SIR TOPHAM HATT'S HOLIDAY

Based upon the episode by Britt Allcroft and David Mitton

Adapted by Zack Wanzer and Rachel Ravens

It was now the summer holidays on the Island of Sodor, and Sir Topham Hatt had invited his grandchildren to stay with him.

"You be good for your grandfather and grandmother, won't you, Annabelle?" said Barbara when she and Henry Regaby brought them up.

"Yes, mom and dad," smiled Annabelle. She hugged both her grandparents lovingly.

"She's always a pleasure to have with us, Barbara and Henry," chuckled Sir Topham Hatt. "Now, where are Stephen and Bridget? Mandy and Charles should be here by now." Charles Hatt was Barbara's younger brother, and one day, he was destined to take over from his father when he retired as controller for the North Western Railway.

"I don't know, dear," said Lady Hatt, when suddenly, they heard a honking of another car. "Oh, I spoke too soon."

"We're here, grandfather and grandmother!" called Stephen when he and Bridget got out of the car, their parents close behind.

"Stephen got us a bit delayed," said Bridget. "He was saying goodbye to one of our schoolmates, Helen."

"Who's Helen?" asked Annabelle.

"She's around the same age as us," Bridget explained, "and she lives nearby our house." She started giggling. "I think Stephen has quite the crush on her."

"Ooh, really?" gasped Annabelle in excitement.

"W-what?" gasped Stephen, blushing bright red. "N-no, I don't!"

"That's not what I saw," teased Bridget in a sing-song voice.

"Alright, alright," chuckled Sir Topham Hatt. "You three behave yourselves."

"Are you sure you can handle all three of them, father?" asked Charles.

"I'll be fine, son," smiled Sir Topham Hatt. "They'll have a great time with me and your mother."

"Oh, we almost forgot to ask," said Amanda. "Who's looking after your engines while you're on holiday?"

"I've put Mr. Baldwin in charge," Sir Topham explained.

"Oh, he did a grand job last time from what you've told us," said Barbara. "Well, with all that settled, we've got to go ourselves. Have a good time, you lot."

The parents all left, and Sir Topham, Lady Hatt and their grandchildren headed to the car. "Thomas, Annie and Clarabel will be taking us to the seaside," he explained. "We'll head up to Elsbridge station first."

Meanwhile, Thomas was trundling along with Annie and Clarabel. Throughout the last couple of years, they had become a bit shabby, but that didn't deteriorate Thomas' love for the two coaches he considered to be older sisters.

"Do come along, we can't be late! Do come along, we can't be late!" he called to the coaches.

"We're coming along, we're coming along," they sang back to their engine.

The trio arrived at Elsbridge just as Sir Topham, Lady Hatt and their grandchildren arrived. Annie and Clarabel's shabby appearance did not go unnoticed.

"Oh, these coaches are old and uncomfortable!" Lady Hatt grunted. "Why don't you use them as beach huts instead?"

"We do need some form of huts down at the beach," agreed Bridget. "We should get Thomas some new coaches."

"Oh, how rude!" snapped Annie.

"Seems Bridget hasn't changed at all," added Clarabel.

"Hey!" snapped Annabelle. "I'll have you know that Annie and Clarabel are my namesakes! They helped get my mother to the hospital when she was in labor!"

Despite Annabelle's defense, Thomas still felt rather hurt by Lady Hatt and Bridget's comments.

"You won't turn Annie and Clarabel into beach huts, will you, sir?" he asked worriedly.

"I would never dream of such a thing, Thomas," assured Sir Topham Hatt. "Although I do admit they could use some refurbishing. I'd suggest taking them to the Steamworks once you've finished your runs for the day."

"Yes, sir," said Thomas, slightly relieved. But he still couldn't help but worry; with Annie and Clarabel being refurbished, who would go with him on his passenger runs?

Thomas eventually came to the seaside, where he saw Bulstrode being used as a playground.

"Remember when we used to play there, Stephen and Bridget?" asked Annabelle.

"With Peter, Paul, Penny, Patrick and Pansy, yes," chuckled Stephen. "That was such fun."

"Enjoying the sunshine, Bulstrode?" teased Thomas.

"Not if you're being surrounded by those brats," the barge grumbled to himself. "At least they know their place… unlike those teenagers and their wild parties…" He shuddered to himself at a few memories he wished he could forget.

"Come on, Stephen, Annabelle," said Bridget. "Last one to get into their bathing suit and into the water is a rotten egg!"

The other two chuckled and quickly got changed - their bathing suits were under their clothes - and splashed into the ocean, the grandparents watching them closely. Thomas, Annie and Clarabel had to leave at that moment.

