Busy Going Backwards

***Busy Going Backwards*** is the tenth and final episode of the fifth series.

## Plot

One day, The Spiteful Brake Van was sad and bored; he can see engines and coaches moving forwards, unlike him who can only see things from behind. He decides to talk to D5701 about his problem and tells him that while he is always going backwards, he had forward thinking views and could be a leader. Diesel 10 tells him that he cannot be a leader if he does not have a train to follow him, which makes the Spiteful Brake Van even sadder. D5701 tells him he is a Really Useful brake van, that he helps him brake and keeps his trucks in order when they go down hills, though the Spiteful Brake Van says it would still be nice to go forwards for a change. The trucks overhear everything the Sptieful Brake Van says and were cross that he does not appreciate looking after them, so they vow to pay him back for his words.

When D5701 was taking a goods train up Diesel 10’s Hill, and when they near the top, the trucks' chance comes, and break away the coupling from D5701 and go careering back down the line. The guard jumps off his post and leaves a helpless Spiteful Brake Van in a state of shock. At first, the Spiteful Brake Van enjoys his journey travelling forwards, but his enjoyment is short-lived as he crashes through a closed crossing gate at, nearly colliding into Bulgy, who just passes through it. Suddenly, the Spiteful Brake Van then realized that he is on the wrong track but narrowly avoids a very surprised Diesel 10, with the help of a nearby signalman. After thundering through BoCo's Station, Spiteful Brake Van them sees D199 coming down the line with a slow goods train. Just when they were about to crash into each other, a shunted switches the Spiteful Brake Van off D199's line just in time, leaving D199 perplexed at what just happened. The signalman calls ahead to the stationmaster at the next station. The stationmaster tells the signalman he will divert the Spiteful Brake Van and the trucks into a siding. When Spiteful Brake Van thunders through Crosby station and goes into a siding, the plan works, but it backfires when the Spiteful Brake Van gets diverted back onto the main line from the Crosby yards, due to a points' failure.

Meanwhile, D5701 was racing to the Spiteful Brake Van's aid. The Spiteful Brake Van and the trucks speed past a surprised Class 40 and they were approaching a bridge under repairs. Luckily, the workmen have been warned about the runaway and divert the Spiteful Brake Van and the trucks onto an old siding, leading straight into a muddy pond. Although filthy, the Spiteful Brake Van was relieved that he has finally been stopped, while D5701 soon arrives and jokes about the situation. That night, the Spiteful Brake Van speaks to D5701, apologising for any embarrassment he may have caused him. D5701 asks him what he thought of going forwards; the Spiteful Brake Van tells him it was a fun experience, but he will look forward to remaining backwards from now on as he now appreciates seeing everything from behind. In other words, "busy going backwards."

## Characters

* Diesel 10
* Diesel 199
* Diesel 5701
* Troublesome Trucks
* The Spiteful Brake Van
* Class 40 (*does not speak*)
* Diesel (*cameo*)
* BoCo (*cameo*)
* Dennis (*cameo*)
* Express Coaches (*cameos*)
* Bulgy (*cameo*)
* The Storyteller (*cameo*)
* Farmer Trotter (*cameo*)
* Smudger (*portrait cameo*)

## Trivia

* This episode shares a similarly to the twenty-third episode of the fifth series from Thomas & Friends with the same name.
* A rendition of the William Tell Overture (Finale) is remixed as the runaway theme. The piece would be reused three times in Diesel the Jet Engine
* The picture of Smudger from Diesel and the Special Letter can be seen in the signal box.
* This is the first episode where Diesel appears, but does not speak in the series final.
* This episode marks the last of a few things:
	+ Crosby and Wellsworth Crossing's last appearances.
	+ The last episode to feature WLLR trucks with faces.
	+ The final appearance of the bridge at the bottom of Diesel 10's Hill to date.
	+ Diesel 5701 & Spiteful Brake Van’s last speaking roles until the seventh series, and their last leading role until said series episode Snow Diesel.