Thomas & Friends series 2

Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. W. Awdry.

This article lists and details episodes from the second season of this series, which was first broadcast in 1986. Most episodes in this season have two titles: the original titles (also known as "UK titles") are unbracketed, while American-adapted titles (also indicated by " - US") are bracketed. Both titles are considered valid, although the original titles are perhaps more correct than the American-adapted titles. Also in this series, The original gauge O models have been replaced by gauge 1 models. Henry now has splashers. These models are used from series 2-5.

Season 2 was originally narrated by Ringo Starr, however he and George Carlin have since re-narrated the episodes for American audiences. In addition, not all of Starr US narrations have been shown on television or on video/DVD release

Episodes

#	Title
1	"Thomas, Percy and the Coal"
Thomas brags to Percy and Toby about how blue is the only proper colour for a really useful engine. He soon gets into a spot of bother when a coal hopper empties its oad right beside him and covers him in coal dust.
2	"Cows"
Gordon and Henry tease Edward after some cows break part of his train away. However, it is Edward who has the last laugh when the two run into Bluebell the cow.
3	"Bertie's Chase"
Thomas' fireman is ill, and Bertie agrees to take his passengers. Edward, unaware of the change of plan, leaves before Bertie arrives.
4	"Saved from Scrap"
At the scrapyard, Edward meets a traction engine called Trevor, who is due to be broken up, despite being in good condition. Edward is determined to save him, and finds the perfect person to do so.
5	"Old Iron"
After Edward makes him late, James makes rude comments about him, claiming him to be nothing but a load of "Old Iron". Not long afterwards, however, two boys meddle with his controls and render him a runaway, until Edward saves him.
6	"Thomas and Trevor"
Trevor is bored of working in the vicarige orchard, so Edward agrees to take him to help Thomas at the harbour. Slowly but surely, Thomas gains a respect for the traction engine, and eventually promises Trevor that he can help him again when the time comes.
7	"Percy and the Signal"
Percy enjoys playing tricks on the other engines, but goes too far one day, getting James into trouble with the Fat Controller. He and Gordon decide to pay Percy out with the help of a signal...
8	"Duck Takes Charge"
The Fat Controller buys an engine named Montague (nicknamed Duck) to help out an overworked Percy. The big engines are rude to him, and start ordering him about. Duck and Percy decide to take matters into their own hands (or wheels) and deal with the engines themselves.
9	"Percy and Harold"
While at work on the new harbour, Percy meets Harold, a helicopter who calls the railway "slow, not much use, and quite out of date". Percy is determined to prove him wrong, and his chance comes on the way to the Wharf.
10	"The Runaway"
Thomas isn't feeling well and has to go to the works. Soon, he comes back, albeit with a small problem: his brakes aren't always working properly. This proves disastrous when the fireman forgets to tighten them properly whilst waiting for Henry's train, and Thomas puffs away.
11	"Percy Takes the Plunge"
Percy is boasting to Bill and Ben about how he braved bad weather to help Thomas. Henry shows up and angrily sends Bill and Ben away. Percy tells Henry that Bill and Ben aren't silly and teases him by saying "water is nothing to an engine with determination" (referring to the time Henry ran into the tunnel for fear of the rain spoiling his paint). Percy on the other hand says he's not afraid of water. Later, at the harbour, Percy is sitting idle with Thomas looking at a "Danger" board, sitting on a quay that has sunk into the water. Thomas warns Percy about it (remembering when he went past a similar board and fell down a mine) but Percy scoffs at it. A few days later he asks some trucks to give him a bump when they get to the quay. He plans to have the trucks push him past the board, and then make them stop. They bump him, and knock his driver and fireman off the footplate. Percy slides past the board, but can't stop, and runs right into the water! The Fat Controller comes in a boat and scolds Percy, and tells him that he can't be rescued until high tide. It's late at night when floating cranes come and lift Percy out of the water. Percy feels very silly when he is taken to the works on Henry's goods train. Henry teases him about the incident saying he didn't have enough determination, and says he might like it next time. Percy is now quite confident that there won't be a next time.
12	"Pop Goes the Diesel"
