Another original Thomas story, this time it's the story of how Percy came to Sodor. This is Chapter 1. Enjoy and comment.
It was a very busy time on the Island of Sodor. There were more tourists than ever before, and the engines were working hard, getting them where they needed to go.
But there was some trouble going on as well. The big engines were doing more work then ever before. Ever since Thomas began working his own branch line, the big engines had to fetch their own coaches. This made them all very cross.
"Why do we have to fetch our own coaches?" grumbled Gordon. "Thomas should still be collecting our coaches, not working on his own branch line!"
"Rubbish!" said James. "He deserved his own branch line after he saved me from that nasty accident with the freight cars!"
"Why are you complaining then Gordon?" asked Henry.
"Because I'm an Express engine, and Express engines always need to be on time. Ever since Thomas left, things have become much slower!"
After that, nobody said another word the rest of the day.
The next morning, Sir Topham Hatt came to Tidmouth Sheds.
"Edward, from now on you will be shunting freight cars in the yards." he boomed.
Edward was pleased, but everyone else was not impressed. They all stared crossly at him as he happily puffed away to the shunting yards.
"Well that's just great!" muttered Gordon. "Now that Edward's gone, we'll have more work than ever before! That was the last straw. Unless Sir Topham Hatt gets another engine to help us out, I'm staying here!"
"But who's going to pull the Express?" asked James.
"Probably you, because Henry's too weak to pull heavy coaches!"
"That is not true!" snapped Henry. "I pull heavy coaches, and I have no trouble at all!"
"We'll see about that." said Gordon.
It was nearly time for the Express. Many passengers were waiting at the platform, waiting for the call to board the coaches.
Minutes went by, and still there was no Gordon.
The stationmaster noticed the commotion outside, and immediately went to tell Sir Topham Hatt.
"What's the problem?" he asked the stationmaster.
"Something must be going on. The Express hasn't shown, and even worse, the first train of the day never came!'
"I'll see what the problem is." said Sir Topham Hatt as he walked outside.
When he arrived outside, the passengers all told Sir Topham Hatt what a bad railway it was, and then they told him how bad he was as well! They were beyond, and I mean BEYOND furious.
At last, Sir Topham Hatt came back into the station office.
"I will go to the sheds and see what the problem is." he said.
When he arrived at Tidmouth Sheds, he was surprised to see Gordon, James and Henry still in their sheds.
"Gordon, get to work immediately!" he said sternly.
"He's not going!" said Henry, and neither are we!"
"Really useful engines always do as they are told! So get to work now!"
"No!" replied the three engines.
Sir Topham Hatt sternly walked away.
The lack of trains caused severe confusion and delay. Bertie the Bus took the Express passengers, while Thomas took Henry and James's passengers.
At last Sir Topham Hatt decided to punish the big engines by locking them in their sheds until they were ready to be useful again.
But he did however, decide to purchase another engine to help out.
A few days later, a little green engine arrived. Sir Topham Hatt came to met him.
"If I put you into service, will you be really useful and do as I say?"
"Oh yes sir!" said the engine.
"Good then! What shall I call you?"
"Percy please."
"Well then, Percy it shall be."
And so Percy set off to begin his work on Sodor.
