TRIPLE HEADER

Based upon the story by Christopher Awdry

Adapted by Zack Wanzer and Rachel Ravens

Late one afternoon, Gordon was resting on a siding outside of Knapford station. Because of the summer rush, the express had been busier than usual, and the weather had been very hot.

"I've been getting out of breath lately," he panted. "It must be this weather. Sometimes I wish we could run without fires…"

"And be a diesel?" grunted James as he puffed in with the red coaches. "No thank you!"

"Believe me, James," muttered Gordon. "I didn't mean like that! No offence to Rusty, of course."

"It must be your tender slowing you down," called Thomas cheekily as he came in with Annie and Clarabel. "You should get Sir Topham Hatt to give you tanks and a bunker. You'd feel a different engine, Gordon."

Perhaps it was lucky for Thomas that poor Gordon didn't have the energy to reply, and Annie and Clarabel had been partly asleep due to the heat.

"Phew," sighed Duck as he came in to collect Gordon's coaches. "I sometimes question why summer is one of our busiest times of the year. I'm glad you're in the yards for a while, Percy." The smaller tank engine had come out to take the red coaches.

"Just like your first day," chuckled Percy. "Still, we could do with another engine for the main line."

"Edward mentioned that he needs help on his branch line too," said Thomas. "Maybe one of the Midland quintet will be sent down there eventually. Or maybe you'll become part of the branch line, Duck."

"Maybe," said Duck. "I believe that may have been Sir Topham Hatt's original plan for me last year."

"If only that Diesel hadn't been such a liar," grunted Percy.

"I swear, if he dares show his face around here again, I wouldn't trust him at all," Duck snapped. "Even if I had Black Water being poured into my system and he showed up to try and save me."

"Oh, don't even go there," shuddered Thomas.

The next morning, Gordon was having trouble starting up. The express was due in half an hour, but Gordon wasn't ready.

"Ugh, come on, fire…" he grunted. "I need to take the express!"

"This seems familiar…" Thomas said with a chuckle.

"I don't know what's wrong," said Gordon's fireman, "but it doesn't look like we'll be taking the express at this rate today."

"You'll need to be inspected at the Steamworks, Gordon," said Sir Topham Hatt. "Henry, you'll have to take over the express for today. Johnson will cover your local train."

"You can count on me, sir!" smiled Henry.

"I'll get the coaches ready," offered Percy.

Henry had a splendid time with the express, and he even managed to check in on the Skarloey engines. Skarloey was with the old coaches at Crovan's Gate.

"Hello, Skarloey," greeted Henry. "How have you been since your return to service?"

"I've been wonderful, thank you, Henry," smiled the old engine. "Though things have been a bit hectic with Duncan's behavior. He's improved now, thank goodness for that."

"I can't believe James would lie to him about sending Diesel packing," agreed Henry. "I understand his frustration about not being involved as much as Percy and I were, but still."

"Insecurities can get the best of us, I'm afraid," sighed Skarloey. "Rusty, on the other buffer, has been very pleasant since he arrived, and the new coaches have also been welcome additions around here."

"It is nice to have a diesel around who is honest and hardworking," said Henry. "I just hope that the others will see that overtime."

"Indeed," agreed Skarloey. "Just because one diesel was bad doesn't mean that they're all bad."

Just then, the big green engine's guard blew her whistle.

"Nice talking with you, Skarloey," Henry called as he departed.

A few days later, Henry was taking on some coal as usual. Unfortunately, the workmen hadn't checked the coal supply recently, and it was much dustier than usual. When Henry was trying to leave the siding, he was coughing before he could get to the crossover.

"Ohh, flatten my funnel!" he exclaimed in between coughs. "The coal from the mines is better than this."

Thick black smoke was now pouring out of his funnel, and his driver and fireman jumped down to get a better look.

"Looks like your firebox has to be cleaned out, old boy," sighed his driver.

"But who's going… to take the express?" asked Henry through a cough. "Gordon's not mended yet; James and Johnson are too busy; and the others can't do it alone."

Sir Topham Hatt soon heard about Henry's condition, and he didn't know what to do either.

"Inspector, are there any options left?"

"I'm afraid that Thomas is the only spare engine available, and he's not strong enough to take the train by himself," the inspector explained.

"Well, what about Percy?" asked Sir Topham Hatt. "Could he help out too?"

"Hmm… The two of them with Duck might manage as far as Crovan's Gate," suggested the inspector. "If Gordon is repaired in time, he could take over from there. I got a phone call from the Steamworks manager about him."

"Ah, good," said Sir Topham Hatt. He called the trio of tank engines together and quickly explained the plan.

"Us?" asked Percy. "With the express?"

"Can we do this?" asked Thomas. "My siblings didn't have the best water and coal capacity."

"We have to try," said Duck. "The passengers are counting on us."

It wasn't long before the three tank engines were coupled onto the express; Thomas was nearest the train and Percy was up at the front with Duck between the pair of them.

"Let's put some sand on the rails," suggested Percy. "We're going to need it."

With plenty of sand from their sandboxes on the rails, the trio dug their wheels into it. Very slowly, the train began to move out of the station.

"So far, so good," said Thomas.

"We're really doing this, you two," remarked Duck.

"I hope the passengers understand we're not nearly as fast as Gordon or Henry," said Percy.

Thankfully, the passengers did understand that, and most of them didn't mind.

"We'll get a good look at Henry's forest today," said one. "The slower pace may help us to see more of the animals."

Expresses are not like branch line trains; they don't stop at all of the stations, and engines don't have a chance to get their breath back, but this didn't stop Percy, Thomas and Duck as they puffed valiantly past Wellsworth and towards Gordon's hill.

