Daisy (Thomas & Friends)

""Look at me, I'm the latest Diesel. Highly sprung, and right up to date! You won't want Thomas' bumpy old Annie and Clarabel now!""

Daisy is a diesel rail-car who originally worked on Thomas' Branch Line following her arrival after the events of Thomas Comes to Breakfast. In the CGI Series, she now works on the Harwick Branch Line carrying out passenger duties on the line, while Ryan runs goods.

Bio in the Railway Series
Branch Line Engines After Thomas was sent to the Works to have his bufferbeam repaired in 1960, Daisy was loaned from B.R. to do his work. Daisy was nasty to Henrietta, 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 sideplates 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 Percy crashed into a train of stone. Daisy promised to change her ways.

Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine Percy used Daisy as an example of a good diesel to change Douglas' opinion about diesels.

Tramway Engines 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.

Thomas Comes Home 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.

Wilbert the Forest Engine Daisy, along with Thomas, Percy, and Toby, saw Wilbert off when he returned to Gloucestershire.

Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines Daisy was 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.

Thomas and Victoria 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.

Thomas and his Friends Daisy attended the ceremony where the bust of the Thin Clergyman was unveiled at Tidmouth.

Bio in the Television Series
Daisy was introduced in the second season in the same way as the Railway Series. After confronted by The Fat Controller, Daisy had a change of attitude. However, ironically, Daisy regained her original sense later in the fourth season when she ignored Toby's advise about bulls. Daisy has also been seen on the other railway as a unfamiliar diesel. In Calling All Engines! she was one of the diesels who joined the meeting at the coaling plant, and later helped Toby take workmen to repair the Sodor Suspension Bridge.

She now runs on the Harwick Branch Line with Ryan, managing the passenger trains while he handles the goods.

Personality
Daisy is a diesel rail-car, 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, most indignant, and highly opinionated. She is 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, working hard after Percy got himself into a predicament, the Fat Controller felt she deserved another chance. Daisy is now good friends with the other engines on Thomas's branch line, tries to work much harder to be a useful engine, and is better capable of handling things alone. Daisy is also described as a self-obsessed diesel diva.

Basis
Daisy is a BR/Metro-Cammell DMU Class 101/102. She is, however, a single rail-car instead of the traditional two-piece unit.

Livery
In the Railway Series, Daisy is painted Brunswick green with yellow lining with the 'Cycling Lion' British Railways crest, similar to the livery of the British Railways DMUs in the 1960s. In the television series she is painted a much lighter 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

Appearances
Railway Series


 * Branch Line Engines


 * Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine (mentioned)


 * Tramway Engines


 * Thomas and the Twins (does not speak)


 * Thomas Comes Home


 * Wilbert the Forest Engine (does not speak)


 * Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines


 * Thomas and Victoria


 * Thomas and his Friends (cameo)

Television series


 * Season 2 - Thomas Comes to Breakfast (indirectly mentioned), Daisy, and Percy's Predicament
 * Season 4 - Rusty to the Rescue (cameo) and Bulls Eyes

Specials:


 * Calling All Engines! (does not speak)
 * Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure

She will appear in the twentieth season.

''She was mentioned in a third season music video and also cameoed in fifth and seventh season songs. She was also mentioned in an seventeenth season Mr. Perkins segment.''

Magazine stories
 * 1988 - Percy's Predicament
 * 1989 - An Important Visitor
 * 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 and A Special Treat for Thomas (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!
 * 1998 - Missing!
 * 2001 - Showtime! (does not speak), Diesel Day! (does not speak), and A Special Story About Snow! (cameo)
 * 2002 - Daisy and the Troublesome Trucks and Time Trouble! (cameo)
 * 2003 - Books Aboard!
 * 2004 - Daisy's Delight and Good as New (cameo)
 * 2005 - Sweet Scent, Snow Drop, and Passenger Pick Up
 * 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, Glider Rider, I Spy with my Little Eye, Letting off Steam!, Lorry Loads, Percy's Stories, Proud Percy!, Special Places, Special Treats, Stick with Steam and Stormy Weather.

Annuals
 * 1985 - Percy to the Rescue
 * 1992 - Percy and the Vicar's Prizes

Trivia

 * Daisy was the first female engine introduced to the series.
 * Occasionally, Daisy used BoCo's chasis in the television series.
 * Daisy's horn is Diesel's at a higher pitch.
 * BoCo and Daisy shared mostly the same face masks, with Daisy having makeup added on.
 * Some of the stories involving Daisy reflect problems that were faced by railway staff when it came to dealing with "highly sprung" diesel engines in the earlier phases of Dieselization.
 * Daisy was the only character from Seasons 1-3 who was not featured on Shining Time Station, although she did appear in Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales.
 * Her Take Along model's prototype, incorrectly depicts her as a Co-Bo, as do most illustrations.
 * When Daisy returned in full CGI, she had some modifications. These include:
 * One of her brake pipes was removed and the other now faces upwards.
 * The axleboxes on her chassis are modified more like her real life counterpart.
 * Raised front bufferbeam; thus making a little space between her face and bufferbeam much like Diesel 10.
 * Her front windows became larger and have frames, just like her side windows.
 * Smaller headlamp.
 * Handrails have changed from gold to grey.
 * A smaller face.
 * Face makeup toned down.
 * A three-link coupling whereas her model had a screw-coupling.
 * A lip above the yellow lining above her windows.