Thomas & Friends series 2

Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. W. Awdry.

This article lists and details episodes from the second season of this series, which was first broadcast in 1986. Most episodes in this season have two titles: the original titles (also known as "UK titles") are unbracketed, while American-adapted titles (also indicated by " - US") are bracketed. Both titles are considered valid, although the original titles are perhaps more correct than the American-adapted titles. Also in this series, The original gauge O models have been replaced by gauge 1 models. Henry now has splashers. These models are used from series 2-5.

Season 2 was originally narrated by Ringo Starr, however he and George Carlin have since re-narrated the episodes for American audiences. In addition, only half of Starr US narrations this season have been shown on television or on video/DVD release; the other half of the Starr US narrations probably do not exist.

Episodes

#	Title	Original Airdate
1	"Thomas, Percy and the Coal" "(Double Trouble - US)"	2 September , 1986
Thomas brags to Percy and Toby about how blue is the only proper colour for a really useful engine. He soon gets into a spot of bother when a coal hopper empties its load right beside him and covers him in coal dust.
2	"Cows" "(A Cow on the Line - US)"	5 September , 1986
Gordon and Henry tease Edward after some cows break part of his train away.But Toby encourges Edward by saying "they never met cows I have and I know the trouble they are" However, it is Edward who has the last laugh when the two run into Bluebell the cow.
3	"Bertie's Chase"	7 September , 1986
Thomas' fireman isn't able to come in to work one day and Bertie agrees to take his passengers. Edward, unaware of the change of plan, leaves before Bertie arrives.
4	"Saved from Scrap"	9 September , 1986
At the scrapyard, Edward meets a traction engine called Trevor, who is due to be broken up, despite being in good condition. Edward is determined to save him, and finds the perfect person to do so.
5	"Old Iron"	11 September , 1986
After Edward makes him late, James makes rude comments about him, claiming him to be nothing but a load of "Old Iron". Not long afterwards, however, two boys meddle with his controls and render him a runaway, until Edward saves him.
6	"Thomas and Trevor" "(A New Friend for Thomas - US)"	14 September , 1986
Trevor is bored of working in the vicarige orchard, so Edward agrees to take him to help Thomas at the harbour. Slowly but surely, Thomas gains a respect for the traction engine, and eventually promises Trevor that he can help him again when the time comes.
7	"Percy and the Signal"	17 September , 1986
Percy enjoys playing tricks on the other engines, but goes too far one day, getting James into trouble with the Fat Controller. He and Gordon decide to pay Percy out with the help of a signal...
8	"Duck Takes Charge"	18 September , 1986
The Fat Controller buys an engine named Montague (nicknamed Duck) to help out an overworked Percy. The big engines are rude to him, and start ordering him about. Duck and Percy decide to take matters into their own hands (or wheels) and deal with the engines themselves.
9	"Percy and Harold" "(Percy Proves a Point - US)"	20 September , 1986
While at work on the new harbour, Percy meets Harold, a helicopter who calls the railway "slow, not much use, and quite out of date". Percy is determined to prove him wrong, and his chance comes on the way to the Wharf.
10	"The Runaway"	22 September , 1986
Thomas isn't feeling well and has to go to the works. Soon, he comes back, albeit with a small problem: his brakes aren't always working properly. This proves disastrous when the fireman forgets to tighten them properly whilst waiting for Henry's train, and Thomas puffs away.
11	"Percy Takes the Plunge"	24 September , 1986
Percy teases Henry about being afraid of water referring to the time he refused to come out of the tunnel in case the rain ruined his paint. However, Percy soon gets what he deserves when he foolishly persuades some trucks to push him past the same Danger sign Thomas ignored only to end up in the water.
12	"Pop Goes the Diesel"	26 September , 1986
A diesel engine arrives on the island and Duck is given the task of showing him what to do. Diesel boasts that his kind know everything, so Duck leaves him to shunt some trucks alone, with disasterous results...
13	"Dirty Work" "(Diesel's Devious Deed - US)"	28 September , 1986
Diesel is still cross with Duck, believing that he was to blame for the trucks being rude to him. He decides to tell lies about him to the trucks, which insult the big engines at the same time.
14	"A Close Shave" "(A Close Shave for Duck - US)"	1 October , 1986
During his stay with Edward, Duck finds himself of the receiving end of a runaway, but bravely manages to control them, despite crashing into a barber's shop.
15	"Better Late Than Never"	4 October , 1986
The viaduct across the main line is being repaired. This makes Thomas cross with the other engines, and Bertie cross with Thomas. But when Thomas comes to the rescue after Bertie breaks down, the two decide being late isn't such a bad thing.
16	"Breakvan" "(Donald and Douglas - US)"	7 October , 1986
Donald and Douglas are twin tender engines whom the Fat Controller had bought from Scotland to help with the railway, although he had only ordered one engine. He intends to send one of them back, and a spiteful brake van doesn't help the twins at all.
17	"The Deputation"	9 October , 1986
Heavy snow has fallen on Sodor, but Donald and Douglas are used to it, using their snowploughs to clear the line. After they help Henry from a snowdrift, the other engines are determined to help them out.
18	"Thomas Comes to Breakfast"	11 October , 1986
Thomas's driver tells him that he could almost manage running the branch line without him. He is only joking, but Thomas doesn't realise this, and pays the price dearly after trying to move by himself the next day.
19	"Daisy"	14 October , 1986
Daisy, a diesel railcar, has been bought to help Percy and Toby whilst Thomas is away. However, she proves to be very stubborn and even refuses to work.
20	"Percy's Predicament"	19 October , 1986
Toby offers to swap jobs with Percy so he can have a rest from taking the milk Daisy keeps leaving behind. Unfortunatly, Percy has never worked at the quarry before, and the trucks are quick to take advantage of this.
21	"The Diseasel"	24 October , 1986
Bill & Ben are twin brothers who work at the China Clay Pits. One day, they are aghast when they discover that their trucks have gone missing! Down the line, they cause great problems and difficulty with a diesel called Boco, who they believe stole the trucks. Confusion regains until Edward explains everything.
22	"Wrong Road"	1 November , 1986
Gordon believes that branch lines, such as Edward's, are vulgar, and that the Fat Controller would never approve of him running it. However, he ends up there due to a case of mistaken identity involving a lady's hat, and Bill and Ben are waiting...
23	"Edward's Exploit"	8 November , 1986
Bertie gives Some tourists around the Island of Sodor,on their last afternoon Edward is due to take them to meet Bill and Ben. He finds it hard to start the heavy train. Henry,Gordon and James tease him and make fun of him and say "he should give up and be preserved before it's too late". Duck and Boco tell them to "Shut up" as if "edward's better than any of you". Then edward departs and takes the tourist to bill and ben, then Edward took the vistors home. On the journey back, however, the weather changes to rain and one of his crank pins, which hold his side rods on, breaks off. Despite this, Edward presses on, and gets the tourists back to Henry safely, tired and unbeaten. Duck and Boco thought Edward was left in peace and Gordon and James remain respectfully silent
24	"Ghost Train" "(Percy's Ghostly Trick - US)"	10 November , 1986
Thomas doesn't believe Percy when the little engine tells him about a ghost his driver saw the previous night (which turns out to be a pretend one on T.V). Percy wants to pay Thomas out, and a cartful of lime left on the track just might be able to help...
25	"Woolly Bear"	16 November , 1986
Percy is still teasing Thomas about the ghost incident. Thomas hits back by calling him a "Green caterpillar with red stripes". Things go wrong for the little engine soon afterwards after getting hit by a crate of treacle, then getting stuck on a hill, windswept with hay.
26	"Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree"	23 December , 1986
It's Christmas time and all the engines are hard at work getting ready for the Christmas Party. Thomas is sent to collect the Christmas tree, but gets stuck in a huge snowdrift on the way. After the engines complain of Thomas being late, the Fat Controller explains what has happened. Donald and Douglas help him out, and as a reward, all the engines enjoy a huge Christmas Party, with Father Christmas as a special guest!

