Thomas & Friends Season 12 Reimagined

Steady Eddie

One morning, Edward puffed into Brendam Docks. He had a special to collect.

"Edward," The Fat Controller said, "you are to deliver this waterwheel to Great Waterton, where it will be put up on display."

Edward looked over to where The Fat Controller was pointing. The waterwheel was magnificent. It looked exactly like the sort of waterwheel that would have been used when Great Waterton was first built, but it was clearly brand new.

"I know that I can rely on you to go slowly and carefully, Edward," added The Fat Controller before he turned to leave.

"I wouldn't want to waste the hard work that was put into building this waterwheel," Edward said to himself quietly.

"Oh, and Edward," called The Fat Controller, "take the express route! I want you to take the fastest, most direct way to Great Waterton! This delivery mustn't be late!"

"I will, Sir!" peeped Edward happily.

"Come on, Donald, yerr almost there!" came a voice from around the corner.

Edward saw that the owner of the voice was Douglas. He and Donald were double heading a goods train. Donald looked completely out of puff.

"What's going on?" asked Edward.

"I don't know," said Donald.

"We'll have to get ya to the repair yard!" puffed Douglas.

"We've still got work to do!" protested Donald.

"It's better to look after yourself, Donald," Edward puffed wisely, "I'm sure Sir Topham Hatt will be able to find another engine to help Douglas."

Donald knew the others were right. He gave a defeated sigh.

"Cheer up, matey!" said Salty as he approached. He started telling Donald one of his many stories of the sea as he was coupled up. Donald perked up a little bit.

As Salty shunted Donald to the repair yard, Douglas spoke up.

He said to Edward, "Would you help me to deliver me next train? Sir Topham Hatt won't get another engine to help me quickly enough for me to make it to me first stop on time."

Edward looked around. There wasn't anyone else nearby who could help.

"I can help you, Douglas," he said, "but I need to get this waterwheel delivered first. If we can go slowly just until we get to Great Waterton, I'm sure we can make up for lost time afterwards."

Douglas smiled.

"Thank you, Edward," he said.

Soon, the two engines were puffing along at a steady pace, a goods train behind them and the waterwheel on a flatbed in front of them. It was a bizarre train and a difficult one to move but the two engines were determined.

"I might end up being late anyway, y'know," Douglas chuckled.

"Well," sighed Edward, "it would've been worse if you'd waited around at the docks."

Eventually, they turned off the express route and towards Great Waterton.

As they drew closer to the town, they noticed that a lot of the vegetation on either side of the track had been cleared away. Old tracks leading away from the town had been uncovered. Several engines were leaving with trucks full of branches coupled behind them.

"What da ya think's going on here, then?" asked Douglas.

"I suppose Sir Topham Hatt might have more big plans for renovating the town," ventured Edward.

The station master was waiting on the platform when the two engines arrived.

"Sir Topham Hatt is worried, Douglas," said the station master, "you're going to be late if you spend much more time gallivanting about with the other engines!"

Douglas stuttered. He was worried.

"I'm trying to help Douglas," said Edward, "Douglas isn't avoiding his work."

Edward knew taking the blame wasn't going to be enough. He had delivered his precious load slowly and carefully. He now had to think quickly.

"Douglas," he puffed, "are any of these trucks meant to be at Great Waterton?"

"Yes," huffed Douglas, "the fourth and fifth ones from the front. But why?"

Edward explained his plan quickly.

Soon, the trucks that were meant for Great Waterton had been shunted into a siding and the rest of the train was ready to leave.

"You might be late to your other stops," said Edward, "but at least you won't waste coal coming back here. And you'll be on time to pull your next train."

The two engines set off.

"Edward," whispered Douglas, "are we definitely going to be late? Even if we take a shortcut?"

"Douglas," Edward exclaimed, "what a brilliant idea!"

Douglas indicated an old, overgrown track leading off the main line. Edward put his trust in Douglas.

"We've gotta follow this one round ta the left," said Douglas, clearly enjoying himself.

"Alrighty then," puffed Edward.

The foliage was thick and not much sunlight made it through the canopy of trees to light the way.

"It's not as scary as it looks," giggled Douglas.

"I'm not scared!" laughed Edward.

The engines' wheels gave a faint clanging noise as they passed over the rusty old junction onto the left track. They could feel themselves going downhill. They bumped along the poorly maintained rails.

"Almost there!" spluttered Edward. He saw that a clearing was coming up.

"That's odd," rattled Douglas, "I thought the forest stretched out further than this."

As they got to the clearing, they saw that workmen were busy there, cutting trees down and loading them into lorries.

"We weren't expecting engines to be coming down this track!" boomed the foreman.

"I'm sorry," said Edward in a hurry, "but we were running late and we hoped this route would be quicker."

A contemplative look furrowed the foreman's brow.

He then sighed and said, "Well, I suppose we can let you go just this once. We will have to block off the other end of the track to stop more of you coming down here! It's a health and safety issue!"

Edward and Douglas knew they didn't have time to protest. They smiled and hurried away.

Soon, the station came into view. The Fat Controller was waiting on the platform.

"Hmm," he said, "well, you are just barely on time, Douglas."

Douglas was relieved.

"Edward," The Fat Controller said, "thank you for helping this train to run on time. It's engines like you who help this railway to run smoothly! Molly will take over from here."

"Thank you, Sir," said Edward. He smiled.

"Thank you, Edward," said Douglas, "Yerr a great friend."

That made Edward's smile even broader.