The Winx Club's Sodor Adventures - Season 1
Episode 22: Thomas Breaks the Rules
There's a line to a quarry at the end of Thomas' branch; it goes for some distance along the road. Thomas and Bloom were always very careful to whistle here, in case anyone was coming.
Early one morning, a large policeman was sitting close to the line. Thomas liked policemen. He and Bloom had been great friends of the officer who had just retired.
"Peep, peep!" They whistled, "Good morning."
Thomas and Bloom expected that the new officer would be friendly too, but they were sorry to see that he didn't look friendly at all. He was red in the face and very cross.
"Disgraceful!" he spluttered. "I didn't sleep a wink last night, it was so quiet. And now engines come whistling suddenly behind me!"
"I'm sorry, sir," said Thomas, "we only said 'Good morning'".
"That's true," said Bloom, "we didn't mean to disturb you."
The policeman pointed to Thomas. "Where's your cowcatcher?" he asked.
"But I don't catch cows, sir!"
"Don't be funny!" snapped the policeman. He looked at Thomas' wheels. "No sideplates either," and he wrote in his notebook. "Engines going on public roads must have their wheels covered, and a cowcatcher in front to protect people and animals from being dragged under the wheels if they stray onto the line. You haven't, so you are dangerous.
"Rubbish!" said Bloom crossly. "We've been along here hundreds of times and never had an accident."
"That makes it worse," the policeman answered. He wrote "Regular lawbreaker" in his book. Thomas and Bloom puffed sadly away.
Sir Topham Hatt was having breakfast. He was eating toast and marmalade.
The butler came in. "Excuse me, sir. You are wanted on the telephone."
"Bother that telephone!" said Sir Topham Hatt. "I'm sorry, my dear," he said to his wife. "Thomas and Bloom are in trouble with the police, and I must go at once."
At the station, Bloom told Sir Topham Hatt what had happened.
"Dangerous to the public, indeed! We'll see about that!"
Sir Topham Hatt spoke to the policeman. But however much he argued with him, it was no good.
"The law is the law," he said, "and we can't change it."
Sir Topham Hatt felt exhausted. "I'm sorry, Bloom," he said, "it's no use arguing with policemen. We will have to make those cowcatcher things for Thomas, I suppose."
"Everyone will laugh, sir," said Thomas. "They'll say I look like a tram!"
Sir Topham Hatt stared, then he laughed. "Well done, Thomas! Why didn't I think of it before? We need a tram engine!"
"Good idea, sir!" cried Bloom excitedly. "But how did you know that?"
Sir Topham Hatt answered her, "Well, Bloom, when I was on my holiday, I met a nice little engine called Toby. And like you and the other members of the Winx Club, he also had a fairy friend who worked with him. She happened to be your headmistress at Alfea, Miss Faragonda."
Bloom was surprised. "You mean, our headmistress used to work on this island? Tecna told me and the others about it."
"That's right," said Sir Topham Hatt. "And as I was saying, they take freight cars from the farms, but the trucks are taking over most of their work, and Toby needs a change. He has cowcatchers and sideplates. I'll write to his superintendent and Miss Faragonda at once."
A few days later, Toby arrived at Lower Tidmouth Station with Bloom, Miss Faragonda, Tecna and Roxy already waiting on the platform.
"That's a good engine," said Sir Topham Hatt. "It's good to see you and Miss Faragonda again. It's been awhile since I saw you two."
"Yes, it has been a long time," said Faragonda. "Bloom, Tecna, Roxy, come over and meet my old friend."
When the three girls saw Toby in person for the first time, they were amazed.
"Well, Faragonda," said Toby, "I see that these three girls must be your students from Alfea, correct?"
"That's right," said the headmistress. "Toby, this is Bloom, that's Tecna, and that's Roxy. Girls, this is Toby the Tram Engine."
"Very nice to meet you, Toby," said Roxy. "Miss Faragonda and told us and Tecna all about you. Anybody who is a friend of our headmistress is a friend of ours."
"Why, thank you, Roxy," said Toby, "I'm very flattered."
"By the way, Toby," said Sir Topham Hatt, "I see you brought your coach Henrietta."
"You don't mind, do you, sir?" asked Toby. "The stationmaster wanted to use her as a hen house, and that would never do."
"No, indeed," said Sir Topham Hatt, "we couldn't allow that."
"Roxy," said Faragonda, "may I speak to you privately?"
"Sure, Miss Faragonda," answered Roxy. "What is it?"
"Well, I've riden on Toby for a long time, and he's one of the best friends I've ever had. So anyway, I need someone to run him for me while he's working for Sir Topham Hatt now. And since the other girls have their own engines to run, would you like to be Toby's new driver? Don't do it for me. Do it for Toby."
"Yes, ma'am," said Roxy. "I accept the offer, and I won't let you or Toby down."
Faragonda smiled at the answer. And when Roxy told Toby what the headmistress said, he was very pleased to have someone close to his friend, taking her place.
Tecna and Miss Faragonda helped train Roxy how to run Toby properly. Soon the two were assigned to the line leading to the quarry. And surprisely they made the silly cars behave, even better than Thomas and Bloom did.
"Oi, you!"
At first, Thomas was jealous, but he was so pleased when Toby rang his bell and frightened the policeman, they've been firm friends ever since.
The End