Duck is working very hard on the main line, but the work is very hard for all the engines, so the Fat Controller brings a diesel named "Diesel" for a trial on the Island. Duck is told to show Diesel around and how to work, but Diesel rejects Duck's advice and instead tries to pull some very old trucks. Unfortunately for Diesel, the trucks' brakes are still on, and Diesel pulls them so hard that the brakes snap and cause a great mess on the railway. Duck laughs as the trucks sing Pop Goes the Diesel to bully Diesel. Diesel is then told to help clear the mess with the Breakdown Train. Diesel is still angry, for he believes the incident was Duck's fault, and plans to get back at the Great Western Engine........
13	"Dirty Work"
Diesel is sulking, since the trucks won't stop singing Pop Goes the Diesel, despite Duck, Gordon, Henry and James telling them to stop. But Diesel still holds a grudge against Duck, and finally makes a plan to get revenge, which consists of telling tales about Gordon, James and Henry to the trucks, but not without adding that Duck told him first. Soon the word spreads, and Gordon, James and Henry decide to get back at Duck. They bar him from the shed, causing the Fat Controller to intervene. Apparently, someone has called Gordon, James and Henry a "Galloping Sausage", "Rusty Red Scrap Iron", and "Old Square Wheels" respectively, and Diesel also states that he knows nothing about the incident. With no evidence to prove Duck innocent, the Fat Controller sends Duck to Edward's station for a while. Duck tearfully leaves, while Diesel smirks in triumph...
14	"A Close Shave"
Duck sadly arrives at Edward's station, where he tells Edward about Diesel's lies, but the ever-kind Edward cheers him up and they both get to work with some troublesome trucks. After the work, Duck goes for a run around the countryside, until he hears a guard's warning whistle and runs for his life: apparently the trucks have broken away from Edward and, for bumping them hard in Pop Goes the Diesel, are chasing Duck down the line, determined to cause an accident. Duck tries to escape, but the trucks catch up and almost push him into the back of James' coaches. Duck turns into a siding at the last minute, but is unable to stop and crashes into a barber shop at the end of the railway, where an angry barber lathers Duck's face to teach him a lesson for scaring the customers. Then, Thomas, Percy and the Fat Controller arrive. As Thomas and Percy clear up the derailed trucks, the Fat Controller explains that Duck narrowly prevented a serious accident. The barber apologises and washes Duck's face just as Thomas pulls Duck out of the shop. The Fat Controller then tells Duck that he never believed Diesel in the first place and sent him packing. The other engines are now sorry and want Duck back. A few days later, Duck returns home, where he is greeted by a loud chorus of cheers and whistles from the other engines.
15	"Better Late Than Never"
The viaduct is being repaired, but the Fat Controller doesn't want to close the viaduct during the repairs, and this makes the engines have to go slow while crossing, often making certain engines late at Thomas' junction, annoying him greatly and making him late at the bus station. One day, Bertie the bus grows angry with Thomas and berates him by suggesting another race. One day, James is later than ever, making Thomas so. But along the way to the bus station, Thomas finds Bertie broken down by a level crossing. Now grateful for being late, Thomas takes Bertie's passengers straight to their destination. After Bertie is repaired, he thanks Thomas, and they both agree that being late isn't so bad after all.
16	"Breakvan"
Donald and Douglas are Scottish twin tender engines who have arrived on Sodor to help the Fat Controller, despite him ordering ONE engine. To avoid confusion, the Fat Controller paints numbers on them until sending the less useful one back home (Donald 9, and Douglas 10). But things start to look bad when a spiteful brakevan takes a dislike to Douglas and makes his trains late. Donald tells the van off and gives it a warning not to harass his brother, which works, until Donald has an accident on a slippery railway and his tender bumps into a signal box, much to the Fat Controller's annoyance, for he had decided to send Douglas back and keep Donald. James is then told to help with the goods work while Donald is at the works to have his tender mended. James grumbles about it, and gets even more annoyed when Douglas tries to tell him that accidents happen by reminding him of his accident with some tar wagons. James then takes his next train: a heavy goods train. Unfortunately, he has the spiteful brakevan, who tells the trucks to hold back and make James tired. To his relief, James finds Douglas on the way, who agrees to help him up the hill by pushing from behind. However, James runs out of steam, and before the guard can stop him, Douglas pushes so hard he literally crushes the brakevan. Edward then comes along with the breakdown train and the Fat Controller, who claims that he thought Douglas had had the clumsy accident. But Edward and James defend Douglas, describing him as "grand", leaving the Fat Controller with a lot to think about. Which engine will he send back to Scotland?