"I'm glad that Annabelle is the grandchild who actually lives on the island," grunted Annie.

"Don't forget about Stephen," said Clarabel. "He didn't make fun of us like Bridget did."

"I get a feeling Bridget won't understand railways," sighed Thomas. "Wait until Toby and Henrietta hear about this."

At the end of the day, Thomas took his coaches to the Steamworks. He found Emily still being restored. She was about three-quarters of the way there now, as most of her rusted spots were gone, and many of her parts had been replaced.

"Hello there… er, Thomas, was it?" she asked.

"That's right," the blue tank engine confirmed. "Emily, right? I believe I saw you when I was on a five-yearly service just before Bear's first Christmas here."

"That's correct," said Emily. "I can't wait to finally set my wheels out onto your rails. I shouldn't be here for too much longer. Oh, and who are these fine coaches?"

"I'm Annie," said the leading coach, "and that's my sister Clarabel."

"It's such a pleasure to meet you," smiled Emily. "What brings the two of you here? Refurbishment, I presume?"

"How did you guess?" asked Clarabel with surprise.

"Well, you both look like you've been working very hard," said Emily. "And you deserve to get some time to relax and get refurbished."

Annie and Clarabel couldn't help but smile at the Stirling single.

"Looks like you two will be in good company," smiled Thomas as he was uncoupled. "I'd better go. I'll see you in a couple of days, Annie and Clarabel."

"Goodbye, Thomas!" the coaches called as he puffed away.

The next day, Thomas was taking some normal coaches instead, but he wasn't too happy with the arrangement. This didn't go unnoticed by Percy when the two of them met at Elsbridge.

"Is everything alright, Thomas?" the little green engine asked.

"I wish it was," sighed Thomas. He quickly explained to him about Lady Hatt and Bridget.

"So Bridget's comment about Toby being 'electric' wasn't a fluke," Percy gasped.

"Apparently not," grunted the blue tank engine. "Anyone would think she's the one with Albert Regaby's bloodline, not Annabelle."

"I guess that a love for the railways doesn't always run in the family," said Percy. Thomas grunted in agreement before he set off, and it was just as well because Sir Topham Hatt arrived with his family to board Percy's train.

"Hi, Percy," smiled Annabelle. "Grandfather heard word from the Steamworks; Annie and Clarabel's refurbishing is coming along smoothly and Thomas should have them back in two days."

"That is good news to hear," smiled Percy.

"Come on, Annabelle!" called Bridget. "Stop dawdling back there."

"Maybe if you showed kindness to the engines and the coaches, I wouldn't have to play damage control!" retorted Annabelle.

"Goodness me," sighed Stephen, hopping into the coach. "Bridget, I thought you would have learned from when we were kids. You can't just say insensitive comments to the engines and coaches like that."

"Well, I was how old when I first saw Toby? Seven or eight, around that age," grunted Bridget. "It's not my fault I didn't know about the difference between steam and electric trams."

"Annabelle knew what the LNER initials stood for when she was five," retorted Stephen.

"Stephen, Bridget!" snapped Sir Topham Hatt. "You two behave yourselves around my engines, especially you, Bridget! You and Jane are in enough trouble as it is."

"Sorry, grandfather," said Stephen quietly, but loud enough so he could be heard. Bridget just sighed as the guard's whistle blew.

"Somehow, I don't think Bridget's going to stay in touch with the railway system when she gets older," sighed Percy.

Eventually, the green saddle tank engine reached Dryaw, where Harold was waiting.

"You alright there, chap?" asked the helicopter.

"Bridget and - to a lesser extent - Lady Hatt have been a bit… haughty on this holiday," Percy explained. "I'd watch my back around those two when you take them on your flight."

The family walked out of the coach and as they got closer to Harold, there came a cry from above…

"LOOK OUT BELOW!"

"Oh no…" groaned Harold, rolling his eyes.

"Get down!" cried Sir Topham Hatt, and the Hatts all did so. Just in time as a yellow and red biplane flew too closely over the railway lines and their heads.

"Not again!" cried Percy as the plane narrowly missed his funnel.

"Who, or what, was that?" gasped Stephen.

"That was Tiger Moth," grumbled Harold. "Ever since he came to this airfield, he's been nothing but trouble; flying too low and showing off."

"So I can see," grunted Sir Topham Hatt. "Please take us up, Harold, before there's another disturbance."

"Er, have a good flight, everyone," said Percy. "I'd better get going."

"Maybe we can see how you're doing with your trains from above," smiled Annabelle. "I'll be sure to wave to you and your friends."

"Thank you, Annabelle," replied Percy as he puffed away.

