The Winx Club's Sodor Adventures - Season 3

Episode 14: Mavis

Mavis is a diesel engine who works for the Ffarquhar Quarry Company, shunting freight cars in their sidings. She has six small wheels hidden by side plates just like Toby's.

Mavis is young and full of her own ideas. She loves rearranging things too and began putting Toby and Roxy's cars in different places everyday.

This made Toby and Roxy cross.

"Freight cars," Toby grumbled, "should be where you want them when you want them."

"That's right, Mavis," said Roxy. "You have to learn how to treat the freight cars right."

"Fiddlesticks!" said Mavis, and flounced away.

At last, Toby lost patience. "Roxy and I can't waste time playing "Hunt-the-Cars" with you. Take them yourself."

Mavis was pleased. Taking cars made her feel important.

At Ffarquhar Station, Diesel oiled up to her.

"Toby's an old fusspot," Mavis complained, "and so is his silly fairy friend Roxy."

Diesel sensed trouble and was delighted.

"Toby says only steam engines can manage freight cars," continued Mavis.

"How absurd," squirmed Diesel. "Depend upon it, Mavis. Anything steam engines can do, we diesels can do better. And that goes the same for those fairies and their friends, too."

Diesel knew nothing about cars, but Mavis didn't realize this.

Toby's line crosses the main road behind Ffarquhar Station and, for a short way, follows a farm lane. Frosty weather makes the muddy lane rock-hard and very slippery.

Toby and Roxy stop before reaching the lane. Toby's fireman halts the traffic at the crossing, and then he and Roxy set off again. By using the heavy cars to push them along, they have no trouble with the frosty rails in the lane and across the road. It is the only thing safe thing to do in this kind of weather.

Toby warned Mavis and told her just what to do.

"I can manage, thank you," she replied. "I'm not an old fusspot like you."

"I can tell that this young diesel is going to get herself in trouble," said Roxy.

And she was right. The freight cars were tired of being pushed around by Mavis. "It's slippery," they whispered. "Let's push her around instead. On, on, on!" they yelled.

Mavis took no notice. Instead, she brought the cars carefully down the lane and stopped at the level crossing. All traffic halted.

"One in the headlamp for fusspot Toby and Roxy," chortled Mavis.

But Mavis had stopped in the wrong place. Instead of taking Toby's advice, she had given the cars the chance they wanted.

"Hold back! Hold back!" they cried.

"Grrup!" ordered Mavis.

The cars just laughed, and her wheels spun helplessly.

Workmen sanded the rails and tried dig away the frozen mud, but it was no good. Everyone was impatient.

"Grrrrrr!" wailed Mavis.

Toby and Roxy were in the yard when they heard the news.

"I warned her," Toby fumed.

"She's young yet," soothed Roxy. "And..."

"She can manage her cars herself," interrupted Toby.

"They're your cars, really," Roxy replied. "Mavis is supposed to stay at the quarry. If Sir Topham Hatt finds out."

"Mmm, yes," said Toby thoughtfully. He and Roxy agreed that it would be best to help Mavis after all.

An angry farmer was telling Mavis just what she could do with her train.

"Having trouble, Mavis?" chortled Toby. "I am surprised."

"Grrash!" said Mavis.

"Well, let's get to work," said Roxy.

With much puffing and wheelslip, Toby pushed Mavis and the freight cars back. The hard work made his fire burn fiercely, and his fireman spread hot cinders to melt the frozen mud.

At last, they finished.

"Good-bye!" called Toby. "You'll manage now, I expect."

"And I hope you'll learn from this," added Roxy.

Mavis didn't answer. She took the cars to the sheds, and scuttled home to the quarry as quickly as she could.

The End