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Mavis

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This article is about the diesel engine. You may be looking for the episode, the Buzz Book or the Story Library book.

Mavis is a privately-owned diesel shunter who works for the Ffarquhar Quarry Company, based at Ffarquhar Quarry. In the television series, she also works at the Sodor Slate Quarry.

Biography

The Railway Series

Mavis was supplied by the Drewry Car Company to the Ffarquhar Quarry Company. Mavis was particularly fond of putting the trucks at Ffarquhar Quarry in different places, despite Toby's protests. Toby finally lost patience and left Mavis to her own devices. Mavis - urged by Daisy - started to ignore Toby's advice and ended up looking silly when she got stuck in the middle of a crossing outside Ffarquhar.

Mavis was then forbidden to leave the quarry, but when a thaw increased production at Ffarquhar Quarry, Mavis persuaded the manager to let her go up to the first crossing in order to shunt trucks quicker and formulated a plan to pass the level crossing with help from the trucks. However, the plan backfired when the trucks decided to bump Toby instead and he ended up being suspended by flimsy rails over a rushing stream and Mavis had to help. Mavis confessed, but the Fat Controller and Mavis' manager were pleased by Mavis' courage and honesty and allowed her occasional trips to Ffarquhar.

In 1987, Mavis was involved in a collision with a lorry and Toby had to do her work while she was absent. She returned to the quarry for the next few years until 1991 when she took Toby's stone trains while Thomas was in York and in 1995 attended the Golden Jubilee of the Railway Series at the Big Station.

Thomas & Friends

When she was introduced, just like in the Railway Series, Mavis continuously put the trucks at Ffarquhar Quarry in different places, much to Toby's frustration. Toby finally left Mavis to put the trucks wherever she wanted. Mavis was supported to do so by Diesel and took the trucks to a level crossing, where the trucks held her back and she got stuck on the crossing, trapping Bertie and Terence. Mavis was rescued by Toby and sent back to the quarry. She felt embarrassed after the accident and upset when she was not allowed to leave the quarry. Percy tried to knock some sense into her, but she refused to listen. She eventually made a plan with the trucks to go as far up the line as possible, but this resulted in putting Toby in danger. Mavis rescued Toby and the Fat Controller let her go further down the line occasionally.

In the fourth series, Mavis was one of the engines who took over the jobs of the engines who went to England. In the fifth series, she had clearly matured and she and Toby received help at the quarry from Stepney, who was visiting the railway.

In the sixth series, she was able to keep Bill and Ben in order. When Salty came to work at the quarry, he was upset that he was not working by the sea, so Mavis did her best to comfort him while trying to stop Bill and Ben from complaining about Salty's talent with working with trucks. Mavis tried to stop Bill from being so jealous and grumpy when Ben went to get new buffers.

In the seventh series, Fergus was sent to help Mavis and the twins. Mavis got on well with Fergus and helped him out of a rockslide caused by Bill and Ben. In the eighth series, Mavis was one of the diesels given bad fuel. This resulted in her and the other diesels breaking down, so Thomas collected new fuel and helped them.

When the steam engines and diesel engines were arguing, Thomas turned to Mavis for help since she is one of the few nice diesels and the two organised a meeting to sort things out. She also helped with the construction of the Sodor Airport, including taking away rubble from the wrecked tower.

In the ninth series, Mavis was involved in a collision with Percy and Toby. In the tenth series, Toby went to Mavis for help with his jobs, but she was too busy. In the eleventh series, Mavis was left without fuel when Billy did not deliver it. In the twelfth series, Mavis was having a wash at the Sodor Slate Quarry when she was derailed by Thomas, who was racing with Diesel.

When Spencer got on the verge of discovering Hiro, Mavis distracted him from Thomas and Percy by guiding him to back upright underneath the operating slate hopper. This led to Spencer being taken for repairs at the Steamworks.

In the thirteenth series, Mavis was awoken early by Thomas, comforted Percy who was upset about having no job, was given flowers as a surprise from Emily (who assumed she was upset) and attended Hiro's welcome party. She was later convinced by Thomas to shunt trucks at Brendam Docks to impress a Railway Inspector alongside Percy.

