| This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the Norwegian VHS/DVD. |
- “Saving you from scrap is getting to be a habit, Stepney. Please stop it!"
"Yes, sir, but I have learned something."
"What's that?"
"There's no place like home."
"And that's exactly where you're going now."
"Bluebells Forever!” - ― The Fat Controller and Stepney
Stepney Gets Lost is the thirteenth episode of the fifth series. In the US, it aired with Rusty and the Boulder in an episode of Storytime with Thomas.
Plot
One morning, the Fat Controller comes to Stepney's shed to tell him that Rusty has stated that he is in need of change, so he asks him to help Toby and Mavis at the quarry for the day. He also tells him to be back before dark due to it being easy to get lost. Stepney arrives at the quarry and eagerly sets to work and impresses Toby and Mavis with his efforts. Later, the quarry foreman asks Stepney's crew if they would like to take the night special to a building site at the new branch line. The driver agrees to take the train, but he forgets to ask the Fat Controller first.
When night has fallen, Stepney leaves with the special train, but not before he thanks Toby and Mavis for a lovely day and they warn him to be careful. He arrives on time with his delivery and then sets off for home, only for the fog to soon come down and make everything look spooky. His driver notices a signal at green and thinks that someone has been expecting them, but he is wrong. The points ahead are set in the wrong direction, but Stepney does not realise this and takes a wrong turn. They eventually end up in an unknown area, where the driver decides to rest until the fog clears. Stepney hears some strange sounds just before the fog slowly lifts, revealing that they are in the scrapyards, much to his horror. The crew go for help, leaving Stepney all alone, but not for long, as two diesel engines approach him, with one taunting him with threats of scrap. The other one, Bert, buffers up to him, and they lead Stepney into the Smelter's Shed before leaving him alone, intending to scrap him.
Stepney looks up and sees a large claw above him. Despite his pleas, the claw slowly moves towards him, but it stops just as it is about to grab him. The Fat Controller appears with Stepney's crew and the yard master on a nearby platform, having come to visit the scrapyard, and he jokingly tells Stepney that saving him from scrap is becoming a habit. Stepney then tells the Fat Controller that he has learned that there is no place like home, which is where he is going now. Stepney then leaves the scrapyard, while declaring, "Bluebells Forever!".
Characters
- Toby
- Stepney
- Mavis
- Sir Topham Hatt
- The Ffarquhar Quarry Manager
- 'Arry (not named)
- Bert (does not speak)
- Rusty (does not speak)
- Troublesome Trucks (do not speak)
- Butch (cameo)
- BoCo (stock footage cameo)
- Thomas (scrapped model cameo)
- Gordon (scrapped model cameo)
- Donald or Douglas (scrapped model cameos)
- City of Truro (scrapped model cameo)
- Märklin Engine (scrapped model cameo)
- Lorry 1 (faceless and repainted; cameo)
Locations
- Stepney's Branch Line
- Stepney's Shed
- Bluebell Valley (stock footage)
- Ffarquhar Quarry
- Old Stone Bridge
- Tower Windmill
- Sodor Ironworks
- Sodor China Clay Company (stock footage)
Trivia
- According to a film slate:
- The scenes at the Sodor Ironworks outside of the smelter shed with the grabber were filmed from 30 September to 1 October 1997.
- The close-up shot of Stepney's driver leaning out of Stepney's cab was filmed on 8 October 1997.
- The interior scenes of the smelter shed with the grabber were filmed on 9 October 1997, with the close-up shots of Sir Topham Hatt being filmed on the 16th.
- The quarry was filmed from on 5 and 6 January 1998. The daytime scenes were filmed on the 5th, while the nighttime scenes were filmed on the 6th.
- The Old Stone Bridge was filmed on 9 January 1998.
- The close-up shots of the human figurines at the quarry were filmed on 15 January 1998.
- Stepney puffing through the mist was filmed on 5 February 1998.
- The scenes at the building site were filmed on 6 February 1998.
- The remaining close-up shots of Stepney's driver and fireman in Stepney's cab were filmed on 9 February 1998.
- Stepney's Shed was filmed on 16 February 1998, while the close-up shots of the human figurines were filmed the following day.
- Stock footage from Rusty to the Rescue and the previous episode is used, as well as a deleted scene from the fourth series.
- This episode marks 'Arry and Bert's first appearance. However, 'Arry is not referred to by name and Bert does not have a speaking role for the first time until the sixth series episode, Middle Engine.
- This episode marks BoCo's final appearance in Thomas and Friends, in the form of a stock footage cameo.