17	"The Deputation"
Winter has arrived on Sodor, much to the engines' dismay. However, Donald and Douglas, being used to the weather in Scotland, easily use snowploughs to clear the railway, and even help Henry out of a snowdrift during the process. Unfortunately, Donald and Douglas are still worried that the Fat Controller will still send them back to Scotland, where they will be turned into scrap. Gordon, Henry, James and Percy small engine are equally upset, and try to think of something to help the Scottish twins. Percy speaks to Edward about it, and Edward tells him that the Fat Controller what he's doing wrong. After a long pause, the engines decide to make Percy the Deputation, much to his dismay. Percy goes to see the Fat Controller, who listens to Percy and then sends him back to the sheds. However, later on, the Fat Controller comes to visit the engines at the sheds, where, to everyone's surprise, he congratulates Donald and Douglas for their work in the snow and promises them a new coat of paint and nameplates, to avoid future confusion. But before he can tell Donald and Douglas that they are here to stay, his speech is drowned by a chorus of whistles from all the engines.
18	"Thomas Comes to Breakfast"
Thomas has worked for so long on his branchline that he knows it so well. His driver comments that Thomas could manage the work without him, but Thomas doesn't realise his driver is joking. Conceited, Thomas boasts to Percyand Toby in the sheds, but despite their warnings, Thomas takes no notice. The next morning, when the firelighter lights his fire, Thomas dares his safety and starts going down the railway by himself, unaware that he was only moving because the cleaner had meddled with his controls. Thomas finds himself unable to stop, and ends up crashing into the Stationmaster's house at the end of the line. The Stationmaster and his family are furious at the damage, as is the Fat Controller, who sends Donald and Douglas to pull Thomas out. With his front badly twisted and bent, the Fat Controller angrily tells Thomas that he has to go to the works to have his front mended, but not before telling Thomas that a diesel railcar will fill in for him while he's away, much to Thomas' chagrin and embarrassment.
19	"Daisy"
After Thomas's mishap with the Stationmaster's house, the Fat Controller introduces Percy and Toby to Daisy, the Diesel Railcar who has come to do Thomas' work. But Daisy proves to be hard to please: she complains about the engine shed, and later insults Annie, Clarabel and Henrietta ("rubbish"), causing Percy and Toby to take them away and spend half the night soothing their hurt feelings. The next day, Daisy arrives at Thomas' junction, determined to prove herself better than Thomas. But she loses her temper and blows a fuse when Toby couples a milk van to her. She says pulling is bad for her swerves according to the fitter (although the stationmaster refuses to believe her). After a long argument, the shunter finally uncouples the milk van so as to avoid wasting the passengers' time. Daisy then purrs away feeling very pleased with herself. She decides she'll do what work she chooses, and no more (although she says it to herself).
20	"Percy's Predicament"
Over the days, Daisy continues to be lazy and stubborn on Thomas' branch line. Percy is furious to see that Daisy has left the milk van behind (again), but Toby offers to take the milk if Percy takes Toby's trucks from the quarry. Percy gratefully agrees, but starts ordering the trucks around at the quarry, prompting them to plan a payback. As Percy takes them, the trucks spring into action and start pushing him down the line so fast that the man in the signal box fails to switch Percy to the runaway siding in time. Percy is pushed into the yard, and he ultimately crashes into a break van. Percy isn't hurt, but he ends up stranded on top of a damaged break van. The next day, Toby and Daisy arrive to clean up the mess, and the Fat Controller expresses his annoyance at Percy for putting them in an awkward predicament (the branch line being run only by Toby and Daisy), but he also talks severely to Daisy for her laziness. However, he gives Daisy a second chance for helping Toby with Percy's accident, and Daisy gratefully promises to work harder. The next day, the wreckage is finally cleared, and Toby takes Percy to be mended just as Thomas returns and resumes work with Toby and Daisy until Percy's eventual return.
21	"The Diseasel"
Bill & Ben are twin brothers who work at the China Clay Pits. One day, they are aghast when they discover that their trucks have gone missing! Down the line, they cause great problems and difficulty with a diesel called Boco, who they believe stole the trucks. Confusion regains until Edward explains everything.
22	"Wrong Road"
