Percy the Small Engine
Encyclopedia
Percy the Small Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic steam engine from The Railway Series
of children's books written by the Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry and his son, Christopher Awdry
. Percy also appears in the spin-off television series Thomas and Friends.
Percy lives on the Island of Sodor with many other locomotives, including Thomas the Tank Engine
, Gordon the Big Engine
and Henry the Green Engine
. He is the smallest, youngest and probably cheekiest, of the principal steam engine characters. He carries the number 6 on his bunker.
The Fat Controller
brought him to Sodor when there was an engine strike due to a shortage of shunting engines. The bigger engines initially tried to bully him, but Percy soon showed that he was more than capable of standing up for himself. After a few years of shunting at the Big Station, the Fat Controller promoted him to goods traffic on Thomas' branch line
. When not pulling trucks, he can be seen pulling the post train or even taking Annie and Clarabel
when Thomas is busy. Percy's best friends are Thomas
and Toby
. He is also known to have a great respect for Edward
ever since his first appearance.
He is reasonably experienced, but can still occasionally be a little naive and overconfident. In that sense, he is the perfect foil for Thomas – who can be just as headstrong.
Percy's first appearance in The Railway Series was in book no. 5, Troublesome Engines, originally published in 1950. He was given his own title with book no. 11, Percy the Small Engine.
, Percy was the source of much friction between Rev. W. Awdry and C. Reginald Dalby, the first illustrator of The Railway Series
. Awdry complained that Percy did not look like a real locomotive, an issue that had caused contention between the two men on several occasions and concerning several characters. In the case of Percy, it was particularly infuriating, as Awdry had built a model of the engine in order that the artist could use it as a reference.
All this came to a head when the book Percy the Small Engine, centring on the eponymous character, was written. Awdry wrote to Dalby a letter requesting that he should make Percy look less like "a green caterpillar with red stripes".The sentence was this:
" I beg,pray,and exhort you not to make Percy look like a green caterpillar with red stripes"! Insulted by this, Dalby resigned from the Railway Series.
Subsequent illustrators modified the design to make Percy look more like a typical industrial locomotive. The television series, however, utilised the original design.
The phrase "a green caterpillar with red stripes" resurfaces in the later story 'Woolly Bear', in which Thomas uses it as an insult to Percy and amends were made between Awdry and Dalby.
The Rev. W. Awdry considered it essential that his railway stories should be as realistic as possible. To this end, most of his locomotive characters were based upon real designs. However, Percy was designed before that policy came into effect. Percy's history within the fictional universe is largely unknown, as he does not precisely match any real locomotive design – he is of "obscure antecedents", as the Rev. Awdry himself puts it.
He does bear a resemblance to several designs of 0-4-0
tank locomotive
built by the Avonside Engine Company
such as GWR No. 1340 Trojan
, and so Awdry stated that Percy had probably begun as one of these, but had been extensively rebuilt – "fitters at Crovan's Gate have found components made by Hunslet
and other manufacturers".
Percy arrived in "Troublesome Engines" (1949), the only loco whose acquisition from a workshop is actually described. His own book "Percy the Small Engine" dates from 1956. C. Reginald Dalby quit as illustrator after Awdry described his portrayal of Percy in "Percy the Small Engine" as a "caterpillar". Amends were made in "Tramway Engines" (1972) when Percy's accident with treacle and straw obligingly made him look like a real caterpillar.
In the tale of how he came about, note that "the artist didn't pay much attention, so my Percy -- the proper one -- looks different from the Percy in the books"!! the Rev also describes his "Spare Percy" for use during emergencies:
Meanwhile, Hornby's
later 00 gauge Percy was made from a brand new tool after initial thoughts to use their Caledonian Railway
"Pug" were rejected, although Percy eventually came to share many of its parts.
. He particularly enjoys pulling the mail train.
From the CGI series version onward, Percy is voiced by Keith Wickham
. In the US, he is voiced by William Hope
.
when Henry reveals the legend of the lost engine; where he suggests that they start searching for her. He overhears Mr. Conductor talking in his sleep about magic buffers, he concludes that those buffers lead to the Magic Railroad. He tells Thomas, but is overheard by Diesel 10.
