Mavis (episode)

"Trucks/Freight cars 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 diesel engine who works in the quarry at the end of the 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 the trucks in different positions every day making things hard for Toby, 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.

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 realize 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 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 cross.

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. Knowing that he will also be in trouble if the Fat Controller finds out, Toby decides to go and help after all.

Back at the lane, Mavis is facing an angry farmer when Toby arrives to help. After a lot of pushing, Toby finally starts to move Mavis and the 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 thank Toby for his help and says nothing. Instead, 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
 * Terence
 * Bertie
 * Farmer Finney
 * Jem Cole
 * Sir Topham Hatt

Locations

 * Ffarquhar Quarry
 * The Quarry Tramroad
 * Hackenbeck

Trivia

 * Diesel replaces Daisy's role from the original Railway Series story since Rick Siggelkow disapproved of Daisy's design around this time.
 * Mavis exclaims "Fiddlesticks!" at the beginning of this episode, instead of "Fudge!" in the original book. This was likely to avoid any criticism for alluding to profanity in the television series.
 * This is the first episode to use diesel engine squeaking wheels, albeit faintly.
 * In the restored version, the scene of Mavis looking mad at the end after being rescued by Toby is extended and the shot of her taking the trucks to the sheds is shortened.
 * This episode marks the only on-screen appearance of Toby's furious face in the third series with different eyebrows until the fifth series episode, Horrid Lorry.
 * This episode marks 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.
 * Diesel's original theme from the second series.
 * Both this episode and the next episode aired on Christmas Day 1991 in the United States.
 * This is the second episode named after a single character, the first being Daisy and the third being Bulgy, not counting Terence the Tractor.
 * This episode was never released on VHS and DVD in South Korea.

Goofs

 * Just before Mavis approaches the lane, a steam platform can be seen.
 * Mavis' last truck has a crooked face.
 * 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.
 * Bertie is smiling when he is stuck at the crossing.
 * Terence disappears when Toby pushes Mavis out of the lane.
 * When the US dub aired on the Shining Time Station episode "Do I Hear?" as well the 1992 release of Trust Thomas and Other Stories, the ending was shortened, muting the outro theme. However, on the New Zealand release of Trust Thomas and Other Stories, the last bit of the outro music is heard before the end credits start. This was later fixed on the 1995 version of Trust Thomas and Other Stories, 10 Years of Thomas and Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 3 on Amazon Prime and the Roku Channel.
 * 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 "Frosty weather makes the muddy lane rock hard and very slippery," a camera shadow can be seen on the ground.
 * 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 Mavis passes the level crossing her brake van is a BR 20. But when she approaches the lane, it is now a SR 25.
 * Mavis' brake van disappears at the end of the episode, and is replaced with an extra truck.

Quotes

 * Toby: Trucks/Freight cars should be where you want them when you want them.
 * Mavis: Fiddlesticks! [leaves]




 * Toby: [to Mavis] I can't waste time playing "Hunt the Trucks/Cars" with you. Take them yourself!




 * Mavis: Toby's an old fusspot.
 * Narrator: Diesel sensed trouble and was delighted.
 * Mavis: Toby says only steam engines can manage trucks/freight cars.
 * Diesel: How absurd. Depend upon it, Mavis. Anything steam engines can do, we diesels can do better.
 * Narrator: Diesel knew nothing about trucks/cars, but Mavis didn't realize this.




 * [upon hearing the bad news about Mavis]
 * Toby: I warned her!
 * Driver: She's young yet. And...
 * Toby: She can manage her trucks/cars herself!
 * Driver: They're your trucks/cars, really. Mavis is supposed to stay at the quarry. If the Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt finds out...
 * Toby: Hmm, yes.

Merchandise

 * Buzz Books - Mavis
 * My Thomas Story Library - Mavis

Home Media Releases
{{Scroll box|

UK/AUS

 * Trust Thomas and Other Stories
 * The Biggest Ever Christmas Collection
 * The Complete Series 3
 * Truck Loads of Fun

UK DVD Packs

 * Classic Collection
 * Bumper Party Collection! and Truck Loads of Fun Double Pack

WAL

 * Thomas the Tank Engine: Bumper Special 1

AUS DVD Boxsets

 * 60th Anniversary - Limited Edition Boxset
 * Essential Collection
 * Trainloads of Thomas Fun
 * Complete Series 1-10
 * Classic Collection
 * Series Three and Series Four Double Pack

NZ

 * Trust Thomas and Other Stories
 * The Biggest Ever Christmas Collection
 * Bumper Video Collection Volume 4

ZA

 * Buzz, Buzz

US

 * Trust Thomas and Other Stories
 * 10 Years of Thomas
 * Thomas & Friends Classic Volume 3

CAN

 * Trust Thomas and Other Stories
 * 10 Years of Thomas

VHS/DVD Boxsets

 * Special Video Collector's Set
 * On-the-Go Pack
 * Best Tales on the Tracks
 * Trust Thomas and Other Stories/A Big Day for Thomas Double Feature
 * Ultimate Thomas Collection
 * Totally Thomas Volume 6
 * Totally Thomas Volume 7

JPN

 * Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 15
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.4
 * I Will Not Loose to the Diesel
 * The Complete DVD Box 1

NL

 * Rely on Thomas
 * The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Edward, Toby and the Diesels

NOR

 * Anniversary
 * Thomas, Percy and the Post Train

FIN

 * Thomas, Percy and the Post Train

GRC

 * The Twin Engines Were Confused!

DVD Boxsets

 * 3 DVD Boxset 2

ITA

 * Locomotive in Trouble

GER

 * Mavis and 4 Other Adventures
 * It's Great to be a Locomotive!

DVD Boxsets

 * Thomas and His Friends Box Set 1

DK

 * The Great Escape and Other Stories

IN

 * The Trouble with Mud and Other Stories

UKR

 * A Train Thomas and Friends

MYS

 * Thomas' Christmas Party and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Donald's Duck and Other Adventures

SVN

 * Winter Morning

SER

 * Thomas the Tank Engine 6

CHN

 * Thomas and Friends Season 1-4

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 10

HK
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 7
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 12

Mavis (Episode) Mavis (episodio) מייביס (פרק) いしきりばのメービス Marta (odcinek) Мэвис (эпизод)