Mavis broke down one day and was taken to the Dieselworks by Salty, where she was surprised to see Percy there. In the fifteenth series, she told Spencer - who could not see properly due to heavy fog - that he was at the quarry when he thought he found the Duke and Duchess of Boxford's Summer House. She later broke down again and was helped by Diesel. In the sixteenth series, she told Gordon to get his bufferbeam mended, even when he tried to convince her he was fine without it and helped a composer with his song alongside Thomas and some of the Steam Team.

In the eighteenth series, Diesel took her to see the sights of Sodor, while Thomas did her job at Ffarquhar Quarry.

In the nineteenth series, she got damaged by stones from the hopper and had to go to the Dieselworks to be repaired and Den was sent to the quarry to replace her. She comforted Dart when he started to miss Den and once she was fixed, she went back to the quarry.

In the twenty-first series, Mavis is one of the engines who spread Den and Dart's rumours about Daisy being prepared to be scrapped when the duo could not acquire a spare spring to repair Daisy.

Personality

When Mavis first came to Sodor, she was naïve, arrogant and did not take advice very well. She was mostly interested in her own ideas but was brought down to earth after her embarrassing incident at the Ffarquhar crossing. Still, she wanted to see more of the line and schemed to have the trucks push her past the level crossing beyond the quarry - this inadvertently resulted in a near accident for Toby. After rescuing him, Mavis resolved to change her ways for good. She is now more capable of keeping the trucks in line and more willing to take advice.

Unlike many Diesels, Mavis shows respect for the steam engines and unlike most engines, hauling trucks makes her feel important. She is a reliable, honest, and hard-working engine. Over the course of time, Mavis has matured and acts as a motherly figure to the other engines. As a result, she keeps a stern attitude with the troublesome trucks and holds zero patience towards troublesome antics like those from Diesel. Although Mavis means well, she can at times feel cooped up in the quarry, but always cheers up at the chance to stretch her wheels.

Mavis, particularly in her early appearances, has also been shown to have a perfectionist side as well, keeping order in the quarry and rearranging the trucks constantly. However, this seems to have waned somewhat recently.

Technical Details

Basis

Mavis is a based on a British Rail (BR) Class 04 0-6-0 diesel locomotive. She is more specifically based on the BR Class 04's that worked on the Wisbech and Upwell Tramway, as they were fitted with additional cowcatchers and side plates so they could run near public roads. Twenty of these locomotives are preserved, including one "tramway" example.

Livery

Mavis is painted black with yellow hazard stripes on her front and rear. Her name is painted on the sides of her cab in white and "THE FFARQUHAR QUARRY CO LTD", is painted on her side plates, also in white. In the television series, a dot was added next to "CO" and "LTD"

Appearances

Thomas & Friends

Specials

Music Videos

Learning Segments

Videos

Magazine Stories

Mavis also appeared in the magazine stories, Diesel Display, Percy's Stories, Pirate Passengers, Seal Passenger, Special Statue, Spotting Shapes, Stone Shapes, Stone Signal and The Strongest.

Annual Stories

Audio Files

Theme

Horns

First used Last used Sound Effect
Series 3 Series 3

In Thomas and the Special Letter, Mavis is incorrectly portrayed with Class 40's horn.

First used Last used Sound Effect
Thomas and the Special Letter Thomas and the Special Letter

In Series 6, Mavis is incorrectly portrayed with Salty and Derek's horn.

First used Last used Sound Effect
Series 6 Series 6

In Series 7, Mavis incorrectly reused Daisy's horn from Series 2.

First used Last used Sound Effect
Series 7 Series 7
First used Last used Sound Effect
Calling All Engines! Magical Tracks

In one scene in Thomas and the Sounds of Sodor, Mavis has her Calling All Engines! horn at a lower pitch.

