STORMY WEATHER

Coco didn't come out of the sheds that afternoon. As soon as he arrived back at the mainline, he rolled sadly across the turntable and into the darkness of the shed, his tender facing outwards. He couldn't bare to show his face to the number of passengers who watched him roll by on the platform.

"Sir Topham Hatt will send me packing for sure", he muttered sadly to his driver, who had jumped down from his cab and was trying to soothe his feelings, "I've caused delay, even if it was just an accident"

"Sitting here and worrying about it won't do anything", said his driver with encouragement, "We have a fortnight to prove ourselves to be useful"

"I know", sighed Coco, "But I promised the circus manager I would represent us to the best of my ability. What if he finds out?"

"If we can make up for our mistakes", his driver continued, "He will have no reason to care"

At that moment, Edward rolled happily past the sheds. He was tired, yet content with his morning timetable and stopped by the water crane for a drink. As his tank was filled, his eyes fell upon Coco's tender, that was visible from the sheds.

"Coco?", he thought, "Whatever could the matter be? I hope he hasn't had any trouble"

Just then, Duck rolled crossly by in the opposite direction. He was muttering hotly to himself. Clanking along behind him was the breakdown train, followed by a flat truck of rotten, broken remains of the cargo vans.

"Off to the scrap yard Duck?", he called cheerfully.

Duck came to rest beside Edward and let off steam with anger.

"What's the matter?", asked Edward kindly.

"Something isn't right about this...", fumed Duck, "Poor Coco ran away from the yards a few hours ago after he had an accident with some scrap cargo vans..."

"So that explains it", pondered Edward, "I've just seen him, over there in the sheds..."

Duck looked over to the sheds at Coco's tender. A worried expression crossed his face.

"I'm worried Edward", he whispered with anxiety, "Coco wants to make a good impression here, yet I feel that someone doesn't want him here" "What makes you say that?", asked Edward, beginning to feel the same worry as Duck.

"James was the one who brought these rotten cargo vans into the yard. The same vans that caused Coco's accident", explained Duck, glancing over to the shed, "He said that he had a train to pull, but I knew something wasn't quite right. James was due for an inspection at the works this afternoon, so there was no way he would have been called to take a special"

"So, what your saying is that James knew those vans would cause an accident, and wanted to make fun of Coco?", asked Edward.

Things were beginning to slot into place.

"Exactly", muttered Duck, "I could tell from the sly look upon his face. But it doesn't end there. I don't think James is the only one in on this whole plot"

A low toned whistle filled the bustling air of the yard as Gordon the Express Engine steamed merrily past with the Express. He wore a very proud expression on his face. He usually did when he pulled special, important trains, but for some reason, this sense of pride had something more to it. He chuckled with content as he disappeared beyond the station. Duck and Edward watched him.

"I see", muttered Edward, "I wouldn't put it past Gordon, James and Henry to want to send a perfectly good engine packing. We all know how jealous they can get"

"I think we need to watch out for Coco in the next few days", whispered Duck, glancing about the yard to make sure Henry wasn't lurking around, "If you sense anything suspicious, we must do something, or Sir Topham Hatt will send Coco back to the circus for sure. I couldn't let that happen"

"Right", whispered Edward.

With a final toot of confirmation, the two engines went their separate ways.

*

Meanwhile, Coco was still pondering on what to do when a familiar voice met his attention. He looked back and instantly began to feel as if there was a gap in his boiler, the wind whistling uncomfortable through. The Fat Controller stood beside him. Coco gulped and looked down, expecting to see a stern, angry expression on his face, holding a letter that he would send to the circus manager, telling of the trouble he'd caused. But to his surprise...

"Good afternoon Coco", he said, in a friendly voice. He must have sensed Coco's fear.

"Good afternoon sir", muttered Coco sadly, "I suppose this is it for me. When shall I get going?" The Fat Controller laughed.

"I beg your pardon Coco?", he asked with an amused grin.

"I caused an accident sir...at the yard...vans everywhere...", spluttered Coco, tears rolling down his front, "Delay and confusion...I'm truly sorry sir...I don't want to go back to the circus so soon..."

