"Tramway Engines" was first published in 1972. It was written by the Reverend W. Awdry and illustrated by Gunvor and Peter Edwards.
Stories
Ghost Train
Percy claims his driver saw a "ghost train" the previous night, but Thomas doesn't believe him and Percy's driver confirms that the engine was on television. On his way home from working at the harbour all day, Percy crashes into a cart of lime that had stuck at Crowe's Farm Crossing. When the signalman remarks Percy looks like a ghost, Percy makes a plan, and convinces Thomas he has crashed and returned as a ghost, scaring Thomas out of the shed!
Woolly Bear
Thomas is still annoyed at Percy, and when Percy is delayed picking up haybales he says Percy is crawling in the hay. Percy resolves to be quick, but is delayed when a crate of treacle falls on him. The worst is wiped off, but as Percy returns home a gale whips up and Percy is covered in hay.
Mavis
Mavis is a stuck-up diesel working who loves rearranging the siding arangements at the quarry. This creates confusion and Toby is cross. When Mavis sees Daisy, she tells her that diesels are better than steam engines, making Mavis prouder than ever, until the trucks hold Mavis back and Toby has to help.
Toby's Tightrope
Mavis is restricted to the quarry after her incident. After a frost comes and goes, work increases and Mavis manages to convince the manager to let her go as far as the crossing. She formulates a plan to go further down the line and asks the trucks to push her at the crossing, but when Toby comes they decide to do it to him and he ends up suspended over a raging torrent on a pair of dangling rails. Mavis rescues him and, even though it was her fault, is forgiven and allowed to go down the line.
Featured Characters
Trivia
- The Reverend W. Awdry said Percy looked like "a green caterpillar with red stripes" in the book "Percy the Small Engine", which led to C. Reginald Dalby refusing to do any more illustrations for the series. This was later referenced in "Woolly Bear".
- This is Percy's first appearance since Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine, many fans missed Percy after his long-time absence.
- The first illustratration of Woolly Bear is almost identical to the first illustration of Thomas Comes to Breakfast, though the signalbox has changed.
Goofs
- It is likely that the penultimate illustration of Woolly Bear is incorrect, as Thomas would have no reason to wait for Percy unless he was approaching him from the opposite direction on a single line, and Thomas would not need to take Percy's trucks as he appears to have only pulled Annie, Clarabel and the milk vans since Percy began work as a goods engine on his branchline. The only exception is Percy's Predicament when Thomas helped take Percy to the Works.
- Percy's front changes between "Ghost Train" and "Woolly Bear".
- When Percy arrives at Ffarquhar haybales appear in his trucks.
- In the first illustration of "Mavis" Toby appears to be derailed.
- In previous volumes, the line to the quarry was on the left side of the Ffarquhar sheds.