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Description

Percy’s origins are among the most documented out of any engine in the NWR as unlike Thomas, Henry’s and Rosies records. The workshop where he was built also kept good records for good reasons.

In 1929, Avonside was given an order for a small but powerful 0-4-0ST locomotive based on the GWR 1361 class by a Lancaster Engine workshop to be sold to Barrow Docks. Despite the quick build (6 months), the tank engine was uneeded due to the Great Depression and was subsequently refused. The workshop put him to work and for his 5 year stay, the manager wrote kindly of him.

During this time, the workshop also began to adjust him by adding a larger coal bunker, a small condensing system, and a toolbox on the footplate. By 1934, he would’ve been recognizable to his builders but the changes would’ve had them wondering if he was built by the workshop! However by 1934, the workshop had taken delivery of a 0-6-0T locomotive and had quietly put him on sale.

Luckily for him, Sir Topham Hatt arrived and impressed by the workshops work on the saddle tank bought him. Naming him Percy, the locomotive was brought back to Sodor and sent to Knapford for shunting. The little engine, though short legged, proved himself through his larger boiler (Due to the request of Vickers Shipbuilders) and had the yard under control.

Soon though, the job of yard shunter began to expand as Percy found himself taking multiple trains around Sodor including short goods trains and maintenance. The little engine, though tired, proved able. However, his exhaustion soon caused an innate cheekiness to inflate.

Until 1954, Percy caused no less than two dozen incidents that caused a delay and was relegated to sheds no less than five times. With this and his increasing obsolescence in the yard, Percy was sent to the Ffarquhar line.

There he proved to be helpful but quickly wore out his welcome with Thomas. The blue tank engine was a stickler for rules and timetables, something Percy was not always bound by. Thus Percy would occasionally do something that Thomas would not like and then they would fight.

By 1975, after the umpteenth fight, Sir Topham Hatt put Percy onto the Kirk Ronan where he proved invaluable. Furthermore it was around this time that the Saddle tank began to take the mail train he is associated with. For less than five years he worked the line before returning to the Ffarquhar after making up for a final time with Thomas. He was put onto the Ulfstead extension to run it to keep him from butting heads too often with Thomas. A move that has since proven successful.

By 1984, all seemed well for Percy who was settling his role as Ulfstead engine when the TV show came out. Percy was stunned as he turned out to be a popular engine on the show, somewhat helped by Britt Allcroft saying he was her favorite engine. Percy, not eager to restart his rivalries with Thomas acted cheekily only on his line when Thomas was away.

He is noted as being the best adjusted star who regularly greets crowds cheerfully and answers questions well. To this day, he is the unofficial face of the engines of Sodor. Increasingly reflected in the TV show since Season 16 after Ms. Sharon Miller met the engine.
(Own headcanon on Percy. Feel free to use. Yes I am liking Percy more than I used to thanks to HIT and Mattel)

Description

Percy’s origins are among the most documented out of any engine in the NWR as unlike Thomas, Henry’s and Rosies records. The workshop where he was built also kept good records for good reasons.

In 1929, Avonside was given an order for a small but powerful 0-4-0ST locomotive based on the GWR 1361 class by a Lancaster Engine workshop to be sold to Barrow Docks. Despite the quick build (6 months), the tank engine was uneeded due to the Great Depression and was subsequently refused. The workshop put him to work and for his 5 year stay, the manager wrote kindly of him.

During this time, the workshop also began to adjust him by adding a larger coal bunker, a small condensing system, and a toolbox on the footplate. By 1934, he would’ve been recognizable to his builders but the changes would’ve had them wondering if he was built by the workshop! However by 1934, the workshop had taken delivery of a 0-6-0T locomotive and had quietly put him on sale.

Luckily for him, Sir Topham Hatt arrived and impressed by the workshops work on the saddle tank bought him. Naming him Percy, the locomotive was brought back to Sodor and sent to Knapford for shunting. The little engine, though short legged, proved himself through his larger boiler (Due to the request of Vickers Shipbuilders) and had the yard under control.

Soon though, the job of yard shunter began to expand as Percy found himself taking multiple trains around Sodor including short goods trains and maintenance. The little engine, though tired, proved able. However, his exhaustion soon caused an innate cheekiness to inflate.

Until 1954, Percy caused no less than two dozen incidents that caused a delay and was relegated to sheds no less than five times. With this and his increasing obsolescence in the yard, Percy was sent to the Ffarquhar line.

There he proved to be helpful but quickly wore out his welcome with Thomas. The blue tank engine was a stickler for rules and timetables, something Percy was not always bound by. Thus Percy would occasionally do something that Thomas would not like and then they would fight.

By 1975, after the umpteenth fight, Sir Topham Hatt put Percy onto the Kirk Ronan where he proved invaluable. Furthermore it was around this time that the Saddle tank began to take the mail train he is associated with. For less than five years he worked the line before returning to the Ffarquhar after making up for a final time with Thomas. He was put onto the Ulfstead extension to run it to keep him from butting heads too often with Thomas. A move that has since proven successful.

By 1984, all seemed well for Percy who was settling his role as Ulfstead engine when the TV show came out. Percy was stunned as he turned out to be a popular engine on the show, somewhat helped by Britt Allcroft saying he was her favorite engine. Percy, not eager to restart his rivalries with Thomas acted cheekily only on his line when Thomas was away.

He is noted as being the best adjusted star who regularly greets crowds cheerfully and answers questions well. To this day, he is the unofficial face of the engines of Sodor. Increasingly reflected in the TV show since Season 16 after Ms. Sharon Miller met the engine.
(Own headcanon on Percy. Feel free to use. Yes I am liking Percy more than I used to thanks to HIT and Mattel)