Percy and the Brake Van

"Pooh!"

- Percy on brake vans Percy and the Brake Van is a 1987 annual story.

Plot
Henry tells Percy about the goods trains on the Other Railway that do not have brake vans. Percy's Driver explains to Percy that on the Other Railway, their goods trains have brakes on their rolling stock unlike the ones on Sodor. But Percy decides that if the Other Railway does not need brake vans, then he does not either. A few days later, Percy is arranging a line of trucks at the harbour. He is just backing onto the brake van when the shunter's attention is distracted and he forgets to couple the brake van. The guard, unaware of this, blows his whistle and Percy sets off quickly, without a brake van. Percy starts so quickly that one of the truck's couplings comes loose and as Percy puffs up the hill, the weight of the trucks behind him snap the coupling. The last four trucks roll back down the slope and hit the brake van with a bump. Luckily, the guard sees the runaway trucks coming and screws the brakes hard on before jumping clear. Afterwards, Percy agrees that brake vans are vital after all.

Characters

 * Percy
 * Henry

Locations

 * Tidmouth Harbour
 * Knapford
 * The Mainland

Trivia

 * A reference to the first series episode, Troublesome Trucks is made.
 * Henry is in his old shape, implying that the story took place before The Flying Kipper.
 * It is possible that this takes place during the events of Book 6, as Henry seems fine and healthy, but is in his Old Shape. It could be in between Coal and The Flying Kipper.

Goofs

 * In the first illustration both Percy and Henry are missing axles.