Sir Topham Hatt placed a hand on Coco's buffer, as if to assure him everything was alright. He beamed up at the circus engine, who's tears splashed down onto his side rods.

"I understand why you are upset Coco", he explained, "But really, you have no need. I wouldn't send you back so soon. Accidents are prone to happen, no matter where, no matter how and no matter which engine causes them. When they do occur, we on this railway, do not let it ruin our schedule. We get it cleared and get back to our work, no matter how major or minor the situation"

"So...your not angry with me sir?", sniffed Coco.

"Certainly not", smiled Sir Topham Hatt, pacing backwards and standing beside Coco with his hands clasped behind his back, "Coco, I have been pleased with your work so far. That little hiccup this afternoon could have happened to anyone. Your a useful engine, and that is why I need you to help Bill and Ben at the harbour yard".

A broad smile of joy appeared on Coco's once solemn face.

"Oh sir...", he sighed with relief, "Thank you ever so much"

Sir Topham Hatt smiled as he watched Coco puff excitedly away to the dock yard. Meanwhile, however, Henry watched from the recesses of a line of coal trucks.

*

Bill and Ben were a little confused when Coco pulled up at their shed in the depths of the busy dock yard. They had been told that a surprise was coming to help them with their duties, but they weren't expecting the red golden plated circus engine to be the new arrival. They watched with gaping mouths as he backed happily down in between them.

"Good afternoon", he whistled cheerfully, "I'm Coco. You must be Bill and Ben, the saddle tank engine twins. Pleased to meet you both. I'm here to help you for the afternoon"

Bill and Ben exchanged confused glances. Coco couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm a circus engine", he explained, "I'm used to getting strange looks from the other engines. But really, I'm just as hard working and usefully as everyone else"

Bill let off an excited burst of steam.

"A circus engine?!"

Ben tooted happily.

"A real live circus engine?!"

"Here to help us?!", they finished in unison.

Their confused looks were now replaced with youthful excitement. Coco blushed slightly. He was extremely modest and being the centre of attention was not always his bunker of coal.

"That's right", he muttered behind a broad grin.

"Wow! I can't believe it!", tooted Bill happily, "I can't wait to start work with you"

"I bet you have loads of funny stories from the circus, don't you Coco?", asked Ben excitedly.

In no time at all, Bill and Ben showed Coco around the entire yard and soon they were busily at work in the sidings. As they went about their shunting duties, Coco entertained the twins with tales from the circus. They especially enjoyed his re-creation of when an elephant had once escaped the grounds and blocked the tunnel when a friend of his from another circus company had arrived on the island some years back.

"You know", muttered Ben, as he and Coco made their way to the dry dock with a new prop for the Sodor Liner, "I'm pretty sure that Henry met an elephant just like that in a tunnel"

"So Henry is the poor engine who met Tango", laughed Coco, "Her master told us she sprayed water all over a very alarmed engine. I hear it took several workman to try and get her out"

Just then, Henry passed by, fuming.

"It wasn't funny!", he hissed as Ben burst into uncontrollable laughter, "I was disgraced for many weeks!"

"Cheer up", soothed Coco, "She probably liked you"

Henry let off a blast of furious steam and scuttled away to the port depot. Coco watched him, slightly worried.

"Do you think I upset him?", he asked as he and Ben arrived at the dry dock.

"Don't let him get to you", chucked Ben, "He's never happy unless he's pulling the Kipper. But he'll get over it, although that incident did stick around for quite some time"

He chucked again.

"The Kipper?", asked Coco with interest, "What's that?"

"It's a very special train that leaves the port every week at the stroke of midnight", explained Ben, "It's a very long, heavy train of fish that Henry pulls across the island to the big city. It's quite a sight when seen at night time. Henry is very privileged to get to pull it"

"Wow", thought Coco, "The Flying Kipper..."

Meanwhile, as Henry made his way to the steel works with a train of steel pipes, he couldn't help hissing loudly and spraying ashes everywhere from his funnel with pure anger.

