Daisy is diesel railcar who takes passengers on Harwick Branch Line.
Biography
The Railway Series
Daisy was built specially for service on the Ffarquhar Branch Line. After Thomaswas sent to the Works to have his bufferbeam repaired in 1960, Daisy arrived to do his work. Daisy was nasty to Henrietta and Annie and Clarabel, refused to sleep in the Ffarquhar engine sheds on the grounds that it was "smelly" and blatantly refused to pull freight because it was "bad for her swerves". Daisy later called Toby cowardly for having side plates and cowcatchers and claimed that one only needed to "toot and look them in the eye" to shoo animals away. This, of course, was proven false when Daisy tried to shoo an inquisitive bull named Champion. The Fat Controller discovered that Daisy was lazing about, but gave her a second chance after Daisy helped clear up the mess made when Percycrashed into a train of stone. Daisy promised to change her ways.
In 1962, after Douglas claimed all diesels were "devils", Percy used Daisy as an example of a good diesel to try and change his opinions about them.
Once, Mavis sought Daisy's advice about how to show Toby that her method of doing things was correct. This was not exactly the best move, as Daisy knew next to nothing about trucks.
In the latter half of 1990 and the former half of 1991, Daisy was put in charge of Thomas' fast run to Knapford while Thomas was in York. Daisy later claimed that she was not afraid of snow, but changed her mind after getting stuck in a snowdrift for a week.
When Thomas finally returned from York, Daisy was given charge of a special train to bring guests to Knapford for the welcome-home party, but was delayed after running over some cones left inside the crossing gates at Dryaw crossing. She only just made it in time.
In 1993, Daisy, along with Thomas, Percy and Toby, saw Wilbert off when he returned to Gloucestershire.
While the Railway was preparing for the Golden Jubilee of the Railway Series in 1995, Daisy became stranded on the Main Line when the stretch before Dryaw was declared unsafe as rabbits had burrowed beneath it and so she was given the task of ferrying passengers from the airfield to Knapford. She later tried to cheer Henry up when he started to worry about the Golden Jubilee.
In 2007, Daisy teased Percy for being afraid of grass snakes, but was humiliated when she blew a fuse out of fright when a crate of eels dropped beneath her.
In 2011, Daisy attended the ceremony where the bust of the Thin Clergymanwas unveiled at Tidmouth.
Thomas & Friends
Daisy was introduced the same way as the Railway Series. After being confronted by the Fat Controller, Daisy had a change of heart.
Daisy has also been seen on the other railway as an unfamiliar diesel. Daisy ignored Toby's advice about bulls.
During the steamie and diesel rivalry, Daisy was one of the diesels who joined the meeting at the Coaling Plant and later helped Toby take workmen to repair the Sodor Airport.
Ever since the Harwick Branch Line was built, Daisy had been working on that line with Ryan, managing the passenger trains while he handles the goods, although she can still help out on Thomas' branch line if passenger duties are not too busy on her line.
Daisy regained her original attitude when she encouraged Ryan to help her out with some of her passenger duties, but her laziness backfired when Ryan took on even more of her responsibilities and ended up causing confusion and delay. Daisy apologised and agreed to do Ryan's extra duties for a while: taking trucks to and from the Quarry.
The Fat Controller asked Daisy to take some special passengers to the holiday town of Harwick, but she decided that they were so special that she does not want to allow children eating ice lollies on board and refused to pull a dusty baggage truck. Without props or an audience, the puppeteers' Punch and Judy puppet show could not go ahead. With no time to go back to the station to get the props, the puppeteers put on their performance from one of Daisy's windows.
She was finally able to pulling rolling stock without worrying about her swerves when The Fat Controller asked her to pull Annie and Clarabel during her help on Thomas' Branch Line. The coaches paid her back for saying rude things to them by convincing her she was falling apart, when there was actually nothing wrong with her. However, their plan backfired as Daisy panicked and abandoned them with their passengers at Maithwaite so she could speak to a professional. She returned to Harwick soon after, and since Thomas was still in quarry duty at the time, Annie and Clarabel were left with an even worse substitute: Diesel.
