For other uses, see Mavis. |
- "Trucks should be where you want them when you want them!"
"Fiddlesticks!" - ― Toby and Mavis arguing
Mavis is the fourteenth episode of the third series. It is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book Tramway Engines.
Plot
Mavis is a young new black diesel engine who works in the quarry at the end of Thomas' branch line, where she shunts trucks and puts them in their proper place. She has sideplates like Toby to help prevent accidents on the line but she is quite inexperienced and has her own ideas on how to do things; ideas she is very keen to implement. As a result, she puts Toby's trucks in different positions every day making things hard for him, who tells Mavis off for this. Mavis, however, thinks Toby is just being fussy and boring and continues to do things her way until eventually Toby gives up and tells her she can take her own trucks to the station. Mavis is very pleased with this, as taking trucks makes her feel important.
Later, at a goods station, Diesel meets Mavis. When she complains to him about Toby claiming he says that only steam engines can manage trucks, Diesel sees a chance to cause trouble and tells Mavis that diesels are naturally better than steam engines before leaving. Mavis takes his words to heart but she is oblivious that Diesel knows nothing about trucks.

"How absurd. Depend upon it, Mavis, anything steam engines can do, we diesels can do better."
The line Toby uses crosses a main road behind the station before reaching a farm lane. Here, there is a dip in the line which can be very difficult to cross in frosty weather. Toby has found a solution to this: he stops just before the dip, his fireman stops the traffic at the crossing and then he takes a run at the dip, using the weight of the trucks to help push him across without trouble. It is the safest and easiest way to cross the lane in frosty weather. Toby tries to tell Mavis about the farm lane and how to cross it but she thinks that he is just being fussy and ignores his advice.
Later, Mavis begins taking the trucks to the station but she does not realise that the trucks - who are tired of being bumped around - plan to pay her out. Mavis reaches the farm lane but instead of stopping before the dip, she stops just before the road. Bertie and Terence are halted and Mavis, who believes she has got one over on Toby, tries to leave but the trucks take advantage of her mistake and hold back. Mavis is unable to move despite her best attempts, leaving the trucks to laugh at her mistake. Workmen sand the rails and try to dig away the frozen mud but to no avail. Mavis is stuck, blocking the crossing and making everyone who is caught in the resulting traffic jam angry.
Back at the yard, Toby is angry when he is told what has happened. Toby's driver tries to calm him down, reminding him that Mavis is young and needs to learn. Toby is not interested and is willing to let her manage the trucks herself. Toby's driver reminds him that they are actually his trucks and Mavis is technically not allowed to leave the yard. Realizing he could get in trouble if the Fat Controller may find out, Toby decides to go and help after all.
Back at the lane, Mavis is facing a farmer who angrily tells her what to do with her train when Toby arrives to help. After a lot of pushing, Toby finally starts to move Mavis and her trucks back across the lane. The hard work makes Toby's fire burn fiercely and his fireman spreads hot cinders to melt the mud. Finally, Toby and Mavis wind up at the beginning of the lane and Toby wishes Mavis goodbye and leaves. Mavis is too humiliated to respond. She takes the trucks to the shed and quickly heads back home to the quarry as the sun sets.
Characters
- Toby
- Diesel
- Mavis
- Troublesome Trucks
- The Angry Farmer
- Terence (cameo)
- Bertie (cameo)
- Farmer Finney (cameo)
- Jem Cole (cameo)
- Sir Topham Hatt (mentioned)
Locations
Trivia
- According to concept art on Ffarquhar Quarry, this was originally intended to be the fifteenth episode of the third series.
- Stock footage from Donald's Duck is used.
- Diesel replaces Daisy's role from the original story from The Railway Series since Rick Siggelkow disapproved of Daisy around this time.
- Mavis exclaims "Fiddlesticks!" at the beginning of this episode, instead of "Fudge!" from The Railway Series book. This was likely to avoid any criticism for alluding to profanity in the television series.
- This episode marks:
- The first to feature Michael Angelis' dub in the background of the Ukrainian voice-over.
- The first to use diesel engine squeaking wheels, albeit faintly.
- The second episode named after a single character, the first being Daisy and the third being Bulgy, not counting the North American-exclusive titles Terence the Tractor and Toby the Tram Engine.
- The only on-screen appearance of Toby's original angry face in the third series.
- The last to use a few music cues:
- The full outro music, as well as the only episode in the third series to use said music bit, outside of certain Shining Time Station episodes with often use the last part of the bit before the steam transition.
- Diesel's original theme from the second series.
- In the restored version:
- The scene of Mavis looking cross at the end after being rescued by Toby is extended.
- The shot of her taking the trucks to the sheds is shortened.
- Both this episode and the next one aired on Christmas Day 1991 in the United States.
Goofs
- When the narrator says "Frosty weather makes the muddy lane rock hard and very slippery," a camera shadow can be seen on the ground.
- Mavis' last truck's face is crooked.
- Just before Mavis approaches the lane, a steam platform can be seen.
- When Mavis passes the level crossing her brake van is a BR 20. But when she approaches the lane, it is now a SR 25.
- Bertie is smiling when he is stuck at the crossing.
- Terence disappears when Toby pushes Mavis out of the lane.
- When Mavis is in the lane, the sign warning the engines to "WHISTLE" at the crossing has disappeared. When Toby arrives at the lane to rescue Mavis, the "SLOW" sign is also gone.
- When the narrator says "Toby was in the yard when he heard the news," a black mark can be seen on Toby's left (viewers' right).
- When Toby complains that he warned Mavis, his face moves and shadows pass over him in a couple of shots.
- When Toby pushes Mavis out of the lane, the scene has obviously been cut.
- At the end of the episode:
- Mavis' brake van is replaced with an extra truck.
- The ending was shortened in the US dub, muting the outro theme on the Shining Time Station episode "Do I Hear?" and 1992 release of Trust Thomas and Other Stories. However, on the New Zealand releases of Trust Thomas and Other Stories and The Biggest Ever Christmas Collection, the last bit of the outro music is heard before the end credits start. This was later fixed on the 1995 echoed version of Trust Thomas and Other Stories, 10 Years of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends and Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 3 on Amazon Prime and Roku.
Quotes
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In Other Languages
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Merchandise
Mavis (1993 Buzz Book)
Mavis (2003 My Thomas Story Library book)
Home Video Releases
Episode
English
Other Languages
References
#01 A Scarf for Percy | #10 The Trouble with Mud | #19 One Good Turn |
#02 Percy's Promise | #11 No Joke for James | #20 Tender Engines |
#03 Time for Trouble | #12 Thomas, Percy and the Post Train | #21 Escape |
#04 Gordon and the Famous Visitor | #13 Trust Thomas | #22 Oliver Owns Up |
#05 Donald's Duck | #14 Mavis | #23 Bulgy |
#06 Thomas Gets Bumped | #15 Toby's Tightrope | #24 Heroes |
#07 Thomas, Percy and the Dragon | #16 Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party | #25 Percy, James and the Fruitful Day |
#08 Diesel Does It Again | #17 Buzz, Buzz | #26 Thomas and Percy's Christmas Adventure |
#09 Henry's Forest | #18 All at Sea | |