Percy and Harold

Percy and Harold, retitled Percy Proves a Point in American releases, is the ninth episode of the second series. It is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Percy the Small Engine.

Plot

Percy is now working at the new harbour on Thomas' Branch Line. He often has to fetch trucks, and although he works hard he still likes his new job and prefers branch line work over shunting for the mainline engines at the big station. Along the branch line is an airfield and Percy hears the planes flying overhead. The loudest though is a helicopter. Percy complains about the noise it would make.

One day Percy stops with his train at the airfield. The helicopter is there and they begin by introducing each other. The helicopter's name is Harold and it is not long before he insults Percy by calling railways slow and out of date. When they finish, Harold flies away and Percy sets off for the quarry. Percy finds Toby and expresses his feelings about Harold. Afterwards, he collects his trucks and heads back to the harbour.

On Percy's trip back to the harbour, they hear Harold's unmistakable buzzing. Percy's crew encourage the two to race each other. Percy has never been allowed to go that fast before. The trucks wail and beg Percy to stop, but it is no use. They have to slow down when they reach the wharf and Percy is sure that they have lost the race. But when the fireman climbs onto the roof of the cab, he can see Harold still looking for a place to land.

In celebration of Percy's victory, the fireman sings a song about the race, which Percy loves, especially the last line.

Characters

• Thomas
• Percy
• Troublesome Trucks
• Harold
• Toby (does not speak)
• Harold's Pilots (cameo)
• Henry (stock footage cameo)
• Sir Topham Hatt (mentioned)

Locations

• Ffarquhar Quarry
• Knapford Harbour
  • Knapford Harbour Bridges
• Knapford Airfield
• The Watermill
• The Branch Line Bridge
• The Branch Line Cutting
• Suddery Castle
• The Dual Bends

Trivia

• Stock footage from Coal is used.
• In the Japanese version, the music is omitted during Percy's Victory Song.
• Events of this episode were mentioned and recreated in CGI for the twentieth series episode, Letters to Santa.
• This episode was reran back to back with Percy, James and the Fruitful Day on Storytime with Thomas.
• This is the first and last time we see Knapford Airfield in the Television series.

Goofs

• In the first shot, Percy pushes a box close to the rails, his eyes are wonky, and trucks throughout his train bounce slightly.
• After Thomas says "Well done, Percy! The Fat Controller is very pleased with us," the camera then cuts to Percy. This is the same shot as the fireman singing, as noted by the fact that the fireman's legs can be seen on Percy's cab. Also, blu-tack is seen on Percy's tender.
• When the narrator says "An airfield was close by," Thomas' face moves slightly. The same thing happens with Percy's face when he says "Stupid thing. Why can't it go and buzz somewhere else?"
• In the close-up of Percy complaining to Toby about Harold, Percy's eyes are wonky.
• Because stock footage is used, it shows the driver in Henry's cab when Percy's cab says "Well I'll be a ding dong dang!" and Percy's fireman changes appearance at the wharf.
• When Percy says "Yes! Let's!" it is possible to see through his left eye.
• When Percy gains speed, his back wheel derails.
• Percy's trucks gain faces when they say "We don't want to, we don't want to!"
• When Harold prepares for take-off, right before the shot cuts to Percy, a crew member's shadow is seen on Harold for just a split second. Also, the windsock doesn't move at all.
• In the aerial shot of Harold flying alongside Percy, a truck vanishes from Percy's train.
• When Harold flies through The Branch Line Cutting, he clips a tree.
• In the bird's-eye view of Harold flying over Percy, the end of Harold's red stripe can be seen peeling off.
• When Percy says "Oh, dear. I'm sure we've lost," his eyes are wonky.
• After Percy's fireman's song, his right eye (viewer's left) pops out of the face mask slightly.
• Throughout the episode, Percy's left (viewer's right) cylinder is loose.
• Percy only has half of his screw-link coupling.
• A rare picture of Percy at the quarry shows a gear visible between his left driving wheels.
• In the restored version, after Percy's fireman finishes his song, the shot of Percy freezes mid-take.
• When Percy leaves the Quarry, his goods train has a BR 20 Ton Brake Van. When he passes the water Mill, it switches to an SR 25 Ton one. Then when Percy puffs past Suddery Castle, the brake van is another BR 20 then in the scene where he passes the shack, it is another SR 25.

Merchandise

• Buzz Books - Percy and Harold
• My Thomas Story Library - Harold
• Magazine stories - Percy and Harold
• Ladybird Books - Percy and Harold/Percy Takes the Plunge
• Engine Adventures - Harold

In Other Languages

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