This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the UK/AUS/NZ VHS, the Malaysian DVD, the Philippine VCD/DVD or the magazine story. |
- “It's Donald and Douglas, sir. They say, sir, that if you send them away, sir, they'll be turned to scrap, sir. That would be dreadful, sir. Please, sir, don't send them away.”
- ― Percy to Sir Topham Hatt
The Deputation is the seventeenth episode of the second series. It is based on the story of the same name from the Railway Series book The Twin Engines.
Plot
Snow has fallen on the Island of Sodor. Most of the engines hate, it but Donald and Douglas are used to these conditions and do a good job of clearing the lines. They soon encounter one snow drift which is deeper than the rest and hear a whistle; it turns out to be Henry, who is nearly buried. The twins promise to get him out.
Henry is rescued and soon returns to the Sheds with Donald and Douglas, who are upset. The Fat Controller will be returning soon and they are worried that he will send them back to Scotland for their previous mistakes. The other engines agree that Donald and Douglas both deserve to stay and something has to be done but no one knows what to do. Percy talks to Edward, who suggests that the engines nominate someone to be a "deputation" and talk to the Fat Controller. Percy returns to tell the others and they all agree to this, even though they do not really know what a deputation is. Since Percy told the engines about Edward's recommendation, Gordon nominates Percy to do the job, which he is very nervous about.
The Fat Controller returns and a nervous Percy stammers through his speech about allowing the twins to stay, saying that they are likely to be scrapped if they are sent back to Scotland. Even though Percy is nervous, the Fat Controller understands this and sends Percy away. Later, at the Sheds, the Fat Controller responds to the engines' request. He begins by telling them that although he understands their feelings, he does not appreciate them interfering with his plans. Then, he surprises everyone by giving Donald and Douglas new coats of paint as a reward for their good work in the snow and announces that their names will be painted on them so as to avoid any further mistakes. The engines realise that the Fat Controller is allowing both of them to stay and drown out the rest of his speech with cheers and happy whistles.
Characters
- Edward
- Henry
- Gordon
- James
- Percy
- Duck
- Donald and Douglas
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Bertie (cameo)
- The Spiteful Brake Van (mentioned)
Locations
- The Branch Line Cutting
- The Dual Bends
- Tidmouth
- Suddery Castle
- Wellsworth
- The Watermill (pre-filmed footage)
Trivia
- This episode may have been filmed alongside Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree. In the first shot, greenery can be seen within the snow in the top left corner and when Percy talks to the Fat Controller, some Christmas decorations can be seen at Tidmouth Station.
- This episode marks the first time with a few things:
- The first time the works unit coach is seen without the Breakdown Train.
- The first on-screen appearances of Percy's smug and suspicious faces. The former would later be used again in the fifth series episode, Happy Ever After, as well as for promotional images for the third series episode, Thomas, Percy and the Post Train.
- The chorus of whistles at the end of the episode was later reused in the fourth series episodes, Bowled Out, Thomas and the Special Letter and Paint Pots and Queens.
Goofs
- Throughout the episode:
- Gordon's right buffer is bent.
- Many of the engines' eyes are misaligned.
- Percy's left cylinder (viewers' right) is crooked.
- In the Finnish dub, Douglas' English name is mistakely used twice.
- In the opening scene, Donald is not emitting steam and there is also green grass that is not covered in snow to the left of the watermill.
- The narrator says that Donald and Douglas had a van between their tenders but there is actually a work coach and an LBSC van is also derailed in the background.
- From the scene at Suddery Castle to before the twins find Henry, the twins have their nameplates on.
- When the twins find Henry buried in the snow, the one that says "Losh sakes, Donald! It's Henry!" is actually Donald himself.
- When James is talking about the Spiteful Brake Van, there appears to be a spot of paint above his right eye.
- When Percy reverses to talk to the engines, the track in front of him bounces upwards.
- After the narrator says "There was a long silence," Douglas's tender is derailed and Percy's cab roof is also lifted.
- When Henry says "Rubbish Percy!" at one point, his eyes do not move at the same time.
- When Percy talks to the Fat Controller, some glue holding his middle lamp iron can be seen.
- When the engines whistle, Donald is missing his left eyebrow and James's eyes also stop moving.
In Other Languages
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Merchandise
- Motor Road and Rail - Donald and Douglas Snowplough set (Japan only)
- My Thomas Story Library - Donald and Douglas
Home Video Releases
Episode
References
#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 | ||