Trouble in the Shed

Trouble in the Shed is the sixteenth episode of the first season. In the US, this episode first aired on the Shining Time Station episodes Whistle While you Work and Schemer's Robot. In this episode, the big engines go on strike and so the Fat Controller buys a tank engine named Percy to help.

Plot
At Knapford, there is no sign of the morning train, causing the passengers to become angry. The Fat Controller goes to the sheds to see what is going on and learns that the big engines have gone on strike and refuse to fetch their own coaches or shunt in sidings. The Fat Controller is angry that the bigger engines are trying to tell him what they are willing to do and leaves for Wellsworth to enlist Edward as a station pilot to ensure that the day's trains run as normal. After Edward does all of the shunting, the trains ran as usual.

Next day, the Fat Controller visits the yard to see how Edward is getting along. To his dismay, he sees Gordon puff by and wheesh loudly at Edward. Edward tells the Fat Controller that the big engines have been insulting and wheeshing steam at him. The Fat Controller assures Edward that tender engines do shunt, but decides that he must bring a new tank engine to the yard to permanently fix the problem.

Visiting the engine workshop, the Fat Controller is shown all kinds of engines. Soon he sees a smart green saddletank and knows this is the one he wants. The Fat Controller asks the engine if he is willing to work hard. The engine eagerly responds that he is. With that, the matter is settled. The Fat Controller names him Percy and takes him back to the yard.

The Fat Controller asks Edward to get Percy acquainted with the yard and the pair set off for work. Edward is very impressed by his hard work and wheeshing - something he learned in the workshop so as to be heard. The Fat Controller then decides to send for Thomas and calls all three engines to the yard for an announcement. He tells them that he has shut-up the big engines in the shed until they learn to behave and that, in Gordon, Henry, and James' absence, the two tank engines and Edward will run the railway.

Edward and Thomas are put in charge of the main line, while Percy takes care of the branch line as well as looking after Annie and Clarabel. While there are fewer trains, the passengers understood that the three engines were doing their best to keep the railway running and that the big engines were in the middle of learning a lesson.

In the sheds, Gordon, James, and Henry were cold, lonely, and miserable as they realised just how silly they were.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Gordon
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Percy (debut)
 * Henry (does not speak)
 * James (does not speak)
 * Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
 * Marklin (cameo)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Knapford
 * Wellsworth
 * The Workshop

Errors

 * Just before Gordon hisses he was passing Edward; but when he stops hissing, he was passing Edward again.
 * In the close-up of the Fat Controller talking to Edward at Tidmouth Sheds, he has some small holes in his chin.
 * In the shot of Edward being "wheeshed" by Gordon, the Fat Controller is not seen on the platform.
 * It appears that Percy moves from his position in the stores almost instantly. This is confusing for two reasons: his condition may have worsened after spending time unused under a tarpaulin, and steam engines take three hours on average to get ready.
 * When Edward and Percy shunt, Edward's trucks push the buffers out of place.
 * When Henry comes out of and reverses into the shed he is in his new shape. To add to that, he moves without a driver.
 * Because stock footage is used, the background behind Sir Topham Hatt is Knapford.
 * When Edward says "I can't wheesh like that!" his tender is missing, he has Thomas' whistle sound, and James, Gordon, and Henry aren't in the shed.
 * In one scene, Annie and Clarabel are facing the wrong way.
 * Henry, Gordon and James keep changing positions in the shed throughout the episode.
 * When Thomas and Edward pass each other, Thomas' brake coach was backwards.
 * Percy already has his 6 before coming to the Fat Controller's railway.
 * In the close-up of Henry looking surprised, he wan't on the rails. Also, the tracks from the shed end at the camera.
 * Some of people shouting at Knapford have blu-tak on their shoes.

US Home Video Releases

 * Thomas and His Friends Help Out