Mavis is a diesel shunter who works for the Ffarquhar Quarry Company, based at Ffarquhar Quarry. She also works at the Sodor Slate Quarry.
Appearance[]
Mavis is a diesel engine, who works at the quarry at the end of Thomas' Branch Line. Mavis is painted black with yellow and black hazard stripes around her face and on the back. She also has a golden headlamp and a pipe on the top. She also has her name and "The Ffarquhar Quarry Co. Ltd." painted in white on her cab and side plates respectively. She has red buffer beams with round buffers, and like Toby, she has cowcatchers and sideplates that cover six driving wheels.
Personality[]
When Mavis first came to Sodor, she was young, naïve, arrogant and did not take advice very well. She was mostly interested in her own ideas but was brought down to earth after her embarrassing incident at the Ffarquhar crossing. Still, she wanted to see more of the line and schemed to have the trucks push her past the level crossing beyond the quarry - this inadvertently resulted in a near accident for Toby. After rescuing him, Mavis resolved to change her ways for good. She is now more capable of keeping the trucks in line and more willing to take advice.
Unlike many Diesels, Mavis shows respect for the steam engines and unlike most engines, hauling trucks makes her feel important. She is a reliable, honest, and hard-working engine.
Over the course of time, Mavis has matured and acts as a motherly figure to the other engines.
Technical Details[]
Mavis is a based on a BR Class 04 0-6-0 diesel locomotive. She is more specifically based on the BR Class 04's that worked on the Wisbech and Upwell Tramway, as they were fitted with additional cowcatchers and side plates so they could run near public roads. Twenty of these locomotives are preserved, including one "tramway" example.
Trivia[]
- The Australian Engine and The American Diesels share the exact same horn sound as Mavis' current one.
- In the fourth series, she had the same horn sound as Class 40.
- In the fifth series, she had the same horn sound as Derek.
- In the seventh and eighth series, she had the same horn sound as Diesel.
- Awdry's model of Mavis was actually made in 1962. It was not until ten years later in 1972 that Mavis debuted in the Railway Series itself.
- Mavis was the last character Wilbert Awdry created before he retired from writing the Railway Series.
- Mavis used to be one of the characters to appear in every series of the television series since her introduction until the twenty-second, twenty-third and twenty-fourth series, in which she did not appear in any episode.
- Mavis is also best friends with Octavia.
Gallery[]
