WHY PERCY’S PERSONALITY MAKES A GREAT ADDITION TO DAY OUT WITH THOMAS™
Day Out With Thomas at Strasburg Rail Road has been delighting kids for years with the opportunity to meet some of the beloved characters from the popular TV show, Thomas & Friends™. While many quickly recognize the event’s namesake – Thomas The Tank Engine™ – riding the Strasburg rails, you might be surprised to see his pal Percy following closely behind. Percy is a more recent addition to this event (2014), but he is a popular attraction because of his friendly, and sometimes over-eager, personality on the show.
Percy holds a natural appeal for kids of all ages. Children can quickly relate to Percy for his youthful eagerness and folly, and in how he is treated by his elders. Though Percy was built in 1900 (making him around 124 years old), he is one of the youngest engines in Sodor. He is eager to prove he is a useful engine and can do the job well. However, like many enthusiastic youths, Percy is known for being quite cheeky. He looks for ways to trick or tease the older, larger engines. Some of his antics get him into scrapes, but he can always count on his friends – especially Thomas or Toby – to help him out!
Percy is known for being bold, kind, and very accident-prone. In fact, Percy holds the record for the highest number of accidents in one season. Some of his more comedic accidents include crashing into buffers, falling into the sea, or getting hit by a falling crate of treacle (molasses). Perhaps his silliest accident was crashing through a chocolate factory and emerging covered in chocolate! Most of his accidents are a result of his own silliness or tricks backfiring, but he always tries to learn from his mistakes.
Percy’s size, color, and tomfoolery has earned him several nicknames from other characters, such as “Little Green Goblin on Wheels,” “Slow Coach,” “Pokey Percy,” and “Pudding Percy.” Perhaps the most iconic nickname, “Green Caterpillar with Red Stripes” was first said by the creator of the show, Reverend W. Awdry, and was later repeated by Thomas the Tank Engine in the show. But in fact, Percy is not the only green engine on the show. There’s also Henry the Green Engine, Peter Sam, and Rex.
Sir Topham Hatt™ appreciates Percy’s loyalty and willingness to keep trying. Percy truly is a “really useful engine.” He always wants to do his best and never gives up. His favorite job is to deliver the mail, and he works on Thomas’ Branch Line as a goods engine.
While Percy made his debut on Sodor before 1935, he made his first real-world appearance at the Strasburg Rail Road in 2014. Strasburg Rail Road continues to host Percy each year at our exciting Day Out With Thomas events and is the only tourist railroad in Pennsylvania to feature Percy at the event. (Other locations that feature Percy include stations in California, Minnesota, and North Carolina.)
Of course, Percy wouldn’t be traveling without his best friend Thomas the Tank Engine. You can say hello to both iconic steam engines at the upcoming Day Out With Thomas events. You can ride in cars behind both engines at the event by purchasing the Percy Package or Sodor Deluxe tickets. While at the station, you can enjoy other Fun Extras like the Imagination Station, Pint-Sized Pufferbelly, Cranky Cars, and more! We look forward to seeing you there!
