Toad Stands By

"Oliver's no use at all, thinks he's very clever. Says that he can manage us; that's the best joke ever! When he orders us about, With the greatest folly, We just push him down the well! - Pop goes Old Ollie!"

- S.C. Ruffey and the trucks singing

Toad Stands By is the twentieth episode of the fourth series. It is based on the story of the same name from the Railway Series book, Oliver the Western Engine.

Plot
Oliver returns from the works after an earlier incident with trucks that pushed him into a turntable well. He seems as good as new but is worried about the trucks, thinking that he would rather not use them. The trucks, prompted by their ringleader, S.C. Ruffey - sing a rude song to spite him. Thomas, Percy and Duck are shocked and angrily order them to be quiet, but they cannot be everywhere at once and the trucks just continue singing where they are not at.

Toad - fearing that the matter may escalate - asks Douglas to speak with Oliver and gives him an idea. Oliver (feeling a sense of responsibility after what the trucks did to him previously) agrees with Toad. Following Toad's advice, Oliver handles the worst trucks two by two so he can handle S.C. Ruffey last. Oliver soon shunts S.C. Ruffey and his gang and prepares to pull them, but S.C. Ruffey whispers to the trucks to hold back and they do. Oliver, however, is determined, and with plenty of sand on the rails, he exerts all of his strength against the trucks. Oliver persistently ends up pulling so hard that S.C. Ruffey subsequently breaks apart, much to the horror of the other trucks and the delight of Duck and Toad.

The Fat Controller arrives and scrutinises the remains. He attributes it to S.C. Ruffey's poor build due to material fatigue and decides to have him put back together. Sometime later, the trucks become fearful of Oliver and whisper to each other not to anger him; they fear he will pull them apart like he did with S.C. Ruffey, who has learned his lesson and wisely remains silent at least when it comes to his accident.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Percy
 * Duck
 * Douglas
 * Oliver
 * Troublesome Trucks
 * Toad
 * S. C. Ruffey
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Henry
 * James
 * Gordon
 * Donald
 * Märklin Engine

Locations

 * Crovan's Gate Yards
 * Knapford Yards
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Callan
 * Yard
 * The Works

Trivia

 * Going by production order, this is the twenty-third episode of the fourth series.
 * Despite its placement in the fourth series, this episode picks up right where the third series episode, Oliver Owns Up leaves off as it did in the Railway Series. Stock footage from said episode is used, as a flashback to that episode is seen at the beginning of this episode as well.
 * This episode marks the fifth time where Douglas appears without Donald; the first being in the third series episode, Escape, and the second being in the previous three fourth series episodes, Four Little Engines, Rusty to the Rescue and Thomas and Stepney. This is the last episode that Douglas has had a speaking role without his twin brother Donald.
 * At the beginning of the episode, the scrapyard Oliver passes is really the Skarloey Engine Sheds set redressed with scrap models of Thomas, Gordon, the Märklin Engine and one of the Scottish twins.
 * This episode marks the first occurrences of a few things:
 * This is the first time tankers have faces. The faces are the same ones used on the Skarloey Railway's slate trucks.
 * This is the first episode to feature LNER 12 Ton Vans with faces.
 * Toad's first speaking and leading roles in the television series.
 * The first episode the trucks are called "Troublesome Trucks," although it was said only in the UK dub. It would not be until the sixth series episode The World's Strongest Engine where it was said in the US dub. However, in the US dub of the fifth series episode, Rusty and the Boulder, the British term "trucks" was used.
 * This episode marks Oliver and Toad's only speaking roles in the fourth series.
 * The song the trucks sing when Oliver arrives at the yard has the same tune as Pop Goes the Diesel.
 * This is the first appearance of Toad's worried and laughing faces from the third series.
 * The loud crashing sound effect heard when S.C. Ruffey falls apart would be reused in several other episodes, notably in the fifth series episode, Rusty and the Boulder, and in a few New Series episodes up until the episode, Mountain Marvel. It (or at least a similar one) was also heard in the Katy Perry music video, The One That Got Away.
 * A scrap piece of the Goods engine and the steel company from Tugs can be spotted.
 * In the UK dub, the voice clip of Oliver saying "It's really my fault," when speaking to Thomas, Percy and Duck is reused when he tells Duck that Toad's plan should be carried out.
 * Starting from this episode (in the ending scene until Thomas and the Special Letter), Douglas' whistle sound is Thomas', but a seventh lower in pitch, and it would later be reused for Donald in the mobile game app, Read and Play!, And Fun Cubes Only.
 * Starting from this episode from this series onwards, Oliver's whistle sound is Duck's, but a tone lower in pitch.
 * Not counting the mention in Duncan Gets Spooked, this episode marks the last appearance of Crovan's Gate Yards.

