Runaway Roley is the third episode of the second season.
Plot
The episode begins with Bob guiding Roley and Muck as they fix a part of the pathway. Bob stops Roley from running into a fence and decides they should call it a day. Both Muck and Roley momentarily bicker over who can sleep longer, but Bob stops them while putting up safety signs to make sure nobody falls into the trench and the three of them head back.
Meanwhile, at Bob's yard, the others are playing tag as Pilchard tries to find a place to rest. Wendy leaves the office and tells them it is time for her to go home. She curiously wonders where Bob is, given how late it is. Bob suddenly shows up and she comments on how tired the three of them look. The machines quickly find a spot to nap and drift off to sleep.
The following morning, Wendy greets everyone but sees nobody there, other than Pilchard. Dizzy greets her and asks what they have to do. As everyone gathers, a sleepy Roley's brakes give out and he starts to roll forward. Pilchard is nearly run over as he rolls into town.
Spud and Travis are having a conversation and move just in time to avoid being run over by Roley. Bird heads back to Bob to inform him of the problem. Bob meanwhile has just brought Muck, and they now can't find Roley. Bob asks Wendy about this and she informs him she did not send him out on a job. Bird informs Scoop that Roley is sleep-rolling. Wendy explains that it can be troublesome for people who sleep walk and wake up miles away from home. So they need to go and get him, but not wake him up.
Bob and Scoop head to town to check for Roley, while Muck and Dizzy investigate elsewhere, and Wendy and Lofty ask Travis if he has seen Roley. He informs them he has, so they carry on.
Eventually, Bob and Scoop find Roley and he runs over Mr. Beasley's fence. Bob tells Scoop to hurry up and think upon realizing how close Roley is to falling into the trench. He quickly uses the barriers to make a bridge for him, and the two watch worriedly until Roley rolls over it. Bob calls Wendy and tells her where to meet up with them. When they arrive, Lofty uses his hook to tow Roley back home.
Bob is very worn out and tired as Muck and Dizzy return. He informs them that they have found him and Roley wakes up. He greets them and is very excited to get back to work. However, he then sees everyone else has fallen asleep. Bob and Wendy had also gone back in.
Roley can't understand what is going on and he speaks to Bird, who also falls asleep as the episode ends.
Characters
Trivia
- First time a machine ever "sleep rolls".
- When Roley rolls toward the trench, in the UK version Bob says, "He's heading straight for the trench!" In the US version, the word "trench" is changed to "ditch".
- This episode was paired with "Lofty to the Rescue" (Season 2) when it premiered on Nick Jr. in 2001.
In Other Languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Polish | Ucieczka Walca | Escape Waltz |
| Hungarian | Guri elgurul | Roley Rolls |
| Russian | Побег Роли | Roley Escape |
| Swedish | Rulle på rymmen | Roley on the Run |
| Japanese | ねぼけたローリー | Half Asleep was Roley |
| Hebrew | תברח רולי | Run Away, Roley |
| German | Rollo reißt aus | Roley Tears From |
| Dutch | Rollie op hol | Runaway Roley |
| Czech | Namesíčný Roland | Roley's Sleepwalking |