6:54 a.m., Saturday, October 7th, 1967

The day of the Great Railway Show had arrived. The sky was clearing up, the dawn was blue and Thomas was looking forward to attending. Richard, who had spent half the night whispering good nights to his distant father and family, was exhausted and he struggled to his feet as he yawned and stretched, throwing his left cheek against Thomas' side tank.

"Come on, Richard!" the tank engine whistled. "Today's the day! The sun is shining, the air is clean and we are going to the Great Railway Show!"

Richard, upon hearing this, replied.

"Do you think you could take me home?"

"Consider it as your reward for helping us, but right now, we've got a show to attend to."

And so they sped off to the Works. There, they saw Gordon, puffing out of his berth like the proud engine that he was, in all his streamlining glory. He even had a red star on both sides of his front.

"Hello, world! Here comes the Shooting Star!"

"You look amazing, Gordon!" said Percy who had been assigned to carry the flag of Sodor.

"Couldn't agree more," added James who was feeling a little green on the inside.

"You look even more different from the time I was rebuilt!" appraised Henry.

"Just wait until all those other competitors see me!"

Gordon sniffed proudly as he said this. After Thomas got out of his way, the Fat Director spoke to him.

"Thomas, you'll be in charge of taking some extra supplies to the show. We may need them in case one of our engines needs a last-minute repair. The trucks will also be used for the shunting challenge."

"Yes, sir!" Thomas whistled and they started off to Vicarstown. As they chuffed off to the yard outside the under-construction Dieselworks, Richard began to wonder, reflecting back to the many awful things he told his parents and the rest of his family throughout the 15 years of his life. Perhaps, as his reward for helping the engines during his short visit, Thomas would bring him back to his family, just as he had done for his own father, twenty-seven years ago.

Splatter and Dodge knew that the Great Railway Show would be like a carnival. They rolled out of the shed, feeling bright and early, going over to see Diesel 10, who had been neutered of his claw that was lying on a flatbed connected to the train of extra supplies that Thomas was supposed to take to the show.

"Even without Pinchy, I'll still be able to make a surprise appearance at the show and prove my strength to all the other diesels who dared to cross the line with me!"

"Let me guess," Devious Diesel assumed. "You are still willing to pull a heavy train with Den, Dart and Dennis inside the crates, and then everything afterwards will be fine and dandy for the rest of our lives?"

"I'm glad you remembered," Diesel 10 smiled.

Titillated, the diesels followed their leader to the gates of the Dieselworks and to the yards at Vicarstown to see Thomas collecting the trucks with Richard onboard. The claw was lying on a flatbed close where the other trucks needed for the show were. Thomas caught Diesel 10's attention and he perked up a toothy crocodile grin.

"That little blue one seems to be a perfect target for the start our little holocaust. Look at his number; it means that he will be the first on our list after we have won the show."

Then came the most unimaginable thing that Diesel 10 had expected the least: Thomas had coupling up some of his own trucks, to the one connected to the flatbed carrying Diesel 10's claw. Before the workmen had realized their mistake, Thomas was already out of the yard, heading to the open good yard of Bridlington where the show would take place.

"Look out, Great Railway Show!" Thomas whistled. "Here we come!"

But Diesel 10, was not about to let his claw get out of sight. He barked to his fellow diesels.

"Splatter! Dodge! Double-D! Get my claw back!"

The three went first, followed by Arry, Bert and Paxton, who shouted back.

"Come on, Sidney! Follow that puffball!"

Sidney and Ulli were the last to leave.

Diesel 10's smile broadened appreciably as Den, Dart, Dennis and Derek came up to flank him. Things would fall apart if the diesels exposed themselves too soon.

As they passed the Vicarstown Rolling Bridge, travelling onto the Other Railway, Richard looked out at the town of Barrow. To him it felt like a decade had passed since he last saw the town and he could only wonder what lay ahead once he got to the show. He wanted Thomas to stop so he could find his family, but work came first. All he had to do was wait.

As for his family, Christopher and Diana were walking through the door, putting up some extra poster when they heard a familiar whistle that was used for alerting signalmen. But this whistle, wafting on the daylight air, carried on the wind like an old memory from twenty-two years ago.

Christopher's face beamed.

"Thomas…"

He ran over to the station and by the time they got there, Thomas had disappeared with his train. Christopher was certain that he could have seen his son's face staring out of the blue engine's cab when along came the gronks, led by Double-D.

"Is that Devious Diesel?" asked Diana, recognizing him from Wilbert's books.

Diesel paid the couple no notice. He was turning his eyes back over to the lagging Splatter and Dodge.

"Hurry up, you tossers!"

"Who's the tosser?" Splatter asked Dodge.

"You are," Dodge replied. "Now shut up and roll."

"Can't we go any faster?" Arry asked Bert. "We don't want to upset the boss."

Seeing them leave, Christopher and Diana rushed back to inform the others at the hotel. In their room, where the whole family had been gathering Christopher gave them the great news. He did not know whether to be thrilled or terrified.

"I think we may have found Richard."

"Where?" Wilbert was the first to ask.

"Aboard Thomas."

"Thomas?" asked the rest of the family in unison.

Christopher gazed at the rest of his family.

"I know because I am certain that he ran away to the Island of Sodor and Thomas decided to take him back…unless, he is going someplace else."

Wilbert remembered looking at an article for any train related event to keep his mind off of unpleasant matters. He gave his answer to Christopher.

"There is talk of a Great Railway Show taking place today in Bridlington. I was hoping we would go there, but now it seems like my wish has come true."

"You think Richard will be there?" Margaret asked from her chair.

"If I know Richard, he would go there. We can take the nine o'clock train and be there by eight thirty."

So the family packed it up and set off for the Great Railway Show.