THE INTERNATIONAL RAILWAY SERIES No. 2

EMILY AT THE GREAT RAILWAY SHOW

Based upon Big World! Big Adventures! by Andrew Brenner


Foreword

Hello, everyone; Emily speaking.

Not too long ago, Thomas and I were chosen by Sir Topham Hatt to represent Sodor for the Great Railway Show in Canada; him for the Shunting Challenge, and myself for the Best Decorated Engine Parade. Thomas was to be sent there first in order to understand the layout of the shunting yards before the day of the show, but he ended up on a ship to Africa instead, which drew so many of us into a tizzy - Percy, Annie and Clarabel especially.

I still took part in the Great Railway Show, however, but one of Canada's shunting engines had to take Thomas' place instead. But soon enough, we got the news as to where Thomas had ended up... I'm afraid you'll have to read the stories for yourself in case I end up spoiling them for you!

Emily.


WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THOMAS?

A whole week had gone by since Thomas had left Sodor for Canada by ship. In his absence, the work on the Ffarquhar branch line had gotten far busier, and it had gotten to the point that Stanley found himself on the branch line more often than in the shunting yards with Charlie and Stafford. Amanda was brought in occasionally for both the branch line and the yard work, but she had jobs to do all over the railway.

"I never realized how much work this would be without Stanley about," Charlie panted, having finished a long deal of shunting.

"You're telling me," agreed Stafford. "At this point, I'll need a portable charger with me while I'm working!"

"Why didn't Sir Topham Hatt bring another engine in to help us out?" Charlie asked.

"Well, I heard he was looking in to buy another engine for the mainline," said Stafford. "I think they come from the Southern Region on the mainland."

"Well, at least the big engines get help," Charlie grumbled. "I wish Sir Topham Hatt had sent me to the Great Railway Show instead."

"Maybe he thought you were too immature," Stafford muttered.

"I am not immature!" pouted Charlie. He then shunted a line of trucks towards a siding, causing them to smash through a set of buffers.

"Er... whoops."

"I guess 'getting Judy and Jerome' is another thing to add to my utility engine jobs for the day..." grunted Amanda.


Over at the Ffarquhar branch line, Percy was collecting passengers with Annie and Clarabel.

"Phew," Percy sighed. "No sooner do I deliver one train of passengers when I have to take another one right out."

"We don't know whether we're coming or going," Annie grumbled.

"We feel so full! We feel so full!" added Clarabel.

"We need the help of another engine with the Ulfstead extension," sighed Percy. "I just hope Sir Topham Hatt will find another engine soon." At that moment, Toby and Henrietta had pulled in with a train of trucks from the quarry.

"I couldn't agree more," said Toby. "Henrietta and I have been working overtime to handle both the passengers and stones at the same time."

"I wish Daisy hadn't gone off to Harwick," Percy added.

"Well, at least she's been improving her behavior thanks to Ryan," Toby admitted.

"I'll believe it when I see it," scoffed Annie.

"Especially after that one winter we had to work with her," added Clarabel.

"That still did not excuse you two for scaring the daylights out of her," Henrietta scolded.

"Don't have to remind us," the two coaches groaned together. Just then, the guard blew her whistle.

"We must be off," Percy said, pulling out of the station.

"Take care," called Toby as he set off again with Henrietta.


Back at the yards, Sir Topham Hatt was scolding Charlie for his earlier incident.

"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear," the controller sighed as the trucks were being put back onto the rails. "Charlie, I understand you're upset at not being invited to partake in the Great Railway Show, but I expect better behavior from you! Especially after a few days ago when you put fish trucks on the back of Gordon's express! I received countless complaints over the smell!"

"Gordon made fun of me!" Charlie insisted. "I also dealt with the fish trucks James left behind, like you said!"

"Yes, but I didn't mean for you to do so at the expense of another engine!" Sir Topham Hatt scolded. "What you did was just as bad as Thomas' accident with the coaches."

He was of course referring to the time where Thomas, instead of ignoring Gordon's teasing, retorted by attempting to steal the express coaches, only for it to backfire when they derailed, blocking the lines. Before Charlie could come up with a reply, the stationmaster came up to speak with Sir Topham Hatt.

"Pardon me, sir," he said, "but I'm afraid you're needed on the telephone; it's the head organizer for the Great Railway Show."

"Ohh, bother that telephone!" groaned Sir Topham Hatt. "I shall speak with you later, Charlie." And he hurried away to his office.


Once inside his office, he picked the phone up.

"Hello? This is Sir Topham Hatt speaking."

"Ah, Sir Topham," a male Canadian voice spoke from the other end. "You know that you were sending us one of your engines, Thomas, to partake in the Shunting Challenge for the Great Railway Show?"

"Why, yes, of course," Sir Topham Hatt smiled. "I've also sent in another of my engines, Emily, to be decorated at the Steamworks for the Best Decorated Engine parade. Why do you ask?"

