History Recap / ThomasTheTankEngineS1E21TobyAndTheStoutGentleman

'''U.S. Title''': Toby the Tram Engine

'''Air date''': December 18th, 1984

'''Adapted from''': ''[[Recap/TheRailwaySeriesB7TobyTheTramEngine Toby the Tram Engine]]'', "Toby and the Stout Gentleman"
[[quoteright:280:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/280px-tobyandthestoutgentleman3_8813.jpg]]

Toby is a tram engine, who lives and works on his own little railway. He has cowcatchers and sideplates to help prevent accidents, causing him to look quite unlike a steam engine. He has his own coach called Henrietta, who always rides along with him. Sadly, Toby and Henrietta have both seen better days and the amount of passengers and trucks they carry have been reducing due to the increase of roads. The passengers would rather travel by bus, while companies send their cargo by lorry.

One day a stout gentleman, his wife, and two grandchildren visit the railway while on holiday. The two children note that Toby looks unusual for an engine and the gentleman tells them that he is a tram engine. After accidentally offending Toby by thinking he was electric, the two children want a ride. The gentleman agrees and the whole family take a ride in Henrietta, who couldn't be happier to have passengers again.

Afterwards, the gentleman speaks to Toby and thanks him for a lovely journey. Toby notes to himself that the gentleman knows how to speak to engines. The family returns everyday for two weeks for rides with Toby, sometimes riding with the guard or sometimes inside empty trucks. On the last day, they ride with Toby's crew in his cab.

Everyone is sorry when the family has to leave and Toby asks them to come back some day; the family promises. As the months pass, Toby finds himself carrying even fewer passengers and goods. Soon the inevitable happens and Toby's controller decides to shut the line down much to Toby's grief.

Later that day, a lot of people come out for the chance at a last ride on Toby and fill up Henrietta. Although the passengers treat the occasion like a celebration, Toby and his driver know it's anything but. Afterwards, the passengers wish Toby a sad goodbye and he returns to his shed, falling asleep feeling lonely and unwanted.

The next morning, Toby is woken by his excited crew, who has just received some very good news; an important letter from the stout gentleman.

!!Tropes:
* AnotherStoryForAnotherTime: The UK version of the episode ends with Toby supposedly saved by the contents of the letter from the Stout Gentleman, which the narrator won't spoil until the following episode. The US narration omits this line.
* BerserkButton: Toby was offended when The Fat Controller's granddaughter, Bridgette, called him "electric".
* {{Bowdlerise}}: After being called electric by the Fat Controller's granddaughter, the UK narration states that Toby was very hurt. Both US narrations say that Toby was proud of being a steam tram.
* ChekhovsGunman: The Stout Gentleman, who is really The Fat Controller.
* CoolOldGuy: Toby.
* {{Disneyfication}}: In the book [[Recap/TheRailwaySeriesB7TobyTheTramEngine "Toby the Tram Engine"]], Toby gets laughed at by passengers for his look, making him cross. It doesn't happen here.
* DoomedHometown: Toby's old line.
* TheEeyore: Toby is left rather downbeat as his tramway gradually fails.
-->'''Toby:''' Nobody wants me.
* SceneryPorn: Toby's old railway line.
* SynchronousEpisodes: With the next episode "Thomas in Trouble / Thomas Breaks the Rules".
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* {{Bowdlerise}}: After being called electric by the Fat Controller's granddaughter, the UK narration states that Toby was very hurt. Both US narrations say that Toby was proud of being a steam train.

* {{Disneyfication}}: In the book [[Recap/TheRailwaySeriesB7TobyTheTramEngine "Toby the Tram Engine"]], Toby gets laughed at by passengers for his look, making him cross, but it doesn't happen in this adaptation, and it's Bridgette who unintentionally offends Toby by asking if he was electric.

* SynchronousEpisodes: With the next episode "Thomas Breaks the Rules".

'''Air date''': December 18th, 1984 (UK), April 9th, 1989 (US)

'''Air date''': October 23rd, 1984 (UK), April 9th, 1989 (US)

One day a stout gentleman, his wife, and two grandchildren visit the railway while on holiday. The two children note that Toby looks unusual for an engine and the gentleman tells them that he is a tram engine. After accidentally offending Toby by thinking he was electric, the two children want a ride. The gentleman agrees and the whole family take a ride in Henrietta, who could not be happier to have passengers again.

* '''SceneryPorn''': Toby's old railway line.

* AnotherStoryForAnotherTime: The UK version of the episode ends with Toby supposedly saved by the contents of the letter from the Stout Gentleman, which the narrator won't spoil until the following episode.

* BerserkButton: Toby was offended when The Fat Controller's grandchildren called him "electric".

We meet Toby the Tram Engine and his coach Henrietta, who both work hard on their little line. One day, a stout gentleman (the Fat Controller), his wife and grandchildren, Stephen and Bridget, come to visit and become very fond of Toby.

Some months later, the line is sadly closed, but little does Toby know he has been saved by a letter from a certain personage...

'''Air date''': November 23rd, 1984 (UK), April 9th, 1989 (US)

'''Air date''': November 6th, 1984 (UK)

* AnotherStoryForAnotherTime: The episode ends with Toby supposedly saved by the contents of the letter from the Stout Gentleman, which the narrator won't spoil until the following episode.

U.S. Title: Toby the Tram Engine