- “Yippee!”
- ―Zephie's catchphrase
Zephie is a young scissor-lift chugger introduced in the first season. She's often used as a lift for maintenance and small deliveries.
Biography
Zephie was initially a trainee with Hodge[1]; however, it seems that her capabilities stopped her from participating in most training sessions, evident by the fact that she cannot pull heavy loads well.[2] As a "fully-fledged" chugger, Zephie runs errands for Morgan and Lori while they are busy, for things such as delivering tools or fetching lunch.
Zephie once participated in the Chugger Championship, but did not win.[3] She was also briefly fitted with a siren, but caused numerous false alarms after deliberately trying to find something that would call for an emergency, ultimately having the siren taken away from her. After again tipping over with nothing but a small bell to call out for help, Zephie promised to use her siren wisely.[4] Around this time, Zephie assisted Rag Barnstaple with his news report about Morgan's new mobile rail vehicle. She however accidentally kept Rag's press pass with her - a pass that allows him to enter events and interview. Zephie arranged an meeting with Action Chugger and even went along with him on a rescue, but lost Rag's pass along the way. Thankfully though, a story was able to be published as Zephie explained the whole event.[5] A little time later, after feeling doubtful about herself, Zephie - in secret - attempted to help Brewster with his jobs, but ultimately tipped over while coming down the steep mountain.[2]
After being showed some pictures of Lori's nephew's birthday party, Zephie was inspired to have her face painted. This in turned, got Koko jealous, leading with a full-on "beauty" competition.[6] Zephie also had some trouble with bees, but with the help of Speedy, they were able to create a new bee hive for them to live in.[7] She later get herself in another competition with Wilson attempting to get as many chuggers in their club as possible. This rivaly was quickly concluded and the two teams helped clear the tracks away with teamwork and togetherness.[8]
Zephie always willing to help out Brewster when she gets the chance, such as when she decided to be a part of his movie documentary for Chuggington[9] , or when she and many other chuggers assisted Brewster to getting the Tunnel Boring Machine all the way to Tyne.[10]
Some time later, during the day of "Heroes Day", Zephie, along with Brewster, would go around Chuggington acting has "heroes", saving small creatures and even each other. It was during a quick rescue for Hoot and Toot, Zephie and brewster earn the role of Action Chugger's part time sidekick.[11] Not long afterwards, Wilson arranged a small team of Junior Chug Patrollers; and after helping to save Cormac from his broken crane, Zephie, with Piper, Hoot and Toot were officially ranked their roles by Jackman himself.[12]
For the first time ever, Zephie participated in the Rip Roaring Relay Race alongside Koko, but lost to Brewster and Wilson.[13] Nowadays, Zephie can usually be seen hanging out with Piper. The two chuggers even broke the record for the longest game of Chug-marbles together.[14]
On the event of planning the perpetration for Chuggington Day, Zephie and piper brought a bunch of bowling balls in replace of the balloons that were lost. One bowling bowl will stuck inside Zephie, and as she spun out of control, the ball flew and destroyed the Chuggington Day Statue. Working together, Zephie and the trainees were able to create a brand new statue.[15]
Personality
Usually, Zephie is very kind; she is helpful, supportive, and encourages others to embrace themselves. She is relatively young, and while older than Wilson, Brewster and Koko, is quite oblivious and on the surface, and the embodiment of innocence.
In the past, however, Zephie has shown to be more complex than as previously mentioned. On multiple occasions, Zephie has given off signs of envy; essentially, when she becomes conceited about something (ie. being called a ray of sunshine, or generally complemented) and someone receives the same attention, Zephie feels that only she should be receiving it. This has resulted in Zephie painting Koko to look like a pirate, and in turn being painted with spiders,[6] and Hoot and Toot nearly being separated.[8]
Zephie has also shown signs of a lack of confidence, due to the fact that she lacks the capability of many other chuggers her age. For example, When Zephie offered Irving to help him with his jobs, he immediately declined, knowing that there was no way that she could handle the load well. Zephie has ignored these warnings in the past, which as previously mentioned, caused her to tip over while coming down the steep mountain.[2] Overtime, she has grown to learn that despite being small, she can still do many great things. She's grown the confidence to race others, being a hero and even break records. However, Zephie feels this new profound confidence, needs to be acknowledge, to prove that she can in fact be just as capable as the other chuggers, particularly Koko.[16]
In all, while she has proved to be far from perfect, Zephie is a helpful chugger who is always happy to help.