When the location of the buffers is located indirectly by Thomas, Percy is ordered to guard the buffers; he finds Splatter and Dodge later near the buffers, and warns Thomas and Mr. Conductor in time for them to help Lily Stone return to her grandfather.
Percy was voiced by Linda Ballantyne
in the movie.
The Railway Series
The Railway Series is a set of story books about a railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor. There are 42 books in the series, the first being published in 1945. Twenty-six were written by the Rev. W. Awdry, up to 1972. A further 16 were written by his son, Christopher Awdry; 14...
of children's books written by the Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry and his son, Christopher Awdry
Christopher Awdry
Christopher Awdry is an English author best known for his contributions to The Railway Series of books featuring Thomas the Tank Engine, which was started by his father, the Rev. W. Awdry. He has also produced children's books based on a number of other railways, as well as non-fiction articles...
. Percy also appears in the spin-off television series Thomas and Friends.
Percy lives on the Island of Sodor with many other locomotives, including Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas and Friends.Thomas is a tank engine, painted blue...
, Gordon the Big Engine
Gordon the Big Engine
Gordon the Big Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic tender locomotive in The Railway Series books by Rev. W. Awdry. Gordon is painted blue and carries the number 4. Gordon views himself as the most important engine because he is the biggest and he pulls the Express...
and Henry the Green Engine
Henry the Green Engine
Henry the Green Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic 4-6-0 steam locomotive from The Railway Series books written by the Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry and his son, Christopher Awdry, and the spin-off children's television series, Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.Henry lives on the fictitious...
. He is the smallest, youngest and probably cheekiest, of the principal steam engine characters. He carries the number 6 on his bunker.
The Fat Controller
The Fat Controller
The Fat Controller is the head of the railway in The Railway Series of books written by the Rev. W. V. Awdry. In the first two books in the series he is known as The Fat Director...
brought him to Sodor when there was an engine strike due to a shortage of shunting engines. The bigger engines initially tried to bully him, but Percy soon showed that he was more than capable of standing up for himself. After a few years of shunting at the Big Station, the Fat Controller promoted him to goods traffic on Thomas' branch line
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
. When not pulling trucks, he can be seen pulling the post train or even taking Annie and Clarabel
Annie and Clarabel
Annie and Clarabel are fictional characters from The Railway Series of children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry and the related Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends television series...
when Thomas is busy. Percy's best friends are Thomas
Thomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas and Friends.Thomas is a tank engine, painted blue...
and Toby
Toby the Tram Engine
Toby the Tram Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic tram engine in The Railway Series by the Rev. W. Awdry and his son, Christopher; he also appears in the spin-off television series Thomas and Friends...
. He is also known to have a great respect for Edward
Edward the Blue Engine
Edward the Blue Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic steam locomotive from The Railway Series children's books by the Rev W. Awdry, and the related TV Series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. He is a blue 4-4-0 tender engine with red stripes, about the same size as James the Red Engine, and has...
ever since his first appearance.
He is reasonably experienced, but can still occasionally be a little naive and overconfident. In that sense, he is the perfect foil for Thomas – who can be just as headstrong.
Percy's first appearance in The Railway Series was in book no. 5, Troublesome Engines, originally published in 1950. He was given his own title with book no. 11, Percy the Small Engine.
Illustration controversy
Like Henry the Green EngineHenry the Green Engine
Henry the Green Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic 4-6-0 steam locomotive from The Railway Series books written by the Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry and his son, Christopher Awdry, and the spin-off children's television series, Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.Henry lives on the fictitious...
, Percy was the source of much friction between Rev. W. Awdry and C. Reginald Dalby, the first illustrator of The Railway Series
The Railway Series
The Railway Series is a set of story books about a railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor. There are 42 books in the series, the first being published in 1945. Twenty-six were written by the Rev. W. Awdry, up to 1972. A further 16 were written by his son, Christopher Awdry; 14...
. Awdry complained that Percy did not look like a real locomotive, an issue that had caused contention between the two men on several occasions and concerning several characters. In the case of Percy, it was particularly infuriating, as Awdry had built a model of the engine in order that the artist could use it as a reference.