"How dare he...", he fumed, "If it weren't for him brining up that silly episode, I would never have to put up with that humiliation after all those years ago...I'll show him...I'll show him..."

*

By the time night fell, the harbour yard was just as busy as it had been during the day. Coco was very pleased with himself, and very glad that he was welcome to come back and help any time he pleased. The harbour master came to see him, along with Bill and Ben in the shed that night.

"I'm pleased with your work today Coco", he said proudly, "Thank you very much"

Coco smiled modestly.

"I'm glad to have been of service sir", he smiled.

"If it weren't for your strength, we would not have been able to arrange the Flying Kipper train in time", added Bill.

"Why?", asked Coco, "Was there an accident?"

"The boats that come in from the mainland with the cargo were delayed due to vicious storms that have swept in from the north", explained the Harbour Master, "It's pretty dangerous. The Flying Kipper has had to set out early to avoid any further delay"

At that moment, Henry puffed hotly past them and disappeared into the unloading depot where the Flying Kipper was waiting.

Coco had been amazed, when he shunted the cargo vans into place, at the number of crates and boxes, all stacked with fish, ready to go on to market and big companies in the city. It made him feel important to be apart of the process.

The harbour wall, which stood not far from where the little shed was, looked terribly dangerous. During the late hours of the afternoon, it had begun to spit with droplets. This soon turned into quite a miserable shower of heavy rain. The clouds grew thick and grey and the rain storm had continued well into the night. Wet rails had caused many delays, as well as boats coming into the harbour having to wait for a tugboat escort. The ocean was stirring into a torrent, crashing heavily against the wall. The trucks that stood on a siding nearby squealed with fright as ocean spray submerged them in cold sea water.

"It looks terrible out there", muttered Ben, as they watched the waves crash against the harbour wall, "I'd hate to be the Fulton Ferry at a time like this"

"At least we are safe and warm here with our fires", added Bill, trying to lighten the dark mood, "Imagine how poor Henry must feel, having to tackle this storm all through the night!"

Coco watched the waves with worry. Suddenly, taking them by surprise, a huge wave crashed over the side of the wall with a mighty SMASH. It was so powerful, the engines felt the spray splash against their boilers, even when they stood several tracks away. It was very cold and very wet.

"The waves seem to be getting higher and more vicious", thought Coco, with even more worry, "This is dangerous"

But before anyone could do anything, a second wave stuck. It washed water up over the wall and over the track. Several small ballast trucks feel victim to it. They screamed as they were knocked away by the powerful water, their loads spreading everywhere.

"Oh dear", cried the Harbour Master, "We must warn the Flying Kipper. We can't let Henry leave with such terrible weather conditions. We'll have to delay until the storm is over, or at least until everything has calmed down..."

But it was far too late. Before he could do anything, a shrill whistle broke through the pouring splash of rain and the roaring of the ocean. Henry's light shone brightly as he slowly but surely emerged from the depot, squinting anxiously through the rain, trying desperately to see ahead. Behind him, the twenty wooden cargo vans rattled along with a rhythm. It was the Flying Kipper.

"There goes the Flying Kipper", muttered Bill, "I wish I could pull it, but they need big strong engines like Coco"

But Coco wasn't listening. He couldn't help but stare with pure horror, as Henry drew closer and closer towards the harbour wall where the powerful waves were crashing and threatening to submerge the entire yard with water.

It was too dangerous for him to continue. He had to be stopped and put back to the safety of the depot before it was too late. The Harbour Master grabbed an empty coal bag for protection and ran out into the rain, crying out for Henry to stop.

"Stop!", he shouted through the roaring and the pouring, "Stop the train! It's too dangerous to continue!"

But Henry didn't seem to hear. The noise was too loud that the cries of the Harbour Master were drowned out. Coco's boiler ached at the sight of the crashing waves, to which Henry was drawing closer and closer to. Before he even knew what he was doing, he blasted his whistle, long, loud and clear.

"STOP HENRY! STOP!"

