I do not own Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. They are strictly the property of both the Awdry and Britt Allcroft, this story is purely for entertainment and never profit.
Episode 39: Percy Takes the Plunge, Original Airdate: October 29th, 1986
It was a nice sunny day on the Island of Sodor. Thomas and Lucy were both at Brendam Docks visiting Blackbeard's Fish, Chip and Ice Cream shop getting have some fish and chips and ice cream. Thomas was given the day off by Sir Topham Hatt for all his good work.
They were in the que, waiting to be served when they heard to the door to the restaurant open and in walked a rather grumpy looking Percy. Thomas noticing this, decided to ask his best friend if he was okay, however he didn't need to as Percy saw him first.
"Thomas" said Percy in surprise, "I didn't expect to see you here.
"Nor did I Percy" said Thomas, "what's up?".
"Just having a rather frustrating encounter with a certain barge captain" grumbled Percy.
"Bulstrode?" asked Thomas.
"How did you know?" asked Percy.
"Isn't it obvious" replied Thomas.
Bulstrode was the most bad-tempered barge captain on the Island of Sodor or anywhere else in the world. He was always complaining about something and this annoyed both the workmen and the engine drivers to no end.
"Say would you like to get some food with me and Lucy?" asked Thomas hoping to cheer up his best friend.
"Yes, that would be nice" replied Percy.
When his turn came about Thomas ordered 3 servings of fish and chips for him, Percy, and Lucy. The trio then sat down at a table to eat their food.
"Feeling a little better Percy?" asked Thomas.
"A little" replied Percy, "is there something else we can do whilst we eat?".
"Well maybe I can tell one of my stories?" suggested Thomas.
"Story" said Lucy excitedly.
"I suppose that a story could help" said Percy, "what one did you have in mind Thomas?".
"I'm kind of thinking about the time you went passed the board" smiled Thomas cheekily.
Percy groaned when he heard those words "passed the board". That wasn't the smartest move in his career as an engine driver, the difference between his and Thomas' incidents was that Thomas' had been purely by accident whilst Percy's had gone on purpose.
"Please tell another one Thomas" begged Percy.
"Daddy story," said Lucy.
"Sorry Percy old boy" said Thomas, "but I'm afraid that Lucy's outvoted you".
Percy sulk back into his chair, desperately hoping that it would swallow him up.
"Right then" said Thomas as he began his story, "this all began when Uncle Henry brought his Stanier 5 to the sheds here at Brendam".
(Story)
One day Henry was bringing his engine to the sheds at Brendam docks so that he could head to the fish and chip shop for his lunch. But when he got there, he saw Percy talking to Bill and Ben. He was telling them of his he braved bad weather to help Thomas.
"It was raining hard, water swirled under my engine's boiler" told Percy, "I couldn't see where I was going. But I struggled on".
"Oh, Percy you are brave" comment Bill.
"Well it was nothing really" replied Percy modestly, "waters nothing to an engine driver with determination".
"Tell us more Percy" asked Ben.
Just then, Henry brought his engine into the sheds. He hopped down from the cab and noticed Bill and Ben with Percy.
"Bill and Ben what are you two doing here?" asked Henry, "you two should be at the China Clay Pits and now messing around up here. Go away".
"Oh piss off Henry" grumbled Bill angrily.
"We'll get you back Henry you see if we don't" retorted Ben crossly.
Bill and Ben then hopped back into their saddle tanks cabs and headed back to the China Clay Pits, Percy was annoyed by this.
"Silly fools" snorted Henry.
"They're not silly fools" grumbled Percy, he had been enjoying himself until Henry arrived.
"They are silly" insisted Henry, "always up to no good and you. Waters nothing to an engine driver with determination huh".
"Anyway" Percy then said cheekily, "I'm not afraid of water. I like it".
He then hopped into his saddle tanks cab and headed off. Whilst he was leaving the shed, he decided to give Henry a little taste of his own medicine for sending Bill and Ben away and so he decided to sing a little song.
"Once an engine attached to a train, was afraid of a few drops of rain" he sang cheekily.
"Everyone thinks that I hid in the tunnel in case the rain spoiled my engines paint" groaned Henry, clearly remembering how his anxiety made him hide in the tunnel at Ballahoo.
Meanwhile, Percy reached the harbour where he found Thomas. He was looking at a board that was on the quay, Percy stopped his saddle tank next to Thomas' E2 and hopped down from its cab and joined his best friend.
"Hi Thomas" greeted Percy, "what are you looking at?".
