Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

CoCo, Daisy and the Coal

It was a beautiful day on the Island of Sodor and in the midst of an ordinary day's work for everyone, the Fat Controller had arranged for a Diesel to have a trial on the Island. The Diesel was a prototype BR D0260 and its paint was an elegant cardinal red which immediately make the Diesel stand out from any others.

"Blimey..." said Mavis as she saw the Diesel pass her. "...and I thought Daisy took pride in her appearance!" Mavis was indeed right to say this as the Diesel had deep red lipstick and a beauty spot on its face. Then Mavis noticed the Diesel's name on its side, it read CoCo.

"Oh dear..." thought Mavis "She's not going to last long here!" CoCo then pulled up at Knapford station where the Fat Controller was awaiting her arrival.

"CoCo..." boomed the Fat Controller. "I am very honoured to have you here as I am always willing to test out prototype engines whether they are steam engines or diesels..." CoCo looked completely uninterested with what the Fat Controller was saying, she just looked around the station and thought about how good she looked.

"However..." continued the Fat Controller "Your selected role of carriage duty is unavailable at the moment, so I have allocated you a place at the Coaling plant!" CoCo was surprised.

"The Coaling Plant? This is a mistake isn't it?" she asked very quickly in her posh voice.

"Not at all CoCo. Is there are a problem with that?" the Fat Controller replied.

"I don't do Coal. I'm a Diesel, and I don't like to get dirty!" retorted CoCo.

"Well...really useful engines do what their told. If you don't do the work, I will send you home where they might be considering to scrap your model, so be warned CoCo..." replied the Fat Controller very sternly.

"Y..ye...yes...Sir!" stuttered CoCo in reply. She then quickly made her way to the Coaling plant to make herself known on Sodor, although she'd already done that as the Fat Controller didn't get the best first impression of her.

Within no time, CoCo arrived at the Coaling plant where dust was everywhere and Coal was littered around the lines. CoCo didn't want to be here at all as dirty work wasn't something she did. She never did it and didn't see a reason to start it now, but in the distance she saw another Diesel, it was female and it was working here too. CoCo then carefully made her way upto the other Diesel.

"Hello..." said CoCo elegantly.

"Hello" replied an angry voice.

"I'm Coco...and I'm -"

"I know you're CoCo. I was informed of your arrival." interrupted the voice "I'm Daisy, nice to meet you!"

"You're a rail-car aren't you? Why are you at the Coaling plant?" asked CoCo immediately.

"Punishment..." replied Daisy. "I biffed both Bill and Ben off the line! I thought I was doing a service to everyone, it appears I wasn't!" she then added. CoCo laughed, but wasn't sure whether she should, but Daisy then joined in. They carried on chatting for a good while and immediately became friends. They both hated freight duty and would rather take passengers, but they were being prevented of their main duty, well Daisy was, strictly speaking CoCo wasn't as she was designed to pull both passengers and freight trains, but decided against the latter. Their conversation carried on even more and eventually the Coaling plant manager had to come and speak to them.

"If you two aren't going to work, I will send you away now!" he boomed. Daisy immediately went quiet, but CoCo didn't.

"The big important man thinks he can boss us about, well he's wrong!" she said with her elegant tone. She then set off her horn and drowned out the speech of the manager. He soon gave up and made his way back to his office. CoCo and Daisy thought they'd won, but they hadn't as the Fat Controller soon came.

"CoCo! Daisy! I am very disappointed in you! I have set you work to do here and you aren't doing it! Do you two not understand the concept of work?" he boomed angrily. Yet again, Daisy kept quiet, but CoCo didn't.

"Yes..." she said "There is indeed a problem, Sir!"

"And what is that?" retorted the Fat Controller.

"I don't like getting dirty, nor does Daisy! Please send us elsewhere!" replied CoCo with anger becoming very noticeable on both her and the Fat Controller.

"I don't think so!" commanded the Fat Controller. "You're staying here, for good!". CoCo and Daisy were left shocked at this and as the Fat Controller left to his car, CoCo's face turned as deep red as her paintwork. She was very angry indeed.

The day progressed on and Daisy and CoCo had to adjust to life at the Coaling Plant. Dust flew everywhere and was spoiling both their paintwork.

"This is disgusting!" exclaimed Daisy.

"I am living my nightmare!" remarked CoCo. They carried on in this frame of mind for the time being and got covered in Coal dust and all manner of things that were completely unpleasant. Mavis was just passing by the Coaling plant when she noticed the two of them complaining so much. She had to laugh at it as she'd never seen anyone complain like they had before, and she'd seen Miles complaining!

"Oh dear..." she muttered to herself. "I've got to stick around and see this finish." Mavis did so and just stayed in the sidings watching both Daisy and CoCo struggle to cope with the coal work they had been set. The way they went about it made Mavis laugh so much it made her axles ache, but then she laughed too loud and it caught the attention of Daisy and CoCo.

"This is funny, is it?" questioned CoCo angrily to Mavis.

"Yes!" she replied simply.

"It isn't!" shouted Daisy. "So be quiet!" she then demanded. The argument of sorts then carried on for a while but Daisy and CoCo hadn't realised behind them were engines waiting for Coal. Murdoch was waiting on the line where CoCo was and Neville was waiting where Daisy was. There were getting very impatient.

"Oh for heavens sake!" cried Murdoch, and then he made his way forward and pushed against CoCo.

"What in blazes?" she cried as she was pushed towards the coal tipper. Neville pushed Daisy toward the one on her line aswell. Both of them shrieked as they got nearer it.

"Oh no!" cried Daisy "STOP!" she demanded, but neither Murdoch or Neville did until they noticed their Diesels were under the coal tipper. A moment of silence then fell, and then the coal did. It came out of the chute at speed and covered them entirely in coal.

"How undignified..." said CoCo. "My paintwork is ruined!"

"This isn't right for a Diesel! This isn't right!" cried Daisy. Mavis started laughing once again and then Murdoch and Neville started laughing aswell. CoCo and Daisy were very embarrassed indeed.

Evening came and Daisy and CoCo were being washed down when Mavis decided to be brave enough to pull up along side them.

"Eventful day wasn't it?" she asked jokingly.

"Eventful is one way of putting it!" said CoCo.

"Indeed!" agreed Daisy. They then carried on talking for a good while and joked about the days event, but just as they had been washed down, Bill and Ben arrived covered in Coal dust. They had to get it off them, so they let off steam and blew the coal dust right off them and right onto CoCo and Daisy. Mavis was lucky, but Bill and Ben wouldn't be as CoCo and Daisy were quite angry now.

"You will pay twins..." said Daisy in a viscous voice.

"You will pay..." added CoCo is her elegant, yet devilish voice.