Technical Details
Basis
Zephie is loosely based on an early San Diego cable car, 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 terminal. 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 centre 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.
Livery
Zephie is green with rims of brown and yellow around her eyes. Her doors are wooden brown with brass yellow rims. Her roof is green too and has a golden bell. Her wheels are black.
Appearances
Chuggington
- Season 1 - Late Again Eddie, Bang Klang Wilson (cameo), Hodge and the Magnet, The Chugger Championship, Zephie's Zoomaround, Action Brewster (cameo), Koko's Puppy Training, Outward Bound Olwin, Brewster and the Dragon, Wilson and the Ice Cream (cameo), Zephie Ace Reporter, Famous Emery (cameo), Zephie's Monkey Business, Poor Old Puffer Pete, Inspector Emery (does not speak), Helpful Hodge (cameo), Brewster to the Rescue, Eddie Finds Time (cameo), Brewster's Little Helper, Bubbly Olwin, Koko Takes Charge (cameo), Wilson's Paper Trail, Puffer Pete's Big Show (cameo) and Training Time Harrison (cameo)
- Season 2 - Koko's New Look, Babysitter Brewster (cameo), Chug of War (does not speak), Stop the Press Emery (cameo), The Brewster Booster ( appears on screen only), Quizmaster Hodge (cameo), Wilson and the Dinosaur (cameo), Heave Ho Harrison (cameo), Next Stop - Space, Stunt Brewster (stock footage cameo), Rolling Reporter Wilson (picture only), Zephie and the Bees, Brewster Meets the Mayor (cameo), Chugger of the Year, Fault Finder Emery, Hodge and the Chugnav, A Pat on the Paintwork and Toot's Tall Tale (cameo)
- Season 3 - Hodge Can't Wait (does not speak), Koko's Game (cameo), Magnetic Wilson, Zephie's Star Club, Movie-Maker Brewster, Top Secret Koko, Toot's New Friend, Wobbly Wheels (cameo) and Brewster's Crane Training
- Season 4 - Brewster Makes Tracks, Brewster Leads the Way, Park Patroller Wilson (cameo), Deputy Chug Patrollers (cameo), We Are the Chuggineers (cameo), Team Trainee (cameo), Record Breaker Koko (cameo), The Tootington Tunnel (does not speak), Iron Chuggers (cameo) and Round Up Wilson
- Season 5 - Cormac Patrol (cameo)
- Season 6 - Slow Coach Koko (cameo), My Hero, Wilson's Broadcast Blues, Not From Around Here (cameo), The Fast, The Strong and The Wilson, Chug Patrol, Out of Control, Odd Train Out, Rock 'n' Rollers, Chug Encounters of the Train Kind (cameo), The Spooky Chugger, The Trainee and the Tree (cameo), The Zephie Express, The Record Breakers, Brewster's Best Buddy and You for a Day (cameo)
Specials
- Season 4 - Chuggineers: Ready to Build (does not speak)
- Season 6 - Chugging Home for the Holidays and Celebrate Chuggington
Chuggington: Badge Quest
- Part 1 - Weighing It Up (cameo), Rainbow Chuggers (cameo), Chug Patrol (cameo), Squeaky Clean (cameo), Work Those Wheels (does not speak) and No Time to Waste
- Part 2 - Town Criers, Couriers (does not speak), Fire Warden Wilson (cameo), Home, Wilson! (cameo), Pull Together, Chug and Click Wilson (cameo) and Trainer Wilson (does not speak)
- Part 3 - Safeguarder Wilson (cameo), Share the Load (cameo) and Mind Your Manners (cameo)
Discover Chuggington: All Aboard!
- Chugging Home (cameo), Wilson's Song (cameo) and On the Map! Song (cameo)
Videos
- 2010 - Learn Days of the Week Sunday
- 2018 - Wilson's Magnet Mishap, Clean as a Whistle (cameo; reads title only)
- 2020 - Rail Safety Tips (cameo)
- 2021 - Goodnight Chuggers
Songs
- We Are the Pushing Team (performed)
- Snow Wonder (performed)
- Celebrate Chuggington (performed)
Audio Files
Bell
First used | Last used | Sound Effect |
---|---|---|
Late Again Eddie | Active |
Trivia
- As stated in Outward Bound Olwin, she used to be a trainee with Hodge. However, some episodes seem to prove that, if such was the case, she still has yet to be a fully-qualified chugger. In Brewster's Little Helper for instance, she loads her cargo too roughly and delivers her goods to the wrong places. It may be possible that her size and weight meant that she could only do some of the training. She still does some more training in Brewster to the Rescue and is referred to as a trainee in The Record Breakers, intimating that she may possibly be among the more senior trainees.