"Oh hi Percy" greeted Thomas when he noticed his best friend, "I was just looking at this board".
"What does it say?" asked Percy.
"Danger" said Thomas, "we mustn't go pass it. That's orders".
"Why?" asked Percy.
"Danger means falling down something" explained Thomas, "I went pass danger once and fell down a mine".
"Well technically it happened as you forgot to put your engines brakes on" said Howard as he came up to Thomas and Percy, "as you badly needed to use the toilet".
"Yes dad I know" said Thomas, clearly not wanting to be reminded of that.
Percy looked towards the quay.
"I can't see a mine" he said.
He didn't know that the foundations of the quay had sunk. The rails now sloped down into the sea.
"Stupid board," said Percy.
He then made a plan; he was going to go pass the board. One day he was bringing a train of stone trucks to Brendam docks, as he made his way down the line, he thought of his plan.
"Once I reach the docks" thought Percy to himself, "I'll pretend to stop at the station. Then I'll "slip" and release my engines brakes and go pass the board, once I'm pass, I'll quickly set my brakes. I can do that whenever I like".
Percy thought that he was being clever, but that day wasn't going to be in his favour at all. He arrived at Brendam docks and stopped at the goods station so that his trucks could be unloaded. When the workmen went to unload his trucks, Percy carried out his plan.
"Whoa" said Percy as he "slipped" in his cab and reach for the brake.
Just as he hoped, his engine lurched forward and went pass the danger board. However, the rails that day were slippery and when Percy applied the brakes, his engine continued toward the sea, he was frantic.
"Oh no help" he cried frantically.
He jumped clear just as his engine slithered down into the sea, Percy got to his feet and went to look at his saddle tank. It was sunk and there was worse to come.
"You are a very disobedient engine driver" came a very familiar voice.
Percy shuddered; he knew that voice. He turned around to see the familiar top hat wearing stout man looking crossly at him.
"Please Sir" begged Percy, "get my engine out Sir. I'm truly sorry Sir".
"No Percy" said Sir Topham Hatt sternly, "we can't do that until high tide. I hope that this will teach you to obey orders".
"Yes, Sir it will" said Percy sadly, feeling very foolish at what he had done.
So Percy spent the rest of the day looking at his sunken saddle tank, whilst fish were playing hide and seek through its wheels. It was dark when they brought floating cranes to rescue Percy's saddle tank, it was too cold and stiff to move. So, they loaded it onto a flatbed that Thomas pushed into a siding.
The next day, it went to the works on Henry's goods train. Henry allowed Percy to ride along with him to the works in his cab, although he felt sorry for Percy, he found the whole situation very amusing at the same time.
"Well, well, well" chuckled Henry, "did you like the water?".
"No" said Percy miserably.
"I' am surprised, you need more determination Percy" said Henry, "after all water's nothing to an engine driver with determination. Perhaps you like it better next time.
Percy is quite determined that there won't be a next time.
(Story Ends)
"And ever since then Uncle Percy hasn't pulled a stunt like that" said Thomas as he finished his story.
"And I've certainly have" replied Percy, "I must say that it was a good story Thomas. Despite it being about my most embarrassing moment in my career".
"Well I'm glad you like it Percy" smiled Thomas.
The trio then finished their fish and chips, Percy then went back to work whilst Thomas and Lucy both got a chocolate and vanilla ice cream cone each.
(Brendam Docks 2011)
An engine driver, a young man in his late twenties was just leaving the stationmasters office at Brendam station. He recently been asked to come to Sodor on trial, as he walked out the door, both he and the stationmaster shook hands.
"So, will you be able to start work in two weeks?" the stationmaster.
"Oh I will" replied the driver in an oily voice, "so have I got the job?".
"That depends on your performance" replied the stationmaster.
"Then I will give Sir Topham Hatt the most revolutionary performance any engine driver has ever given" the driver said.
"Glad to hear" said the stationmaster, "goodnight".
"Goodnight" replied the driver.
The driver then headed over to where he had parked his engine. It was a diesel engine, to be more precise it was BR Class 08 painted in black.
The driver then hopped into its cab and headed off. As he passed the quay, he noticed the floating cranes rescuing Percy's saddle tank from the water.
"Stupid idiot" sniggered the driver to himself, "why is it that diesel engine drivers always succeed whilst steam engine drivers always mess up?".
And done, I must say that I'm pleased with how it turned out. Leave a comment if you can guess who the driver of the black BR Class 08 is. Anyway, please be so kind as to leave a preview and as always, see you all next time.