All this came to a head when the book Percy the Small Engine, centring on the eponymous character, was written. Awdry wrote to Dalby a letter requesting that he should make Percy look less like "a green caterpillar with red stripes".The sentence was this:
" I beg,pray,and exhort you not to make Percy look like a green caterpillar with red stripes"! Insulted by this, Dalby resigned from the Railway Series.
Subsequent illustrators modified the design to make Percy look more like a typical industrial locomotive. The television series, however, utilised the original design.
The phrase "a green caterpillar with red stripes" resurfaces in the later story 'Woolly Bear', in which Thomas uses it as an insult to Percy and amends were made between Awdry and Dalby.
The Origins of Percy
In general outline, Percy is a fairly typical British industrial shunting locomotive. His bunker is quite unusual for an 0-4-0 shunter, but was presumably added to allow him to travel greater distances without refuelling than was previously possible. It is not known where Percy came from, but according to the book Troublesome Engines, he was bought at an "engine workshop" by the Fat Controller. Percy was needed to shunt the yard at the main station, as the tender engines (Gordon, Henry, James) had protested about having to shunt their own trains.The Rev. W. Awdry considered it essential that his railway stories should be as realistic as possible. To this end, most of his locomotive characters were based upon real designs. However, Percy was designed before that policy came into effect. Percy's history within the fictional universe is largely unknown, as he does not precisely match any real locomotive design – he is of "obscure antecedents", as the Rev. Awdry himself puts it.
He does bear a resemblance to several designs of 0-4-0
Whyte notation
The Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement was devised by Frederick Methvan Whyte and came into use in the early twentieth century encouraged by an editorial in American Engineer and Railroad Journal...
tank locomotive
Tank locomotive
A tank locomotive or tank engine is a steam locomotive that carries its water in one or more on-board water tanks, instead of pulling it behind it in a tender. It will most likely also have some kind of bunker to hold the fuel. There are several different types of tank locomotive dependent upon...
built by the Avonside Engine Company
Avonside Engine Company
The Avonside Engine Company was a locomotive manufacturer in Avon Street, St. Philip's, Bristol, England between 1864 and 1934. However the business originated with an earlier enterprise Henry Stothert and Company.-Origins:...
such as GWR No. 1340 Trojan
GWR No. 1340 Trojan
GWR No. 1340 is an 0-4-0ST steam locomotive, built in 1897 by the Avonside Engine Company of Bristol, England.Her first owners were Messrs Dunn & Shute of Newport Town Dock. In 1903 she was purchased by the Alexandra Docks Railway. This was absorbed into the Great Western Railway in 1923.In...
, and so Awdry stated that Percy had probably begun as one of these, but had been extensively rebuilt – "fitters at Crovan's Gate have found components made by Hunslet
Hunslet Engine Company
The Hunslet Engine Company is a British locomotive-building company founded in 1864 at Jack Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England by John Towlerton Leather, a civil engineering contractor, who appointed James Campbell as his Works Manager.In 1871, James Campbell bought the company for...
and other manufacturers".
Percy as a model
Percy is an 0-4-0ST of unknown origin, but is almost certainly second hand. Percy arrived on Sodor in 1949 and was first used as Tidmouth Pilot, then to help rebuild Knapford Harbour. Percy is now based at Ffarquhar.Percy arrived in "Troublesome Engines" (1949), the only loco whose acquisition from a workshop is actually described. His own book "Percy the Small Engine" dates from 1956. C. Reginald Dalby quit as illustrator after Awdry described his portrayal of Percy in "Percy the Small Engine" as a "caterpillar". Amends were made in "Tramway Engines" (1972) when Percy's accident with treacle and straw obligingly made him look like a real caterpillar.
In the tale of how he came about, note that "the artist didn't pay much attention, so my Percy -- the proper one -- looks different from the Percy in the books"!! the Rev also describes his "Spare Percy" for use during emergencies:
- "I built PERCY in 1949 (the year I wrote "Troublesome Engines" - the book in which Percy first appears), and I soldered him together out of brass and other parts cut and filed to shape. I wanted another engine - Thomas was then the only one I had - and I also wanted a model of Percy to help our then artist draw his pictures; but the artist didn't pay much attention, so my Percy -- the proper one -- looks different from the Percy in the books. Stewart Reidpath made a chassis for me and fitted it with one of his motors, so Percy is sometimes as temperamental as Thomas, and for the same reason. He will run and shunt beautifully for weeks on end and the suddenly, and for no apparent reason, decide to be 'Awkward'. This can be exasperating, especially at exhibitions. He did this at Nottingham Exhibition 1978, and the only thing to do then was to use my 'Spare Percy' which I had made for just such an emergency.
