Daisy

"Look at me, I'm the latest diesel. Highly sprung, and right up to date!"

- Daisy, "Branch Line Engines"

Daisy is a diesel railcar, built by Metro-Cammell at Washwood Heath in 1956. She came to Sodor in 1961.

Branch Line Engines
After Thomas was sent to the Works to have his bufferbeam repaired in 1961, Daisy was loaned from the B.R. to do his work. Daisy was rather nasty to Henrietta, Annie and Clarabel - she called them "rubbish", refused to sleep in the Ffarquhar engine sheds on the grounds that it was "smelly", and blatantly refusing to pull freight because it was "bad for her swerves". Daisy later called Toby cowardly for having sideplates and cowcatchers and claimed that one only needed to "toot and look them in the eye" to shoo animals. This, of course, was proved false when Daisy tried to shoo an inquistive bull. The Fat Controller discovered that Daisy was lazing about, but gave her a second chance after Daisy helped clear up the mess made when Percy collided into a train of stone. Daisy promised to change her ways.

Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine
Percy used Daisy as an example of a good diesel to change Douglas' opinion about diesels.

Tramway Engines
Mavis sought Daisy's advice about how to show Toby that her method of doing things was correct. This wasn't exactly the best move, as Daisy knew next to nothing about trucks.

Thomas Comes Home
Daisy was put in charge of Thomas' fast run to Knapford while Thomas was in York. Daisy later claimed that she was not afraid of snow, but changed her mind after getting stuck in a snowdrift for a week. When Thomas finally returned from York Daisy was given charge of a special train to bring guests to Knapford for the welcome-home party, but was delayed after running over some cones left inside the crossing gates at Dryaw crossing. She only just made it in time.

Wilbert the Forest Engine
Daisy, along with Thomas, Percy and Toby, saw Wilbert off when he returned to Gloucestershire.

Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines
Daisy was stranded on the main line when the stretch before Dryaw was declared unsafe as rabbits had burrowed beneath it, and so she was given the task of ferrying passengers from the airfield to Knapford. She later tried to cheer Henry up when he started to worry about the Golden Jubilee.

Thomas and Victoria
Daisy teased Percy for being afraid of grass snakes, but was humiliated when she blew a fuse out of fright when a crate of eels dropped beneath her.

Appearances
Daisy's Railway Series appearances are listed below, in chronological order:


 * "Branch Line Engines"
 * "Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine" (mentioned)
 * "Tramway Engines"
 * "Thomas and the Twins" (non-speaking role)
 * "Thomas Comes Home"
 * "Wilbert the Forest Engine" (non-speaking role)
 * "Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines"
 * "Thomas and Victoria"

In the television series, Daisy first appeared in the second season. She made another appearance in the fourth season and made a non-speaking role in "Calling All Engines".Daisy is featured to return in Season 13, but she'll have a much different attitude, like doing her work without being impatient.

Persona
Daisy was lazy, impatient and stubborn, until she was taught a lesson that trucks don't ruin her swerves and got insulted about bull's-eyes. She's currently a good sort, who is kind, sweet and hopeful, that's because she is now a responsible, reliable and really useful engine.

In the 'Thomas & Friends' magazines, Daisy was portraying her old personality of being rude about the steam engines and trucks, and believing that anything up-to-date is always the best.

Basis
Daisy is based on a BR/Metro-Cammell DMU Class 101/102. She is, however, a single railcar instead of the traditional two (akin to the Class 121 'bubble cars').

Livery
Daisy is painted green with yellow lining, similar to the livery of the British Railways DMUs in the 1960s. She wears makeup, including eyelashes, red lipstick, blush and blue eyeshadow. Daisy has white buffers and medium-gray cab roof. In the Railway Series, Daisy has a green face and the BR coat of arms on her side.

Trivia

 * Daisy is the first female engine on Sodor.
 * In the Railway Series, Daisy has two green faces - one at each end of her cab. However, in the Television series, real time and usually, Daisy has only one grey face with one lamp above her front cab windows and, at her rear cab, she has four lamps (three close to her bufferbeam as well and one above her rear cab window).
 * Daisy is the first female character to have a flower-type name.
 * Daisy is the first railway engine to have windows all around her body.

Merchandising

 * ERTL model (discontinued)
 * LC Wooden model (retired, then rereleased)
 * Take-Along model
 * 'My First' model
 * Bandai Tecs model