Toby's Tightrope

"I'm sorry about the trucks. I can't think how you managed to stop them in time." "Oh well. My driver told me about circus people who walk tightropes, but I just didn't fancy doing it myself!"

- Mavis and Toby

Toby's Tightrope is the fifteenth episode of the third season. It first aired on Shining Time Station in the episode Do I Hear in 1991.

Plot
One day at the quarry, Percy arrives at the quarry to pick up stone for his trucks. Everywhere is still covered with snow and frost, and the only engine in the quarry at the moment is Mavis who is sheltering between rocks looking miserable. Percy tells the young diesel to cheer up, but Mavis explains that her manager found out about her going down Toby's line and causing trouble and has confined her to the quarry. She then calls Toby a fusspot again, angering Percy who tells her that Toby knows a lot about trucks and that they must be left where he wants them. Percy then leaves to take his trucks to the harbour. Although Mavis likes Percy, she still doesn't understand why she can't go down the line.

The siding arrangements at the quarry are very awkward, and Mavis is forced to make several journies to put the trucks in the correct place. Mavis is desperate to leave the quarry, and makes a plan. She starts by telling her driver the work would be a lot easier if she could use a small part of Toby's line. Her driver, suspecting nothing, agrees and allows her as far as the first level crossing.

The weather changes, with the snow and ice melting away. This causes an increase in work, and Mavis takes trains that can be so long she has to go beyond the level crossing. She decides to go ahead with her plan to go further down the line without making it look like her fault, and asks the trucks to bump her at the level crossing. The trucks agree, however things go wrong when Toby arrives while she's gone and decides to shunt them himself. The trucks decide to bump Toby instead, and when Toby reaches the level crossing the trucks push him down the line.

Melted ice and snow had caused the river on Toby's line to become a torrent and a large log collides with and washes away an old wooden bridge but leaves the rails behind which form a tightrope across the abyss. Toby's driver fights for control, and by the time Toby is finally able to stop, he is on the tightrope above the water, ready to fall any second as more pieces of the bridge crumble into the torrent.

When Mavis hears what has happened she is horrified and immediately goes to help. Toby is anchored to some rocks with chains as Mavis takes away the trucks. Eventually she is able to pull Toby to safety and later apologises about what happened with the trucks. Toby thanks Mavis, telling her that he doesn't fancy walking any tightropes again.

The Fat Controller sees Mavis later and congratulates her for doing well in an emergency. Mavis admits she was responsible for the trucks' behaviour but asks if she can still use Toby's line as Toby has offered to show her what to do. The Fat Controller agrees on the condition Mavis's manager allows her to, which he does. Mavis is now happier than ever, and is considered to be a really useful engine.

Characters

 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Mavis
 * Sir Topham Hatt

Locations

 * Tidmouth Hault
 * Anopha Quarry
 * Ffarquhar River Bridge
 * The Quarry Tramroad
 * Knapford Harbour (mentioned)

Trivia

 * This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Tramway Engines.

Goofs

 * George Carlin refers to the chains as ropes. Michael Angelis made the same error in his first narration of this episode.
 * When Toby backs down onto the trucks, his eyes are wonky.
 * In the restored version, a hand can be seen pushing trucks when they surge against Toby.
 * In a rare picture, Toby's driver is smiling when Toby is being bumped by the trucks.