It was a sunny afternoon on the Island of Sodor. Thomas was cheerfully puffing down his branch line with his two coaches Annie and Clarabel. As much as Thomas enjoys puffing down the railway of Sodor, he does sometimes wish he could explore further outside – onto the Mainland.
Thomas would often daydream about exploring the world, wondering what places he could see, and what new engines he could meet. As he daydreamed, he suddenly started to chuff faster than normal – faster than he should be.
Meanwhile, Blake, the new Gothic tank engine was racing down to a junction with a train of trucks, filled with stone. As she came up to her junction, the signal was shown green. She happily carried on – but gasped as she noticed Thomas approaching her!
Annie looked and gasped, "Thomas! Stop!" She cried. Thomas could only look back in confusion from his daydream, and saw Blake quickly approaching!
"THOMAS! Look out!" Blake whistled as loud as she could and put her brakes on hard! Thomas also braked as he shrieked in shock – the two trains almost colliding!
They both stopped just in time!
Blake panted as she shook a little from the shock, "G-Gosh, I-I'm so sorry Thomas." she quickly apologised.
Thomas slowly puffed back, red from the exhaustion, "My fault Blake, I was going to fast..."
"Too fast." Annie spoke up.
"You were daydreaming again Thomas." Clarabel added. Thomas blushed from embarrassment. Blake just smiled a bit.
"Don't worry Thomas, at least no one was hurt." Blake added. Thomas just smiled and laughed a bit with her.
Later that evening, after pulling his last train, Thomas and Blake met again at Elsbridge Station. The Gothic engine looked at Thomas curiously, "So, what were you daydreaming about earlier?" She asked.
Thomas just giggled cheekily, "Oh, just about journeying over to the Mainland. I love my branch line, and I love working here on Sodor, but I always wonder what it'd be like to explore outside the island. I want to see the world." Thomas talked on, daydreaming about the Mainland.
Blake smiled a bit, nervously, "Well, that does sound lovely...but the Mainland isn't always THAT exciting..."
"I'm sure it is!" Thomas chuffed cheerfully.
"But Thomas, your home is here on Sodor." Annie talked in.
Clarabel then bumped in, "And who else would look after your branch line and your passengers."
Blake tried to reassure them, "They are right Thomas. This is your home." Thomas smiled a bit.
"But I want to go and explore the world." He chuffed.
"And you will." Blake said, "But now isn't the time..."
Thomas sighed, then came up with an idea, "Do you know HOW to get to the Mainland?" He asked Blake innocently.
Blake, seeing no issue with the question, answered, "Well...e-either by ship, but that takes AGES. O-Or you could use the Vicarstown Bridge, which joins the Mainland by Barrow-in-Furness."
Then Blake's eyes popped open in realisation, "Oh no..."
"Thanks Blake!" Thomas chuffed, as he was uncoupled from Annie and Clarabel and chuffed off. Blake quickly chuffed up to catch up with him.
"T-Thomas! Y-You know you're gonna get into trouble for this!" She tried to persuade him. Thomas continued huffing, noticing Blake catching up.
"I won't go to far Blake!" Thomas whistled. Blake continued catching up, trying her best to stop him.
"B-But Thomas-"
"I will be back quickly, I promise Blake...promise me you won't say a word." He slowly slowed down, allowing Blake to catch up.
Blake shivered at the thought, "I-I don't know...y-you could get into really big trouble for this, and I will too..."
"Please Blake, please." Thomas begged her. Blake looked and sighed in frustration.
"I hate it when engines beg me..." She said to herself, then she looked at Thomas, "Okay, if it really means that much to you, then I will. But...you must promise me you will come home quickly." She told him.
"I promise! I will go there and be back before my first train tomorrow." Thomas whistled confidently.
"...why do I have a feeling you won't..." Blake whispered nervously.
As they slowly approached Vicarstown Bridge, which was very quiet at this time of day, they noticed the bridge was quiet and isolated.
Thomas just chuckled to himself, "Off I go Blake! Remember, don't say a word." He reminded. Blake just looked on nervously at him as he chuffed over the bridge.
"P-Please hurry back! And be safe..." She muttered anxiously, stopping at a set of buffers, watching Thomas chuff on into the distance.
Finally crossing the bridge, Thomas grinned as his axles shivered in excitement, he couldn't contain his excitement much longer, "Mainland, here I come!"