Rusty Red Iron

The railway was nearly finished. All that was left to do was lay the tracks over a hill at Maron, and then connect with the rest of the railway at Wellsworth.

The Fat Director was pleased. "A special train is to run from Vicarstown to Tidmouth," he announced, "his grace the Duke of Sodor shall be there at the opening."

The engines were excited, and wondered who would pull the opening train. "I think," said Jupiter, an old tank engine, "that Edward should pull the train. He was worked so hard for the railway."

"No," said Jennifer proudly, "it should be me. I'm the fastest engine here."

"Or me," added Thomas.

All the engines laughed.

"You?!" Jennifer snorted, "you're a tank engine!"

"A tank engine who can push what you can't pull," Thomas retorted cheekily.

"What about Emily?" Asked Frank.

"Oh, no!" said Emily modestly, "I'm too old for important trains. The directors would select a much younger, stronger engine."

"Like me," said Thomas.

The other engines ignored him. Since Thomas had helped push Jennifer's train he had become conceited. He began to think he was the strongest engine on the island.

The next day, all the engines worked hard, but none worked harder than Edward.

"Good work, Edward," said the Fat Director, "keep this up and you might be on the express,"

Thomas overheard the conversation and was jealous.

"So I heard you might be taking the express," said Emily in the sheds that night.

"Aye," said Edward

"Amazing," said Frank

"You'll do just fine," assured Emily

"Perhaps," said Johnson, "you'll be chosen for the special train,"

"Well I think it should be me who pulls the express!" Thomas blurted out, "and taking the special train too, not this rusty red pile of iron!"

Edward was hurt. Jennifer answered Thomas, "expresses and specials are for the big engines. Little tank engines like you are simply not capable for such a task."

"She's right," added Frank, "yer simply not as strong as us. T'sooner you accept that the better."

One day, Thomas was assembling some trucks for Edward. He assembled a long line of 35 trucks. "If I pull this across the yard," he said to himself, "I will prove to everyone that I am the strongest."

The trucks grumbled to each other, "we weren't supposed to leave until this afternoon. Let's pay Thomas out."

Thomas ran round to the front of the train. The shunter was puzzled.

"I'm taking these trucks to another line," Thomas explained. So the shunter coupled Thomas up and Thomas ran bunker-first along the yard. Thomas looked around to see if anyone was watching, but no one was.

"Bother," he mumbled

Then there was trouble. Thomas was so busy looking around he wasn't paying attention to the trucks. "Go on! Go on!" they yelled, and bumped Thomas' driver and fireman off the footplate.

"Oh no!" cried Thomas, "help! help!"

His driver and fireman tried to catch up with Thomas, but not before he reached the turntable. He rolled into the well bunker-first.

Edward had just arrived to pick up his trucks when he saw Thomas in the turntable well and laughed.

"Stronger than Jennifer, eh?" he teased.

Thomas said nothing. The yard manager was running around. "Edward!" he called, "will you move your trucks out of the way?"

"Aye," said Edward. He coupled up to his trucks and pulled his train when the guard was ready.

"Tryna to rust away," he called to Thomas.

Thomas had to stay in the turntable well for several hours. "Oh dear," he said to himself, "will I ever get out?"

At last, Frank arrived with the breakdown train and Thomas was put back on the rails, where the Fat Director had a stern word with him.

Edward returned to the sheds to find Thomas the only engine there. He saw Thomas was sad, "I'm sorry I was rude," he said, "I was jealous because you were getting all the praise for your hard work when I've been working hard too. I thought I was stronger than you, but after my accident I realised I'm pathetic."

Edward decided not to be cross with Thomas and instead cheer Thomas up.

"You're not pathetic, Thomas," he said, "yon yard has been much more orderly since your arrival,"

"I'm not useless?"

"Are yer wat? Yer djurna need to pull t'express to be useful, I come frae a la'l railway, so an engine can only be so big over yonder."

Thomas and Edward soon became good friends. Edward would sometimes help Thomas sort out the coaches, Thomas was never cheeky to Edward, and both agreed that every engine could be really useful in many different ways.

The Grand Opening

The new mainline was finished. All the engines were excited. Stations were decorated and engines were cleaned and polished.

Emily had been selected to pull the opening train. She had been freshly painted and her brass was polished until her driver could see his face in it. "You look fresh out of the works," he remarked.

The other engines agreed.

"I can't think of a better engine for the role," said Jupiter.

Just then, the Fat Director arrived at the sheds.

"Now engines," he announced, "there is to be a brass band performing at the ceremony on the other end of the line. Johnson will carry the brass band, and Thomas will arrange all the coaches."

"Yes, sir!" replied Thomas and Johnson.

Arrangements appeared to be going well at first. Johnson backed down on his train, the passengers entered, including the brass band smartly dressed in burgundy uniform, the porter slammed the doors shut, the guard blew his whistle and waved his green flag, and Johnson left the station.

Johnson had been long gone when a man wearing burgundy uniform ran onto the platform carrying a tuba. He looked at the time, "oh dear!" he said, "I've missed the train again. This is the third time this has happened to me,"

Thomas' driver was on the platform nearby and had an idea. "Perhaps," he said, "we could arrange for you to board the express."

He spoke with the guard and stationmaster and it was arranged. Thomas brought the express coaches to the platform. There were many important people on the train so the tuba player had to travel with the guard. There was only one seat between the both of them, but the tuba player didn't mind standing and taking turns. Jennifer backed down on the coaches and when the guard blew his whistle she started.

The express took him to the other end of the line before Johnson arrived with the rest of the band. They were very surprised to find the tuba player already there, "well," one remarked, "this would be the first time you were early."

Thomas arranged Emily's coaches and brought them to the platform. The railway directors were on the platform, including Sir Topham Hatt, who was smartly dressed in a black tailcoat and light-coloured trousers. The Duke of Sodor was there too. He wore a monocle, red waistcoat, black tailcoat, and light grey trousers and top hat.

The directors and the duke watched as Emily backed down on the train. They boarded the carriages, the guard blew his whistle, and Emily started.

Emily's journey went well. She was glad she was running a mainline train again. They stopped at the station before the hill where a great ribbon blocked Emily's way. The Duke of Sodor and the directors stepped out. The Duke disappeared, then returned dressed in overalls.

"Normally, the Duke would cut the ribbon by hand," he began, "but since Emily has given us a splendid journey I think it only proper that she cut the ribbon with me." He clambered into Emily's cab and, with careful instructions from the driver, drove Emily through the ribbon until it tore in two.

The Duke then went back to his coach and Emily continued. But as she approached the hill, she began to get short of breath. "Bother my tubes," she panted.

"Take your time, old girl," eased his driver.

"I'll do it! I'll do it!" she panted. Soon she was over the top and puffed gently down the hill. She came to a stop at Wellsworth station where an old tank engine stood opposite her. The directors got out and posed for some photographs.

The Duke of Sodor then made a speech. "...the Sodor and Mainland Railway had hoped to build a railway across the isle, linking Sodor with Cumberland and the rest of Great Britain. But low finances hindered their plan and they fell to bankruptcy. The North Western Railway has now accomplished their plan." "That is why," he continued, "this remarkable engine was selected. With the imagination of what it would've been like for her had her old company succeeded."

Emily puffed to the end of the line, then was turned round for the journey home.

The Duke and the directors thanked Emily for a splendid run. Emily felt very pleased with herself. "Thank you, sirs, and your Grace, for giving an old single-wheeler a nice long run."