Middle Engine

"Little green/red piggy in the middle!"

- 'Arry and Bert teasing Percy and James

Middle Engine is the fourteenth episode of the sixth series.

Plot
The engines enjoy their work, except they don't like being a "middle engine", pushing trucks in front and pulling trucks behind. One day, Percy is collecting coal trucks from the Smelters Yard to take to the coaling plant, but 'Arry and Bert play a trick on him by shunting trucks in front of him, making him a "middle engine." Percy has to go slowly between the rakes of trucks and James teases him by calling him a "slowcoach" or "pokey". Percy has to shunt the front trucks onto the tipper for the coal to be dumped.

Percy knows it is against the rules for an engine to go on the tipper's loading ramp while it is operating. But when his driver and fireman leave, Henry arrives to collect some coal trucks, unaware that Percy is there and accidentally bumps him onto the loading ramp. Percy is then lifted up and brought back down with his coal dumped out. The yard manager is cross with Percy for causing confusion and delay and reports the incident to the Fat Controller.

That night at the sheds, James returns to see the Fat Controller scold Percy for the incident. Percy tries to admit that it wasn't his fault and that it was because Arry and Bert made him a middle engine, but the Fat Controller does not care and restricts him to shunting in the yard as punishment. James quietly brags that he can handle 'Arry and Bert, but is heard by the Fat Controller who sends him to the smelters yard to do Percy's work the next day (to James' dismay).

At first, James does not let 'Arry and Bert's bullying get in his way and thinks he has put them in their place. However, once it is time to take the train out, 'Arry plays the same trick they did on Percy the day before. Not wanting to be like Percy or a "middle engine," James refuses to move, so Percy has to pull him with his train to the docks. Percy then jokes that James is learning to be a "middle engine," leaving James angry and embarrassed as he tries to cover himself in steam.

Characters

 * James
 * Percy
 * 'Arry and Bert
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Coaling Plant Manager
 * Thomas
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * Duck
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Farmer Trotter
 * Sir Topham Hatt's Brown-haired Assistant
 * Big Mickey
 * Donald or Douglas
 * City of Truro
 * Toad
 * Lorry 2
 * Cranky

Locations

 * The Viaduct
 * Hawin Ab
 * Maron
 * Knapford
 * Callan
 * Sodor Ironworks
 * The Coaling Plant
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Brendam Docks
 * Brendam Warehouse

Trivia

 * The Coaling Plant manager has a Bronx accent in the American narration.
 * Scrap models of Thomas, Gordon, James, Toad, City of Truro, Lorry 2 and one of the Scottish Twins are seen.
 * This episode marks several things for 'Arry and Bert:
 * The first time 'Arry is referred to by name.
 * Bert's first speaking role.
 * The first time where both of them have speaking roles.
 * Their only speaking roles in the sixth series.
 * This episode marks the last appearance of Duck's cross face.
 * This is the second episode where a character says "confusion and delay" after the fifth series episode, Oliver's Find, but the fourth episode where the phrase is used overall. In the fifth series episode, Cranky Bugs and the sixth series episode, The World's Strongest Engine, it was said by the narrator.
 * In the US dub, the same singular recording of the line "coal" is used throughout the episode. This is most noticeable when Percy is approaching the tipper.
 * CITV repeated this episode on 28 February 2003, alongside the final episode of Ripley and Scuff.

