Oliver's Find

"Hmm! Getting lost can be interesting, but being found is much nicer... especially if it makes an engine feel really useful!"

- Oliver

Oliver's Find is the eighteenth episode of the fifth series. In the US, it aired with Something in the Air in an episode of Storytime with Thomas.

Plot
Oliver and his brake van Toad are enjoying their work in the big yard. One day, Toad notices Oliver feeling sad, because he is starting to miss the longer runs. Toad recommends talking to the Fat Controller, but Oliver decides to keep quiet. As time goes on, Oliver stays unhappy and gets rough with the trucks. His mood and the trucks' behaviour lead to an accident in the turntable when he pushes them into the well. An angry workman yells at Oliver for damaging the turntable, as it will take a long time to be mended. The Fat Controller is also cross with Oliver and transfers him to the nightly mail train route so that he can have his smokebox cleared. His driver soothes him by saying that the mail train is a grand run for an engine like him, which makes Oliver feel better, even though he still feels he let everyone down.

The new job cheers Oliver up as he makes good time on the mail route along the Coastal Run, until he stops to collect mail from Harold who is late due to mechanical problems with one of his arms. Frustrated, Oliver tries to make up speed when he sees a red signal. He does not know that the signalman has fallen asleep waiting for them and forgotten to change the points. Despite whistling several times, the signalman does not hear them, so Oliver and his crew decide to proceed with caution and find out what the problem is at the signal box. Unknowingly, they are switched down an old, dilapidated branch line. The fireman points out that they are running low on water and need to find a water tower. But they run pass an old station, and then crash into a shed.

A concerned Fat Controller sends out a search party the next morning. They find Oliver and his crew safe and sound. The Fat Controller knows the accident was not Oliver's fault. While chatting, the Fat Controller notices an abandoned house nearby. He goes to inspect it and, when he returns to Oliver, he thanks him for finding the new house. He announces his plans for making it a tea house, where visitors can have refreshments.

Characters

 * Oliver
 * Troublesome Trucks
 * Toad
 * Harold
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Henry
 * James
 * Mavis
 * Harold's Pilots
 * Bulstrode
 * Duke
 * Percy

Locations

 * Knapford Yards
 * Oliver's Shed
 * Wellsworth Sheds
 * The Seaside Village
 * Tidmouth Lighthouse
 * Callan
 * Old Manor Station
 * Kirk Ronan
 * Tidmouth Hault
 * The Coal Mines

Trivia

 * According to a film slate:
 * The scenes on the Oliver's Shed set were filmed on 27th of October 1997.
 * The scenes on the Kirk Ronan set were filmed on the 28th of October 1997.
 * The scenes on the Callan Station set were filmed on the 14th of November 1997.
 * The scenes of the signalman sleeping were filmed on the 19th of January 1998.
 * The Coastal Run shots where filmed on the 28th of January 1998.
 * This was also filmed the same day as the shots from the same location from Something in the Air.
 * Pre-filmed footage from Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday and stock footage from Put Upon Percy is used.
 * When Oliver first passes the boats and barges with the post train, to the far left, Bulstrode's model without his face or eye mechanism can be seen.
 * The picture of Duke from Bulldog is in the signal box.
 * The yard Oliver is in at the beginning of the episode is the Tidmouth Sheds set extensively redressed.
 * The old station building is the same one seen in Toby's Discovery.
 * A deleted scene shows that Henry and James were intended to have larger roles where they were cross at Oliver damaging the turntable. This scene was most likely cut due to time constraints.
 * This is the second episode to use the phrase, "confusion and delay" after Cranky Bugs. It is also the first episode where a character says it instead of the narrator.
 * This episode marks the last appearance of the Flying Kipper until the sixteenth series episode, Whiff's Wish, excluding two stock footage appearances in the seventh series.
 * The shed Oliver crashes into is really Toby's Shed.
 * The sense that the camera is zooming towards the shed has the slow motion that is the same as in Bye George!, before Thomas derailed and crashed through the barn.
 * This episode marks the first appearance of Oliver and Toad's shocked faces.
 * The LT building, the three berth garage and some Shrimper boat models from TUGS appear during this episode.
 * This episode is titled Oliver's Great Adventure on The Roku Channel.
 * In the US, this episode was released before A Better View for Gordon, meaning the American audience may not know about Gordon's View at Kirk Ronan unless the audience saw the episode on the Cranky Bugs and Other Thomas Stories VHS.
 * A map of the east of Sodor, which features Crovan's Gate and the Skarloey Railway, is seen inside the signal box. It is also seen in Sleeping Beauty, Bye George! (which that episode uses pre-filmed footage from this), and Busy Going Backwards. The map was made in the fourth series and was used as geographical reference for the locations in concept arts.
 * The plot of this episode has some similarities to that of the magazine story Thomas and the Old House.
 * In the German version, Harold states the reason for his delay was a piece of chewing gum that got stuck on his landing skids.

Goofs

 * When Oliver bumps the trucks, they are facing him, but when they crash into the turntable, they are facing the other way. Additionally, Oliver is missing his rear brake-pipe.
 * When Oliver goes along the coastal track, his last van bounces.
 * In a deleted scene, Henry's tender does not have coal in it.
 * As Oliver is waiting for Harold, Henry passes with some vans, then as Oliver is talking to Harold, James passes through with exactly the same line of vans Henry was pulling.
 * The track arrangements at Oliver's shed changes between the day and night sequences.
 * In one of the final shots, Harold's propellers are severely bent.
 * Due to the use of stock footage, neither Oliver nor the mail vans are seen as the debris falls as it is clearly the footage of the mine, further adding to the problems, the truck with S.C. Ruffey's face can be seen in it.
 * On Roku Kids the episode title has a question mark, instead of an apostrophe.
 * Oliver's driver changes appearance when he is talking about there being something wrong with the signal.
 * When Oliver gets sent down the wrong track, a battery pack can be seen on his left side.

Quotes

 * Toad: Excuse me, Mr. Oliver. It seems to me that things are not well for you, if you forgive me for mentioning it.
 * Oliver: You're quite right, Toad. All I do is shunt these trucks/freight cars onto the turntable. I long for a nice run. It's what an engine really needs.
 * Toad: Quite so, Mr. Oliver. May I suggest you speak to the Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt about your problems?




 * [Oliver gets rough with the trucks]
 * Trucks: You're no good, Oliver. You're dangerous! We want Percy!
 * Oliver: Pah! Percy's far too busy to be bothered with the likes of you!

Home Media Releases
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UK/AUS

 * Happy Holidays
 * The Complete Series 5

UK DVD Boxsets

 * Classic Collection

AUS DVD Packs

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

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

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

NZ

 * Happy Holidays

ZA

 * Thomas and the Rumours

NOR

 * The Old Coach

DK

 * Forward and Backward and Other Stories

JPN

 * To Transport a Lot Today
 * New Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.5
 * The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.4

KOR

 * The Stories that Gives Enlightenment

PHL

 * Oliver's Great Adventure

MYS

 * Edward's Exploit and Other Thomas Adventures
 * Put Upon Percy and Other Adventures

GRC

 * Time for Work

SWE

 * Hidden in Snow

ITA

 * Back All!

SVN

 * Thomas and the Christmas Tree

WAL

 * Fleas and 15 other Stories

THA

 * Thomas and Friends - Volume 18

TWN

 * Thomas and Friends Volume 3

HK
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 * Thomas and Friends Volume 12
 * Thomas and Friends Volume 9

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