Goofs

 * In a deleted shot of the trucks singing, one of the trucks has lost its left buffer.
 * Before the trucks start singing, there are two trucks in-between Duck and Thomas. However when the trucks stop singing and are told to be quiet, they disappear.
 * When the line "with the greatest folly" is said, an insect can be seen on one of the trucks' face.
 * When the trucks are singing, a spider can be seen crawling on a van before the close-up of Duck, his face is tilted a bit and the van next to him has a scratched eye.
 * When Oliver stops after going in between two rows of trucks, in one shot he is stopped just before two vans on either side. But then in the next shot he is between the two vans on either side.
 * When Oliver says "It's really my fault... I shouldn't have fallen in the turntable well," Henry's trucks wobble and then derail.
 * Douglas has Duck's whistle sound when he agrees to Toad's plan. At the end of the episode, Douglas has a different whistle sound starting from this episode throughout the rest of the series.
 * In the close-up shots of Oliver when he is talking to Duck and Toad, plastic bases can be seen under his driver and fireman's feet.
 * When Oliver starts pulling the trucks, S.C. Ruffey is right next to Toad. But in the head-on shot of him groaning, he is several meters ahead of Toad.
 * During the head-on shots of S.C. Ruffey when Oliver attempts to pull the trucks, the number of chain links on his coupling doubles.
 * The Fat Controller is missing his eyebrows when he speaks to Oliver and S.C. Ruffey.
 * In the US dub, when Oliver says "N-n-no, sir," George Carlin accidentally says "said" twice.
 * When the Fat Controller goes to inspect S.C. Ruffey, the coal load in Oliver's bunker is not correctly fitted.
 * In the German dub, Toad refers to himself as a Great Western engine.
 * A chunk of Percy's face is missing when the narrator said, "At last the engines gave up."
 * Some of the trucks have very wonky eyes, or titled faces.
 * Oliver's right lamp iron (viewers' left) is crooked.
 * Duck suddenly gains a lamp about halfway into the episode.
 * In the close up of a tanker laughing after S.C. Ruffey tells them to hold back, his eyebrows are fading away.
 * A cattle truck has a damaged roof.

Quotes

 * S.C. Ruffey and the trucks: [sing] Oliver's no use at all, thinks he's very clever. Says that he can manage us, that's the best joke ever! When he orders us about with the greatest folly, we just push him down the well! "POP" goes Old Ollie!
 * Narrator: Thomas, Duck and Percy were shocked.
 * Thomas, Duck, & Percy: BE QUIET!
 * Narrator: But they couldn't be everywhere, and everywhere they weren't, the trucks/cars began again.
 * S.C. Ruffey and the trucks: [sing again] Oliver's no use at all, thinks he's very clever. Says that he can manage us, that's the best joke ever! [all giggle]




 * Narrator: At last the engines gave up.
 * Thomas, Duck and Percy: We're sorry, Oliver.
 * Oliver: It's really my fault. I shouldn't fallen into the turntable well.
 * Narrator: Toad the Brake Van felt sorry for Oliver too.




 * Toad: I'm worried, Mr. Douglas. This disrespect for engines. Where's it going to end?
 * Douglas: Who knows?
 * Toad: I've got a plan, Mr. Douglas. May I stay here today and help Mr. Oliver? We're both Great Western, and must stand together.
 * Douglas: Certainly, Toad.




 * Duck: Goodness gracious Toad. I don't think you should suggest such a thing to Oliver.
 * Oliver: No Duck, Toad's right. It's really my fault. I must put this trouble right.
 * Toad: I meant no disrespect you understand.
 * Oliver: Of course not Toad. Anyway, driver says the same and he's arranged it with the stationmaster.
 * Duck: Very well Oliver. But I must hurry. My passengers will be waiting. Good luck.
 * Oliver: So long.




 * Toad: [seeing Oliver shunting trucks] That's the way Mr. Oliver, and if you leave that S. C. Ruffey till last, then you'll have him behind you and you can bump him if he starts his nonsense.
 * [Oliver shunts S. C. Ruffey]
 * S.C. Ruffey: Hold back, hold back! And pass the word to the others.
 * Narrator: The silly trucks/cars giggled, but Oliver knew what to do. There was plenty of sand on the rails and his wheels gripped splendidly. He gave a great heave.
 * S.C. Ruffey: Ooh! I don't like this!
 * Duck: Go on! Well done, boy, well done!
 * S.C. Ruffey: OHH! I'm coming apart! (breaks into pieces)
 * Narrator: And he did.




 * Narrator: Then there was trouble.
 * The Fat Controller: Well, Oliver, so you don't know your own strength, is that it?
 * Oliver: (stuttering) No, sir.
 * The Fat Controller: [inspects S.C. Ruffey] As I thought. Rotten wood, rusty frames. Maybe if we put you back together, you'll earn yourself a better name.




 * Trucks: (to S.C. Ruffey) Take care with Mr. Oliver. If you play tricks on him, you'll never be the same truck/car again!
 * Narrator: S.C. Ruffey has learned his lesson and says nothing at all.

Merchandise

 * Capsule Plarail

Home Media Releases
{{Scroll box|

UK

 * Thomas and Stepney and other Stories
 * Biggest Party Video Ever!
 * The Complete Series 4

DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection

WAL

 * Help and 15 other stories

US

 * Thomas and the Special Letter and Other Stories
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 4

CAN

 * Thomas and the Special Letter and Other Stories

DVD Packs

 * James Goes Buzz Buzz/Thomas and the Special Letter Double Feature
 * Totally Thomas Volume 6

AUS

 * Thomas and Stepney and other Stories
 * The Complete Series 4

DVD Boxsets

 * Complete Series 1-10
 * Classic Collection
 * Series Three and Series Four Double Pack

NZ/NOR

 * Thomas and Stepney and other Stories

JPN

 * New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.3
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.5
 * Tell Me Stories, Thomas

GER

 * No Game Without A Ball and 4 Other Adventures
 * Thomas and His Friends Vol. 9

KOR

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 6
 * For the Story of Determination

PHL

 * Thomas and Friends Collection
 * Thomas and the Special Letter

DK

 * The Brave Engine and Other Stories

MYS

 * Thomas and the Special Letter and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Thomas and the Special Letter and Other Adventures

ITA

 * The Queen Arrives

NL

 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Thomas, James and Henry
 * Thomas and the Special Letter

SVN

 * James and the Trouble with Trees

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends
 * Thomas and Friends - Series 4

SWE

 * The Engine and the Gremlins

GRC

 * A Day at the Station

DVD Boxsets

 * 3 DVD Boxset 2

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 15

TWN

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 2

HK
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 11

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