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“James, you must be a busy bee!"
"Do you mean I have to be painted yellow and black?"
"Yes, James!"
"But why?!"
"Because I'm controller!”
― Percy and James

The Green Controller is the fifth episode of the tenth series.

Plot

Percy is alone at Tidmouth Sheds when the Fat Controller's car pulls up. Percy is very surprised to find Lady Hatt instead of the Fat Controller. Lady Hatt explains the Fat Controller has lost his voice, so he is off sick today. Lady Hatt tells Percy to give some of the engines their instructions; Gordon is to pull trucks of china plates and cutlery to Brendam Docks and must go slowly and carefully, James is to shunt coal trucks at the coaling plant and must be as busy as a bee, and Toby must collect holidaymakers from Maithwaite, take them to Callan Castle and be as fast as Gordon's express. Once Lady Hatt leaves, Thomas arrives and Percy tells him that he is controller for the day. Thomas asks if Percy needs any help, but Percy neglects his assistance.

Percy finds Gordon at Knapford and tells him to pull slow goods. Gordon is not very happy about this. He finds James at the washdown and tells him to be a busy bee. James gasps and asks if he has to be repainted yellow and black. Percy says yes and sternly puffs away. Finally, he finds Toby at Arlesdale End and tells him to pull Gordon's express. Toby is very surprised as Percy puffs away.

Percy then goes to check up on the other engines. At a bridge, Percy says hello to some children, but the children are laughing at a slowcoach Gordon and James the stripy-bee engine. Toby arrives with the express, and then they notice the children the laughing and Percy watching them. Gordon complains to Percy that he is supposed to be the fastest engine on Sodor, not the slowest; James moans that he is meant to be the reddest engine on the island, but now no one recognises him; and Toby explains that he, being a tram engine, is not strong enough to take the express. Percy realises that he is in a muddle and when Thomas arrives, Percy asks for his help. Thomas suggests to go back in his tracks; he might find something that may help him remember. Percy thinks this is a good idea.

Thomas and Percy go to Knapford to find see Gordon's cargo of china. Percy remembers that Gordon is to take trucks of china to the Docks. At the coaling plant they see trucks waiting for James to shunt them. Percy remembers that James is to be as busy as a bee shunting trucks. Finally, at Maithwaite, they see holidaymakers waiting for Toby. Percy remembers that Toby is to be as fast as Gordon's express while taking holidaymakers to Callan Castle. Thomas congratulates Percy for remembering all three jobs.

At last, Gordon, James, and Toby are doing the right jobs and that evening, the Fat Controller congratulates Percy for being really useful. Percy is just happy that the Fat Controller has found his voice and hopes that he will never lose it again as being controller for the day was harder than he thought.

Characters

Locations

Trivia

  • Going by production order, this is the twenty-sixth episode of the tenth series.
  • One of the trucks is wearing Bulstrode's surprised face.
  • The piece of paper Lady Hatt reads from appears to be a crew member's notes. The words "Thomas and Friends" and "crew" can be seen on it.
  • The episode has an alternate version of the scene in which Percy sees everyone doing the wrong jobs. In this version, a signalman laughs at James' "busy bee" livery, distracting him and leading James to crash into Gordon. This is followed by Toby crashing into the back of both of them with the heavy Express, while Percy witnesses all of this in horror from another line before Thomas arrives. This scene would end up being replaced with a newly-filmed scene in the final episode for reasons currently unknown. A combination of both the cut and final versions are present in the 2007 Movie Theater book, as well as several promotional images from the cut version being used.[1]
    • The character card for the Wooden Railway toy of Busy as a Bee James from the Adventures of James pack mentions James being teased by a signalman instead of the children.
  • This is the first episode of three things:
    • The first time in the series where Gordon says "Oh, the indignity!" which would later become his original catchphrase in the CGI Series along with "Express coming through!"
    • The first appearance of Arlesdale End station since the first series episode Toby and the Stout Gentleman; only the shed had appeared in the interim.
    • The first time James has a different coat of paint other than red as well the only time in the model era it happened.
  • James' original plastic model was repainted into the black and yellow bee livery for this episode, likely because the production team did not want to ruin one of the new brass models after it had just been made and painted. The model was reverted back to its original red livery afterwards for the episode James the Second Best.

Goofs

  • In the UK dub, the trucks are incorrectly referred to as coaches.
  • At one point of the German dub, Toby is incorrectly referred to as Percy.

Quotes

Lady Hatt: Sir Topham is sick. He has lost his voice.
Percy: I hope he finds it soon.
Lady Hatt: Sir Topham has given me a list of jobs. Listen very carefully - Gordon is to collect coaches of china from Knapford and take them to Brendam Docks. He must pull the coaches very slowly.
Percy: Slow coaches.
Lady Hatt: James is to shunt trucks in the coal yard. He must be as busy as a bee.
Percy: Busy bee.
Lady Hatt: And Toby is to take vistors from Maithwaite to the Scottish Castle. He must go as fast as Gordon's Express.
Percy: Gordon's Express.
Lady Hatt: You're in charge now, Percy.

Percy: James, you must be a busy bee.
James: Do you mean I have to be painted yellow and black?
Percy: Yes, James!
James: But why?!
Percy: Because I am controller.
  • Gordon: I am supposed to be the fastest engine on Sodor, not the slowest!
  • James: I'm supposed to be the reddest engine! Now no one knows who I am!
  • Toby: I'm only a steam tram! The express is too heavy for me to pull!

Merchandise

In Other Languages

View content
Language Title
Brazilian Portuguese O Supervisor Verde
Chinese Mandarin 绿色总管
Croatian Zelenkić
Czech Zelený Přednosta Stanice
Danish Den Grønne Kontrollør
Dutch Percy Speelt Inspecteur
Finnish Varatarkastaja
French Le Superviseur Vert
German Percy spielt Kontrolleur
Greek πράσινο ελεγκτή
Hungarian A Zöld Ellenőr
Italian Il Controllore Verde
Japanese パーシーはせきにんしゃ
Korean 축제 준비
Latin American Spanish El Supervisor Verde (TV)
El Gerente Verde (DVD)
Norwegian Sjef For en Dag
Polish Zielony Zawiadowca
Portuguese O Diretor Verde
Romanian Controlorul Cel Verde
Russian Томас и зелёный инспектор
Spanish El Revisor sin Voz
Swedish Sakta, Men Säkert
Turkish Yeşil Denetleyici

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