*chapter 1*
it was an exciting summer on the island of sodor. sir robert norramby had planned a special celebration anniversary at ulfstead castle and for king godred's golden crown. everyone was looking forward to it. there were going to be a lot of people coming. connor and caitlin and the flying scotsman would be bringing people to the castle. there would be lots of fireworks. there was going to be lots of food and decorations. the brass band would be there playing music. and stephen and millie would be giving tours around the castle. even the engines were excited. but no one was more excited than stephen the rocket engine. he was looking forward to giving people tours of the castle. one day stephen and millie were talking about it.
'i can't wait for the party millie it's going to be the biggest celebration yet' said stephen.
'i know how you feel stephen i'm very excited too it's going to be great' said millie.
'oh no millie i bet this party is going to be so big that the fat controller won't have to organise another for a whole year' said stephen.
'i think you might be right stephen' said millie.
'i am just so excited' said stephen.
'so am i stephen so am i' said millie.
just then sir robert arrived in his jolly way.
'ah good morning stephen and millie i had a feeling you two would be here now i here you two are very excited well so am i but there is a lot of work to do first but don't worry the fat controllers engines will be helping too' said sir robert.
'that's great sir we could do with the extra help' said stephen.
'indeed we do stephen and don't worry i have jobs for you two as well starting with you millie i would like you to go to the transfer yards on the skarloey railway to collect the food and drinks Colin will be there to load them up for you' said sir robert.
'right away sir' said millie.
the earl then turned to stephen.
'and i have a job for you too stephen i would like you to go to brendam docks to collect the fireworks and decorations' said sir robert.
stephen smiled.
'don't worry sir i can do that and take care as well' said stephen.
sir robert smiled.
'there's my trusty little helpers now off you two go i have some things of my own to take care of now' and with that sir robert rushed back into the castle.
and with that the two engines set off.
'see you later millie' said stephen.
'see you later stephen' said millie.
soon stephen was puffing along the line. it was a wonderful day. the birds were singing and engines were rushing along hard at work. stephen loved it. soon stephen had to stop at a signal. thomas was there with annie and clarabel taking workmen to ulfstead castle.
'hello stephen you look happy today' said thomas.
'oh yes very happy indeed' said annie.
'it must be the magic of the weather' said clarabel.
'i'm happy today thomas because i am very excited for the party at the castle' said stephen.
'oh yes the party i almost forgot about that it's going to be a big one this year' said thomas.
stephen smiled.
'yes it is thomas and right now i'm on my way to the docks to collect the fireworks and decorations' said stephen.
'that sounds like fun' said thomas.
stephen laughed.
'not really thomas it's just a little job for the earl' said stephen.
'of course it is' said thomas.
just then the signal went green.
'well i better be off thomas good day' said stephen.
'have fun today stephen' said thomas.
and with that stephen blew his whistle and set off. stephen smiled as he continued his way. up ahead samson was having trouble with his trucks. they were being very naughty and bothersome and samson was cross.
'get moving you silly little buggers i don't like being late!' cried samson.
'too bad because we don't want to you silly engine hold back boys!' cried the trucks.
samson strained in anger.
'oh i give up with this!' said samson.
stephen puffed up behind his train.
'need a lending buffer samson' said stephen.
samson was happy to see stephen.
'thank you stephen these trucks have been a real pain today' said samson.
so stephen pushed samson along the line. at last they arrived at the next station.
'thank you stephen you may not be fast but you are great at pushing' said samson.
'your welcome samson anyway it's just a knack i have' said stephen.
and with that stephen set off.
'now about you silly trucks' said samson.
'uh oh' muttered the trucks.
and with that samson gave them a mighty bump.
'YOWW!' cried the trucks.
samson smiled. soon stephen arrived at brendam docks. it was very busy. cranky was busy lifting and loading and salty and porter was shunting like clockwork.
'hello stephen nice to see you' said porter going past.
'hello porter' said stephen.
then stephen saw his trucks. cranky was just finishing loading them.
'there you go stephen all ready to go' said cranky.
'thank you cranky' said stephen.
he looked at the trucks. there were lots of fireworks and golden and red banners and streamers.
'these decorations look great' said stephen being chained up.
just then salty came over.
'arr hello stephen me hearty looking forward to the party' said salty.
'indeed i am salty' said stephen.
'that's great matey now be careful with them decorations we don't want them getting ruined now' said salty.
'of course not salty they will be fine with me' said stephen.
stephen looked up at cranky.
'are you looking forward to the party cranky' said stephen.
'well i will be able to see the fireworks if that's what you mean' said cranky.
stephen and salty laughed.
'well you better be off matey' said salty.
'of course see you later salty' said stephen.
and with that stephen set off. soon stephen was on his way back to the castle. just then there were two loud whistles and the sounds of pistons pounding the tracks.
'uh oh here comes trouble' chuckled stephen.
then connor and caitlin rushed past.
'top of the morning stephen nice to see you' said connor.
'sorry we can't stop to chat we have more passengers to pick up see you' said caitlin.
stephen watched them race away into the distance.
'that's streamliners for you' said stephen.
and he continued his way. soon stephen heard another loud whistle.
'pumping pistons i know who that is' said stephen.
then a certain famous engine puffed up alongside him. it was the flying scotsman. stephen was overjoyed.
'flying scotsman it is an honour to meet you' said stephen.
'hello there you must be stephen the rocket engine nice to meet you' said flying scotsman.
'i wasn't expecting to see you today what are you doing' said stephen.
