The Deputation

"Edward says we need a--a depot station!" "Of course! The question is..." "What is a desperation?" "It's when engines tell the Fat Controller something's wrong."

- Percy, Gordon and Henry

The Deputation is the seventeenth episode of the second series. It is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, The Twin Engines.

Plot
Heavier than normal snow has fallen on the Island of Sodor and while the other engines hate it, Donald and Douglas are used to the conditions and clear the lines. They soon encounter one snow drift which is deeper than the rest. Just as they are backing to charge it a second time, they hear a whistle and find Henry nearly buried; they promise to get him out.

Henry is rescued and returns to the shed, but both Donald and Douglas are upset. They know the Fat Controller will be returning soon and after backing into and wrecking a signal box and destroying the Spiteful Brake Van between them, are worried that he will send them away, which would lead to them being scrapped. The other engines agree that Donald and Douglas both deserve to stay and decide something has to be done; however, no-one can think of what.

Percy talks to Edward about the situation and he suggests that the engines nominate someone to talk to the Fat Controller, a deputation. Percy relays this to the others that they need a "disputation" and they agree to this. After a long silence, Gordon nominates Percy to do the job, much to the latter's horror.

The Fat Controller returns and a nervous Percy stammers through his speech about allowing the twins to stay. The Fat Controller catches on that Percy is a deputation and tells him he understands.

Later in the sheds, the Fat Controller responds to the engines' request. He begins by telling them that, although he understands their feelings, he does not appreciate them interfering with his decision making. He then surprises everyone by awarding Donald and Douglas with new coats of paint as a result of their good work in the snow, and announces that their names will be painted on them and warns them not to make any further mistakes. The engines realise that the Fat Controller is allowing both twins to stay and overjoyed, drown out the rest of his speech with happy whistles.

Characters

 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Duck
 * Donald and Douglas
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Bertie
 * The Spiteful Brake Van

Locations

 * The Branch Line Cutting
 * The Dual Bends
 * Tidmouth
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Tidmouth Yards
 * Ffarquhar Sheds
 * Suddery Castle
 * Wellsworth
 * Wellsworth Yards
 * The Watermill

Trivia

 * A pre-filmed deleted scene from Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree is used - the viewer can tell because in the first shot, greenery appears in the snow in the top left corner.
 * This marks the first time the works unit coach is used without the Breakdown Train.
 * The "Chorus of Whistles" at the end of the episode is re-used in Bowled Out, Thomas and the Special Letter and Paint Pots and Queens.

Goofs

 * When Donald and Douglas leave the yard back-to-back, a truck is being derailed.
 * When rescuing Henry, the twin that says "Losh sakes, Donald. It's Henry!" is actually Donald himself.
 * When Gordon says "A lot of nonsense about a broken signal box," his right buffer is bent.
 * When James remarks about the Spiteful Brake Van, there appears to be a spot of paint above his right eye (viewer perspective left).
 * When Percy reverses to tell the engines about a deputation, the track in front of him bounces upward.
 * During the long silence, Douglas' tender is derailed.
 * Christmas decorations are seen on Tidmouth station behind Percy when he is talking to the Fat Controller, which suggests that this episode was filmed alongside Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree.
 * Gordon and Percy's eyes are off-centre for the majority of the episode.
 * Sir Topham Hatt says that the twins' names would be painted on, but they instead received nameplates.
 * Donald and Douglas are seen with nameplates in a few scenes. In the scene where the twins rescue Henry, Donald has his on one side, but not on the other.
 * To the left of the watermill, there is green grass that is not covered in snow.
 * Donald does not have his snowplough on and is not steaming in the opening scene.
 * It is said that Donald and Douglas had a van between their tenders, but they actually had a coach.
 * During the long silence, Percy's cab roof is lifted at the back.
 * The captions with the Amazon Video release mistakenly refer to Henry as James when he cries for help while stuck in the snowbank at the beginning of the episode.
 * When the engines whistle, Douglas is missing his left eyebrow and James' eyes stop rolling.

Merchandise

 * Motor Road and Rail - Donald and Douglas Snowplough set
 * My Thomas Story Library - Donald and Douglas

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * The Deputation and Other Stories
 * The Best of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
 * Ghost Train and other stories/Time for Trouble and other stories
 * Thomas' Christmas Party and 17 other stories
 * The Complete Series 2
 * A Close Shave

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection

US

 * TV Teddy: Shining Time Station: Sweet and Sour
 * Thomas, Percy and the Dragon and Other Stories
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 2

DVD Packs

 * Totally Thomas Volume 7
 * Thomas and the Treasure/Thomas, Percy and the Dragon and Other Stories Double Feature
 * On-the-Go Pack

AUS

 * The Deputation and other Stories
 * The Complete Series 2
 * My First Thomas with The Twin Engines

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * Classic Collection
 * Series One and Series Two Double Pack

NZ

 * The Deputation and Other Stories
 * Thomas Train Set Compilation Video Volume 5

KOR

 * Stories to Raise Cooperation

NL

 * Percy and Harold
 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Thomas, Percy and Gordon

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 9
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.1
 * The Engine Twins
 * The Best Collection
 * Fun Stories Popped Out from Picture Book

DVD Boxsets

 * The Complete DVD Box 1

PHL

 * The Deputation

HRV

 * Better Late Than Never

GER

 * Better Late Than Never and 4 Other Adventures
 * Friends Help Friends
 * Thomas and His Friends Vol. 5

DVD Boxsets

 * Thomas and His Friends Box Set 1

NOR

 * Thomas Celebrates Christmas
 * Thomas the Tank Engine 4

FIN/ISL

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 4

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends

SA

 * Volume 4

ITA

 * The Brave Locomotive

MYS

 * Thomas Comes to Breakfast and Other Thomas Stories
 * The Deputation and Other Adventures

IND

 * Pop Goes the Diesel and Other Stories

ROM

 * Thomas Comes to Breakfast

DVD Packs

 * Triple Pack 2

SER

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 3

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 7

HK
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 5
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 7