Percy Takes the Plunge (episode)

Percy Takes the Plunge in the US is the eleventh episode of the second season and the thirty-seventh episode of the series. It aired in the US on the Shining Time Station episodes, Mapping it Out and Schemer Goes Camping. In this episode, Percy wants to see why he's forbidden to pass the "Danger" board on the quay, but soon wishes he hadn't.

Plot
One day at the harbour, a tired Henry was looking to rest in the sheds after a hard day's work, but instead of peace he finds Percy telling Bill and Ben about the time he braved bad weather to help Thomas's passengers return home. However, Percy was embellishing the tale, as he speaks about how he braved through flood waters using the phrase "Water's nothing to an engine with determination". Bill and Ben shower Percy with praise and Henry angrily tells them to leave, as the sheds are only for engines belonging to the Fat Controller. The engines leave and Percy was angry, having been enjoying himself. However, Henry just tells Percy how silly his line about water and determination is. Percy leaves, but not without quickly reminding Henry of when he refused to leave a tunnel because of rain.

Later, Percy and Thomas come across a board reading "DANGER Engines must not pass this board". Thomas tells Percy that they mustn't go past it and tells him about the time he passed a board and fell down a mine. Percy can't see a mine, not realising that the foundations of the rails have sunk and the line now leads into the sea. As a result, Percy, who was now feeling very cocky, decides that the board was stupid and makes a plan to pass it.

As he brings some trucks to the harbour, Percy asks them to bump him when they arrive at the quay. The trucks happily agree, having never been asked to bump an engine before. Percy's plan was to pretend to stop at the quay and then have the trucks bump him past the board after which he can make them stop However, Percy, in his foolishness, has forgotten that trucks can't be trusted. At the quay, the trucks bump Percy hard enough that both his driver and fireman fall off the footplate and push him past the board. Percy quickly realises his mistake and tells the trucks to stop, but there is no chance of that and they happily push Percy into the sea. Later, as Percy sits in the water, the Fat Controller scolds the tank engine for his naughtiness. Percy begs to get out, but the Fat Controller explains that they must wait until high tide and hopes that this will teach Percy a lesson. By the time the cranes can be brought to rescue Percy, it was night. Working hard, the cranes pull a cold, weak, and filthy Percy from the sea.

The next morning, Percy was taken to the works to be cleaned and mended by Henry, who finds the incident very amusing after Percy's earlier boasts. When Percy states he didn't like the water, Henry replies he needs more determination and that perhaps he will like it better next time. Percy, however, hopes there will be no "next time".

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Henry
 * Percy
 * Sir Topham Hatt

Locations

 * Brendam
 * Knapford Harbour
 * The Works (mentioned)
 * Henry's Tunnel (mentioned)

Errors

 * The narrator says that Percy "ran off to the harbour singing", but he was already at the harbour.
 * Percy's story was about the events of Percy's Promise, which wasn't televised until the third season.
 * When the camera pans down on Thomas, several trucks in the background are derailed.
 * Before Percy takes the plunge, there was a shot of him already on the quayside, but in the next scene, he slides past the board.
 * In the restored version, Bill and Ben's whistles and chuffing sounds are still heard after they leave.
 * Percy was smiling when he slides past the board.
 * When Percy pulls up next to Thomas, two trucks behind them are derailed.
 * Just as Percy plunges into the sea, two of his trucks become derailed.
 * The narrator says that Percy couldn't see that the track led to the water when it was very clear.
 * When Percy was lifted out of the water, a workman has blu-tak on his neck.
 * When Henry enters the shed, his tender bounces.
 * During Percy's trip to the harbour, his brakevan changes.
 * During the episode, Percy's left (viewer's right) cylinder was loose.
 * Ben's nameplate was peeling off when Henry puffs in.
 * In the close-up of Percy being pushed, a hand can be seen in the water pushing the train.

US Home Video Releases

 * Daisy and Other Thomas Stories
 * Best of Percy (as Percy Takes a Plunge)

Merchandise

 * Wooden Railway (discontinued)
 * Take Along(discontinued)