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This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the 2011 magazine story, the 2012 magazine story or the Thai DVD.

“Belle is my friend. We're the 'bells' of Sodor! Aren't we, Belle?”
― Toby

Big Belle is the fifteenth episode of the fifteenth series.

Plot

Belle is a new engine on Sodor and is intrigued when she sees Toby for the first time. They both have bells and she is sure they could be good friends. Thomas tells Belle that Toby can be found at his home in Arlesdale End, so that is where she goes. Once there, she introduces herself to Toby who feels a little intimidated by the big, brash engine. Belle tells Toby that they can have fun together, but Toby tells her that he is having fun listening to the birds. Belle does not think listening to birds is fun and she tells Toby that she will take him to have much more fun. Toby is apprehensive, but still goes with her to Gordon's Hill. Belle wants them to race to the top and then rattle down the other side. Belle sets off, but Toby reverses into a siding to hide from Belle. She soon realises that Toby has not followed her and finds him in the siding. Toby explains that he is an old tram engine and does not like rattling up steep hills. Belle is still sure they can be friends and the pair set off to another "fun" place.

They soon arrive at Farmer Trotter's Pig Farm. Toby likes the pigs as they make him happy. Then Belle remembers that pigs like mud, so she shoots water from her cannons to turn the earth into mud. Toby is surprised and does not know what is happening, so he runs off; he has never seen an engine shoot out water before. Belle soon finds Toby in another siding. He explains that he is an old steam tram and is not used to engines shooting water. Belle is still determined to be Toby's friend and suggests they puff to Maithwaite Station. Once there, she rings her bell loudly. The passengers had never heard such a loud bell. Toby does not ring his bell and instead runs away, while Belle sets off to find him yet again.

She finds Toby hidden in his shed at Arlesdale End. Belle is sad and is sure that Toby will not want to be friends now. Then Belle hears the birds and thinks they are beautiful. Toby then asks if they can puff back to the Pig Farm as he left without saying hello to the pigs. They arrive back at the farm where Toby introduces Belle to the pigs. Belle then asks if they can puff to Maithwaite to see Toby's friends. At Maithwaite, the pair gently ring their bells and Toby introduces his friends to Belle - his new friend. Belle just beams; she could not be happier to be Toby's friend.

Characters

Locations

Cast

UK

US and CAN

Trivia

  • The 2012 magazine adaptation of the episode shows that Thomas would have had a larger role in the episode, meeting Belle and Toby at Farmer Trotter's Pig Farm.
  • A picture frame with a scene from the eighth series episode, Emily's New Route is seen at Maithwaite.
  • This episode aired before Day of the Diesels premiered, which means that the audience may have not known who Belle was.
  • This episode marks the last physical appearances of Arlesdale End and Toby's Shed, although those two locations were mentioned in The Inventor's Spectacular Bridge.
  • This episode also marks Belle's only speaking role in an episode of the Nitrogen Studios era.
  • This is one of the few episode where a "blush" effect is added to the CGI engines, being added to Toby's CGI rendering in some scenes.

Goofs

  • Belle races up Gordon's Hill, but it switches to the Double Hills after she reaches the top of it.
  • As Belle back up to find Toby at the bottom of Gordon's Hill, she switches from the centre track to the outer right track. However, there is no visible junction for her to do so.
  • In the UK dub, during the title card sequence, there is no fade effect on the text when it disappears.

Merchandise

In Other Languages

Language Title
Brazilian Portuguese A Grande Belle
Catalan La gran Belle
Czech Kráska Belle
Finnish Iso Bella
French L'arrivée de Belle
German Die große Belle
Hebrew בל הגדולה
Hungarian A nagy Belle
Italian Le Campane di Sodor
Japanese あたらしいなかまベル
Korean 새 친구, 벨 (dub)
커다란 벨 (subtitles)
Norwegian Lokomotivet Belle
Polish Szybka Basia
Romanian Marea Belle
Russian Колокола Содора (Original)
Громкая Белль (Alternate)
Spanish La Gran Belle
Taiwanese Mandarin 高大的白丽

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