The Green Controller

"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 and Percy. 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

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Lady Hatt
 * Troublesome Trucks
 * Edward
 * Emily
 * Henrietta
 * Refreshment Lady
 * Cyril the Fogman
 * The Storyteller
 * The Ice-Cream Factory Manager
 * Bulstrode

Locations

 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Tidmouth Goods Station
 * Maithwaite
 * Knapford
 * Kellsthorpe Road
 * Arlesdale End
 * Toby's Shed
 * The Bridge over the Rocky River
 * The Coaling Plant
 * Callan Castle
 * The Washdown
 * Brendam Docks

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.
 * Several images from a deleted scene shows James in his "buzzy bee" livery, Gordon and Toby derailed. It was revealed that it happened because James was teased so much he ignored a signal and ran into Gordon, and Toby crashed into James and Gordon hauling the express causing a huge mess. But possibly due to time constraints, this scene was omitted.
 * 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 catchphrase in the CGI Series along with "Express coming through!"
 * The first appearance of Arlesdale End since the first series episode, Toby and the Stout Gentleman which was also its debut appearance; only the shed had appeared in the interim.
 * The first time James has a different coat of paint other than red in the model era.
 * 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.
 * The events of this story are similar to the eleventh series episode, Sir Handel in Charge, the thirteenth series episode, Hiro Helps Out and the twenty-first series episode, Dowager Hatt's Busy Day.

Goofs

 * In the UK dub, the trucks are referred to as coaches.
 * At one point in the German dub, the narrator mistakenly refers to Toby 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/cars 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!
 * Toby: I'm only a steam tram! The express is too heavy for me to pull!

Merchandise

 * Motor Road and Rail
 * TrackMaster
 * Wooden Railway
 * Minis
 * Capsule Plarail
 * Take-n-Play
 * Tomica
 * Boss
 * Bachmann
 * Books - Thomas and the Green Controller, Thomas and the Green Controller, Percy's Most Important Mission and Bad! I Can Not Remember

Home Media Releases
{{Scroll box|

UK

 * The Complete Series 10

DVD Packs

 * Classic Collection

US/CAN

 * Carnival Capers

DVD Boxsets

 * Whistle Express Collection!
 * Celebrate with Thomas

AUS

 * The Complete Series 10
 * My First Thomas with The Fat Controller

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * My First Thomas
 * The Essential Collection
 * Series Nine and Series Ten Double Pack
 * The Complete Series Ten and Hero of the Rails Double Pack

ARA

 * Rocky to the Rescue

SPN

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 12

DVD Boxsets

 * Second Season

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 46

MYS

 * Thomas and the Treasure and Other Adventures
 * Thomas and the Colors and Other Adventures

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 10 Vol.6
 * Thomas' Surprise!

KOR

 * Thomas the Little Engine and Friends Season 5 Vol. 3

TWN
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 21

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