The Refreshment Lady's Tea Shop

"It'll be a piece of cake." "Tea-rooms don't live in cakes!"

- Refreshment Lady and Peter Sam

The Refreshment Lady's Tea Shop, retitled The Refreshment Lady's Stand in American releases, is the eighth episode of the seventh season.

Plot
It is summer and the narrow gauge engines are busy as usual. The hot sun makes the passengers very thirsty which keeps the refreshment lady very busy. The Fat Controller gives Peter Sam the job of taking her around the railway to find a suitable spot for a new tea room. Peter Sam is sure that he can find her a beautiful place.

Peter Sam takes the refreshment lady across bridges, through the woods, across the causeway and past Whispering Waterfall. But at the end of the day, the refreshment lady can't decide which place she likes best, wishing she could build a shop at each place. Peter Sam is disappointed and does not feel useful at all.

That night, a storm rolls across the island. The little engines stay in their sheds talking about the storm, but Peter Sam is still thinking about the refreshment lady's tea room. The next morning, the Fat Controller gives Peter Sam the job of helping Rusty clear up the storm damage. Peter Sam is happy to feel useful again. He finds Rusty next to a shed which has been blown off the tracks. Then Peter Sam realises it is not a shed, but it is a rusty old coach. This gives him an idea.

Peter Sam takes the coach to the Fat Controller and his driver explains how the coach could be turned into a tea room. The Fat Controller is sure it can be repaired, and he is right. In no time, the coach has been turned into a beautiful tea room on wheels. Peter Sam shows it to the refreshment lady who is delighted to see her brand new tea room. The Fat Controller tells Peter Sam to pull the tea room around the railway.

Now the refreshment lady serves tea at all of her favourite places across the railway. Peter Sam is very happy too.

Characters

 * Skarloey
 * Peter Sam
 * Rusty
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Refreshment Lady
 * Jem Cole (does not speak)
 * Rheneas (cameo)
 * Duncan (cameo)
 * Bridget Hatt (cameo)

Locations

 * Skarloey Bridge
 * Tea Room Station
 * Rumblin Bridge
 * Woodland Way
 * Sodor Castle
 * Whispering Waterfall
 * Skarloey Railway Slate Quarry (stock footage)
 * Skarloey Railway Depot
 * Trestle Bridge

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the twelfth episode of the seventh season.
 * Stock footage from Rusty Saves the Day is used.
 * The Welsh version of this episode is the only version where the Refreshment Lady has a name.
 * Emily's theme is used at the end of the episode.
 * This is the last episode that Jem Cole is referred to by name until the twentieth season episode, Three Steam Engines Gruff.

Goofs

 * When Peter Sam says "I can find her a beautiful place," an eyelash is stuck above his bufferbeam.
 * The American title of this episode is "The Refreshment Lady's Stand," but the sign still says "Tea Room."
 * Throughout the episode, Peter Sam has Duncan's whistle sound.

Merchandise

 * TrackMaster (discontinued)

Home Media Releases
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UK/AUS

 * Engines to the Rescue (UK/AUS DVD)
 * The Complete Series 7

UK DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection
 * Peep Peep Party/Engines to the Rescue/The Chocolate Crunch Triple Pack

AUS DVD Boxsets

 * 60th Anniversary - Limited Edition Boxset
 * Complete Series 1-10 (Boxset)
 * 3 DVDs (Boxset)
 * Series Seven and Series Eight Double Pack

WAL

 * Machines Save the Day

US

 * Hooray for Thomas and Other Adventures
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 7

DVD Boxsets

 * Totally Thomas Volume 5
 * On-the-Go Pack

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.4
 * People of Sodor Island

MYS

 * Best of Thomas Collection
 * Emily's New Coaches and Other Adventures

SWE

 * Hooray for Thomas!

DK

 * Hip Hooray for Thomas and Other Stories

DVD Boxsets

 * Danish DVD Boxset (2008)

ITA

 * The Queen of Sodor (Italian DVD)

KOR

 * The Story of Getting to Know Nature

THA
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 17 (Thai DVD)
 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 24 (Thai DVD)

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