- “Rag said a reporter would do anything to get a good story.”
- ―Zephie
Zephie Ace Reporter is the twenty-ninth episode of the first season.
Plot
Today sees the premiere of the new Action Chugger movie and Zephie is given the task to take Rag Barnstaple and Snap from the "Chuggington Life" newspaper to interview Action Chugger. Rag gives Zephie his press pass and calls her "Zephie Ace Reporter". Prior to going to see the film, Zephie takes Rag and Snap to interview Morgan, who has built his own mobile rail vehicle. After their interview with Morgan in the Repair Shed, Rag and Snap go back to their workplace to put Morgan's story in the newspaper. However, Rag forgets to collect his press pass from Zephie.
Meanwhile, Calley is called up into the mountain range where a landslide has blocked Old Puffer Pete's tracks. Calley tries her best to move the rocks, but the crane can't move them.
At the Ride-In, Zephie is looking for Rag and Snap when Irving tells her, because she is a reporter, to take the left track so she can interview Action Chugger. Just as Zephie starts the interview, Action Chugger's red light is flashing, indicating that there's an emergency. Zephie decides to couple up to Action Chugger so to complete their interview, however she loses Rag's press pass whilst flying. It's only when he's flying that Action Chugger realises that Zephie is with him. Once at the emergency, Action Chugger flies to move the landslide away from the tracks, and Calley, Zephie and Old Puffer Pete are very grateful.
Zephie gets a flight back to the Ride-In with Action Chugger, and rather unfortunately, Action Chugger accidentally lands and crushes Morgan's mobile rail vehicle to pieces. So, Rag can't release his newly-printed story about Morgan and he asks Zephie to hand over his press pass. Zephie realises now that she lost it, however, she tells Rag all about Action Chugger's rescue mission. Rag offers to Zephie to keep her job as an ace reporter, but Zephie kindly turns it down as she is very happy to be Morgan's mode of transport again. However, the following day, Zephie and Action Chugger make the front page of "Chuggington Life" newspaper.
Characters
- Brewster
- Koko
- Calley
- Old Puffer Pete
- Zephie
- Irving
- Action Chugger
- Vee
- Morgan
- Lori
- Rag Barnstaple (debut)
- Snap (debut)
- Wilson (cameo)
- Dunbar (cameo)
- Emery (cameo)
- Hodge (cameo)
- Harrison (cameo)
- Chatsworth (cameo)
- Olwin (cameo)
- Mtambo (cameo)
- Frostini (cameo)
- Girl with a Green Shirt (cameo)
- Boy with a Blue and Green Shirt (cameo)
- Boy with a Pink Shirt (cameo)
- Mr. Knot (cameo)
- Man with a Yellow Shirt (cameo)
- Woman with a Green Shirt (cameo)
Locations
Rolling Stock
- Rescue Car
- Hopper Cars
- Track Cycle (debut)
- Red Tipper Wagons (cameo)
- Boxcars (cameo)
Cast
UK
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US
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Trivia
- Going by production order, this is the thirty-eighth episode of the first season.
- Mirrored stock footage from Koko and the Tunnel is used.
Goofs
- At one point while at the Repair Shed, Calley has another coupler sticking out beside her.
- In the same scene, the station building between the Repair Shed and the Rolling Stock Yard changes colour multiple times between shots, being mistakenly coloured red in some of them.
- Because the stock footage from Koko and the Tunnel is mirrored, things such as Calley's lamps and pipe, her entire shed, and the tunnels are all facing the opposite side.
- Additionally, due to the usage of stock footage, Calley's coupling rods do not move as she backs down to the magnet car.
- When Calley ends up at the mountain, she gains Chatsworth's horn but in a higher tone.
- In some of the mountain shots, the rocks clip through the tracks.
- At one point when Brewster, Koko and Zephie arrive at the Countryside Ride-In, Calley is shown to be present despite her being absent at the time as she was busy helping Pete.
- When Zephie starts interviewing Action Chugger and decides to tag along for the rescue, there are no other chuggers at the Ride-In.