- "To make 'Spare Percy' I cut out the boiler and side tanks from a Tri-angTri-ang RailwaysTri-ang Railways was a British manufacturer of toy trains, one of the elements of the Lines Bros Ltd company who traded using the Tri-ang brand name...
'Nellie' and filled the resulting space between cap and smokebox with a section of saddletank cut from an Airfix kit. The outside cylinders came from another AirfixAirfixAirfix is a UK manufacturer of plastic scale model kits of aircraft and other subjects. In Britain, the name Airfix is synonymous with the hobby, a plastic model of this type is often simply referred to as "an airfix kit" even if made by another manufacturer....
kit, and were cemented to 'Nellie's' metal frames with Evostick. I fitted scale wheels in place of 'Nellie's' rather clumsy ones, and filled up the body with plasticine. The good wheels and extra weight has made 'Spare Percy' into a smooth running engine almost as good as the real Percy in his best moments."
Meanwhile, Hornby's
Hornby Railways
Hornby Railways is the leading brand of model railway in the United Kingdom. Its roots date back to 1901, when founder Frank Hornby received a patent for his Meccano construction toy. The first clockwork train was produced in 1920. In 1938, Hornby launched its first 00 gauge train...
later 00 gauge Percy was made from a brand new tool after initial thoughts to use their Caledonian Railway
Caledonian Railway
The Caledonian Railway was a major Scottish railway company. It was formed in the early 19th century and it was absorbed almost a century later into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in the 1923 railway grouping, by means of the Railways Act 1921...
"Pug" were rejected, although Percy eventually came to share many of its parts.
Percy in the television series
In the Thomas and Friends television series, Percy made his debut in the first season, in an episode called "Trouble in the Shed" which originally aired in 1984. His personality has been kept the same, up until about Season 8 when he became more curious about the world around; almost in resemblance to Sesame Street's ElmoElmo
Elmo is a Muppet character on the children's television show Sesame Street. He is a furry red monster and currently hosts the last full 15 minute segment on Sesame Street, Elmo's World, which is aimed at toddlers. His puppeteer, Kevin Clash, uses falsetto to produce his voice...
. He particularly enjoys pulling the mail train.
From the CGI series version onward, Percy is voiced by Keith Wickham
Keith Wickham
Keith Wickham is a British actor, comedian and voice actor.He is well known for voicing Changed Daily in The Secret Show, Mr. Small, and Mr. Tall in The Mr. Men Show , Corneil in Corneil & Bernie , Mr...
. In the US, he is voiced by William Hope
William Hope (actor)
William "Bill" Hope is a Canadian stage, film, television and voice actor.-Career:Most of Hope's stage work has been leading roles in a wide variety of regional, touring and West End theatres in England....
.
Percy in Thomas and the Magic Railroad
Percy is first seen in the movie Thomas and the Magic RailroadThomas and the Magic Railroad
Thomas and the Magic Railroad is a 2000 British/American film based on the well-known TV series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends and the United States TV series Shining Time Station. The film was co-produced by Gullane Entertainment and the Isle of Man Film Commission. It was written, produced...
when Henry reveals the legend of the lost engine; where he suggests that they start searching for her. He overhears Mr. Conductor talking in his sleep about magic buffers, he concludes that those buffers lead to the Magic Railroad. He tells Thomas, but is overheard by Diesel 10.
When the location of the buffers is located indirectly by Thomas, Percy is ordered to guard the buffers; he finds Splatter and Dodge later near the buffers, and warns Thomas and Mr. Conductor in time for them to help Lily Stone return to her grandfather.
Percy was voiced by Linda Ballantyne
Linda Ballantyne
Linda Ballantyne is a Canadian voice actress.Born in Toronto, Canada, she is best known for voicing the title role of Serena/Sailor Moon in the the second half of the English version of Sailor Moon....
in the movie.