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| This article is about 'the diesel railcar'. You may be looking for 'the episode, the halt, the Story Library book or the Slovenian DVD'. |
Daisy is a diesel railcar who came to work on the Ffarquhar Branch Line after Thomas crashed into the Stationmaster's house. In the television series, she now works on the Harwick Branch Line carrying out passenger duties, while Ryan runs the goods duties.
Biography
The Railway Series
Daisy was built specially for service on the Ffarquhar Branch Line. After Thomas was sent to the Works to have his bufferbeam repaired in 1960, Daisy arrived to do his work. Daisy was nasty to Henrietta and Annie and Clarabel, refused to sleep in the Ffarquhar engine sheds on the grounds that it was "smelly" and blatantly refused to pull freight because it was "bad for her swerves". Daisy later called Toby cowardly for having side plates and cowcatchers and claimed that one only needed to "toot and look them in the eye" to shoo animals away. This, of course, was proven false when Daisy tried to shoo an inquisitive bull named Champion. 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 crashed into a train of stone. Daisy promised to change her ways.
In 1962, after Douglas claimed all diesels were "devils", Percy used Daisy as an example of a good diesel to try and change his opinions about them.
Once, Mavis sought Daisy's advice about how to show Toby that her method of doing things was correct. This was not exactly the best move, as Daisy knew next to nothing about trucks.
In the latter half of 1990 and the former half of 1991, 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.
In 1993, Daisy, along with Thomas, Percy and Toby, saw Wilbert off when he returned to Gloucestershire.
While the Railway was preparing for the Golden Jubilee of the Railway Series in 1995, Daisy became 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.
In 2007, 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.
In 2011, Daisy attended the ceremony where the bust of the Thin Clergyman was unveiled at Tidmouth.
Thomas & Friends
Daisy was introduced the same way as the Railway Series. After being confronted by the Fat Controller, Daisy had a change of heart.
However, Daisy regained her original attitude later when she ignored Toby's advice about bulls. Daisy has also been seen on the other railway as a unfamiliar disel.
During the steamie and diesel rivalry, Daisy was one of the diesels who joined the meeting at the Coaling Plant and later helped Toby take workmen to repair the Sodor Airport.
Ever since the Harwick Branch Line was built, Daisy had been working on that line with Ryan, managing the passenger trains while he handles the goods, although she can still help out on Thomas' branch line if passenger duties are not too busy on her line.
Once, Daisy encouraged Ryan to help her out with some of her passenger duties, but her laziness backfired when Ryan took on even more of her responsibilities and ended up causing confusion and delay. Daisy apologised and agreed to do Ryan's extra duties for a while: taking trucks to and from the Quarry.
The Fat Controller asked Daisy to take some special passengers to the holiday town of Harwick, but she decided that they were so special that she does not want to allow children eating ice lollies on board and refused to pull a dusty baggage truck. Without props or an audience, the puppeteers' Punch and Judy puppet show could not go ahead. With no time to go back to the station to get the props, the puppeteers put on their performance from one of Daisy's windows.
Later, Daisy was rude to Annie and Clarabel when she temporarily returned to Thomas' Branch Line. The coaches paid her back by convincing her she was falling apart, when there was actually nothing wrong with her. However, their plan backfired as Daisy panicked and abandoned them with their passengers at Maithwaite so she could speak to a professional. She returned to Harwick soon after, and since Thomas was still in quarry duty at the time, Annie and Clarabel were left with an even worse substitute: Diesel.
Diesel damages Daisy's springs when he bumps into her and later, thinking that she is asleep, explains that it is his way to make friends. Diesel later tells her that Harvey is boasting about being unique, which causes trouble between the two engines. At Christmas, Daisy is upset that Christmas is not going out as planned.
Personality
Daisy is a diesel rail-car, who has been known to consider herself "highly sprung and right up to date". She was brought to help run passenger services on Thomas' Branch Line, while Thomas was "indisposed" after running into the stationmaster's house. She can be hard to please, mostly indignant, and highly opinionated. She is extremely authoritative, trustworthy, and confident in herself and can sometimes boast of her abilities in particular situations, unconcerned, despite having never actually been in such a position before. She will sometimes presume she can show other engines a thing or two, despite knowing little on the matter, until she actually learns for herself.
