This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the Australian sampler DVD or the book. |
- "You said the countryside's run got you all fired up, James, but I didn't think you meant it in this way!"
"Pah! It was the stupid trucks' fault, not mine!" - ― Percy teasing James over his accident.
Thomas, Percy and Old Slow Coach is the sixteenth episode of the fifth series. In the US, it aired back to back with Thomas and the Rumors in an episode of Storytime with Thomas.
Plot
Thomas, James and Percy look up at the sky early one morning. Thomas says that all the villagers of Sodor are happier when springtime comes, but James complains about the hard work he has been given, especially the jobs on the Coastal Run he had been running on lately. Percy tells him that the Fat Controller wants everything to be ready for the holidays and the salty air makes him feel good. James angrily laughs and prefers being in the countryside instead, before leaving the shed to collect his goods train from the docks.
Thomas and Percy then leave the sheds to take some empty trucks to the scrapyard. When they finish their job, they discover an old coach there. She looks very dirty and sad, saying that she is not useful any more and only has mice to ride in her despite being in good condition. The yard manager arrives and is asked by Percy's driver about the coach, whose name is Old Slow Coach and is due to be broken up soon. Thomas and Percy are very upset and despite the former feeling unsure how yet, he gladly promises to help her.
Meanwhile, James is enjoying his journey with a few fuel tankers when there is trouble; one in his train is leaking fuel, causing all the tankers to ignite from the sparks billowing from James' funnel. His driver immediately pulls the train into a siding and notifies the fire brigade. Thomas and Percy then arrive at the junction and the guard reveals what happened. Although it is quite a mess, the fire is soon extinguished. Percy teases James about being fired up in the countryside, rather than being in the literal way, but James states that the leak in the tankers caused the fire. Thomas and Percy are now given the all-clear signal by a firefighter to proceed with their journey at a reduced speed, while they feel sorry for James, who is now feeling very sad.
Later that day, Thomas and Percy take on water when they find out that there is another fire at the workmen's hut near them. While they decide to go see how they can help, the fire engines arrive. However, there is a bigger problem; they are completely out of water from the previous fire. They know they cannot use seawater as it would clog their pumping apparatus, so the firefighters are forced to let the hut burn, but Thomas suggests that they use the water from his and Percy's tanks. The plan works well and the fire is soon put out, but the workmen's hut is completely destroyed. A foreman arrives and worries about housing for the men and says that they cannot sleep on the beach, so Percy then comes up with the idea of using Old Slow Coach as the workmen's new temporary hut. Percy's crew then phones the Fat Controller, who agrees to the idea.
Old Slow Coach is cleaned up, repainted and restored, and feels splendid. Thomas and Percy collect her and she sets off happily enjoying her new life with the workmen. They all agree there is nothing old or slow about her and she will always be Really Useful.
Characters
- Thomas
- James
- Percy
- Old Slow Coach
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Jem Cole (cameo)
- Mr. Walsh (cameo)
- Prince Philip (cameo)
- Big Mickey (faceless, cameo)
Locations
- Tidmouth Hault
- Sodor Ironworks
- The Flour Mill
- Standard and Narrow Gauge Tunnel Runby
- Tidmouth Beach
- Sir Topham Hatt's Office
- Brendam Docks (mentioned)
- The Seaside Village (indirectly mentioned)
Trivia
- According to a film slate:
- The titular characters in the scrapyard were filmed on the 24th and 25th of September 1997, with the close-ups across said scenes being filmed on the 8th of October.
- The scenes on the Tidmouth Hault set were filmed on the 31st of October and 3rd of November 1997, with the close-ups being filmed the next day.
- Sir Topham Hatt in his office was filmed on the 20th of November 1997.
- The Coastal Run was filmed on the 26th of January 1998, with the lighthouse being filmed the next day. Close-ups were filmed on the 2nd and 11th of February.
- James passing the Flour Mill was filmed on the 12th of February 1998.
- James' train catching on fire on the Field Runby was filmed on the 13th of February 1998. The final takes of the close-ups of the fuel truck on the Standard and Narrow Gauge Tunnel Runby set and James on the Main Line Runby set were filmed on the 25th and 19th, respectively.
- An unused close-up of Thomas' driver was filmed on the 24th of February 1998.
- Pre-filmed footage from the next episode is used.
- The opening shot is similar to the closing shot of the third series episode, All at Sea.
- Elements of the magazine stories Fire and The Carriage Café are used.
- This episode was released six months after An Old Friend, another magazine story with a similar plot.
- Scrap models of Thomas, Gordon, one of the Scottish Twins, City of Truro, Toad, the Märklin Engine and the old tenders can be seen in the background in shots of the scrapyard; along with Gordon's pilot model seen in the first shot.
- In the first shot of Thomas and Percy at the scrapyard, a scrapped OBB boxcar from Tugs can be spotted.
