Duck Takes Charge


 * “Beg pardon sir, but I'm a Great Western engine. We do our work without fuss. But begging your pardon sir, Percy and I would be glad to inform these, um, engines, that we only take orders from you.”
 * ―Duck

Duck Takes Charge is the eighth episode of the second season.

Plot
One day in the sheds, Percy is eager to tell a disinterested Gordon and James some news. Both quickly tire of Percy's usual manner and the tank engine tells them that as the work in the yard is getting too hard for him, Sir Topham Hatt is planning to bring a new bigger engine in to help. James is unimpressed, telling Percy that if he worked harder instead of chatting, the yard would be a happier place. Percy then leaves to do his work.

As he works, Percy notes to himself that, since he accidentally reversed at a signal, the larger engines now consider him to be a "silly little engine" and often order him about. Percy wants to teach them a lesson, but does not know how to do it. He then works very hard all day and by the afternoon he is worn out. After bringing some express coaches to the station, he sees Sir Topham Hatt on the platform who notes that Percy looks very tired, which Percy confirms. Sir Topham Hatt cheers Percy up by telling him the new engine is bigger than him and can probably manage the work alone. He then offers to send Percy to the branch line to help Thomas and Toby build the new harbour which cheers Percy up straight away.

Soon the new engine arrives. Sir Topham Hatt asks the engine his name and the engine introduces himself as Montague, but tells Sir Topham Hatt he is often called "Duck" due to his supposed waddle, and delcares that while he does not believe he has a waddle, he admits to liking Duck better than Montague. With that, Sir Topham Hatt agrees that the new engine will be known as Duck. Percy arrives and Sir Topham Hatt asks Percy to show Duck around.

Duck does his work quietly as he brings some coaches to the station, leading Gordon, James and Henry to decide to boss him about like they do to Percy. Gordon and Henry then start to leave the station on either side of Duck, quacking and blowing steam at him. As Percy sees everything and is cross, Duck takes no notice and just wants to wait until the larger engines get tired of their teasing. Duck then asks Percy if the larger engines boss him about and Percy confirms they do. Duck decides to take charge and put a stop to it and tells Percy what they will do.

That afternoon, Sir Topham Hatt sits at his desk looking forward to having toast for tea. Suddenly, he hears a horrible noise coming from the yard and looking out his window, he sees Percy and Duck blocking the turntable and preventing an angry Gordon, James and Henry from entering the sheds. Sir Topham Hatt grabs his hat and rushes to the yard.

At the sheds, Gordon, James and Henry are furious and start whistling loudly when Sir Topham Hatt arrives and demands silence before demanding an explanation from Duck and Percy. Duck politely explains that, as a Great Western engine, he likes to do his work without any fuss, but wants the other engines to know that he will only take orders from Sir Topham Hatt. As the three larger engines start whistling angrily, Sir Topham Hatt orders them to be quiet again. Sir Topham Hatt then tells Duck and Percy that he is pleased with their work, but is angry with their behaviour tonight and tells them off for causing the disturbance. He then tells off the larger engines for making the disturbance, as their actions have been much worse, and then tells them that Duck is quite right that he is the one to give orders, not them. With that, the three engines quickly fall back into line.

Soon Percy is sent to Thomas' line, leaving Duck to do the work alone, something he manages easily.

Characters

 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Duck
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Thomas (does not speak)
 * Toby (mentioned)

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Knapford Yards
 * Knapford
 * Sir Topham Hatt's Office
 * Knapford Harbour (mentioned)

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Percy the Small Engine.
 * This episode does not have any cameo appearances.
 * A "Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus" poster is seen at Knapford.
 * In the US, this episode aired before Percy and the Signal, meaning that American viewers would not understand the latter being mentioned.
 * The final frame of this episode was used as the credits backdrop on all the odd-numbered episodes in the second season.
 * This episode marked the first of two things:
 * The first episode where a character reads the first line instead of the narrator.
 * Duck's first appearance in Thomas & Friends.
 * Inside the Fat Controller's office, there is a picture of an LMS Jubilee locomotive.
 * A first season-style truck can be seen when Duck leaves the yard with Percy.
 * This marks the only time that Duck is referred to as Montague until the seventeenth season episode, The Thomas Way.
 * The close-up of the Fat Controller folding his hands at Knapford was used for the "Next Story Coming Up Soon!" card in between double bills.
 * In a picture, Henry is not pulling any coaches as he and Gordon leave the station to taunt and blow steam at Duck.

