The Winx Club's Sodor Adventures - Season 1

Episode 18: Henry's Special Coal

One morning, Henry was feeling very sorry for himself. Sometimes he could pull trains, but sometimes he felt he had no strength at all. "I suffer dreadfully, and no one cares."

"Rubbish, Henry!" snorted James. "You don't work hard enough!"

"Don't listen to him, Henry," said Flora. "You work just as much as anybody else."

Sir Topham Hatt spoke to him too. "What's wrong with you, Henry? You have had lots of new parts and new paint too, but they've done you no good. If we can't make you better, we must get another engine instead of you to do the work."

This made Henry and Flora very sad.

Sir Topham Hatt was waiting when Henry came to the platform. He had taken off his hat and coat and put on overalls.

Henry managed to start, but Flora was not satisfied. "Henry is a bad steamer," she said to Sir Topham Hatt, "but not of his behavior. What I mean is that I built up his fire, but it doesn't give enough heat."

Henry tried very hard, but it was no good. He didn't have enough steam, and came to a stop outside Edward's station.

"Oh, dear!" thought Henry. "I shall have to go away. Oh, dear! Oh, dear!"

All he could do was to go slowly onto a siding, and Edward and Tecna took charge of the train.

Sir Topham Hatt and Flora went on discussing Henry's troubles.

"What do you think is wrong, Flora?" asked Sir Topham Hatt.

"Excuse me, sir," she answered, "but the fact is that the coal supply is wrong. We've had a poor lot lately, and today it's worse. The other engines can manage easily, because they have big fireboxes. Henry's is small and can't make the heat. With Welsh coal, he'd be a different engine."

"It's expensive," said Sir Topham Hatt, "but Henry must have a fair chance. James and Stella shall go and fetch some."

"Thank you, sir," said Flora happily.

When the Welsh coal came, Flora was excited for her favorite green engine. "Now we'll show them, sweetie!" She carefully made Henry's fire, putting large lumps of coal like a wall round the outside. Then the glowing middle part was covered with smaller lumps.

"You're spoiling my fire," complained Henry.

"Wait and see, Henry," said Flora. "We'll have a roaring fire, just when we want it."

Flora was right. When Henry reached the platform, the water was boiling nicely, and he had to let of steam.

"How are you, Henry?"

"Peep, peep!" whistled Henry. "I feel fine."

"Have you a good fire, Flora?"

"Never better, sir, and plenty of steam."

"No record breaking," warned Sir Topham Hatt. "Don't push him too hard, Flora."

"Henry won't need pushing, sir. I'll have to hold him back."

Henry had a lovely day. He had never felt so well in his life. He wanted to go fast, but Flora wouldn't let him.

"Steady, sweetie," she would say. "There's plenty of time."

They arrived early at the station. Thomas and Bloom puffed in.

"Where have you been, lazybones?" asked Henry. "Oh, I can't wait for dawdling tank engines like you! Goodbye!"

"Whoosh!" said Thomas to Bloom, Annie and Clarabel, "Have you girls ever seen anything like it?"

Both Bloom and the coaches agreed that they never had.

The End