- When Thomas and Percy puff to see what they can do about the fire at the Workmen's Hut, behind them in the background at Tidmouth Hault is the Tidmouth Stationmaster's House from the second series episode, Thomas Comes to Breakfast.
- This episode aired on the same day that Spooks and Surprises was released on VHS.
- In the US dub, James' line, "Oh, help!" is taken directly from James and the Trouble with Trees.
- The Workmen's Hut is the model of Dryaw Goods Station being reused.
- There are a few deleted scenes that did not make it into the final cut, including:
- A deleted scene of the early morning sky.
- A deleted scene of Percy talking to Old Slow Coach.
- An alternate shot of Percy's driver asking the Yard Manager to tell them about Old Slow Coach.
- An alternate shot of the Yard Manager telling them about Old Slow Coach.
- A deleted scene of Old Slow Coach's full body.
- An alternate shot of the leaky fuel tanker.
- An alternate shot of James puffing with his fiery fuel tankers in a panic with his shocked face off-centre.
- A deleted scene of James' driver calling for help.
- A deleted scene of Thomas' driver asking the guard what happened.
- A deleted scene of Thomas and Percy shunting their trucks into the Shed while stopping at the water tower.
- An alternate shot of Thomas' driver looking at the Workmen's Hut that is on fire.
- An extended scene of Thomas and Percy watching the fire before the fire brigade arrive.
- A deleted scene of the fire brigade arriving to put out the fire.
- Some extended scenes of Old Slow Coach fully restored.
- An alternate shot of Thomas buffering up to Old Slow Coach wearing his original grinning face instead of his happy one.
- A deleted close-up scene of Old Slow Coach as the Workmen's Hut.
- This episode marks the first appearances:
- Of Old Slow Coach.
- Thomas' unused alarmed face from the third series.
- Tidmouth Hault since the third series.
- A non-Awdry rolling stock character.
- This episode marks the last of a few things:
- The last episode where Thomas' shocked face has a bucktooth. It would later be removed for the remainder of the model era.
- A guard's last speaking role until the eighteenth series episode, Thomas and the Emergency Cable.
- The last appearance of the Flour Mill until the eighth series.
- The last time "stupid" was said in the series, though it would be used in Thomas and the Magic Railroad.
Goofs
- At the beginning of the episode, James' tender brake pipe is missing.
- In one scene, Thomas' frantic face's eyebrows are rubbed off.
- In one shot of Old Slow Coach at the scrapyard, Percy and his trucks are missing.
- When Thomas and Percy shunt their trucks in the sidings, Percy's eyes are misaligned.
- When the guard says, "It's quite a mess," Thomas lurches forward a bit.
- When Percy says, "You said the countryside runs got you all fired up James," his lamp is misaligned.
- When James says "Oh, help!", his eyes are misaligned.
- In one shot in the scrapyard, part of the rails are oily, but in the previous scene, there was nothing on the rails.
- When Thomas and Percy take Old Slow Coach away, something is hanging on top of the screen.
- In a close-up of James, the tracks next to him lead to bushes.
Quotes
- Thomas: Everyone's so much happier when springtime comes.
- James: Everyone except the Fat Controller. He seems to be working us harder than ever. I'm tired of these coastal runs.
- Percy: He just wants everything to be ready for the holidays. Anyway, salty air makes me all cheerful in my smokebox.
- James: Pah! It's the countryside that really gets me fired up. It's the only place to be.
- Guard: Sparks from James' funnel have set the fuel trucks ablaze. The fireman have got things under control, but it's quite a mess.
- Percy: You said the countryside run got you all fired up, James, but I didn't think you meant it in this way!
- James: PAH! It was the stupid trucks' fault, not mine!
- Fireman: It's safe to proceed now!
- (Thomas and Percy continue on their way)
Merchandise
In Other Languages
View content | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Home Video Releases
UKDVD Boxsets
US
CAN
DVD BoxsetsAUS
DVD Packs
NZ
ZAITASWENORDKGRCMYSPHLJPN
KORWALHKTHATWN |
Reference
#01 Cranky Bugs | #10 Toby and the Flood | #19 Happy Ever After |
#02 Horrid Lorry | #11 Haunted Henry | #20 Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday |
#03 A Better View for Gordon | #12 Double Teething Troubles | #21 A Surprise for Percy |
#04 Lady Hatt's Birthday Party | #13 Stepney Gets Lost | #22 Make Someone Happy |
#05 James and the Trouble with Trees | #14 Toby's Discovery | #23 Busy Going Backwards |
#06 Gordon and the Gremlin | #15 Something in the Air | #24 Duncan Gets Spooked |
#07 Bye George! | #16 Thomas, Percy and Old Slow Coach | #25 Rusty and the Boulder |
#08 Baa! | #17 Thomas and the Rumours | #26 Snow |
#09 Put Upon Percy | #18 Oliver's Find | |