Toby and the Flood

"The dam's breaking up! We must find high ground!"

- Toby's driver

Toby and the Flood is the tenth episode of the fifth series. In the US, it aired with Toby's Discovery during an airing of Storytime with Thomas.

Plot
During a stormy time for weeks, Toby is feeling miserable due to both the rain and the fact that his branch line runs through a village that is in danger of flooding from the rising river. The only thing preventing water from overflowing in the river is a dam. Percy arrives at the village beside Toby, who is about to investigate the dam for any concerns of damage. He informs Toby that crossing the dam in heavy rain could be dangerous, and asks Toby to be careful. Toby assures Percy he will try to be safe, and heads off to investigate the dam.

When he arrives at the dam, Harold is there inspecting it as well. Toby starts to cross cautiously, but his driver notices the dam is beginning to crumble, with water seeping through. The driver is now alarmed, and declares they must warn everyone to find higher ground. Toby races off the dam as fast as his wheels will let him.

Meanwhile, Percy is waiting on the other side of a wooden bridge at the end of the village, which is now in danger of collapsing due to the rising river. Toby's driver warns Percy and his crew about the dam and they need to find higher ground immediately. Percy explains their only chance now is to cross the bridge. Though believing it to be unsafe, Toby begins to cross the bridge. The dam however collapses as soon as Toby is halfway across and with the water escaping, the bridge Toby is crossing tears away from the riverbanks and is swept down the river, with Toby still on it. Percy follows the river down his own line to find Toby further downstream. Harold - having seen the collapsed dam - flies off to help rescue Toby.

Toby is floating helplessly along the flooding river when he sees a sign saying "Beware the Waterfall." As Toby and his crew approach it, they see Harold flying in urgently. He calls out that his crew is going to drop a rope to Toby, and that his crew must tie it to him. The rope is dropped and attached to one of Toby's buffers just as Percy arrives. Harold flies over to Percy and tells him to catch the rope and pull Toby to safety. The rope is dropped to Percy, and its end is tied to his buffer. Percy - puffing as hard as he can - finally pulls Toby back to safety.

When the flood subsides and the dam is repaired, a party is held in Toby's honour by the villagers and hosted by the Fat Controller, who is very impressed with Toby and Harold's bravery. Percy says he could not have been so brave, and Toby tells him he would not know until he tries. But Percy would rather hope he would never have to.

Characters

 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Harold
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Bertie
 * Trevor
 * Caroline
 * Stephen Hatt
 * Bridget Hatt
 * Jeremiah Jobling
 * Jem Cole
 * Farmer Trotter
 * Harold's Pilots
 * Elsbridge Cricket Club member
 * Mid Sodor Railway Manager
 * The Father
 * The Mid Sodor Railway Manager
 * Prince Philip
 * Rheneas

Locations

 * Toby's Village
 * Ulfstead River
 * The Dam
 * The Waterfall
 * Toby's Flood Bridge
 * Hawin Dooiey
 * Sodor Castle

Trivia

 * According to a film slate:
 * A deleted scene used in the Harold the Helicopter music video was filmed on 26 November 1997. The slate is labelled "J", confirming that the scene would have been used in this episode, as the music video indicated.
 * The dam scenes were filmed from 16-17 March 1998. The close-up of Toby's driver was filmed on the 18th.
 * The set of Toby's Village was filmed from 18-19 March 1998.
 * The bridge set was filmed on 20 and 23 March 1998.
 * The waterfall set was filmed on 24 March 1998.
 * The remaining close-up shots of the human figurines in the episode were filmed on 31 March 1998.
 * Edited and extended stock footage from Gallant Old Engine is used for the opening shot.
 * Inspiration for this episode might have come from the Elan Valley Railway in Wales, which had a section of railway line running along the front of a dam that was under construction.
 * It is possible that this episode is loosely adapted from an unused second series TUGS script.
 * The footage of Percy racing after Toby is sped up.
 * The Korean dub of this episode had some scenes cut when aired on television, but the home video releases featured the uncut episode.
 * Silicone rubber was used to create dangling rails when the dam collapsed.
 * Percy's chassis appears to be very worn out during the scene where he was pulling Toby to safety. This is a big reason for why a new brass model was built for him in Thomas and the Magic Railroad.

Goofs

 * The small scale model of Toby's driver has a different beard compared to his large scale one.
 * At the party, two people appear to be lying on the ground.
 * Toby's driver is grinning when he says, "It's our only chance!"
 * Harold is smiling when he follows Toby to rescue him.

Quotes

 * Percy: [about the dam during the storm] Driver tells me it may be dangerous up there. Please be careful, Toby.
 * Toby: I'll try.




 * Percy: I could never have been so brave, Toby.
 * Toby: Oh, I'm sure you would be, but you never know until you've tried.

Home Media Releases
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UK

 * Happy Holidays
 * Chad Valley Video
 * Seasonal Scrapes
 * My Little Thomas and Toby Adventures
 * The Complete Series 5

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection

US

 * Races, Rescues and Runaways and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 5

CAN

 * Races, Rescues and Runaways and Other Thomas Adventures

DVD Boxsets

 * Sodor Friends Holiday Collection
 * On Site with Thomas and Other Adventures/Races, Rescues and Runaways and Other Thomas Adventures Double Feature
 * Totally Thomas Volume 2
 * 3 DVD Lunchbox Set

AUS

 * Happy Ever After
 * The Complete Series 5

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * Classic Collection
 * Series Five and Series Six Double Pack

NZ

 * Happy Ever After

JPN

 * New Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.3
 * Sodor Tour: Surprise Happening
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.3
 * Thomas and his Lovely Friends

KOR

 * Character Special Edition Series Vol. 5
 * Friends Love Story

NOR

 * Stepney Gets Lost

GRC

 * The Trains Have Fun

SWE

 * Little Engines Help Out

PHL

 * Toby's Discovery

SWE

 * Little Engines Help Out

GER

 * It's Great to be a Locomotive!

DVD Boxsets

 * Thomas and His Friends Box Set 1

MYS

 * Toby and the Flood and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Put Upon Percy and Other Adventures

DK

 * Thomas and the Ghosts and Other Stories

ITA

 * Time for James

SVN

 * Toby and the Flood

HK

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 12
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 4

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 17

TWN
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 13
 * Help the Happiest Friends

Toby und die Flut Toby y la Inundación טובי והשיטפון ながされたトビー Tobik i Powódż Тоби и наводнение