After arriving on Sodor, Daisy insisted that she required delicate handling and considered pulling trucks and vans to be below her. She was very lazy and stubborn, but the Fat Controller spoke severely to her, telling her that his engines must work hard and that he sends lazy engines away. However, working hard after Percy got himself into a predicament, the Fat Controller felt she deserved another chance. Daisy is now good friends with the other engines on Thomas' Branch Line, tries to work much harder to be a useful engine and is better capable of handling things alone. Daisy can be described as a self-obsessed diva.
In newer episodes, Daisy was heard speaking French, such as when she said "Merci beaucoup" (Thank you very much) in French to Den and Dart after she was repaired, and when she used the terms to describe the entertainers she was to carry to Duck and Oliver, which indicates that she has knowledge in the French language as well.
Technical Details
Basis
Daisy is based on the BR/Metro-Cammell Class 101/102 DMU. She is, however, a single railcar instead of the traditional two to four-piece units. These were one of the longest serving class of "First Generation" DMUs, with its service life of 47 years only being replaced by the Class 121. A total of 41 cars are preserved.
Livery
In the Railway Series, Daisy is painted BR Brunswick green with yellow lining with the 'Cycling Lion' British Railways crest, similar to the livery of British Railways DMUs in the 1960s. In the television series she is painted a much lighter green. She wears makeup, including eyelashes, red lipstick, blush and blue eyeshadow.
In the Railway Series, Daisy's face is the same colour as her livery; in the television series, it is light grey like all other engines.
Appearances
Trivia
- Daisy was the first female engine introduced in the series.
- Some of the stories involving Daisy reflect events in real life that were faced by railway staff when it came to dealing with "highly sprung" diesel engines in the earlier phases of dieselisation.
- Daisy was the only character from the first to third seasons who was not featured on Shining Time Station, although she did appear in Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales.
- Daisy's classic theme is a musical variation of The Stripper by David Rose.
- Daisy was known as Marguerite in the French version of Seasons 2 and 4.
- While Daisy has an embedded face in the Railway Series, she was given the traditional grey face masks in the television series. This was most likely to keep her similar to the rest of the engines. Also, it would have been a lot easier to create.
Quotes
- “Daisy was hard to please. She shuddered at the engine shed.
This is dreadfully smelly!" she announced. "I'm highly sprung and anything smelly is bad for my swerves!"
Next, they tried the carriage shed.
"This is better," said Daisy. "But whatever is that rubbish?!"
The rubbish turned out to be Annie, Clarabel and Henrietta, who were most offended.
"We won't stay here to be insulted!" they fumed.” - ― Daisy insults the coaches, "Daisy", "Branch Line Engines"
- “The Fat Controller spoke severely to Daisy too.
"My engines do not tell lies!" he said. "They work hard with no shirking. I send lazy engines away!"
Daisy was ashamed.
"However," he went on, "Toby says you worked hard yesterday, after Percy's accident. So you shall have another chance!"
"Thank you, sir!" said Daisy. "I will work hard, sir. Toby says he'll help me."
"Excellent! What Toby doesn't know about Branch Line problems," The Fat Controller chuckled. "Such as er..bulls, isn't worth knowing. Our Toby is an experienced engine!” - ― Sir Topham Hatt and Daisy, "Percy's Predicament", "Branch Line Engines"
- “At Ffarquhar Mavis met Daisy.
"Toby's an old fusspot!" she complained.
Daisy liked Toby, but was glad of a diesel to talk to. "Steam engines," she said. "Have their uses, but they don't understand."
"Toby says that only steam engines can manage trucks properly!"
"What rubbish!" put in Daisy, who knew nothing about trucks. "Depend upon it my dear, anything steam engines can do, we diesels can do better!"” - ― Daisy gives Mavis advice, "Mavis", "Tramway Engines"
Merchandise
- ERTL (discontinued)
- Wooden Railway (two versions; discontinued)
- Take Along (discontinued)
- My First Thomas (discontinued)
- My Thomas Story Library (discontinued)
- Thomas Engine Collection Series (discontinued)
- Mini Die Cast Collection (discontinued)
- Brio (discontinued)
- De Agostini (discontinued)
- Trading Cards (discontinued)
- Nakayoshi (discontinued)
- Pocket Fantasy (discontinued)
| Locomotives | Ryan | Daisy |
|---|---|
| Rolling Stock | Judy and Jerome |
| Other | Skiff |
| People | Captain Joe | The Museum Manager |
| Stations | Arlesburgh West | Arlesburgh Maritime Museum | Harwick |