Thomas and Edward's branch lines are important, but Gordon believes them vulgar. One night, Gordon is almost ready to leave when the fireman looks back and sees something green waving. It's not the guard flag as he had thought, but a lady's hat. Gordon has to be stopped and brought back. By that time, Edward is late with his train, so leaves first. However, the signalman isn't told of this, and sends Edward blue engine along the main line, and Gordon the Branch line! The next morning, Bill and Ben see Gordon, and discuss between themselves what they could do with them - it's clearly not Gordon, as he says branch lines are vulgar. They decide to take the "Load of scrap metal" to the harbour and dump into the sea, leaving Gordon terrified. But Boco shows up, and sets the twins right. Gordon is very grateful, to say the least. He still believes Boco saved his life - but of course, the twins were only teasing.
23	"Edward's Exploit"
Some tourists are visiting the Island of Sodor. On their last afternoon, Edward is to take them to meet Bill and Ben. Whilst he struggles to start the heavy tourist train, Gordon, Henry and James tease and mock him, much to Duck and Boco's annoyance. Later, when Bill and Ben return from showing the tourists the China Clay Works, Edward has to take them back to the station. However, the weather changes for the worse, and he struggles through the wind and rain. Suddenly, Edward's crank pin breaks, causing great damage and leaving the train stranded. Edwards crew removes his siderods, but Edward still struggles to move the train. With the tourists getting more anxious, Edward's crew decide to loosen the trains couplings, so Edward can pick the coaches up 'one by one', just like trucks. This makes things much easier, and with a big effort, Edward gets the train moving. After one big effort, he puffs triumphantly into the station, where Henry is waiting to take the tourists on. The passengers sweep out, pushing aside an angry Fat Controller, and thank Edward and his crew for their efforts. Later, when Edward arrives at the sheds, Gordon and James remain respectfully silent.
24	"Ghost Train"
Percy tells the other engines of a story his driver told him about the Ghost Train who runs again every year at the day of the accident, plunging into the gap and shrieking like a lost soul. Thomas didn't believe it, which Percy's driver later tells his engine that it was only a pretend ghost story! Percy is disappointed. That evening, on a return trip from the harbour, he crashes into a cartload of lime left across the level crossing. At the signal box, the signalman suggests they have to clean Percy, or people will think he's a ghost. However, Percy is delighted at this, and they all decide to try and scare Thomas. Toby promises to help, and puffs back to the shed, telling Thomas that Percy's had an accident and he's just seen his ghost. Thomas scoffs, but he is soon silenced by the sound of a ghostly voice outside the shed like a nightmare. As the shed doors creak open, he hurriedly puffs away to take his evening train. The next morning, Percy is cleaned, but he still decides to blow his 'ghost' whistle once more to scare Thomas!
25	"Woolly Bear"
Every Summer, Percy stops by the lineside to collect hay that has been gathered by workmen. Toby then takes the hay to market. One day, Percy teases Thomas about being scared of his 'ghost' (a reference to the previous episode Ghost Train). Thomas is in no mood for this, and complains that Percy's been late every afternoon that week - despite the hay. Percy is disappointed, but has to continue on to the harbour. There - a crate of treacle splits open on him - he's sticky all over! Percy then has to try to get through the hay, which the wind is blowing all over the place. More than once his wheels slip on the hay, and he has to wait for the workmen to clear the line before he can start again. Meanwhile, Thomas is waiting impatiently at the platform. When Percy finally arrives - 10 minutes late - everyone laughs at him for good reason - the hay has stuck to the treacle and he's covered in it. Percy, of course, can't see this until his driver shows him in a mirror. He asks to be cleaned before Toby sees - but it's no use. Thomas tells Toby all about it. Instead of talking about sensible things like playing Ghosts, Thomas and Toby talk about 'woolly bear caterpillars' and other things that crawl about in hay. They laugh, but Percy thinks they're being very silly.
26	"Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree"
It's Christmas time and all the engines are hard at work getting ready for the Christmas Party. Thomas is sent to collect the Christmas tree, but gets stuck in a huge snowdrift on the way. After the engines complain of Thomas being late, the Fat Controller explains what has happened. Donald and Douglas help him out, and as a reward, all the engines enjoy a huge Christmas Party, with Father Christmas as a special guest!

