Molly (episode)

**Molly** is the seventh episode from the third series.

## Plot

Molly is a young new steam 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 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 Salty, who tells Molly off for this. Molly, however, thinks Salty is just being fussy and boring and continues to do things her way until eventually Salty gives up and tells her she can take her own trucks to the station. Molly is very pleased with this, as taking trucks makes her feel important.

Later, at a goods station, Thomas meets Molly. When she complains to him about Salty claiming he says that only diesel engines can manage trucks, Thomas sees a chance to cause trouble and tells Molly that steamies are naturally better than diesel engines before leaving. Molly takes his words to heart, but is oblivious that Thomas knows nothing about trucks.

The line Salty 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. Salty has found a solution to this: he stops just before the dip, his oiler 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. Not only is it the safest way to cross the lane in frosty weather, but also the easiest. Salty tries to tell Molly about the farm lane and how to cross it, but Molly thinks that Salty is just being fussy and ignores his advice.

Later, Molly begins taking the trucks to the station. However, she does not realize that the trucks - who are tired of being bumped around - plan to pay her out. Molly reaches the farm lane, but instead of stopping before the dip, she stops just before the road. Bulgy halted and Molly - who believes she has got one over on Salty - tries to leave. However, the trucks take advantage of her mistake and hold back. Molly 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. Molly is stuck, blocking the crossing, and making everyone who is caught in the resulting traffic jam cross.

Back at the yard, Salty is angry when he is told what has happened. Salty's driver tries to calm him down, reminding him that Molly is young and needs to learn. Salty is not interested and is willing to let her manage the trucks herself. Salty's driver reminds him that they are actually his trucks and Molly is technically not allowed to leave the yard. Knowing that he will also be in trouble if the Fat Controller finds out, Salty decides to go and help after all.

Back at the lane, Molly was facing an angry farmer when Salty arrives to help. After a lot of pushing, Salty finally starts to move Molly and the trucks back across the lane. The hard work makes Salty's fuel burn fiercely and his driver spreads hot cinders to melt the frozen mud. Finally, Salty and Molly wind up at the beginning of the lane, and Salty wishes Molly goodbye and leaves. Molly is too humiliated to thank Salty for his help and says nothing. Instead, she takes the trucks to the shed, and quickly heads back home to the quarry as the sunsets.

## Characters

* Salty
* Thomas
* Molly
* Troublesome Trucks
* Bulgy (*cameo*)
* Jem Cole (*cameo*)
* Sir Topham Hatt (*mentioned*)

## Trivia

* The episode is based off the fourteenth episode of the third series from *Thomas & Friends*, Mavis.