- “Electric indeed! Electric indeed!”
- ―Toby
Toby and the Stout Gentlemen, retitled Toby the Tram Engine in American releases, is the twenty-first episode of the first season.
Plot
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 since the amount of passengers and trucks they take 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 (who is actually Sir Topham Hatt), 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 steam 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. Toby, on the other hand, was still fuming about being called electric.
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 of their holiday, 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 for the chance at a last ride on Toby's line and fill up Henrietta. Although the passengers treat the occasion like a celebration, Toby and his driver know it is anything but. Afterwards, the passengers wish Toby a sad goodbye and he returns to his shed, then falls 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.
Characters
- Toby
- Henrietta
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Stephen Hatt
- Bridget Hatt
- Lady Hatt (not named; does not speak)
- The Storyteller (not named)
- The Green Bus (indirectly mentioned)
Locations
- Arlesdale End
- Toby's Shed
- Lower Arlesburgh
- The Windmill
- Arlesdale Lake and Mountains Line
- Arlesdale Castle
Trivia
- This episode is based on the story of the same name from The Railway Series book, Toby the Tram Engine.
- In the restored version, the footage sometimes overlaps.
- In the Ukrainian dub, the English credits are used instead of the Ukrainian ones.
- In a deleted scene and some behind the scenes footage, there is a turntable in front of Toby's shed. However, there is no turntable in the episode itself.
- Thomas does not appear in this episode.
- This episode marks Toby's first appearance in Thomas and Friends.
- This episode takes place before Thomas Breaks the Rules.
- This is the only episode of two things:
- The only time until the nineteenth season episode Henry Spots Trouble that Stephen and Bridget Hatt are referred to by name.
- The only appearance of Arlesdale End until the tenth season episode, The Green Controller, though the shed appeared later in the fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth seasons.
- When George Carlin's narration aired on Shining Time Station, the first shot is absent.
Goofs
- When the passengers say "We are sorry your line is closing down," Toby's cowcatcher is slanted.
- In the restored version, Toby's bell is silver rather than gold in close-ups.
- A small piece of blu-tak can be seen on the Fat Controller's shoes when Toby first meets him at Lower Arlesburgh.
- In the second to fourth close-ups of the Fat Controller, the camera shakes slightly.
- In the Welsh translated version, a few bits of footage were removed, such as Toby leaving the station on his last day and when Toby goes to his shed.
- In the opening scene, studio equipment can be visible in the top left corner.
- When Sir Topham Hatt says, "Stop!" he has five holes in his face and hat
- In the first to third close-ups of Sir Topham Hatt, a camera tripod is seen on the left corner of the screen.
- In the first and last close-up of Stephen and Bridget Hatt, and the two close-ups of Bridget Hatt, a light stand is seen.
Merchandise
- Buzz Books - Toby and the Stout Gentleman
- Magazine Stories - Toby and the Stout Gentleman/Toby and the Stout Gentleman!
- Ladybird Books - Toby and the Stout Gentleman and Thomas in Trouble
- My Thomas Story Library Books - Toby
- Books - Thomas and Toby
- Engine Adventures - Toby
In Other Languages
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Home Media Releases
UK
- Further Adventures of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends
- Coal and other stories
- Troublesome Trucks, Coal and other stories
- Thomas and the Breakdown Train and Other Stories
- Bumper Special
- Thomas Gets Bumped and 17 Other Stories
- The Complete Series 1
- My Little Thomas and Toby Adventures
- Thomas in Trouble (DVD)
DVD Boxsets
- Classic Collection
US
- Tenders and Turntables and Other Stories (Ringo Starr's narration)
- A Big Day for Thomas
- The Early Years (Ringo Starr's UK narration)
- Thomas and Friends Classic Volume 1
DVD Packs
- Trust Thomas/A Big Day for Thomas Double Feature
- Totally Thomas Volume 4
AUS
- Coal and other stories
- The Complete Series 1
- My First Thomas with Toby and Edward
- My First Thomas with The Fat Controller
DVD Boxsets
- Complete Series 1-10
- My First Thomas
- Classic Collection
- Series One and Series Two Double Pack
NZ
- Coal and other stories
- Bumper Video Collection Volume 2
- Percy Runs Away and Other Stories
FRA
- The Talkative Trains
IND
- Thomas and Bertie Adventures
SE
- Thomas in Trouble (Swedish VHS/DVD)
GER
- Thomas and His Friends Vol. 3
- Toby and the Elegant Men and 4 Other Adventures
- Thomas in Trouble
UKR
- A Train Thomas and Friends
NOR/FIN/ISL
- Thomas the Tank Engine 2 (Scandinavian VHS/DVD)
DNK
- Thomas in Trouble and Other Stories (Danish DVD)
NL
- The Great Race! (Dutch DVD)
- The Greatest Stories: The Adventures of Edward, Toby and the Diesels
JPN
- Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 5
- The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.1
- Toby and Edward the Little Engines
- The Complete DVD Box 1
PHL
- The Flying Kipper (DVD)
ITA
- The Grumpy Locomotive
MYS
- Toby and the Stout Gentleman and Other Thomas Adventures
ROM
- Thomas and Percy (Romanian DVD)
DVD Packs
- Triple Pack 1
SER
- Thomas the Tank Engine 2 (Serbian DVD)
HRV
- Thomas in Trouble (Croatian DVD)
WAL
- Letting Off Steam and 8 Other Stories
CHN
- Thomas and Friends Season 1-4 (DVD)
THA
- Thomas and Friends - Volume 3 (Thai DVD)
- Thomas and Friends Volume 3 (Thai DVD)
| Season 1 | Season 2 >> |
| #01 Thomas and Gordon | #10 James and the Express | #19 The Flying Kipper |
| #02 Edward and Gordon | #11 Thomas and the Guard | #20 Whistles and Sneezes |
| #03 The Sad Story of Henry | #12 Thomas Goes Fishing | #21 Toby and the Stout Gentleman |
| #04 Edward, Gordon and Henry | #13 Thomas, Terence and the Snow | #22 Thomas in Trouble |
| #05 Thomas' Train | #14 Thomas and Bertie | #23 Dirty Objects |
| #06 Thomas and the Trucks | #15 Tenders and Turntables | #24 Off the Rails |
| #07 Thomas and the Breakdown Train | #16 Trouble in the Shed | #25 Down the Mine |
| #08 James and the Coaches | #17 Percy Runs Away | #26 Thomas' Christmas Party |
| #09 Troublesome Trucks | #18 Coal |