Sara's New Best Friends

One of the engines working on branch likes is Sara. Sara is Thomas' sister, even though the two look different from each other. She normally hauls goods trains on Thomas' Branch Line. But sometimes, she works on the main line.

She doesn't mind the extra work. She finds it fun. Even though some of the main line engines teases her about it. "Hey," Henry called out, "It's a branch line engine on the main line!" "Too small to pull the express," Gordon said.

"Yeah!" James agreed, "Not a shiny red engine!" "Oh, you guys are so daft!" Sara exclaimed. "Oh really?" Gordon replied. Sara just ignored Gordon and carried on with her work. "Lucky pep," James muttered.

One day, Sara had finished shunting a train of empty trucks in a siding. That is when she noticed two diesel shunters working nearby. "Well," Sara said. "I know what you're thinking," said Sara's driver, "Well, we're done here. Why now?" "Yes," Sara replied, "I was going to meet them anyway."

So Sara puffed towards the two diesel shunters. The diesel shunters noticed Sara immediately. "Hi?" one of them said. "Hello," said Sara, "It's a lovely day, isn't it?" "Yes?" the other diesel shunter replied. "My name is Sara," said Sara, introducing herself to the two diesels, "Who are you?"

"My name is Splodge," one of the diesels said. "No, you idiot!" the other diesel said, "We're not that called by that anymore. My name is Dodge." "Oh yeah," the first diesel said, "And I'm Splatter. Splodge is what our former boss called us because he doesn't have time."

"For saying two names?" Sara asked, "How silly." "Well, he is silly," said Dodge, "Now we're living a life of jobs." "You mean," Sara began, "You worked for an idiot evil diesel who wanted to find the magic engine and destroy her. You quit and now, you are doing the jobs you were built to do."

"Yes," said Splatter, "How did you know that?" "My brother told me about it," Sara explained, "Thomas the tank engine." "Right," Dodge agreed, "You know, we're friends with him now." "Right," Sara agreed. "We've worked with him some times," Splatter explained. "Ok," Sara said.

"Like one time when we ended up at the Diesel Works," Dodge said. "Oh well," said Sara. "What else?" asked Splatter. The three exchanged stories, but Sara had more to tell than Dodge and Splatter. "Well," said Sara, "Thanks. I must get going now. Thanks for talking to me."

"No problem," said Splatter, "Happy to see you." "Yeah," Sara said, "I must go now. Bye!" And Sara puffed away. "Nice steam engine," said Splatter. "We should have thought twice before," said Dodge.

Sara then arrived at Knapford yards. Sara noticed a large engine. Bigger than Gordon, but smaller than Big Boy and Mallet. "Hello," Sara called out as she puffed up to the engine. "Hi," the large engine called back. "My name is Old Maude," the big engine said.

"Old Maude?" Sara repeated. "Yes," said Old Maude, "I was the first engine on American rail, ways, with two sets of steam pistons." "Lust like Big Boy," Sara said, "He visited us once with another of his kind." "Right," Old Maude agreed.

"I thought you were scrapped long ago," said Sara, trying not to be insulting. "That was just a rumor spread by midgets with noting to do with their lives," Old Maude explained, "I was preserved." "That's good," Sara sighed. "Well, it's another story," said Old Maude, "So what have you been doing lately?"

"I should ask you the same question," chuckled Sara, "I live here, helping my brother and the other engines." "Yes," Old Maud replied, "As for me, in the states, I pull tourist trains and help out in small villages." Sara looked puzzled. "I'm not that gigantic," Old Maude said with a smile. "I understand," Sara replied.

The engines were about to say something else when another engine arrived. This engine looked like Rajiv, but different and less decorative. "Hello," the engine said. "Well, more guest," said Old Maude. "Hi," said Sara. "I am called the Fairy Queen," the other engine said, "I'm the oldest existing engine in the world!"

"Wow," said Sara, "You're great." "Thank you," said Fairy Queen, "Just to let you know, Rajiv is my younger brother." "Nice to meet you," said Sara. "Same," Old Maude replied. After talking to Fairy Queen, Sara puffed away. "See you later," Sara called back. "No problem," Fairy Queen replied. "I can double t that," Old Maude said.

The next engine Sara met was Hank. "Hello," said Hank, "How do you do?" "I'm doing good," Sara replied. Hank explained that he has a lot of goods trains to haul. He also told Sara the time when Thomas tried to do all the work himself. "Well, that's my brother," Sara chuckled. "Right," Hank said.

Next, Sara met Billy. "Hello," said Sara. "Hi," said Billy, "I'm doing better now." "Right," said Sara. By now, Sarah had listened to how Billy had been foolish and how Hank tried to help Thomas. "Well, Thomas had tried to be useful," Sara chuckled. "No doubt about it," said Hank. "Right," said Billy, "I was a fool." "Not anymore," said Sara.

The next engine whom Sara met was Culdee. "How's life going on the mountain railway?" Sara asked. "Great," Culdee replied. "Excellent," Catherine called back. "I see," said Sara, "Well, good luck on the mountain railway." "We will," Culdee answered back.

After Sara left, she continued on with her journey. Next, Sara met Jock, Merlin, and Belle.

Other visiting engines who talked to Sara were Boxhill, Duchess of Hamilton and City of Truro, whom were all visiting at the time. By the end of the day, Sara and the engines she met had a great time together. "That was amazing," Sara said to herself.

Soon enough, Sara came across Diesel 10. Let's say, the meeting with him was tolerable at the time.