The Sudrians: The Archive Collection

Seeing the World

Thomas the Tank Engine was grumbling to the other engines. "I spend my time pulling coaches about ready for you to take out on journeys."

The others engines laughed.

"Why can't I pull passenger trains too?"

"You're too impatient," they said, "you'd be sure to leave something behind."

"Rubbish," said Thomas, "I'll show you."

I wasn't there when that happened. But it had been a very long time since the last time Thomas was allowed to head out of Vicarstown. He was getting very annoying, very quickly. He complained from morning 'till night. The coaches would get very annoyed, saying to the bigger engines how he was being repetitive with the same complaint. After Whiff and Emily came out of service, this left us all in rush. Eagle and I had been placed on to branch lines from the past few months, and only Adam and Roger could defend the cheeky tank engine from engines such as Gordon, Henry and Alfred. And sadly, it didn't work very often.

"Just leave the young engine alone," said Roger crossly.

Gordon sniffed. "I'm sure you would understand Roger," he said in a snotty manner, "that we aren't attacking you. But telling you the truth about this E2."

"Oh shut up," snapped Adam, "he's better than you."

"Than pulling coaches!" laughed Gordon.

"No, he'll probably go straight to work with trucks, whilst you would moan and moan like a human five-year-old."

Gordon seethed in anger. "Let me tell you-"

"Oh shut up," came a reply, "I'm not feeling too well and my smokebox is aching too much to listen to you all argue. Now please shut up for one night!"

The engines all went quite. "Pff," scoffed Alfred quietly to no one in particular. "It's not like he joins with us too."

"So you emit that you try and belittle-"

"Did I ever say that?" interrupted Alfred, "now leave me alone Roger and let an engine sleep."

That's what they did. Only Thomas and Henry were awake. "Henry," whispered Thomas.

"What?"

"If you're ill, can I take your first train tomorrow?"

Henry stared weakly at the blue tank engine for a while. "Maybe," he smiled, "depends on if I'm up to it. If the men work hard that is."

Thomas smiled broadly and went to sleep. Secretly excited. The next morning, Henry was still ill, it was almost time for the first passenger service of the day. Usually for people wanting to go to work at Croven's Gate, Suddery and Tidmouth. When Thomas was ready, he puffed off impatiently.

"Woah Thomas!" called his driver, "calm down, we have plenty of time!"

Thomas groaned and slowed down a bit, just to make his driver feel a bit more comfortable. He soon found the coaches. "Come along Now, come along now," he said, banging into them.

"There's plenty of time, there's plenty of time," grumbled back to the coaches. Thomas soon pulled them out of the coach shed and took them to the platform. He wanted to go around the train and couple up to the train as quickly as possible, but his driver wouldn't let him. "Don't be impatient Thomas!" he said sternly.

Thomas did reluctantly. The passengers soon arrived at the platform at got on to the train. The doors were soon shut tight, the guard soon came out of the brake coach with green flag and whistle. But Henry didn't arrive. Thomas was getting more and more excited.