Oliver's Find

"Hmm! Getting lost can be interesting, but being found is much nicer. Especially if it makes an engine feel Really Useful!"

- Oliver

Oliver's Find is the eighteenth episode of the fifth season.

Plot
Oliver and his brakevan Toad are enjoying their work in the big yard. However, Oliver was starting to miss the longer runs. Toad suggests talking to Sir Topham Hatt, but Oliver decides to keep quiet. As time went on, Oliver became more unhappy. His mood and the trucks' behaviour lead to an accident in the turntable. Sir Topham Hatt transfers Oliver to the nightly mail train route so that he can clear his smokebox.

The new job cheers Oliver up as he made good speed on his first run, until he stops to collect mail from Harold. Harold is late due to mechanical problems, which annoys Oliver. Trying to make up speed, he meets a red signal. The signalman had fallen asleep and forgot to change the points. After whistling multiple times, Oliver and his crew decide to proceed with caution and find out what the problem is at the signal box. Unknowingly, they are switched down an old branch line. The fireman points out that they are running low on water and, after passing an old station, they crash into a shed.

A concerned Sir Topham Hatt sends out a search party the next morning. They find Oliver and his crew safe and sound. Sir Topham Hatt knows the accident was not Oliver's fault. While chatting, Sir Topham Hatt notices an abandoned house nearby. He goes to inspect it and, when he returns to Oliver, he thanks him for finding the new house. He announces his plans for making it a tea house, where visitors can have refreshments.

Characters

 * Oliver
 * Toad
 * Harold
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Henry (cameo)
 * James (cameo)
 * Mavis (cameo)
 * S. C. Ruffey (possible stock footage cameo)
 * Bulstrode (faceless; cameo)
 * Duke (portrait; cameo)
 * Percy (mentioned)

Locations

 * Wellsworth
 * Callan
 * The Fishing Village
 * Shunting Yards
 * The Lighthouse
 * Kirk Ronan
 * Tidmouth Hault (deleted scene)

Trivia

 * Pre-filmed footage from Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday and stock footage from Bye George! and Put Upon Percy is used. Footage from the latter isn't cut properly, as S. C. Ruffey can be seen in the mine.
 * When Oliver first passes the boats and barges with the post train, to the far left, Bulstrode's model without his face or eye mechanism can be seen.
 * A picture shows a deleted scene of Oliver passing through Tidmouth Hault.
 * The picture of Duke from Bulldog is in the signal box.
 * The yard Oliver is in at the beginning of the episode is the Tidmouth Sheds set extensively redressed.
 * An image implies that Henry and James were intended to have larger roles.
 * As S. C. Ruffey appears in stock footage, it is unknown if this was simply a mistake on the part of the model makers, or if it was an intentional appearance of the character.

Goofs

 * When Oliver bumps the trucks, they are facing him, but when they crash into the turntable, they are facing the other way.
 * When Oliver goes along the coastal track, his last van bounces.
 * In a deleted scene, Henry's tender does not have coal in it.
 * As Oliver is waiting for Harold, Henry passes with some vans, then as Oliver is talking to Harold, James passes through with exactly the same line of vans Henry was pulling.