Toad Stands By

"Well Oliver, so you don't know your own strength, is that it?"

- The Fat Controller

Toad Stands By is the twentieth episode of the fourth season. It first aired in the US on the Shining Time Station special One of the Family in 1995 and re-aired in the Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales episode, Wildlife in 1996.

Plot
When Oliver returns from the Works, the trucks, prompted by their ringleader, S. C. Ruffey, sing a rude song to spite him, and refuse to stop even when threatened by Thomas, Percy and Duck. Toad, fearing that the matter may escalate, asks Douglas to speak with Oliver and gives him an idea. Oliver, feeling a sense of responsibility after what the trucks did to him previously, agrees with Toad. Following Toad's advice, Oliver handles the worst trucks two by two so he can handle S. C. Ruffey last. Oliver soon shunts S. C. Ruffey and his lieutenants and prepares to pull them, but S. C. Ruffey whispers to the trucks to hold back, and they do. Oliver, however, is determined and simply pulls S. C. Ruffey apart, much to the horror of the other trucks. When the Fat Controller scrutinizes the remains, he attributes it to S. C. Ruffey's poor build and decides to have him repaired. After the incident, the trucks become fearful of Oliver and whisper to each other not to anger him. S. C. Ruffey, who was repaired, wisely keeps his mouth shut.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Percy
 * Duck
 * Douglas
 * Oliver
 * Toad
 * S. C. Ruffey
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Henry (cameo)
 * James (cameo)

Locations

 * Callan
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Shunting Yards
 * The Works (mentioned)

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the twenty-third episode of the fourth season, and the last episode based on a story written by Wilbert Awdry until The Adventure Begins.
 * This is S. C. Ruffey's only speaking role in the series.
 * This episode is based on the story of the same name from the Railway Series book, Oliver the Western Engine.
 * Stock footage from Oliver Owns Up is used.
 * At the beginning of the episode, the scrapyard Oliver passes is really the Crovan's Gate set redressed with scrap models of Thomas, Gordon, Donald, and Douglas.
 * In the American narration, Oliver no longer has a Brooklyn accent.
 * This was the first and only time in the television series that the tanker trucks have faces. The faces are the same ones used on the Skarloey Railway's slate trucks.
 * This episode marks Toad's first speaking role since being introduced.
 * This episode is a continuation of Oliver Owns Up from the previous season.

Goofs

 * In a close-up of the trucks singing, one truck has a broken buffer.
 * Before the trucks start singing, there are two trucks behind Duck and in front of Thomas. However when the trucks stop singing and are told to be quiet, they disappear.
 * When Oliver stops after going in between two rows of trucks, in one shot he is stopped just before two vans on either side, then in the next shot he is between the two vans.
 * When Oliver says "It's really my fault, I shouldn't have fallen in the turntable well", Henry's trucks wobble and then derail.
 * Douglas has Duck's whistle sound when he agrees to Toad's plan. At the end of the episode, Douglas has a different whistle sound.
 * In the close-up shots of Oliver when he is talking to Duck and Toad, plastic bases can be seen under his driver and fireman's feet.
 * When Oliver starts pulling the trucks, S. C. Ruffey is right next to Toad, but in the head-on shot of him groaning, he is several metres ahead of Toad.
 * When S. C. Ruffey collapses, his axles are gone.
 * In the American narration, George Carlin accidentally says "'N-n-no, sir,' said said Oliver nervously", saying "said" twice.
 * S. C. Ruffey, at the end of the episode, has two chains on his hook.
 * James and Oliver have different whistle sounds.
 * In the Japanese and Italian narrations, the trucks' voices are still in English.

UK

 * Thomas and Stepney and other Stories
 * Biggest Party Video Ever!
 * The Complete Fourth Series
 * Classic Collection

US

 * Thomas and the Special Letter

JPN

 * New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.3
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.5
 * Tell Me Stories, Thomas