"I'm sorry to tell you that your tank engine never arrived."

Sir Topham Hatt was silent for a moment or two. This had to be some sort of joke.

"I-I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

"Thomas hasn't arrived on the ship." No. It wasn't a joke.

"B-but I-I don't understand," stammered Sir Topham Hatt. "He was to depart from Brendam docks on The Silver Moose."

"The Silver Moose did arrive, but it had no engine on it. My guess is that he got put on the wrong ship by mistake."

"The wrong ship?" Sir Topham Hatt sighed before continuing. "I'll look into it as soon as possible," he said.

Sir Topham Hatt had left his office just as James pulled up to the station with a local train. The red engine noticed his controller's concerned expression.

"Is something the matter, sir?" he asked.

"Thomas never made it to Canada," explained Sir Topham Hatt. "He must have gotten on the wrong ship, and now he's missing."

"The wrong ship?!" gasped James. "Where could he have ended up?"

"That's what I'm about to find out," said Sir Topham Hatt.


Over at the Steamworks, Emily was having some final touches made for her Railway Show decorations.

"Doesn't this seem a bit much?" she asked.

"Nonsense, Emily," Victor chuckled. "They're sure to amaze the crowd at the Railway Show."

Before long, the job was finished. One of the workmen held up a mirror so Emily could see how she looked. She now had patterned trims of yellow and light green around her smokebox, funnel, and parts of her body. She looked simply magnificent.

"Oh wow!" Emily gasped. "I look so incredible!"

"I'm glad to hear that the workmen's effort has paid off," said Victor. "Though it may be a while before you're repainted back to your normal livery. But I trust people won't mind that."

"I just hope James doesn't accuse me of trying to 'steal his spotlight'," Emily chuckled.


Meanwhile, down at Brendam docks, Sir Topham Hatt was speaking to the dock manager.

"What ship did you load Thomas onto?" he demanded.

"I loaded him onto The Jade Python," the dock manager admitted sheepishly. "I thought that was headed to Canada and I didn't see the mistake until too late."

"Why weren't you paying attention?" Sir Topham Hatt asked in annoyance.

"I was working late last night so I didn't get much sleep," the dock manager explained. Sir Topham Hatt just sighed and shook his head.

"Dear, oh dear," he sighed. "What am I to do now? Where was The Jade Python going?"

"Dakar, Senegal," the dock manager explained. "Are you going there to find him?"

"I wish I could," sighed Sir Topham Hatt. "But I have a railway to run, and I need to attend the Great Railway Show in Canada. Poor Thomas will have to wait." He then left the office without another word.


Later that evening, several engines were gathered around Tidmouth Sheds. Emily's decorated look had brought up quite the conversation; only James stayed silent. Whilst he liked Emily's decorations for the Great Railway Show, he hadn't spoken much since he'd been told that Thomas had ended up on the wrong ship. Where exactly, James didn't know, but the engines were soon about to find out.

Sir Topham Hatt drove up in Winston. Unlike previous times in which he would jerk the inspection trolley about to a stop, to Winston's relief, his driver had brought him to a gentle stop.

"As you all know," Sir Topham Hatt announced, "Thomas was supposed to be sent to Canada by ship to partake in the Shunting Challenge for the Great Railway Show. Unfortunately, due to a mix up at the docks, he accidentally was loaded onto a ship bound for Africa."

The engines gasped; even Diesel was horrified by what he had heard.

"Should we go looking for him?" asked Percy. "What if he's ended up in danger, like fallen into the ocean, got lost in a mine, stuck amongst some trees, or maybe even in outer space-?!"

"Percy!" said Sir Topham Hatt firmly. The little green engine stopped panicking and looked at his controller. Sir Topham Hatt sighed before continuing.

"I can't afford to have another engine go missing," he said gently. "I need an engine to run the branch line in Thomas' absence."

"How will we be able to find Thomas?" asked Edward. The old blue was usually stoic under stressful times, but this was a situation that even he couldn't look at with a brave face. For as long as he'd known Thomas, Edward acted almost like a father figure to him.

"I shall be offering a reward to anyone who can find Thomas and bring him back to safety," said Sir Topham Hatt. "With the summer season coming up after the Great Railway Show, we'll have to do our best until then." With that, Sir Topham Hatt drove away.

"I hope Thomas will be alright," Emily sighed.

"So do I," agreed Percy.


Author's Comments

Well, here we are! The first chapter of the second book of the saga! This is essentially the Sodor engines' perspective as to what was going on in Thomas' absence, as well as the beginning of Emily partaking in the Great Railway Show in Canada. As it turns out, Thomas wasn't the only engine who noticed his branch line getting busier - Percy and Toby are feeling the strain as well, with Thomas' absence making it more noticeable. As for Emily's appearance for the show, it's the same as featured in The Great Race, which will get a rewrite one of these days.

But who will be taking Thomas' place in the Shunting Challenge? Find out next chapter when we see the engines coping under A Desperate Time!