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- “Let me in! Let me in!"
"No, no! Not by the smoke of my chimney, chim chim!"
"I'll Chuff, and I'll puff, and I'll break your door in!” - ― Percy and Toby
Ghost Train, retitled Percy's Ghostly Trick in American releases, is the twenty-fourth episode of the second season. In the US, this story aired on the Shining Time Station episodes Things that Go Ga-Hooga in the Night in 1989, Scare Dares in 1991 and re-aired in the Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales episode, Missing Whistles in 1996.
Plot
Percy is telling Thomas and Toby the story of a ghost train that his driver told him the night before. Percy is afraid to think of it, however Thomas does not believe a word and runs off calling Percy a silly little engine. Percy tells his driver that Thomas did not believe in the ghost and Percy's driver explains that he does not either; it was a story on television. Percy cannot help but be disappointed.
That evening, after his work at the harbour is done, Percy runs back to the shed. Percy enjoys running at night and knows exactly where he is despite the dark. What Percy does not know is that a broken cart of lyme is ahead on the tracks. While Sam the farmer has gone for help, Percy comes down the line and smashes the cart to pieces and the lime completely covers Percy, who runs to the nearest signal box.
At the signal, Percy meets Toby and his driver explains to the signalman what happened. The signalman arranges to sort out the hazard on the line, but suggests Percy be cleaned up as he looks like a ghost. This gives Percy an idea to scare Thomas and asks not to be cleaned yet. Toby promises to help.
At the shed, a scared Toby arrives and tells Thomas, who is preparing to take his evening train, that Percy has had an accident. Thomas is concerned for Percy, but also worries that this will make him late. Toby tells him the line has been cleared, but that he thinks he saw Percy's ghost. Thomas is unconcerned and tells Toby not to worry.
After this, however, a ghostly voice comes from outside demanding to be let in. Thomas is frightened as the shed doors open and reveal what appears to be Percy's ghost. Thomas, terrified, quickly runs off to collect Annie and Clarabel.
The next morning, Thomas finally returns and meets Toby at the station. Toby asks what happened and Thomas reveals he slept in the goods shed claiming he did not want to intrude as Toby would be sad about Percy. However, as he makes his excuses, Percy whistles in the distance and Thomas runs off.
Percy, who is now cleaned up and none the worse for his adventure, arrives having heard everything. Percy cannot help but be pleased as Toby remarks that Thomas is acting as if he had seen a ghost.
Characters
- Thomas
- Percy
- Toby
- Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
- Percy's Ghost Engine (does not speak)
- Sam the Farmer (mentioned; deleted scene)
- Terence (deleted scene)
Locations
- The Viaduct
- Tidmouth
- Ffarquhar Sheds
- The Watermill
- The Windmill
- Anopha Quarry
- Crowe's Farm Crossing
- Knapford Harbour (mentioned)
Trivia
- This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Tramway Engines.
- This is the first episode told by George Carlin in the US, as well as the last episode narrated by Tomislav Stojković in Croatia until the eighth season.
- The ghost engine is just Percy covered in white streamers with Edward's whistle sound.
- In all narrations (except for Japan and Korea), when Toby says "Anyone would think that our Thomas had just seen a ghost?", a reverb effect is used on "ghost" this is possibly to make it sound scary or surprising.
- Percy and Toby's exchange at the sheds spoofs the story, The Three Little Pigs.
- The crate of treacle, later used in the next episode, is seen when Percy scares Thomas at the end.
- A deleted scene shows Terence with the lyme cart.
- When Thomas interrupts Percy during his ghost story at the beginning, it is daytime in the original version of the episode, but in the restored version of the episode, it's close to dusk.
- Ringo Starr's US narration of this episode has been broadcast on the Shining Time Station episode Things that Go Ga-Hooga in the Night, but was never released on home video in any form.
- In the restored version of the episode, the fade effect after Thomas left Tidmouth Station is missing.
- This is the first Halloween-themed episode of the entire series.
Goofs
- In the opening shot of the viaduct, a light on the scaffolding goes on a bit too late.
- In the shot of Toby telling Thomas about Percy's accident you can tell the film was cut, as his eyes jerk from up to down.
- For some reason, in the restored version, Toby leaves Percy to go to the sheds a little later than he did in the original version and the scene of him leaving is sped up. To add to that the puffing noise starts before we see him do it.
- During the scene when Thomas visits Toby at the station after his scare, Thomas is right next to Toby for the wide shots, but a little farther forward during his close-ups.
- As Thomas leaves the sheds, his lamp is not turned on.
- When Percy is puffing through the valley, he has a black box attached to his cab. This is most likely the power source for his headlamp.
- One of the bags lyme has an eye.
- When Percy comes into the shed, Toby's face mask is loose.
- When Percy passes the windmill, his tail lamp is not red.
- Clarabel is facing the wrong way when Thomas leaves Tidmouth.
Merchandise
- TrackMaster - Ghostly Percy (discontinued)
- Magazine stories - Ghost Train
In Other Languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ゆうれいきかんしゃ | Ghost Engine |
| Spanish | Los Fantasmas de Percy | Percy's Ghosts |
| Welsh | Yr Ysbryd | The Ghost |
| Dutch | De Spooktrein | The Ghost Train |
| Polish | Duch Pociągu | The Spirit Train |
| Norwegian | Spøkelsestoget | The Ghost Train |
| Swedish | Spöktåget | The Ghost Train |
| Danish | Thomas og spøgelsestoget | Thomas and the Ghost Train |
| Finnish | Aavejuna | Ghost Train |
| German | Der Geisterzug | The Ghost Train |
| Croatian | Vlak duh | Train Spirit |
| Hungarian | A szellemvonat | The Ghost Train |
| Italian | Il Treno Fantasma | The Ghost Train |
| Chinese | 幽灵列车 | Ghost Train |
| Korean | 유령기차 | Ghost Train |
| Slovenian | Vlak duhov | Train Spirit |
| Russian | Поезд-призрак | Ghost Train |
| Ukrainian | Привид | Ghost |
| Czech | Vlak duchů | Ghost Train |
| Romanian | Trenul Fantomă | Ghost Train |
| Slovak | Vlak duchov | Ghost Train |
| Thai | รถไฟปีศาจ | Ghost Train |
| French | Le Train Fantôme | The Ghost Train |
Home Media Releases
Episode
| #01 Thomas, Percy and the Coal | #10 The Runaway | #19 Daisy |
| #02 Cows | #11 Percy Takes the Plunge | #20 Percy's Predicament |
| #03 Bertie's Chase | #12 Pop Goes the Diesel | #21 The Diseasel |
| #04 Saved from Scrap | #13 Dirty Work | #22 Wrong Road |
| #05 Old Iron | #14 A Close Shave | #23 Edward's Exploit |
| #06 Thomas and Trevor | #15 Better Late than Never | #24 Ghost Train |
| #07 Percy and the Signal | #16 Break Van | #25 Woolly Bear |
| #08 Duck Takes Charge | #17 The Deputation | #26 Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree |
| #09 Percy and Harold | #18 Thomas Comes to Breakfast | Cancelled: The Missing Coach |
| Cancelled: Gordon Goes Foreign | ||