'i'm going to be taking guests to the castle of course' said flying scotsman.
'that must be a great honour for an engine like you' said stephen.
'indeed it is my dear fellow well i must be off goodbye' said flying scotsman.
'goodbye flying scotsman it was a pleasure seeing you' said stephen.
and with that flying scotsman puffed off. stephen was very honoured indeed.
'i can't believe it i met the flying scotsman wait till i tell millie about this' said stephen.
and he continued his way. meanwhile at the transfer yards millie arrived to collect the food for the party. but when she got there, there was a problem. sir handel was still being loaded and he was complaining a great deal which was annoying colin.
'hurry up colin you lazy crane i'm late enough as it is already!' said sir handel.
'for your information sir handel i am loading as fast as i can i can't turn in 2 seconds you know' said colin.
'i don't care if you can't turn fast enough just hurry it up will you i want to go!' said sir handel.
colin was getting very cross.
'someones being a bossy buffers this morning' said peter sam puffing past.
'tell me about give it a rest sir handel' said rusty.
'yes sir handel it will do everyone a great favour you know' said duncan.
'colin if you don't hurry it up i swear that i will force you to load!' said sir handel.
at last colin lost patients.
'right that's it sir handel just go i am sick and tired of you telling me to hurry up you hear me i'm sick of it you can come back for the rest of your load later for all i care!' cried colin.
sir handel was cross.
'good and you know what good riddance too!' snorted sir handel.
and he steamed away in a huff.
'well that conversation went well don't you think' said rusty.
millie puffed up to colin.
'hello colin what was that all about' said millie.
'oh millie am i ever happy to see a kind french engine like you it was nothing just sir handel being a pain in the bunker that's all' said colin.
rusty and duncan giggled after hearing that.
'so i see will don't worry colin i don't mind if i have to wait it gives me a chance to rest after coming over here' said millie.
'good for you millie don't worry i'll have your trucks loaded in no time at all' said colin.
soon after waiting for an hour the trucks were loaded with food. there was bread, chicken and fruit and vegetables and even lemonade. millie thought it all looked very tasty.
'thank you colin i don't know why sir handel has to shout at you your great at loading' said millie.
'that's because sir handel is a whining moaning blue git' said duncan.
'you can say that again duncan' said rusty.
colin laughed.
'well that's you all done you better be off millie' said colin.
'see you later then colin' said millie and with that she puffed off.
soon millie was puffing along the line. then up ahead she could see sir handel but there was steam coming out of him.
'oh dear it looks like calmer came early to him' said millie.
she pulled up alongside him.
'what happened sir handel' said millie.
sir handel said nothing.
'he was being very impatient and burst his safety valve that's what' said his driver.
'i wasn't being impatient i just wanted to get going' said sir handel.
millie was cross.
'sir handel why were you shouting at colin like that he is very useful crane and you were making him feel down' said millie.
'i wasn't shouting at him i just wanted him to work faster that's all' said sir handel.
'that's no excuse sir handel you made colin feel bad for himself' said millie.
sir handel sighed.
'okay i'm sorry i just wanted to go because i have a lot of jobs to do today and i was fed up' said sir handel.
'why are you fed up then today' said millie.
'well last night bertram was keeping me awake because he kept talking about Macbeth and love and Shakespeare and he kept me awake all night' said sir handel.
'well that's bertram for you always sharing a good tale don't worry i'll take you to the next station' said millie.
'thank you millie i guess' said sir handel.
so with that millie and sir handel set off for the next station. soon they arrived. but standing on the platform was the last person sir handel needed to see. it was the thin controller and he was red in the face. sir handel gulped. he knew he was in for it now. Ivo Hugh was there too and he was giggling.
'you know sir handel news gets round fast around here' said ivo hugh.
'i shall speak to you about your attitude later' growled the thin controller.
'i think a whole week working in the mines should do the trick' said ivo hugh.
sir handel muttered something under his breath. no doubt saying something nasty about the young engine.
'i'll let you take it from here sir' said millie.
'thank you millie' said the thin controller.
and with that millie set off. soon millie arrived at the castle. but when she did stephen was already there.
'wow stephen that was fast you really are the rocket at times' said millie.
'i'm just having a good day today by the way millie guess who i met today' said stephen.
'let me guess was it spencer being a silver showoff again' said millie.
stephen laughed.
'no silly it was the flying scotsman' said stephen.
'oh stephen that's wonderful i am so happy for you' said millie.
'you know what millie i don't think things could get any better than this' said stephen.
'you know what stephen i agree' said millie.
and both engines talked happily about their days. meanwhile at the bottom of the castle trouble was brewing. a class 40 diesel and a man with binoculars was looking up at the castle.
'there it is harry ulfstead castle' said the man.
'oh year very interesting tom because i don't care what are we doing here?' said harry.
'we are here to steal king godred's crown you idiot' said tom.
'what that's it you brought us here to steal a stupid crown what a waste of my time!' cried harry.
'hey keep your flipping voice down this isn't just any stupid old crown it's a crown that will make us rich' said tom.
harry groaned.
'how rich are we talking then mr. i want to steal a stupid worthless crown' said harry.
'very rich of course richer than rich, a billion times rich, richer than...' said tom.
'okay okay i get it so when are we stealing this crown then? said harry.
'tonight of course they will never suspect anything not even that bonkers man sir robert won't know what hit him' said tom.
and with that tom laughed mockingly.
'you really do just creep me out at times you know that' said harry.
tom smirked.
'i try' he said plainly.
i do not own thomas & friends it is owned by HIT.