- This episode marks the only episode of a few things:
- Mavis' only speaking role in the fifth series.
- 'Arry and Bert's only appearances in the fifth series and their only appearances in Britt Allcroft era.
- The only series to feature Stepney's concerned and shocked face from the previous series, although his concerned face was in the sixth series song, Boo! Boo! Choo-Choo.
- This episode marks the last of a few things for Stepney:
- His only appearance in the fifth series.
- His final episode with a leading role.
- His last speaking role in the US dub until the twelfth series episode, Rosie's Funfair Special.
- His final speaking role in the UK dub.
- The load that Cranky drops on Percy from Cranky Bugs is seen at the building site when Stepney drops off his trucks.
- CGI smoke is added in the shot looking down over a beam when Stepney enters the scrapyards.
- Scrap models of Thomas, Gordon, Donald/Douglas, City of Truro and Märklin Engine are seen at the scrapyard. A scrap model of Little Owl from Tugs can also be seen at the scrapyard.
- There are a few scenes that were not in the final cut of the episode, including:
- A deleted scene of the Fat Controller pointing to Stepney.
- A deleted scene of Stepney arriving at the quarry.
- An extended shot of Toby and Mavis chatting before Stepney arrives.
- A deleted scene of Stepney pushing the quarry trucks while Toby watches from a siding.
- An extended shot of Mavis before Stepney arrives with the quarry trucks.
- An extended shot of Stepney and Toby shunting the quarry trucks together.
- An extended scene of Mavis pushing the quarry trucks while The Quarry Foreman speaks with Stepney's driver.
- A deleted scene of 'Arry and Bert moving Stepney at a different location.
- A deleted scene of Stepney leaving the Smelters after he was rescued from the grabber.
Goofs
- The camera shot looking over a beam and down at Stepney is differently configured with scattered objects when 'Arry and Bert approach.
- In some of the shots of Stepney puffing through the fog, a black box is attached to one side of his cab. This is most likely the power source to his head lamp.
- When Stepney puffs through the fog after dropping off the stone loads, studio equipment can be seen in the top left corner of the screen.
- The opening music is briefly cut off in the US dub.
- When 'Arry and Bert stops near Stepney, Bert stops right behind Stepney. However, when Bert buffers up to Stepney, he has moved backwards several yards.
- When Bert buffers up to Stepney, there are large gaps between his eyes and his face mask. Also, his engine does not hiss when he stops to buffer up Stepney.
- When 'Arry and Bert begin taking Stepney to the smelting shed, there is a clear gap between the fog effect and the right side of the screen.
- In the Polish dub, Rusty's English name is used by accident.
- When Stepney is in his shed, his right lamp iron (viewers' left) has a burn mark.
- Because stock footage is used, the line of trucks is in a different part of the quarry as Mavis is not seen next to them, and a fragment of BoCo can be seen further back.
- Stepney's left (viewers' right) footstep is crooked.
Quotes
('Arry and Bert approach Stepney)
- 'Arry: Got you this time, Stepney. You'll make very fine scrap indeed - buffer 'im, Bert! [Bert does so, and the two diesels take him to the smelters' shed] Bye-bye, Stepney! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!
- Stepney: [looks up at the lowering grabber] This engine's not for scrapping!
- The Fat Controller: It's a good thing I've chosen to visit this yard tonight. Saving you from scrap is becoming a habit, Stepney. Please stop it.
- Stepney: Yes, sir; but I have learned something.
- The Fat Controller: What's that?
- Stepney: There's no place like home.
- The Fat Controller: And that's exactly where you're going now!
- Stepney: Bluebells Forever!
Merchandise
- My Thomas Story Library - Stepney (discontinued)
In Other Languages
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Reference
| #01 Cranky Bugs | #10 Toby and the Flood | #19 Happy Ever After |
| #02 Horrid Lorry | #11 Haunted Henry | #20 Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday |
| #03 A Better View for Gordon | #12 Double Teething Troubles | #21 A Surprise for Percy |
| #04 Lady Hatt's Birthday Party | #13 Stepney Gets Lost | #22 Make Someone Happy |
| #05 James and the Trouble with Trees | #14 Toby's Discovery | #23 Busy Going Backwards |
| #06 Gordon and the Gremlin | #15 Something in the Air | #24 Duncan Gets Spooked |
| #07 Bye George! | #16 Thomas, Percy and Old Slow Coach | #25 Rusty and the Boulder |
| #08 Baa! | #17 Thomas and the Rumours | #26 Snow |
| #09 Put Upon Percy | #18 Oliver's Find | |