"It's a pity Edward's too busy to help bank us up the hill today," sighed Thomas. "If we stick here, Gordon will never let us hear the last of it."

"We can do this," Duck said determinedly. "Give it all you've got!"

"Let's get these passengers to the station!" said Percy, pulling harder than ever before.

However, when the engines were nearing the top of the hill, there was a loud crack.

"Ouch!"

"Percy!" Duck and Thomas quickly applied their brakes. The saddle tank engine was now leaking steam from his cylinder, and his face was red with exhaustion.

"We can't uncouple you, ol' boy," sighed Percy's driver. "Thomas, Duck, you two have to do the best you can."

"Maron's the next station, isn't it?" said Thomas. "After that, there are three more stations before we get to Crovan's Gate."

"Yes, that sounds about right," said Duck. "Right, Thomas. Let's try again."

"I'm sorry, you two…" sighed Percy sadly.

"Breaking down can happen to anyone," Thomas said sympathetically, "and this train is well beyond any of our capabilities alone."

Although he was unable to help pull the train, Percy kept his brakes off, but that didn't make things any easier for Thomas and Duck. Twin columns of steam shot high into the air as they struggled on and descended the hill.

"The worst is over," sighed Duck. "It should be a bit easier for the last few stations."

"We have to do it," said Thomas. "We just have to…" Poor Percy didn't have the energy to say anything in response.

The next few stations were indeed easier for Thomas and Duck, and the express was just passing through Kellsthorpe Road.

"We're nearly there," puffed Thomas. "Just one more station to go!"

"Keep going, you three!" called Nicole as she came in with her branch line train. "You're doing splendidly."

"More like… two," sighed Percy. "I broke down on the hill."

"That's still a commendable effort, Percy," said Nicole. "I bet Gordon ought to be proud of you three."

At long last, Crovan's Gate came into view.

"We've almost done it," smiled Thomas. "Come on, Duck. We'll be able to rest at Crovan's Gate."

However, Thomas had spoken too soon, as Duck started wheeshing steam in an alarming way.

"Duck!" cried Thomas and Percy worriedly.

"I'm sorry, Thomas," panted Duck, "but I'm afraid I've run out of water. I can't risk myself running dry."

"Looks as though I'll have to get us all to the station myself," groaned Thomas. He pulled the coaches as hard as he could, but the train stopped a few yards short of the station platform.

"No!" cried Thomas. "So close, and yet so far…"

"By Stoke-on-Trent!" came Peter Sam's voice as he came in with Ada, Jane, Mabel and Cora. "Thomas, Percy, Duck, are you three alright?"

"I wish we were," panted Thomas wearily. "We were called in to take the express, but we've come up just short of our destination."

"I wish I could help take the train a bit further," sighed Peter Sam. "But I don't fit on your rails."

"What's going on out here?" came a voice. The tank engines - both standard and narrow gauge - glanced over at the Steamworks and out puffed a familiar big blue tender engine.

"Oh… hello, Gordon," sighed Thomas. "It's quite the story as to how we got here…"

Gordon was silent as he stared at his express, and at the trio. "How did you… did you three take the express all the way up here?"

"Er… yes, but we didn't reach Crovan's Gate," said Percy quietly.

"Coming up just short is nothing to be ashamed of, Percy," said a voice. The tank engines looked over to see Sir Topham Hatt walking towards them. He had been on the express the whole time.

"Thomas, Duck and Percy," he said, "you've done very well to get so far, and I couldn't be any prouder of you three. But now, I think you need a well-deserved rest."

"Thank you, sir," sighed Duck. The trio were uncoupled from the heavy train, and Gordon shunted Percy into the Steamworks, Duck to the water tower, and Thomas to a siding.

"Get mended soon, Percy," Thomas said quietly.

"You all did quite well," smiled Gordon as he backed down onto the coaches. "I've never seen engines of your size take the express so far before."

Thomas stared up in surprise. He wasn't expecting Gordon to say that.

"Er… thanks, Gordon," the tank engine replied.

"However, next time you have to fill in for someone else, I don't recommend it being me," he chuckled. "Don't want a repeat of breaking down, running out of water or stopping short of the station."

"No, indeed," chuckled Thomas. "I don't think I'll be taking a train that heavy for a long time after this."

"Neither will I," agreed Duck, having gotten some of his breath back.

"That goes triple for me," called Percy from the Steamworks.

"I'm glad we narrow gauge engines don't have to worry too much about trains being too heavy for us," said Peter Sam. "Most of us are roughly the same size."

"Unless you suddenly got a tender engine into the mix somewhere," joked Thomas.

Gordon, Duck, Percy and the open coaches chuckled at the remark, but Peter Sam bit his lip, trying to maintain a smile.

"Er… yeah, what are the chances of that?"

Cora sighed to herself. "When will he understand this will only hurt more in the long run?"

Of course, Percy was mended following the incident and life returned to normal for him, Thomas and Duck on the North Western Railway. Though they all agreed it was a good idea to not pull the express again.

THE END

Author's Comments

Here's the other Really Useful Engines story that was never adapted for television! Triple Header doesn't necessarily have the most deep or complex storyline out there, but I think the mere sight of Thomas, Duck and Percy pulling the express in model form would've been interesting for sure. My guess as to why it was never adapted was because A) a bias against Christopher's stories, B) it would've been too similar to Bowled Out, even if it was just Duck and Stepney, or C) a combination of both. Still, what's a loss for the TV series is a gain for fan-fiction writers. For those who are wondering, this takes place before the events of The Diseasel, and during the events of Thomas Gets Bumped, while Thomas' branch line is being repaired. I've got a few more ideas in mind for adaptations of Christopher's stories, so keep an eye out for those in the future!