After years of virtually no accidents at all, Daisy derailed when a bull blocked her way back to the Arlesburgh Yard Sheds and Judy and Jerome had to help her get back on the tracks.
Diesel damaged Daisy's springs when he bumped into her and later, thinking that she was asleep, explained that it is his way to make friends. Diesel later told her that Harvey was boasting about being unique, which caused trouble between the two engines. At Christmas, Daisy was upset that Christmas was not going out as planned.
Sometime later, a storm damaged the Harwick school and Daisy had to take them to Knapford school. She complained about it so Duck later found Dexter so she did not have to take the children.
Personality
Daisy is a diesel railcar, who has been known to consider herself "highly sprung and right up to date". She was brought to help run passenger services on Thomas' Branch Line, while Thomas was "indisposed" after running into the stationmaster's house. She can be hard to please, mostly indignant, and highly opinionated. She is extremely authoritative, trustworthy, and confident in herself and can sometimes boast of her abilities in particular situations, unconcerned, despite having never actually been in such a position before. She will sometimes presume she can show other engines a thing or two, despite knowing little on the matter, until she actually learns for herself.
After arriving on Sodor, Daisy insisted that she required delicate handling and considered pulling trucks and vans to be below her. She was very lazy and stubborn, but the Fat Controller spoke severely to her, telling her that his engines must work hard and that he sends lazy engines away. However, the Fat Controller felt she deserved another chance after she worked hard clearing up after an accident Percy had. Daisy is now good friends with the other engines on Thomas' Branch Line, tries to work much harder to be a useful engine and is better capable of handling things alone. Daisy can be described as a self-obsessed diva.
In newer episodes, Daisy was heard speaking French, such as when she said "Merci beaucoup" (Thank you very much) to Den and Dart after she was repaired, and when she used the terms to describe the entertainers she was to carry to Duck and Oliver, which indicates that she has knowledge in the French language as well.
Technical Details
Basis
Daisy is based on the BR/Metro-Cammell Class 101/102 DMU. She is, however, a single railcar instead of the traditional two to four-piece units. These were one of the longest serving class of "First Generation" DMUs, with its service life of 47 years only being replaced by the Class 121. A total of 41 cars are preserved. A preserved Class 101 set (#101680) appeared on a Mr. Perkins' Railway segment.
Daisy's Basis
Livery
In the Railway Series, Daisy arrived on Sodor painted in BR Brunswick green with yellow lining with the 'Cycling Lion' British Railways crest, the livery of British Railways DMUs in the 1960s. After she was bought, Daisy was repainted in NWR Green with yellow lining. In the television series she is painted in a much lighter shade of green. She wears makeup, including eyelashes, red lipstick, blush and blue eyeshadow.
In the Railway Series, Daisy's face is the same colour as her livery; in the television series, it is light grey like all other engines.
Appearances
- Series 2 - Thomas Comes to Breakfast (indirectly mentioned), Daisy and Percy's Predicament
- Series 4 - Rusty to the Rescue (cameo) and Bulls Eyes
- Series 19 - Thomas the Babysitter (cameo)
- Series 20 - Ryan and Daisy, The Way She Does It, The Railcar and the Coaches and The Missing Breakdown Train
- Series 21 - Springtime for Diesel, A Most Singular Engine, Philip's Number (cameo), The Big Freeze (cameo) and Daisy's Perfect Christmas
- Series 22 - What Rebecca Does, School of Duck, Apology Impossible (stock footage) and Kangaroo Christmas (stock footage)
- Series 23 - Out of Site, First Day on Sodor! and Untitled Max and Monty Episode
She will appear in the twenty-fourth series.
Specials
- 2005 - Calling All Engines! (does not speak)
- 2015 - Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure
- 2016 - The Great Race
- 2017 - Journey Beyond Sodor (cameo)
- 2018 - Big World! Big Adventures!