Characters Introduced

• Bluebell the Cow (Cows)
• Trevor (Saved from Scrap)
• The Vicar (Saved from Scrap)
• Jem Cole (Saved from Scrap)
• Duck (Duck Takes Charge)
• Harold (Percy & Harold)
• Diesel (Pop Goes the Diesel)
• Donald and Douglas (Breakvan)
• Daisy (Daisy)
• Bill and Ben (The Diseasel)
• Boco (The Diseasel)

Notes

• Five of the episodes in this season are based on stories written by Christopher Awdry - those being Thomas, Percy and the Coal, Thomas and Trevor, The Runaway, Better Late Than Never and Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree
• The first diesel engines are introduced - Diesel, Boco, and Daisy.
• First 'villain' character of the series is introduced - Diesel.
• First time that the Troublesome Trucks have actual moulded faces. In the previous series, they only had eyes and a mouth.
• In Thomas, Percy and the Coal while Thomas is first shown being cleaned a season One Truck is seen in a goods train. Another is seen in Duck takes charge right behind Duck as He and Percy go to start work.
• George Carlin re-narrates some of these episodes for Shining Time Station and American video releases in 1991.
• The first female engine is introduced - Daisy.
• The first Twin characters are introduced - Bill and Ben & Donald and Douglas.
• Last season till Season 6 to show Thomas' surprised face without the buck tooth.
• This season was filmed much dimmer than other seasons and it looked much more realistic.
• Ringo Starr's second and final season to narrate Thomas & Friends.
• This is the only season in which we see The Spiteful Brakevan.