Zephie

Zephie is a young scissor-lift trolley. She was introduced in Season 1

Bio
Zephie is a very kind tram who is good friends with the trainees Koko, Wilson and Brewster. She is really useful around Chuggington as she can spin around 360 degrees and zoom up and down to maneuver her cab as she is a scissor-lift trolley Train. Eddie often uses Zephie to help him get to hard to reach places and she zips around the depot running errands for Morgan. Zephie is fitted with a bell but in one of the episodes she has some fun with her newly fitted siren! Zephie giggles through life and although she can be a little girly, excitable and childish she knows the importance of hard work.

Basis
Zephie is a modified version of the Backer & Rueb 0-4-0 steam tram 'Ooievaar', which can not spin around 360 degrees as this is an unrealistic feature. The spinning function may have come from a manchester horse drawn tram. It had the ability to turn 180 degrees at termini. The spinning feature may also have been inspired by certain North American track inspection cars ("speeders"), such as certain versions of the Fairmont P-5, which are equipped with a drop down lifting pivot. In such cars a central foot is dropped between the rails from the center of the car, raising the entire machine (including the wheels) off the rails, and enabling the operator to spin the entire car around by hand.

Merchandising

 * Chuggington Die-Cast
 * Chuggington Interactive (normal and with passenger car)
 * Chuggington Wooden Railway

Trivia

 * In Zephie's Zoomaround, Zephie was fitted with a siren. However, before that episode and since then, she only has her bell.
 * She used to be a trainee with Hodge as stated Outward Bound Olwin. However, some episodes seem to prove that Zephie may not be a trainee yet. As in Brewster's Little Helper for instance, she loads her cargo too roughly and delivers her loads to the wrong places. It may be possible that her size and weight meant that she could only do some of the training. As she stills does some more training in Brewster to the Rescue.
 * Zephie idolizes Brewster.
 * She was not built for heavier loads like the other engines as seen in Brewster's Little Helper.
 * Zephie gets tipped over more than any other engine.
 * She is the only character to have flexibility.
 * Zephie is the only chugger who cannot pull loads.
 * She was the only tram in Chuggington until Decka entered the series but does not run a scheduled passenger service like Decka does.
 * In German she is called "Sophie".