Rusty Saves the Day

"Maybe now Rusty will have time to work at the quarry!"

- Sir Topham Hatt

Rusty Saves the Day is the twenty-fifth episode of the sixth season.

Plot
Rusty takes up so much time clearing up Rheneas and Skarloey's line, that the little diesel forgets that there's also work at the quarry that has to be done. The Fat Controller says that this takes too much of Rusty's time, so he decides to close down the line and send Rheneas and Skarloey to the quarry. The two engines work as hard as they can, but they miss the forests, the hills, and their passengers. Next day, the Fat Controller announces that there will be blasting in the quarry for the next two weeks, and that he'll have to find the engines other work. Rusty asks if they can use the two weeks to mend Rheneas and Skarloey's line. The Fat Controller agrees, but they only have two weeks to finish the job. Elizabeth thinks that clearing the line is ridiculous and says it's a waste of time. Skarloey is upset by this and thinks that they'll never get the job done, but Rusty says that they can't give up. Rusty then comes up with an idea to convince Elizabeth to help and get the job done. He tells her that they'll need a "special" kind of lorry that can get the job done, and Elizabeth then agrees to help and get the job done. She's as good as her word. And soon, the job is completed. Rheneas and Skarloey's line looks as good as new, and the Fat Controller congratulates Rusty and Elizabeth for their hard work. He then says that Rusty can now have enough time to work at the quarry, and Rusty just smiles.

Characters

 * Skarloey
 * Rusty
 * Elizabeth
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Rheneas (does not speak)
 * Peter Sam (cameo)

Locations

 * Skarloey Railway Slate Quarry
 * The Skarloey Railway Viaduct

Trivia

 * In Japan, this episode is called "Get credit for Rusty". The Welsh title is "Save the Line".
 * In the US, Elizabeth toots her horn before she is first mentioned by the narrator. This is absent in the UK version.

Goofs

 * Rusty notes that Skarloey and Rheneas were not happy, but the two were smiling.
 * When Elizabeth pulls the sycamore tree off the bridge it almost hits a workman, and Rheneas' eyes are looking wonky.
 * The title states that Rusty saved the day, but the episode was set over a time period of two weeks.
 * Skarloey and Rheneas' line is all of the Skarloey Railway and the only way from the mines to Crovans Gate. If the line closed, the slate mines would be isolated.
 * Surely, the maintenence-of-way crews and track section crews would not shirk their duties and let the line deteriorate.
 * It is unlike Sir Topham Hatt to allow a railway line to fall into disrepair.
 * Brakevans should have been added to Skarloey, Rheneas, Peter Sam, and Rusty's trains.
 * Sir Topham Hatt states that Rusty is needed at the quarry, and maintaining the line keeps him away from it. However, Rusty was bought for maintenence-of-way work in the first place. Surely, other engines would be available to work at the quarry.