Doubts is the fifth episode of Season 5, and the fifty-seventh episode overall.
Plot
With the Arlesdale Railway now bringing fresh produce from the farms, the engines of The Little Western have had extra trains put on to deal with the increasing load. One day, Duck is resting in the sheds when Barry arrives. The Fat Controller explains that he has borrowed Barry for a few days to help with the increasing traffic. He also says that he has bought one of Wilbert's brothers, after the Austerity came to help the previous year.
Barry takes his train to Tidmouth, where he meets Oliver. As a fellow engine who had been saved from scrap, Oliver explains his story to Barry. Barry becomes doubtful, as he realises Douglas and Oliver had been in the same position he had, yet he hadn't taken action whereas the other two had. Duck notices Barry's change in demeanour, and speaks to Alice about it.
Alice speaks to Barry, who tells him that it's normal to be pulled from the siding at the last minute, when being saved. Barry is still despondent, despite Alice's encouraging words. Later on, Barry collects some ballast trucks from Arlesburgh and, according to Donald and Rex, they're some of the worst trucks on the line. The trucks hold him back on the hill to Cliffton, but Barry's driver puts sand on the rails, and he is able to overcome the hill.
Later that night, Barry is with the other engines at the Callan sheds. Douglas mentions that he could hear Barry's efforts from the other side of Cliffton, and it was almost like he was trying to prove a point. The engines ask him who he was proving to, and Barry confesses that he was probably proving it to himself. Oliver knows what Barry means, and The Fat Controller arrives to tell them that Barry is to be heading back to his heritage railway.
Characters
- Duck
- Donald and Douglas
- Oliver
- Alice
- Barry
- Troublesome Trucks
- Rex
- Stephen Topham Hatt
- Wilbert (does not speak)
- Sheffield (does not speak)
- Alice and Mirabel (do not speak)
- Other Railway Diesels (do not speak)
- Thomas (cameo)
- Edward (cameo)
- James (cameo)
- Percy (cameo)
- Diesel (cameo)
- Bear (cameo)
- Geoff (cameo)
- Annie and Clarabel (cameo)
- Toad (cameo)
- Mike (cameo)
Trivia
- Railway Series references include; Wired Up.
- Barry now has a female driver, voiced by ANB.
- This is Barry's final appearance in Sodor: The Early Years and the series overall.
- This episode marks the first appearance of Sheffield.
- Black and white stock footage is used from On the Run, Escape and A Troubled Engine.
- Vienna and Jinty1798 make their first appearances as part of the voice cast.
Goofs
- The narrator mentioned that Barry collected his trucks at Arlesdale, but the station is Arlesburgh West.
- The part after Barry says "We'll see about that" has the scene on a blurred reflection.
- The episode's title in the end credits is A Stranger in Need instead of Doubts.
Voice Actors
- WildNorWester as Narrator, Duck, Donald and Douglas, Troublesome Trucks and Sir Stephen Topham Hatt
- Jinty1798 as Oliver
- ANB as Alice and Barry's Driver
- Vienna as Barry
- TheScotsmanReturns as Rex
Gallery
Episode