- Zephie has a tendency (or sufficient misfortune, depending on the circumstances) to be tipped over more than any other chugger.
- She sometimes likes to tip over - most notably in the episode, Brewster and the Dragon. In the same episode, she has the capability to get back up on her own, but other times she either doesn't have the strength or cannot be bothered to get up in other episodes.
- Zephie is the only character to have extreme flexibility - she loves to spin around fast, and cannot get dizzy.
- Zephie is the only chugger who cannot pull heavy loads, largely because she was simply not built for substantial goods work.
- 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". In Polish, she is called "Zosia".
- Acording to an early storyboard for Zephie's Zoomaround, Zephie was intended to be smaller, more boxy, and have two horns.
- Zephie, along with Hoot and Toot are the only chuggers with a 0-4-0 wheel arrangement.
- She is the first chugger who is able to spin 360 degrees. The second and third are Hoot and Toot respectively, the fourth is Cormac, and the fifth is Tai.
- As shown in the episode, The Record Breakers, Zephie, alongside Piper, hold the record for the longest game of Chug-marbles.
Merchandise
- Chuggington Die-Cast (normal and monkey versions; discontinued)
- StackTrack (discontinued)
- Chuggington Wooden Railway (discontinued)
- Chuggington Interactive Railway (normal and with passenger car; UK only; discontinued)
- Jazwares (discontinued)
- Plarail (discontinued)
- Capsule Plarail (discontinued)
References
- ↑ S1 #19 "Outward Bound Olwin"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 S1 #47 "Brewster's Little Helper"
- ↑ S1 #10 "The Chugger Championship"
- ↑ S1 #14 "Zephie's Zoomaround"
- ↑ S1 #29 "Zephie Ace Reporter"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 S2 #01 "Koko's New Look"
- ↑ S2 #20 "Zephie and the Bees"
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 S3 #07 "Zephie's Star Club"
- ↑ S3 #09 "Movie-Maker Brewster"
- ↑ S4 #11 "Brewster Leads the Way"
- ↑ S6 #02 "My Hero"
- ↑ S6 #16 "Chug Patrol, Out of Control"
- ↑ S6 #19 "Odd Train Out"
- ↑ S6 #43 "The Record Breakers"
- ↑ S6 Special #02 "Celebrate Chuggington"
- ↑ S6 #41 "The Zephie Express"
Trainees | Diesel | Brewster | Tai |
---|---|---|
Diesel-electric | Wilson | Hoot and Toot | |
Electric | Koko | |
Steam | Piper | |
Other Chuggers | Diesel | Calley | Hodge | Chatsworth | Irving | Mtambo | Frostini | Skylar | Jackman | Tyne | Fletch | Asher | Skipper Stu | Harry and Hamish | Rosa |
Diesel-electric | Dunbar | Harrison | Zack | |
Electric | Emery | Decka | Hanzo | Payce | Daley | |
Steam | Old Puffer Pete | Olwin | Speedy | |
Other | Zephie | Action Chugger | Cormac | Russ | |
Chuggers | Wilson | Brewster | Koko | Dunbar | Calley | Hodge | Zephie | Irving | Hoot and Toot | Jackman | Asher |
---|---|
People | Vee | Morgan | Lori | Eddie | Dr. Ling | Howie |
Rolling Stock | Paint Wagons | Leaf Blowers | Greaser Cars | Recycling Cars | Litter Picking Wagons | Tipper Wagons | Magnet Car | Old Ice Cream Car | Low-Sided Gondolas | Wag-A-Lag-On | Training Bots | Training Wheels | Sand Spreaders | Spill-Sponger 330 | Scrub-a-Chug | Speed Booster | Rescue Wagons | Chug Patrol Wagons |
Locations | The Coloured Tunnels | Chug Patrol Headquarters | The Repair Shed | The Spray Shed | Morgan's House | The Clock Tower | The Training Yard | Platform 6 | The Rolling Stock Yard | The Working Wheels Yard | The Roundhouses (Park, Drive-In) |The Loading Yard (The Storm Maker) | The Recycling Yard | The Fuel Yard (Eddie's Workshop, Calley's Shed, The Chug Wash) | The Underground Tunnels | Dunbar's Shed | Elevated Track |