Music Videos
- Series 3 - Thomas' Anthem (mentioned)
- Series 4 - Thomas' Anthem Grand Finale, Let's Have a Race and Toby
- Series 5 - Night Train and Come for the Ride
- Series 7 - There Once Was an Engine Who Ran Away and The Whistle Song
- Calling All Engines! - Together
- Thomas' YouTube World Tour - Thomas' Anthem (mentioned)
- Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure - We Make A Team Together (cameo)
- The Great Race - Will You Won't You
- Journey Beyond Sodor - I Want to Go Home (cameo)
- Series 21 - Set Friendship in Motion, Doing it Right, Trying and Little Engines
- Big World! Big Adventures! - We're Friends
- Series 22 - Engine Roll Call and All the Girls Around the World
Learning Segments
- Calling All Engines! - Which Diesel Engine with Which Steam Engine? (does not speak)
- Other - Different Engines (mentioned)
Books
- 1986 - Daisy, Percy's Predicament and Woolly Bear and Thomas Comes to Breakfast and BoCo the Diseasel
- 1992 - Percy's Predicament, Thomas and the Dinosaur (mentioned) and Thomas Comes to Breakfast
- 1993 - Henry and the Ghost Train
- 1998 - Thomas Comes to Breakfast
- 1999 - Thomas and the Naughty Diesel (does not speak)
- 2001 - Bad Days for Thomas and his Friends
- 2002 - Thomas and Diesel (does not speak)
- 2005 - Daisy, Diesel and Magic Paints Book
- 2006 - Thomas' Big Storybook (cameo)
- 2008 - Thomas' Sticker Express
- 2009 - Thomas and the Hurricane (does not speak)
- 2010 - Funny Faces Sticker Book
- 2011 - Daisy the Diesel Railcar, Diesel the Mean Engine, The Big Book of Engines and The Ultimate Diesel Guide (does not speak)
- 2013 - Thomas and the Naughty Diesel (does not speak)
- 2015 - Funny Faces Sticker Book and Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure: The Movie Storybook
Magazine Stories
- 1988 - Percy's Predicament
- 1989 - An Important Visitor and A Surprise for Thomas
- 1990 - Wrong Order, Rumours and Speculation and Daisy and Diesel
- 1991 - Daisy in Distress
- 1993 - Percy and the Parrot! and Fetching Freight (mentioned)
- 1994 - Thomas, Daisy and the Watermill, A Special Treat for Thomas (cameo) and Lucky Landing! (cameo)
- 1995 - Keeping Clean!, The Engine Parade! and A Desk for Daisy!
- 1996 - Proud Mavis!, Grumpy George, Night Lights, The Brown Bear and Sunday Schedule!
- 1997 - Star Story! and The Ice Cream Van
- 1998 - Missing!
- 2000 - Painting the Shed and Oh-So-Slow! (does not speak)
- 2001 - Showtime! (does not speak), Diesel Day! (does not speak) and A Special Story About Snow! (cameo)
- 2002 - Daisy and the Troublesome Trucks, Time Trouble! (cameo), The Fat Controller's Diesels! (does not speak), The Blue Engine Club (cameo), Are Boots Best? (does not speak), Diesels and Steam Engines and Clean Up Chaos
- 2003 - Books Aboard! and Where's Wag? (does not speak)
- 2004 - Daisy's Delight, Good as New (cameo) and Glider Rider (does not speak)
- 2005 - Sweet Scent, Snow Drop, Passenger Pick Up, The I-Spy Game,Daisy and the Bull and Happy Ending(cameo)
- 2006 - Dizzy Dennis (cameo)
- 2011 - Fuss and Fumes, The Treasure Hunt, Show Time, Speedy Spencer, Taking a Break and Perfect Panto (cameo)
- 2012 - A Merry Market
Daisy also appeared in the magazine stories, A Different Ride, Daisy's Day, Daisy and the Fish, Funnels and Tunnels, I Spy with my Little Eye, Letting off Steam!, Lorry Loads, Percy's Stories, Proud Percy!, Special Places, Special Treats, Stick with Steam, Stormy Weather and Toby's Visitors.