The family were soon flying through the sky with Harold.

"Oh, there's the Anopha quarry!" cried Annabelle. "I think I see Mavis down there. Oh, and look, I see Duck and Oliver at Tidmouth, the former's with Old Slow Coach."

"She deserves a better name than that," said Stephen. "But what?"

Annabelle and Stephen started debating on name ideas for the rest of the trip while they were sightseeing and waving to the engines and non-rail vehicles below, but unfortunately, neither of them could come to any conclusions. Bridget remained quiet.

"It seems like I'm a third wheel as far as those two are concerned," she grunted to herself.

Eventually, the flight ended and the Hatt family went out on Toby and Henrietta to tour an old castle.

"Now this looks rather interesting, grandfather," said Stephen. "Have you been to this place before?"

"I used to visit here with the Earl of Sodor," Sir Topham Hatt explained. "Or rather, the previous one. He died in the war, and his son is the Earl now. Duke is named after one of the previous Earls himself."

"Does Duke know the current Earl?" asked Annabelle.

"Hmm… I don't think he does," Sir Topham Hatt admitted. "Last I heard, he'd gone to travel the world right before Sir Handel and Peter Sam revealed their past."

"Oh, that's so sad," gasped Annabelle. "I hope the Earl finds out about his engine."

"I heard that the Earl has another narrow gauge engine," Sir Topham Hatt added. "But no one's seen nor heard of her for ages."

Toby and Henrietta gasped in surprise.

"Another narrow gauge engine on Sodor?" exclaimed Henrietta. "Now this is a surprise."

"I wonder why no one's heard of her before, whoever she is," said Toby.

Unfortunately, Sir Topham Hatt couldn't really answer that question, and he and his family retreated back to their holiday house that evening.

The rest of the holiday seemed to be uneventful, save from a few snide comments from Bridget and the other two having to soothe ruffled feelings of the engines, until one day, Harold came to the holiday house.

"Hi, Harold," smiled Annabelle. "Are you here to give us another ride?"

"I'm afraid not, Annabelle," said Harold. "But Tiger Moth has gone missing. Do you think your grandfather could join the search with us?"

"I guess I'd best do that," said Sir Topham Hatt. "You three behave for your grandmother. Unless she makes rude remarks about the engines and whatnot, then Annabelle and Stephen, you two can put her in her place."

"Yes, grandfather," nodded Annabelle and Stephen, and Lady Hatt rolled her eyes.

As soon as Sir Topham Hatt had boarded Harold, the pair flew the skies to find where Tiger Moth had gotten stuck.

"He shouldn't be too hard to find," said Harold. "It's hard to miss something yellow and red amongst a sky of blue or a field of green."

"Would a field of brown cut up hay be any easier, Harold?" asked Sir Topham Hatt when they came across a farm. As if to answer the controller's question, Harold spotted something yellow and red nose-down in a haystack.

"There's Tiger Moth!" the helicopter exclaimed, and he came in for a landing.

"Oh, hey there, Harry, old chum," Tiger Moth chuckled, spitting away from hay that had gotten close to his mouth. "Keeping the skies safe?"

"You should be keeping safe in the skies yourself," retorted the helicopter as he landed. When he had safely done so, Sir Topham Hatt hopped down.

"As a railway man, I don't know much about aircraft myself," he said sternly, "but from what I've been told, you've been showing off and flying dangerously. I shall have a word with your owner and request that you are grounded."

"Yes, sir…" sighed Tiger Moth.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I shall return to my holiday."

"Jolly good idea, sir," smiled Tiger Moth, despite the situation he was currently in.

"I don't believe this biplane," muttered Harold.

Sir Topham Hatt was flown back to his family and he drove them off to Elsbridge where Toby and Henrietta were going to take them somewhere special.

"So I'm guessing the reason you're taking us is because Thomas has gone to pick up Annie and Clarabel?" asked Annabelle.

"He sure is," smiled Toby. "He'll be glad to have his 'older sisters' back."

"But coaches can't be related to engines," grunted Bridget. "I suppose the next thing you'll say is that engines and coaches can be in love."

"But Toby and Henrietta are," Annabelle pointed out, "and are one of the cutest couples on Sodor, I might add."

"Oh, Annabelle," smiled Henrietta, blushing upon those words.

"You were saying, Bridge?" smirked Stephen. For once, Bridget had nothing to say. She simply boarded Henrietta without another word.

"That got her quiet," chuckled Toby as he puffed off to his destination.

The destination in question was a small river inlet where a boat was waiting.

"Wow, what a beautiful boat!" exclaimed Bridget.