Characters Introduced

• Bluebell the Cow (Cows)
• Trevor (Saved from Scrap)
• The Vicar (Saved from Scrap)
• Jem Cole (Saved from Scrap)
• Duck (Duck Takes Charge)
• Harold (Percy & Harold / Percy Proves A Point)
• Diesel (Pop Goes the Diesel)
• Donald and Douglas (Breakvan / Donald and Douglas)
• Daisy (Daisy)
• Bill and Ben (The Diseasel)
• Boco (The Diseasel)

Notes

• Five of the episodes in this season are based on stories written by Christopher Awdry - those being Thomas, Percy and the Coal, Thomas and Trevor, The Runaway, Better Late Than Never and Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree
• The first diesel engines are introduced - Diesel, Boco, and Daisy.
• First 'villain' character of the series is introduced - Diesel.
• First time that the Troublesome Trucks have actual moulded faces. In the previous series, they only had eyes and a mouth.
• George Carlin re-narrates some of these episodes for Shining Time Station and American video releases in 1991.
• The first female engine is introduced - Daisy.
• The first Twin characters are introduced - Bill and Ben & Donald and Douglas.
• Last season till Season 6 to show Thomas' surprised face without the buck tooth.
• This season was filmed much dimmer than other seasons and it looked much more realistic.
• Ringo Starr's second and final season to narrate Thomas & Friends.
• This is the only season we see The Spiteful Brakevan.

Credits

• Based on the Railway Series by: The Rev. W. Awdry
• Adaptation by: Britt Allcroft
• Told by: Ringo Starr, George Carlin
• Directed by: David Mitton
• Camera Crew Focus: Colin Davidson, Billy Malone, John Attwell
• Camera Assistant: Paul Smith
• Lighting Supplied by: Beams Film & TV Lighting Ltd, Lee Electric (Lighting) Ltd
• Gaffer: Steve Dempsey
• Model Engines: Pennicott Payne & Lillie Ltd
• Models & Sets: D.B.P. Models & Effects, Albatross Models & Effects
• Specialized Model Making: Bernard Carr
• Electronics & Special Effects: Jamie Bowering
• Camera Equipment & Computerized Lens Systems: Clearwater Features (1986) Ltd
• Sound Studios Dubbing: Videosonics London Ltd
• Telecine & Video Facilities: Video Bureau Ltd
• Color by: Technicolor
• Filmed at: Lee International Studios Plc, Shepperton
• Production Assistant: Nasreen Khan
• Lighting Cameraman: Terry Permane
• Art Director: Bob Gauld-Galliers
• First Assistant Director: Steve Asquith
• Music Composed & Arranged by: Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell, Bluebird Themes
• Editor: Rebecca De Burgh Mound
• Producers: Robert D. Cardona, David Mitton
• Executive Producer: Britt Allcroft