The New Sheds
On the Island of Sodor, Engines like Matt, Salina, and Pioneer were all working hard. They liked to be useful…but they also like some rest too. They were getting tired of sleeping outside. One morning, Matt was busy collecting his train of freight cars when he fell asleep. He was suddenly woken up by a passing train's whistle. He jerked the train so hard he ripped out the couplings.
Then, Salina fell asleep while she was carrying passengers. She forgot to blow her horn to tell the signalman that she was coming! She went into a siding full of freight cars and crashed into them! Pioneer wasn't having better luck either. He was sleeping at a water tower near the coaling plant. Then an engine with a train of freight cars unknowingly pushed him onto the loader. He was woken up, but it was too late! He was pulled up, tipped over, and brought back down again just like Percy was in 'Middle Engine". When he was back down again, he was coughing due to coal dust.
Sir Topham Hatt spoke to the other engines. (I.e. the "Steam Team")
STH: "Today, I need you to work extra hard with getting some sheds built for our newcomers."
Percy: "But who will do our work?"
STH: "I'm sure the other engines can manage." Then they set to work the next day.
Matt was busy doing James and Henry's work. He had to pull several trains…while he was sleepy! On the way to his next job, he fell asleep and stopped at the bottom of Gordon's Hill.
Salina was trying her hardest and doing both the express and any other passenger trains that day. This made her more tired than ever!
Pioneer was trying to do Toby and Percy's shunting. He could only move two fully loaded cars at a time, or four empty ones. He slept every time he stopped.
Sir Topham Hatt was getting word that work wasn't getting done!
STH: "Thomas, Henry, and Percy…Go and help the others, quickly!"
Percy went to check on Pioneer.
Percy: "Wake up Pioneer!" Percy whistled and it made Pioneer jump.
Pioneer: (startled) "Run for ya'll life! It's the…" Then he saw Percy. "Oh it's only ya'll." *yawn*
Percy: "Do you need some help shunting these cars?"
Pioneer: "I need help stayin' awake more like it." *falls asleep, Percy whistles again* "I SURREN-stop doin' that!" Percy chuckled as they went back to work, while Thomas went to help Salina.
Thomas had brought Annie and Clarabel to take the passengers. Salina normally wouldn't like another engine taking her passengers, but she was too busy sleeping to care.
Matt was enjoying his rest at the bottom of Gordon's Hill when he heard Henry's whistle.
Matt: *yawns* "Henry…quit getting me out of trouble. I'm trying to rest." They both smiled. Henry pushed from behind while Matt pulled the train. Matt stayed awake long enough to get the train to the top. The guard set the brakes so Henry could take the train. Matt went down the hill into a siding to rest.
Matt: *yawns* "That's two I owe ya…" *yawns* "…Henry." *falls asleep*
By sunset, the sheds were finished.
STH: "Good job, all of you! Now we just have to wait for the others." Then they saw Thomas, Percy and Henry, pulling Salina, Pioneer, and Matt respectively, while they were still sleeping.
The next morning, they woke up and for once, they were feeling…good. They weren't so tired anymore!
STH: "I hoped you were well rested in your new sheds." The newcomers were now ready to be really useful again. (And so they were)
THE END