First used Last used Sound Effect
Thomas and the Sounds of Sodor Thomas and the Sounds of Sodor

Since Series 15, Mavis reuses Diesel's horn from Misty Island Rescue to Series 14, some merchandise and some games.

First used Last used Sound Effect
Series 15 Active

In the game Engines Working Together and on the Diesel's Locomotion Mayhem ride at Drayton Manor Theme Park, Mavis is incorrectly portrayed with Diesel's horn.

First used Last used Sound Effect
Engines Working Together Drayton Manor Theme Park

Whistles

In the mobile app Read and Play!, Mavis incorrectly has a whistle sound, despite her being a diesel and having a horn.

First used Last used Sound Effect
Read and Play! Read and Play!

Voice

Trivia

  • The Australian Engine and The American Diesels share the exact same horn sound as Mavis' current one from the fifteenth series onwards and it is the same one used for Diesel from Misty Island Rescue to the fourteenth series.
  • Awdry's model of Mavis was actually made in 1964. It was not until eight years later in 1972 that Mavis debuted in the Railway Series itself.
  • Mavis was the last character Wilbert Awdry created before he retired from writing the Railway Series.
  • Mavis' television series model is currently on display at the Hara Model Railway Museum in Japan and is wearing her concerned face mask.
  • Mavis' cross face mask is now owned by Twitter user TomsProps.
  • In the Railway Series, Mavis' brake pipe is on the right side, but in the television series, her brake pipe is on the left side.
  • At The Train Shed, Mavis wore one of Toby's face masks.
  • Mavis used to be one of the characters to appear in every series of the television series since her introduction until the twenty-second series, in which she did not appear in any episodes or any of the following series.
  • Mavis has had six different horn sounds over some years:
    • In the third series, she had a two-toned horn sound, similar to BoCo, but at some steps higher-pitched.
    • In the fourth series, she had the same horn sound as Class 40.
    • In the sixth series, she had Derek's horn sound.
    • In the seventh series, she had Daisy's original horn sound from the second series.
    • From Calling All Engines! to the sixteenth series episode, Thomas and the Sounds of Sodor, as well as some games and merchandise, she gained a new horn sound.
    • In the fifteenth series, she gained a new horn sound, which is the same one Diesel used from Misty Island Rescue to the fourteenth series, as well as some merchandise and games.
  • In the game, Engines Working Together and on the Diesel's Locomotion Mayhem ride at Drayton Manor Theme Park, she incorrectly had Diesel's normal horn sound; however, her horn sound from Calling All Engines! can be heard when Every Cloud has a Sliver Lining still plays there.
  • Her horn sound from Calling All Engines! would later be reused for Norman in Day of the Diesels only.
  • Mavis' current horn sound is actually a stock recording of an "American" Nathan K3LA diesel, which is used in others pieces of media, such as Chuggington, the Tom and Jerry Show episode, "Road Trippin', and even all Trainz Simulator games.
  • Mavis had a total of seven facial expressions during the model series era, all of which were used on-screen. Her weary face is not on her sixth and twelfth series face reference sheets, but it is on her fourth series one. However, her weary face was either lost or destroyed during or after filming of Thomas and the Magic Railroad before her sad face was sculpted during production of the eighth series.