Goofs

 * In the panning shot of Percy, Gordon and James, the Breakdown Train, on the far left, is derailed.
 * In the first close-up of Gordon, his eyes look wonky.
 * When Percy puffs away to get the coaches, studio equipment is slightly visible at the top of the screen.
 * In the Norwegian version, the narrator says Percy was getting some trucks, when he was in fact getting some coaches into Knapford station.
 * When Percy and Duck first puff away, a crew member's shadow briefly passes in front of them.
 * Henry's front right break pipe is tilted before he and Gordon leave Knapford.
 * Duck's eyebrows are missing when the engines "wheesh" him. Henry also has a different whistle sound (which is Duck's in six half steps higher in pitch) in both versions. In the George Carlin narration, Henry's whistle can be faintly heard.
 * The narrator says, "Duck and Percy calmly sat on the points/switches outside the shed, refusing to let the engines in," but they are not; Percy is on the turntable and Duck is on a line outside a berth.
 * In the close-up shots of Sir Topham Hatt at Tidmouth Sheds, his left eyebrow appears to be loose.
 * When Duck says to Percy "We'll do it later," Percy's roof is lifted up.
 * When the narrator says "Gordon, James and Henry were furious!" the three engines are facing away from the sheds. Gordon is also missing his tender and his eyes are slightly wonky.
 * In the close-up of Henry at Tidmouth Sheds, James disappears.
 * When the Fat Controller yells "Stop that noise!" the two men standing in front of Percy are out of scale, as they are half his height.
 * In a picture of Percy and Duck at Knapford the branch line coaches Duck shunted to platform two have been replaced with a brake van and some express coaches can be seen at platform one even though the line was clear when Percy puffed through the station.
 * When Duck brings the coaches into Knapford, James' eyes are wonky.

Quotes

 * Percy: Do you know what?
 * Gordon: What?
 * Percy: Do you know what?
 * Gordon: Silly. Of course I don't know what, if you don't tell what "what" is.
 * Percy: The Fat Controller says that the work in the yard is too heavy for me. He's getting a bigger engine to help me.
 * James: Rubbish! Any engine could do it, if you work more and chatted less, this yard would be a sweeter, a better, and a happier place.
 * Sir Topham Hatt: Hello, Percy. You look tired.
 * Percy: Yes, Sir. I am, Sir. I don't know if I'm standing on my dome or on my wheels!
 * The Fat Controller: You look the right way up to me. Cheer up! The new engine is bigger than you and can probably do the work alone. Would you like to help build my new harbour? Thomas and Toby will help, too.
 * Percy: Oh, yes, Sir! Thank you, Sir!
 * Sir Topham Hatt: (to the bigger engines, who are whistling impatiently) Stop that noise!
 * Gordon: They won't let us in!
 * Sir Topham Hatt: Duck, explain this behaviour.
 * Duck: Beg pardon, Sir, but I'm a Great Western Engine. We do our work without fuss. But begging your pardon, Sir, Percy and I would be glad if you would inform these, um, engines that we only take orders from you.
 * {the big engines furiously blow their whistles again)
 * Sir Topham Hatt: (to the bigger engines) SILENCE!!! (US narrations: QUIET!!!) (to Percy and Duck) Percy and Duck, I'm pleased with your work today, but not with your behaviour tonight. You have caused a disturbance!
 * (Henry, Gordon and James are embarrassed as Sir Topham Hatt turns to them)
 * Sir Topham Hatt: (to the bigger engines) As for you, you've been worse! You made the disturbance! Duck is quite right. This is my railway and I give the orders!

Merchandise

 * Buzz Books - Duck Takes Charge
 * Magazine stories - Duck Takes Charge
 * Ladybird Books - Thomas and Trevor/Duck Takes Charge
 * My Thomas Story Library - Duck (discontinued)