Trouble in the Shed

Trouble in the Shed
Episode Overview
Written By	Rev. W. Awdry (original story) Britt Allcroft & David Mitton (adaptation)
Directed by	David Mitton Robert D. Cardona (Producer)
Release Details
Episode Name	Trouble in the Shed
Starring	Ringo Starr (UK/US) George Carlin (US)
Season	1

“We won't shunt like common tank engines. That was Thomas' job. We are important tender engines. You fetch our coaches and we pull them. Tender engines don't shunt!"
"Oh, indeed! We'll see about that. Engines on my railway do as they are told!”

―Gordon and Sir Topham Hatt

Trouble in the Shed is the sixteenth episode of the first series.

Plot

At Knapford, there is no sign of the morning train, causing the passengers to become angry. The Fat Controller is told by the stationmaster that Henry is refusing to leave his shed, so he goes to find out what is going on. Gordon tells him that he, James, and Henry will no longer fetch their own coaches or shunt in sidings, declaring that tender engines do not shunt. The Fat Controller is very surprised 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, noting to himself that the yard has never been the same since Thomas left to run his branch line. Edward is happy to shunt the coaches and the rest of the day's trains run as usual.

The next day, the Fat Controller visits the yard to see how Edward is getting along. To his dismay, he sees Gordon puff by and hiss loudly at Edward, who tells the Fat Controller that all the big engines hiss him and say he has black wheels, thinking he is a traitor since he is a tender engine as well. The Fat Controller kindly assures Edward that he has nice blue wheels and is very proud of his work, saying that tender engines do shunt. All the same, he decides that they do need a new tank engine to find a permanent solution to the problem.

Visiting an 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 Percy's hard work and loud wheeshing - something he learned in the workshop so as to be heard, which startles Henry when he attempts to insult Edward again. 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 for their little mutiny until they learn to behave and that, in their 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 understand that the two tank engines and Edward are doing their best to keep the railway running and that the big engines are in the middle of learning a lesson.

In the sheds, Gordon, James, and Henry are left cold, lonely and miserable. The three finally start to realize just how silly they have been

Characters

• Thomas
• Edward
• Gordon
• Percy
• Sir Topham Hatt
• Henry (does not speak)
• James (does not speak)
• Workshop Engines (wheels and buffers only; do not speak)
• Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
• Märklin Engine (cameo)

LocationsEdit

• Island of Sodor
  • Tidmouth Sheds
    • The Works
    • Tidmouth Goods Station
  • Knapford
    • Sir Topham Hatt's Office
  • Wellsworth
    • Wellsworth Yards
  • The Woodland Runby
  • The Wide-Arched Bridge
• The Mainland
  • The Workshop

Trivia

• This marks the first appearance of Percy in the television series.
• From right to left or the viewers' left to right, the other engines under the tarps in the workshops are Gordon, Thomas, James, Henry and Edward, the latter three without their tenders.
• Stock footage from Thomas' Train is used.
• The scene of the Fat Controller putting his hat on is cut in the restored version.
• The shot of the Fat Controller with Edward before the fade into the workshop is a freeze-frame.
• The close-up of the Fat Controller in front of two piles of coal when confronting the engines at Tidmouth Sheds was used for the "Next Story Coming Up Soon!" card in between double bills and early American videos. This was also used in HBO's parodic news series, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, in a YouTube exclusive segment on endorsements.
• In the UK version of this episode, the big engines in the earlier night told Edward that he had black wheels. This insult is a play on the word blackleg, which is a derogatory term for someone who works during a strike. However, the insult might seem odd coming from the big engines as James actually has black wheels. In both US versions, the insult was changed to "grey" wheels, likely to avoid confusing American audiences.
• On the Shining Time Station episode, Schemer's Robot, Thomas Comes to Breakfast and Other Thomas and Adventures and Thomas and His Friends Help Out, the first few seconds of the opening are cut.