Merchandise

* RWS only | ** T&F only | --- Dropped
Locomotives Steam Thomas | Edward | Henry | Gordon | James | Percy | Toby | Duck | Donald and Douglas | Oliver | Wellsworth and Suddery Railway Tank Engines* | Bloomer* | Bill and Ben** | Stepney** | Harvey** | Emily** | Arthur** | Murdoch** | Fergus** | Molly** | Neville** | Rosie** | Whiff** | Billy** | Stanley** | Hank** | Flora** | Victor** | Charlie** | Bash and Dash** |Ferdinand** | Scruff** | Belle** | Porter** | Timothy** | Marion** | Ryan** | Nia** | Rebecca** | Sonny** | The Märklin Engine**
Diesel Daisy | BoCo | Bear* | The Works Diesel* | Pip and Emma* | Diesel** | Mavis** | Derek** | 'Arry and Bert** | Diesel 10** | Salty** | Dennis** | Den** | Dart** | Paxton** | Norman** | Sidney** | Philip**
Other The Ballast Cleaner* | Peel Godred Engines* | Flynn** | Winston** | Stafford** | Dustin**
Former Coffee Pots | Hiro** | Glynn**
Rolling Stock Coaches Annie and Clarabel | Henrietta | Alice and Mirabel* | Isabel and Dulcie* | Victoria* | Old Slow Coach** | Slip Coaches** | Hannah** | Dexter** | Express Coaches | Branch Line Coaches | Old Coaches | Thomas' Special Coach* | The Quarryman's Coach* | Emily's Coaches** | Toby's Museum Coach** | Flora's Tram Coach** | Open-Topped Carriages** | Ulfstead Castle Coaches**
Trucks Troublesome Trucks | S.C. Ruffey | Elsie* | Fred Pelhay* | James' Trucks** | Thomas' Trucks** | Plank Trucks | Quarry Trucks | Utility Trucks | The Calliope** | Mine Trolleys** | Hoppers | Hector** | Vans | Mail Vans | Utility Vans | Animal Wagons** | Tankers | Flatbeds, Conflats and Wellwagons | Misty Island Log Trucks** | Ladle Trucks** | The Traveller** | Aquarium Tank Wagons**
Brake Vans Brake Vans | The Spiteful Brake Van | Toad
Other The Breakdown Train | Rocky** | Judy and Jerome** | The Circus Train | The Funfair Train** | The Flying Kipper | Gordon's Snow Machine** | Pump Trolley** | The Photographer's Draisine**
Non-Rail Vehicles Kevin** | Cranky** | Carly** | Big Mickey** | Reg**
People Sir Topham Hatt (Stephen Hatt*) | Albert Regaby* | Kevin Volley* | Old Bailey** | Mr. Conductor** | Mr. Arkwright** | Mr. Perkins**
Lines The Main Line (Main Line Loop**) | Ffarquhar Branch Line | The Little Western | Brendam Branch Line | Kirk Ronan Branch Line | Peel Godred Branch Line | Norramby Branch Line | Toby's Branch Line** | Stepney's Branch Line** | Misty Valley Branch Line** | Killdane Branch Line** | The Loop Line** | Ulfstead Branch Line** | Harwick Branch Line** | Coaling Plant Branch Line**
* RWS only | ** T&F only
Locomotives Steam Thomas | Percy | Toby | Bloomer*
Diesel Daisy* | Mavis
Former Coffee Pots | Glynn**
Rolling Stock Coaches Annie and Clarabel | Henrietta | Victoria* | Thomas' Special Coach* | The Quarryman's Coach* | Observation Saloon Coaches*
Trucks Quarry Trucks | Elsie* | Old-King Coal*
Non-Rail Vehicles Terence | Bertie | Caroline | The Orange Caterpillar Crane* | Cleo** | Harold | Tiger Moth** | Bulstrode
People Mrs. Kyndley | Farmer Finney | Kevin Volley* | Farmer McColl** | Farmer Trotter** | Ruth**
Affiliates Toby's Branch Line**
Locations Knapford (Harbour, Airfield) | Dryaw (Goods Station, Airfield, Goods Yard**, Football Club**) | Toryreck (Lead Mines, Engine Shed**) | Crowe's Farm | Elsbridge (Dairy, Viaduct, Cricket Field, Trek and Leisure) | Hackenbeck (Bridge, Tunnel, Cottage) | Finney's Farm | Ffarquhar (Engine Sheds, Mountain**, Loop**) | Ffarquhar River Bridge | The Quarry Tramroad | Anopha Quarry | The Windmill** | McColl Farm** | Sports Field Halt** | The Watermill** | Farmer Trotter's Pig Farm** | Maithwaite** (Quarry Mine, Forest, Showground) | The Narrow Gorge** | Arlesdale End** (Engine Sheds)

References

  1. ↑ T&F "Mavis (Story Library book)"
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