Moral: respect for your elders/the importance of helping others/**no act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted**
**("Aesop's Fables/Moral: No Act of Kindness is Ever Wasted. Best Children's Books. Barancik, Steve, 2006. Web. 09 Aug 2016.)
(Scene starts by zooming over the view of the spring season on the Island)
It was springtime on the Island of Sodor. The sun shone, birds sang, and apples were ripening on the trees. But it wasn't just the lovely scenery that kept the engines on Sir Topham Hatt's railway. There were also lots and lots of passengers, and plenty of goods to pulls. One morning, Edward The Blue Engine was running his daily local train service: coaches full of passengers to bring over to Thomas as Wellsworth Station.
Edward: (to himself) Thomas and I usually keep good time with both trucks and passengers. I'm more than likely to do the same today. After all, we both have branch lines to run and be proud of. (whistles as he passes Bertie at a level crossing, who honks right back at him)
Edward continued along his branch line route than ran through both Suddery and Wellsworth. In a distance, he would pass by south through Knapford Yard. The men were busy at work building the new harbor that would run from both Thomas and Edward's branch line. A seawall was currently being built around the quay, and construction was well and truly underway.
(Rendition of Edward's theme plays by Chris Renshaw. Forming the opening credits Scene shifts through Edward's cab, including his gauges, and his firebox as it's being stoked up, before shifting over his blue paint and red stripes, and finally the #2 on his cab. Scene zooms out over his branch line, ending the opening credits)
ADVENTURES OF EDWARD
Thomas was waiting at Edward's Station by Wellsworth with Annie and Clarabel. He had finished delivering in quick timing, and now went about his daily afternoon route, picking up and dropping off passengers. He was a little early on this occasion though, and began to grow a little bored.
Thomas: Phew! I had a busy morning working with trucks at both at the quarry and lead mines, but it seems that Toby wasn't joking when he advised me to slow it down while managing those trucks. They didn't seem so troublesome after all.
Annie: (chuckling) That's why you should learn to take your time, Thomas.
Clarabel: Well said, Annie. Besides, Edward's bound to be here any moment now, isn't he? (startles at the sound of Edward's whistle, watching as he arrives at the station)
Just then, Edward had pulled into Wellsworth with his full passenger train. Thomas was pleased to see him.
Edward: (whistling) Good day, Thomas. You seem to be on time once again.
Thomas: I know, Edward. Usually you're here a couple minutes before me. It is your station after all on your branch line.
Edward: I'm a little surprised you got here before me though, Thomas. Were you and Annie and Clarabel ahead of schedule or something?
Annie: (chuckling, jokingly) We have no idea.
Clarabel: (jokingly) Ask Thomas himself.
Thomas: (cheekily) I was getting to that, Annie and Clarabel. (sighs, jokingly) Yes, Edward. I got my trucks sorted out earlier than usual and I thought I might surprise you and turn the tables a bit by showing up early.
Edward: (chuckling) You are very amusing, Thomas, but then again, you and I still have faithful branch lines to run and that's what important: having a branch line worth running.
Thomas: (thinking) Hmm, yes. But...just how did you end up getting your own branch line again?
Edward: Oh, I'd be happy to tell you the whole story, Thomas. And luckily, it's a quick story so we both have enough time before our passengers board the train. It all started long ago…(flashback occurs, in a similar style to Edward's Day Out)…back before either you or even James arrived on the Island. Back when The Fat Controller was just a young man, and his father The Fat Director was controller instead. I was on trial then with Gordon and Henry; there were two other blue engines just the same size as Gordon so to say, and they were known as 98462 and 87546. Because of their rude behavior, their stay on Sodor didn't very long, and the Fat Director surely saw to that. (The Fat Director clears his throat, looking sharply at 98462 and 87546) But not to get too far ahead of the story, I think I'll finish off by telling you this: I earned my branch in a similar way that you did. The day that the driver and fireman asked if I wanted to come out of the shed, I gladly accepted, in spite of how much the bigger engines let me down, and I had a wonderful pulling coaches. I shunted trucks the very next day, and as I kept this up throughout the progress of the week, The Fat Director eventually figured that I was capable of having my own branch line, and while making arrangements to that, he purchased me…along with Gordon for his demonstration for strength and speed by pulling the express…and Henry for the tendency he had to haul such heavy loads all in the course of one journey. We got to meet Glynn as well, but the "Coffeepot engines" came and went, and of course eventually, Glynn ended being the last of his kind left on Sodor. But that's just the thing. The way in which The Fat Director gave me my own branch line here from Wellsworth through Suddery is similar to how The Fat Controller gave you your own branch line, and your very own coaches too. And that's why we both have branch lines worth running.
Thomas: (guard's whistles, and he whistles as he leaves the station) Goodbye, Edward. Great story, but Annie and Clarabel and I really have to keep time, you know. See you back at the sheds, Edward!
Edward: (whistling) Goodbye, Thomas. (sighs) And now I believe I must get going soon as well. As soon as…(guard's whistle blows)…woah! (chuckles nervously as he whistles and leaves the station)
(Original Song: A Branch Line Worth Running in F major. Instrumental intro begins)
Edward re-ran his usual branch line route from station to station, dropping off and picking up passengers.
Edward: It's just like Thomas and I agreed on. (as the guard's whistle blows and he leaves the station) The best line you can run on is one that's worth running.
(singing) Running all the way from Wellsworth
Up nearby Suddery
Pulling the local train service
Taking goods to harbor and by the quay
Going about the track,
Trucks, coaches, cattle truck rattling behind
With all the hustle, bustle and clickety-clack
A line like this is hard to find
'Cause it's A Branch Line Worth Running
Blue skies and meadows of green
A Branch Line Worth Running
Like no other you've ever seen
And I take it in my stride to run it with pride
You'd never see a view so stunning
'Cause it's A Branch Line Worth Running
Meanwhile, James waiting at Knapford as Edward arrived to drop off his remaining passengers. Some of them would ride home by car, and some of them needed to board James' train to get off at certain stops and get home from there. But today, Edward came later than he usually did, and James wasn't impressed.
James: You took your time with getting here, Edward. Every morning and afternoon, I have to wait for either you to bring passengers over from your services, and it could eventually cause a delay, you know.
Edward: Nonsense, James. The Fat Controller would let me know if there was a delay. Besides, you know well enough that Thomas and I have branch lines to run, so therefore we have our own work to do, and that involves both coaches and trucks.
James: Huh! Either that, or you must be aging quickly. (guard's whistle blows) After all, you do seem to become slower and slower at getting here every day. (whistles and chuffs away, Edward sighing as he watches after him)
Well, guys. Here you have it, Adventures Of Edward, still in progress as it will be over the next week if I take my time with it day-by-day. A kind of a hard Prologue to put together, really, but the final outcome was satisfying for me, really. The basic plot is really just Edward and the adventures he has, leading to the climax of course where he proves that he is old but not slow. That's it really, but while adapting from the book, I WILL take my own liberty with it. I promise. Enjoy, and be sure to come back tomorrow and witness The Trouble With Cows!