The Refreshment Lady (1906-1986) worked at Lakeside (Skarloey in the Railway Series) where she owned a small café called Neptune Refreshments. She later opened a very mobile shop in an old coach discovered by Rusty and Peter Sam.
Biography
The Railway Series
The Refreshment Lady was born in 1906 and at some point got married and had a daughter. In 1952, she was about to board the next train when Peter Sam rushed out so he could get to Crovan's Gate before Henry departed from there. She was furious about this when they got there until she explained to Peter Sam that Henry's train was a guaranteed connection. On the day Peter Sam left her behind, his driver was her newly married son-in-law.
She continued her work with the Skarloey Railway for some ten years after the incident with Peter Sam and then enjoyed 21 years of contented retirement before her death in 1986. Her son-in-law is also now retired and lives with his wife in a cottage that the Refreshment Lady left to them in her Will.
Thomas & Friends
Like the Railway Series, the Refreshment Lady was left behind when trying to board the next train taken by Peter Sam.
She may be good friends with the Hatt and Kyndley families, as in Lady Hatt's Birthday Party, she is one of the guests at Lady Hatt's party and in Happy Ever After, she is one of the guests attending Mrs Kyndley's daughter's wedding.
In the seventh series, she was trying to find the best location for her tea shop on the Skarloey Railway. Peter Sam took her to all the best places, but she could not make up her mind. After a storm blew over, Rusty was clearing debris and both he and Peter Sam discovered an old railway coach. Peter Sam decided to turn it into a very mobile tea shop. The Refreshment Lady was so delighted about it that the Fat Controller decided that Peter Sam could take her around all the places she wanted to sell her refreshments.
She was also one of the important visitors Thomas was taking and was left behind at Black Loch.
She has also sold refreshments at Wellsworth and Maron.
Attire
The Refreshment Lady wears a sky blue dress with white polka dots and a pink cardigan. From the seventh series onwards, she wears a blue hat.
Appearances
The Railway Series
- Four Little Engines - Skarloey Remembers (cameo) and Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady
- Gallant Old Engine - Passengers and Polish (mentioned)
- Great Little Engines - Pop-Special (mentioned)
Companion Volumes
- 1987 - The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways (mentioned)
- 1995 - The Thomas the Tank Engine Man (mentioned)
- 1996 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection
- 2005 - Sodor: Reading Between the Lines (mentioned)
- 2007 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The New Collection (mentioned)
Magazine Stories
- 2004 - Bulgy's Back! (cameo)
- 2005 - Percy and the Magic Carpet (cameo)
- 2006 - Percy and the Painting
- 2007 - Seeing the Sights (cameo)
- 2008 - Toby's Triumph (speaks in speech bubble only)
- 2010 - Percy and the Magic Carpet
Voice Actors
- Chizu Yonemoto (Japan; fourth series only)
- Hiromi Nishida (Japan; seventh series only)
Trivia
- She is based on Mrs Davies, a volunteer on the Talyllyn Railway who served refreshments at Abergynolwyn. In August 1952, she was left behind at the station due to the mistake of the Guard, the Rev. W. Awdry himself. During the 1960s, she was one of the women who worked on the Talyllyn's Refreshments Van.
- In the television series, she has been left behind twice.
- In the Welsh dub, she is given the name "Ceinwen".