A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter

"It made me feel like a Really Useless Engine!"

- Percy complaining about how Harold took the mail while being held up

A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter, later shortened to A Bad Day for Harold on several releases, is the fourth episode of the sixth series.

Plot
Harold the Helicopter looks out up in the sky in case there's any danger. Percy is getting annoyed that Harold keeps on delivering the mail, even though it is his job, but Harold just says that is what friends are for. One morning, Percy is happily delivering the mail, but is held up by a broken signal. He cannot go past it since it is stuck at danger, so Harold has to be called to take the mail for him. Percy is not too thrilled about seeing Harold again, but there's nothing he can do since The Fat Controller had already sent for him to help. At first, the workmen load a few bags in his net, but Harold demands that all the mail should be loaded in so he is not slow like Percy, which angers and offends him. So the workmen then load all the mail into the net, and Harold begins to set off.

Just as Harold sets off with the mail, the signal is fixed. Percy tries to call Harold back, but he's too far up in the sky to hear him. Percy is upset and watches the mailbags disappear with Harold. Unfortunately, Harold's net becomes too heavy for him, his engine starts to sputter and rattle, and the heavy mail causes him to lose control. The mail net gets stuck in a tree and Harold falls down into a haystack. Percy is shocked and puffs over to Harold and asks if he is alright. Harold tells Percy to get someone to pull him out of the haystack, which he does at once.

Back at Tidmouth Sheds, Harold's engine is repaired and is flying again. Some of the engines tease Harold. He thanks Percy for helping him out of the haystack and Percy says that is what friends are for.

Characters

 * Percy
 * Harold
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Harold's Pilots
 * Thomas
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Toby
 * Duck
 * Donald or Douglas
 * Bill and Ben
 * Mavis
 * Henrietta
 * Tom Tipper

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Tidmouth Goods Station
 * Centre Island Quarry
 * Mavis' Shed
 * The Church Runby
 * Sir Topham Hatt's Office
 * Misty Valley
 * Tidmouth Beach
 * The Seaside Village
 * The Hay Farm
 * Knapford
 * Maithwaite

Trivia

 * In a picture of Harold flying through Misty Valley, Toby and Henrietta are not present.
 * This was the only episode written by Simon Nicholson and the story by him in Dunkin Duncan until the tenth series episode, A Smooth Ride.
 * This is the last of the six episodes of the sixth series re-narrated by Michael Brandon in the US on PBS Kids and Michael Angelis in the UK on Nick Jr. with music composed by Robert Hartshorne.
 * When this episode was released on the Thomas and the Jet Engine Australian DVD/VHS, and when it aired on CITV in the UK and in the half hour airing Loyalty on PBS Kids (in the US) and Nick Jr. (in the UK), the widescreen version is used as the top and bottom of the scene is cropped, as are the left and right sides of the scenes.
 * On the old PBS Kids Sprout website, the Videos section listed this episode under its original title.
 * There are a few deleted scenes from this episode including:
 * An extended scene of Harold passing James at Tidmouth Beach, This scene was used in James the Really Splendid Engine.
 * A scene of James puffing through Tidmouth Beach with his coaches, This scene was also used in James the Really Splendid Engine.
 * An extended scene of Harold dropping off the mail at Tidmouth Sheds along with an extended shot Percy confronting Harold.
 * An Alternate scene of Harold leaving Tidmouth Sheds and Percy chuffing away as Duck passes him while pushing a train of trucks.
 * A scene of Percy pulling the Mail Train at Knapford Station at night, This scene was used as Stock Footage in Middle Engine.
 * A scene of Percy puffing through Maithwaite Station with the Mail Train, This scene was used as Stock Footage in Edward the Very Useful Engine

Goofs

 * When Percy stops at the broken signal, the steam disappears and then reappears due to a film cut.
 * In some close-ups of Percy at the broken signal, the track beside him stops at the background.
 * When Harold crashes into the haystack, he is smiling, and his rotor blades have disappeared.
 * Studio equipment and a crew member are visible in the reflection of James' carriage windows when he passes by the camera.
 * In the shot of Percy beside the haystack, Harold looks as if he landed on the haystack.
 * In a close-up of Thomas, a camera's shadow can be seen on James.
 * In the shot of Percy passing the church, he has three mail vans. In all the shots after that, he has two.
 * Throughout the episode, Harold's unhappy expression is visible behind his mouth whenever he is smiling.
 * When Percy arrives at the broken signal, his first mail truck shakes.
 * Henry has Gordon's whistle sound while Thomas and James blew their whistles, Although Gordon was among the engines at Tidmouth sheds so it could have possibly been him.
 * In the third scene, Harold hits a large bush on the right side of the screen.

Quotes

 * [about the last time Harold took the mail when he was held up]
 * Percy: It made me feel like a Really Useless Engine!




 * Pilot: Maybe we should take the mail bags a few at a time. They're very heavy.
 * Harold: I'd have to make too many trips, and then I'd be as slow as Percy!

Merchandise

 * Books - A Bad Day for Harold and Excitement to Harold
 * Magazine Stories - Harold's Bad Day, Harold's Bad Day and Percy the Post!

Home Media Releases
{{Scroll box|

UK

 * The Fogman and Other Stories
 * Bumper Party Collection!
 * The Complete Series 6

DVD Packs

 * The Very Best of Thomas and Friends/The Fogman Double Pack
 * Bumper Party Collection and Truck Loads of Fun Double Pack
 * Double DVD Giftset
 * Classic Collection

US

 * Salty's Secret and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Engine Friends
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 6

CAN

 * Salty's Secret and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Engine Friends

DVD Boxsets

 * Totally Thomas Volume 2

AUS

 * Thomas and the Jet Engine
 * The Complete Series 6
 * The Best of Thomas & Friends - Volume 1
 * My First Thomas with Bertie and Harold

DVD Boxsets

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

NOR

 * Scaredy Engines

PHL

 * A Friend in Need

MYS

 * Harvey to the Rescue and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Busy Going Backwards and Other Adventures

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.2
 * Bertie and Harold Fellow Friends
 * Thomas and his Lovely Friends

KOR

 * Character Special Edition Series Vol. 3
 * Friends Love Story

ITA

 * Percy and the Haunted Mine

SWE/DK

 * The World's Strongest Engine

HK

 * Thomas Friends Volume 13
 * Thomas Friends Volume 5

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 20

TWN
}}
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 4

Un Mal Día para Harold el Helicóptero יום רע להרולד המסוק うんのわるいハロルド Zły Dzień Harolda Плохой день вертолёта Гарольда