Goofs

 * In the first close-ups of 'Arry and Bert in widescreen, James is standing in between them; this is because footage from later into the episode is used. James cannot be seen next to Bert on 4:3 centre-cut prints of this scene.
 * In the shot after Percy gets stuck in the middle, 'Arry's eyes are wonky.
 * In the shot after Henry arrives, Percy is pushed onto the ramp. In the next shot, he is pushed onto the ramp again.
 * When Percy gets pushed onto the ramp, he is not tethered to it, but he is in the next scene.
 * Percy's side rods continue to change position at random when he is on the loading ramp. They also change positions when he collects James and the trucks.
 * When 'Arry and Bert roll alongside James, James and Bert's eyes are wonky.
 * Percy's steam platform is visible when he leaves with James and the trucks.
 * In a close-up of Percy being tipped over, the rails underneath him disappear.
 * In some of the scenes of Percy being lifted, his wheels do not have counterweights.
 * James said he would not move, but in the shots when Percy is pulling him and the trucks, steam is coming out of James' funnel as if he was moving.
 * In a rare photo, Henry has two coal trucks behind him instead of three.
 * When Percy buffers up to James, the sound effect come in about a second late.
 * The close up of the manager he has a hole on his right arm (viewers left) which is also seen again towards the end of the episode.
 * When Percy is lowered back onto the ground:
 * His eyes briefly jitter.
 * His lamp is tilted downward a bit.
 * His driver has some fingerprint stains on his body.

Quotes

 * Percy: Oh bother!
 * 'Arry: Little green piggy in the middle!

'Arry shunting trucks in front of Percy _______________________________________________________________________________________
 * The Fat Controller: I'm very disappointed in you Percy, you know it's against the rules to go on the tipper's loading ramp!
 * Percy: Sorry sir, but it's wasn't my fault, it's because those diesels made me a middle engine.
 * The Fat Controller: Nevertheless, you will shunt trucks/freight cars in the yard until I can get to the bottom of this.
 * James: Pah. I could handle those diesels with the bend buffers and the busted boiler.
 * The Fat Controller: Then you will do Percy's run to the smelters.
 * James: Yes, sir.

The Fat Controller scolding Percy for going up on the loading ramp, then sending James to work at the smelter _______________________________________________________________________________________


 * 'Arry: Hello, James. Come to learn a thing or two from those who know?
 * James: Just get my trucks ready and stay out of my way!
 * Bert: Yes, sir!

'Arry and Bert harassing James _______________________________________________________________________________________
 * 'Arry: Little red piggy in the middle!
 * Bert: Just like Percy!
 * James: I am not like Percy. I am not a middle engine and I'm not moving!
 * Narrator: And he didn't.

'Arry and Bert shunting trucks in front of James _______________________________________________________________________________________
 * Manager: Right on time! But what is that big red engine doing in the middle?
 * Percy: Learning.
 * Manager: Learning what?
 * Percy: Learning to be a middle engine!

Manager wondering about James being in the middle of the train

Merchandise

 * Books - Percy and James in the Middle and Thomas, James and the Diesels

Home Media Releases
{{Scroll box|

UK

 * The Chocolate Crunch and other stories
 * The Complete Series 6

DVD Packs

 * Classic Collection
 * Pulling Together! & The Chocolate Crunch Double Pack
 * Brave Little Engines and The Chocolate Crunch Double Pack
 * Peep Peep Party, Engines to the Rescue and The Chocolate Crunch Triple Pack
 * Double DVD Giftset

WAL

 * Percy Yummy! and Other Stories

US

 * Percy's Chocolate Crunch and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 6

CAN

 * Percy's Chocolate Crunch and Other Thomas Adventures

DVD Packs

 * Totally Thomas Volume 1

AUS

 * Twin Trouble
 * The Complete Series 6

DVD Packs

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * 60th Anniversary - Limited Edition Boxset
 * 3 DVDs
 * Series Five and Series Six Double Pack

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.2
 * Operation Mischief!!

KOR

 * The Stories that Gives Enlightenment
 * Character Special Edition Series Vol. 2

PHL

 * The World's Strongest Engine

NOR/DK

 * Percy's Chocolate Crash

DK DVD Boxsets

 * Danish DVD Boxset

SVN

 * Chocolate Percy

MYS

 * Scaredy Engines and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Scaredy Engines and Other Adventures

SWE

 * Percy's Chocolate Dip

ITA

 * The Jet Engine

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 21

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 14
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 10

TWN
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 15

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