"It's my special treat," said Sir Topham as the family got aboard the Sodor Maid; Toby rang his bell as he and Henrietta departed.

"This trip will be far cleaner than riding in the likes of those old beach huts," Lady Hatt said to herself, but this just earned her a glare from Sir Topham, Stephen and Annabelle.

But life on the river is very different from that on the rails.

"Oh, I can still hear the engine's whistles and horns from the river," smiled Annabelle. "Sounds like Daisy's just gone by with her passengers."

"And Harold's flying by too," cried Stephen, waving to the helicopter when he was on patrol.

"Do you know where we're going, Topham?" asked Lady Hatt.

"Of course I do, dear," said Sir Topham. "While rail is the best way to travel, I don't mind travelling by the river once in a while."

But he wasn't focused on where he was going, and before the Hatts knew it, they ended up in a muddy bank covered in algae.

"You were saying?" exclaimed Lady Hatt.

"Ohh, botheration!" groaned Sir Topham. "We're stuck!"

It wasn't too long before another boat arrived; this one had Mr. and Mrs. Kyndley with their daughter and her fiancé.

"Oh! Er, I say!" Sir Topham Hatt called. "A little help here, please?"

"Sir Topham?" exclaimed Mrs. Kyndley. "How did you get stuck on that mudbank?"

"I, er, might not have the best sea legs," Sir Topham admitted. "Do you think you could call for help?"

"Of course," said Mr. Kyndley. "I think there's a phone box not far from here." They took their boat back the other way.

"Do the Hatts always end up like this, Sophia?" asked her fiancé.

"You've no idea, Jack," sighed Sophia.

After the Kyndleys had left to call for help, other boats came to try and pull the Sodor Maid off the mud bank, but their efforts proved to be useless. Percy was taking some empty trucks back up to Anpoha quarry when he saw the commotion.

"What's going on over here?" he asked in surprise. "Do you and your family need some help, sir?"

"Yes indeed, Percy," said Sir Topham Hatt.

"Well! This is the life, isn't it, my dear?" Sir Topham Hatt chuckled after the Sodor Maid had been freed… and was resting on a flatbed being pushed by Percy.

"Thank you so much, Percy," smiled Annabelle. "You helped my family out of a tricky situation and continue to prove you are really useful."

"Always happy to lend a buffer," Percy smiled back, blushing at the commonly used catchphrase his controller used to praise the engines.

Percy and the Hatt family arrived back at Elsbridge station where Thomas was waiting, along with a freshly refurbished Annie and Clarabel, inside and out. Annabelle and Stephen gave warm smiles at Thomas and the coaches when they got down from the boat.

"My!" exclaimed Lady Hatt. "What splendid coaches! So much more suitable than those old beach huts on wheels."

There were some quiet chuckles from behind, but no one said a word.

"But aren't they… ouch!" Bridget was elbowed by Stephen.

"Better not mention that to grandmother," he whispered, still trying not to laugh out loud.

That evening, Thomas gently shunted Annie and Clarabel into their shed with Henrietta.

"Hello, you two," smiled Henrietta. "Your new paint looks splendid. Welcome home."

"Why, thank you, Henrietta," replied Annie. "It's good to see you too."

"It's very nice to get compliments," said Clarabel, "but no matter what we look like, we'll always be useful, right, Thomas?"

"Of course, your ladyships," Thomas replied kindly. "No amount of dirty paintwork will ever tear us apart because I know you'll never change who you truly are."

And with that, Annie and Clarabel had to be content.

THE END

Author's Comments

There's six more episodes out of Series 5 Redux to go, beginning with Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday! This is probably the only episode of the entire show where the behind the scenes played a role in the writing; specifically, Annie and Clarabel receiving new models due to the old ones being worn out, and so new ones were made from scratch. We expanded upon that a little by showing Thomas working with other coaches while Annie and Clarabel were being refurbished and how he's handling it, taking loose inspiration from Thomas Saves the Day from series eight. Something else that was expanded upon was the dynamic of the Hatt family; specifically, the interactions between Stephen, Bridget and Annabelle. Bridget's fascination with railways at a young age was a phase while Stephen and Annabelle are more drawn to railways as they get older. Speaking of whom, while it's never been stated, Annabelle Regaby has signs of being autistic, with one of the first signs being how she was able to immediately tell Henry (pre-rebuild) and Gordon (pre-repaint) apart. Autistic people are able to pick up on those little details that others would likely not notice, and it's especially true if they're into a certain topic.

Upcoming stories:

- Henrietta and the Naughty Coal Truck

- Happy Ever After

- Bye George!

- Duncan Gets Spooked

- Rusty and the Boulder