Annual Stories
- 1985 - Percy to the Rescue
- 1992 - Percy and the Vicar's Prizes (does not speak)
Video Games
- 1995 - Riding on the Thomas the Tank Engine (does not speak)
- 1998 - Magical Adventure (does not speak)
- 2001 - The Friends of Sodor (does not speak)
- 2007 - DVD Bingo (does not speak)
- 2008 - Begins Educational Learning (does not speak)
Voice Actors
- Teresa Gallagher (UK/US; Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure and The Great Race; singing only)
- Tracy-Ann Oberman (UK/US; twentieth series onwards, excluding The Great Race)
- Yumi Nakatani (Japan; second and fourth series)
- Keiko Nemoto (Japan; Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure onwards)
- Talya Barkay (Israel)
- Agnieszka Kunikowska (Poland; Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure only)
- Katarzyna Tatarak (Poland; twentieth series onwards)
- Mariangela D'Amora (Italy)
- Diana Pérez (Latin America; Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure onwards)
- Nadine Schreier (Germany; Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure onwards)
Songs
- Will You Won't You (performed)
- We're Friends (performed)
Trivia
- Daisy was the first female engine introduced in the series.
- Some of the stories involving Daisy reflect events in real life that were faced by railway staff when it came to dealing with "highly sprung" diesel engines in the earlier phases of dieselisation.
- Daisy was the only character from the first to third series who was not featured on Shining Time Station, although she did appear in Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales.
- Daisy's classic theme is a musical variation of The Stripper by David Rose.
- Daisy was known as Marguerite in the French version of Series 2 and 4.
- While Daisy has an embedded face in the Railway Series, she was given the traditional grey face masks in the television series. This was most likely to keep her similar to the rest of the engines. Also, it would have been a lot easier to create.
- When Daisy returned in the CGI series, she had a few modifications which include:
- Her face is slightly smaller.
- Her bufferbeams are raised up.
- She gains a different horn sound.
Quotes
- “Daisy was hard to please. She shuddered at the engine shed.
This is dreadfully smelly!" she announced. "I'm highly sprung and anything smelly is bad for my swerves!"
Next, they tried the carriage shed.
"This is better", said Daisy. "But whatever is that rubbish?!"
The rubbish turned out to be Annie, Clarabel and Henrietta, who were most offended.
"We won't stay here to be insulted!" they fumed.”
- ―Daisy insults the coaches, "Daisy", "Branch Line Engines"
- “The Fat Controller spoke severely to Daisy too.
"My engines work hard. I send lazy engines away!"
Daisy was ashamed.
"However, Toby says you worked hard after Percy's accident. So you shall have another chance!"
"Thank you, sir!" said Daisy. "I will work hard, sir. Toby says he'll help me."
"Excellent! What Toby doesn't know about Branch Line problems isn't worth knowing. Our Toby is an experienced engine!”
- ―Sir Topham Hatt and Daisy, "Percy's Predicament", "Branch Line Engines"
- “At Ffarquhar Mavis met Daisy.
"Toby's an old fusspot!" she complained.
Daisy liked Toby, but was glad of a diesel to talk to. "Steam engines", she said. "Have their uses, but they don't understand."
"Toby says that only steam engines can manage trucks properly!"
"What rubbish!" put in Daisy, who knew nothing about trucks. "Depend upon it my dear, anything steam engines can do, we diesels can do better!"”
- ―Daisy gives Mavis advice, "Mavis", "Tramway Engines"
Merchandise
- ERTL (discontinued)
- Wooden Railway (two versions; discontinued)
- Take Along (discontinued)
- Adventures (cancelled; discontinued)
- TrackMaster (cancelled; discontinued)
- My First Thomas (discontinued)
- My Thomas Story Library (discontinued)
- Thomas Engine Collection Series (discontinued)
- Mini Die Cast Collection (discontinued)
- Brio (discontinued)
- De Agostini (discontinued)
- Trading Cards (discontinued)
- Nakayoshi (discontinued)
- Pocket Fantasy (discontinued)
- Bachmann (coming soon)