Toby’s Tightrope

**Toby's Tightrope** is the thirteenth episode of the third season and the 73th episode overall. It is based on the story of the same name from the twenty-sixth Railway Series book, Tramway Engines.

## Plot

Percy arrives at the quarry to pick up stone for his trucks. The only other engine in the quarry at the moment is Mavis, who is sheltering in her shed looking miserable. Percy tells the young diesel to cheer up, but she explains that the manager found out about her going down Toby's line and causing trouble, so he has confined her to the quarry. She calls Toby a fusspot again, angering Percy, who tells her that Toby knows a lot about trucks and that they must be left where he wants them. Percy then leaves to take his trucks to the harbour. Although Mavis likes Percy, she still does not understand why she cannot go down the line.

The siding arrangements at the quarry are very awkward and Mavis is forced to make several journeys to put the trucks in the correct place. Mavis is desperate to leave the quarry and makes a plan; she starts by telling her driver the work would be a lot easier if she could use a small part of Toby's line. Her driver (suspecting nothing) agrees and allows her to go as far as the first level crossing.

The weather changes, with the snow and ice melting away. This causes an increase in work and Mavis takes trains that are so long that she has to go beyond the level crossing. She decides to proceed with her plan to go further down the line without making it look like her fault and asks the trucks to bump her at the level crossing. The trucks agree, but things go awry when Toby arrives while she is gone and decides to shunt them himself. The trucks decide to bump Toby instead, and when Toby reaches the level crossing, the trucks give him a fearful bump and push him down the line.

Melted ice and snow have caused the river on Toby's line to become a torrent and wash away a crumbling wooden bridge after a log collides with it, leaving only the rails behind which form a tightrope across the abyss. Toby's driver fights for control and when the tram engine is finally able to stop, he is on the "tightrope" precariously above the water, ready to fall any second as more pieces of the bridge crumble into the torrent.

When Mavis hears what has happened, she is horrified and immediately goes to help. Toby is anchored to some rocks with chains as Mavis takes away the trucks. Eventually, she is able to pull Toby to safety and later apologises about what happened with the trucks. Toby thanks Mavis, telling her that while he had heard of tightrope walkers from a circus, he had not imagined doing it himself.

The Fat Director sees Mavis later and congratulates her for doing well in an emergency. Mavis admits she was responsible for the trucks' behaviour but asks if she can still use Toby's line, as Toby has offered to show her what to do. The Fat Director agrees on the condition that Mavis' manager allows her to, which he does. Mavis is now happier than ever and is considered to be a Really Useful Engine.

## Characters

* Percy
* Toby
* Mavis
* Troublesome Trucks
* The Fat Director

## Locations

* Ffarquhar
* Ffarquhar Quarry
* The Quarry Tramroad
* Ffarquhar River Bridge
* Knapford Harbour

## Trivia

* This episode is based on a real event involving a timber trestle in the United States.