none the worse for his adventure, arrives having heard everything. Percy cannot help but be pleased as Toby remarks that Thomas is acting as if he had seen a ghost.

Characters

Locations

Trivia

  • This is the 50th episode of the television series overall.
  • The ghost steam train is just Percy's model covered in white streamers with Edward's whistle sound.
  • In both english narrations, when Toby says "Anyone would think that our Thomas had just seen a ghost," a reverb effect is used on "ghost" to provide a scary-like feel.
  • Percy and Toby's exchange at the sheds is a spoof of the tale of The Three Little Pigs.
  • The crate of treacle, later used in the next episode, is seen twice: first at the scene of Tidmouth Station in between one of the Breakdown Train's cranes and the two brake vans, the second when Percy scares Thomas at the end.
  • A deleted scene shows Terence with the lime cart.
  • When Thomas interrupts Percy during his ghost story at the beginning and when Percy talks to his driver about it, it is daytime in the original version of the episode. In the restored version, it is close to dusk.
  • Ringo Starr's US narration of this episode has been broadcast on Shining Time Station but was never released on home video in any form.
  • In the restored version of the episode, the fade effect after Thomas leaves Tidmouth Station is missing.
  • This episode's title in the Korean dub is "유령기차" which is the same title as the seventeenth series episode, The Phantom Express in the same dub.
  • According to the Conductor's trading card, the Conductor helped Percy play his ghostly trick on Thomas in this episode.
  • Unlike other episodes, Percy's lamp is placed on his middle shaft, not the one on his right (viewers' left). This is mainly due to him using the original UK headcode of "Light Engine."
  • This is the first episode told by George Carlin in the US alongside the third series episode, Thomas, Percy and the Dragon during its Shining Time Station air date.
  • This episode marked the only occurrences of two things:
    • The only episode in the series to date to feature Toryreck Junction.
    • The only appearance of Percy's Ghost Engine.
  • This episode marked the last occurrences of a few things:

Goofs

  • In the opening shot of the viaduct, a light on the scaffolding goes on a bit too late.
  • In the shot of Toby telling Thomas about Percy's accident, the film has been cut since his eyes jerk from up to down.
  • In the restored version, Toby leaves Percy to go to the sheds a little later than he did in the original, but the puffing noise starts before he moves. This is because an alternate take of Toby leaving was used instead of the original analogue shot.
  • During the scene when Thomas visits Toby at the station after his scare, Thomas is right next to Toby for the wide shots, but is a little further forward during his close-ups.
  • As Thomas leaves the sheds, his lamp is off and slightly tilted to the left (viewers' right), there are wires next to the windows outside and what appears to be a piece of wood can be seen behind the doors.
  • When Percy is puffing through the valley, he has a black box attached to his cab. This is most likely the power source for his head lamp. This can also be seen on the back of Percy's Ghost Engine, earlier in the episode.
  • When Percy comes into the shed, Toby's face mask is loose.
  • When Percy passes the windmill, his tail lamp is not red.
  • Clarabel is facing the wrong way when Thomas leaves Tidmouth.
  • When Percy enters the sheds, his lamp is slightly crooked.

Quotes

[in Percy's story, a ghost engine runs across the island]
Percy: And every year, on the date of the accident, it runs again as a warning to others, plunging into the gap, shrieking like a lost soul!
[cut back to the quarry]
Thomas: Percy, what are you talking about?
Percy: The ghost train. Driver saw it last night.
Thomas and Toby: Where?
Percy: He didn't say. Oh, it makes my wheels wobble to think of it!
Thomas: Ha! You're just a silly little engine. I'm not scared!

Percy: Thomas didn't believe in your ghost.
Driver: Neither do I. UK: It was a pretend ghost on television./US: It was only a pretend ghost story.

[after Percy's work in the harbour, he returns home that evening]
Narrator: Percy knew where he was, even in the dark.
Percy: Crowe's Farm Crossing. We shan't be long now.

[after Percy's driver explains about the unexpected encounter with the lime cart]
Signalman: I'll see to it, but you'd better clean Percy or people will think he's a ghost.
Percy: Do let's pretend I'm a ghost and scare Thomas. That'll teach him to say I'm a silly little engine!

Toby: Percy's had an accident!
Thomas: Poor engine! Botheration! That means I'll be late!
Toby: They've cleared the line for you, but there's something worse!
Thomas: Out with it, Toby! I can't wait all evening!
Toby: I've just seen something! [stutters] It looked like Percy's ghost! It said it was coming here to warn us!
Thomas: Ha! Who cares?! Don't be frightened, Toby. I'll take care of you.
[Percy creeps up behind the sheds]
Percy: [imitates a ghost] Beep! Beep! Bip-bip-bip-BEEP! Let me in! Let me in!
Toby: No! No! Not by the smoke on my chimney-chim-chim!
Percy: I'll chuff, and I'll puff, and I'll break your door in!
[the doors slowly open]

Thomas: Oh dear! It's getting late. Oh, I had no idea. [leaves the sheds] I must find Annie and Clarabel.

Toby: Where have you been?
Thomas: Ah well, I knew you'd be sad about Percy and I uh, I didn't like to intrude. I slept in the goods/freight shed and... [cut to a shot with a "ghost train" heard in the distance] Oh sorry, can't stop. Got to see a coach about a train. [leaves]
[later, Percy arrives, having overheard everything]
Percy: Well well well, what do you know about that?
Toby: Anyone would think, that our Thomas had just seen a ghost!

Merchandise

In Other Languages

View content
Language Title
Chinese 幽灵列车
Croatian Vlak Duh
Czech Vlak Duchů
Danish Thomas og Spøgelsestoget
Dutch De Spooktrein
Finnish Aavejuna
French Le Train Fantôme
German Der Geisterzug
Hungarian A Szellemvonat
Italian Il Treno Fantasma
Japanese ゆうれいきかんしゃ
Korean 유령기차
Norwegian Spøkelsestoget
Polish Duch Pociągu
Romanian Trenul Fantomă
Russian Поезд-призрак
Serbian Voz Duh
Slovak Vlak Duchov
Slovenian Vlak Duhov
Spanish Los Fantasmas de Percy
Swedish Spöktåget
Thai รถไฟปีศาจ
Ukrainian Привид
Welsh Yr Ysbryd

Home Media Releases

UK

VHS/DVD Packs

US

VHS/DVD Packs

AUS

DVD Boxsets

NZ

NOR

KOR

NL

  • The Ghost Train
  • The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Thomas, Percy and Gordon

SER

  • Thomas the Tank Engine 5

HRV

GER

DVD Boxsets

UKR

  • A Train Thomas and Friends

PHL

JPN

DVD Boxsets

MYS

SA

ITA

IN

ROM

DVD Packs

CHN

HK

THA


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