The guard must have heard the cries as all of a sudden, Henry shut off steam. His brakes screamed, but the rails were far too slippery. Coco sighed with relief, but his celebrations were cut short. Henry came to a stop...right beside the harbour wall. His heart sank, as in the mere distance, he could make out the rolling wrath of a tidal wave, slowly drawing closer and closer towards the wall where Henry stood stationary.

"What's all this about?", he heard the big green engine fume, "We can't be late, no matter what the trouble is"

Suddenly, he heard it. The wave roared and collapsed over itself as it approached the wall. The sight of it, coming closer and closer was enough to make his wheels shake. He let out a cry and a full blast of steam.

"Help! Help!", he cried, "Tidal Wave! Tidal Wave!"

Coco had had enough. He let of a high whistle of determination.

"I've had enough", he said, "I have to save Henry and the Flying Kipper"

Bill and Ben watched with pure fascination as Coco hurried quickly out of the shed into the pouring rain that battered him, as if trying to prevent him from going any further. But as Percy had so rightly said, water is nothing to an engine with determination. It was so furious, trying to blind him from making his way across the yard to Henry.

"I won't let a little rain get in my way", he hissed as he came closer and closer to where Henry sat, alarmed and dismayed beside the harbour wall. He pulled up in front of the big green engine.

"Coco?", he called with confusion, "You've come to..."

"Quickly", ordered Coco, "We have to move before the wave hits!"

Henry was speechless as their buffer's clanged. Coco's wheels tried to grip the slippery rails below him but they only spun uncontrollably. He had to get both Henry and the Flying Kipper out of the way of tidal wave that continued to approach at an alarming rate. But the both combined were far to heavy for Coco to push alone. Ocean spray splattered his spinning wheels as he heaved, trying to push Henry back. Every moment, the wave drew closer and closer.

There was a loud snap, and a clang as metal hit the ballast. Coco had been pushing so hard that his coupling rods had come loose. But, even with them gone, his wheels continued to spin, so fast, sparks were beginning to fly. Henry wanted to help, but his brakes were hard on. The roaring wind lashed his boiler. He couldn't move.

"I have to do this...", muttered Coco, behind gritted teeth, "I must save Henry"

There was a loud burst of steam as sparks flew from Coco's funnel. His pistons were exploding with thick clouds of smoke and steam. With his wheels spinning madly and all his weight against Henry and Kipper, the entire line lurched backwards.

"I'm doing it!"

With a second, gigantic heave, Coco gritted his teeth and pushed the train with all his might, slowly but surely, rolling them backwards towards the depot. Just as his tender had cleared the way, a funnel of raging water crashed down onto the rails from the harbour wall, crashing down where they had stood moments before. Henry stared with twitching eyes as the wave swept several empty trucks away, one nearly missing Bill and Ben who were snug in their shed across the way.

Coco managed to push both Henry and the Flying Kipper into the dry, safety of the depot, out of harms way.

"Coco...", spluttered Henry, "My dear engine!...How can I ever thank you!...You saved my life!"

Coco panted and caught his breath.

"It was nothing Henry", he smiled, his face red from the heaving and pushing, "I couldn't let you fall victim to the wave..."

He had to stop mid-sentence to catch his breath. His lovely red paint was ruined and his wheels worn and aching. His coupling rods had been washed away in the tide. He would never see them again.

"But I was rude to you earlier", said the big green engine, beginning to feel rather uncomfortable at his actions, "You should have just left me"

"How could I do that?", asked Coco with a faint smile, "The Island of Sodor needs big strong engines like yourself to pull special, important trains like the Flying Kipper"

A few hours later when the Harbour Master announced that all was clear, Henry steamed happily out of the depot with the Flying Kipper, into the slowly rising sun on the horizon. Bill and Ben wondered what he was so happy about. The reason why? He had found a new, great friend in Coco the Circus Engine. Whilst they waited for the storm to settle, Coco had entertained Henry with tales from the circus, and Henry was quite happy to find that Tango was still alive and well. But as he steamed through the countryside, en-route to the big city, guilt struck him. Maybe trying to send Coco away wasn't such a good idea after all. He knew that Gordon wouldn't be pleased when he returned home the next day.

*