THOMAS AND FRIENDS: North Western Origins

Written by Rachel Ravens and Zack Wanzer

Takes place before EG&H


Sodor is a peaceful island where engines of all gauges and ages can live and be safe from the cutter's torch. But back in the early days of Sodor… that was a far different story.

Back in those days, some pre-grouping engines ruled the rails. The Sodor and Mainland engines were sadly all gone from the railway by now, but the Coffee Pots and Wellsworth and Suddery engines were still going strong, and had amalgamated into the Tidmouth, Wellsworth and Suddery Railway, now with eight engines total. Or… would have been eight.

"Oh, poor Maurice…" sobbed Phyllis. "Why did we have to lose him?"

"That darned railway board…" grunted Albert - not to be confused with the former Mid Sodor engine of the same name - he was numbered seven. "They don't know a hard worker when they see one."

"Got that right," agreed Mildred - a Brighton E1 in dark blue with gold lining. Her number was five. "I swear, if not for the fact we were engines, I'd put that railway board in its place."

"We can only hope, dear…" sighed Tasha - she was numbered eight. "The Mid Sodor Railway isn't faring too well either…"

"Pah!" snapped Billy - he was numbered six. "Maurice was due to be withdrawn someday. It's to make way for the new engines-"

"Oh, have some respect for the fallen!" grunted Glynn. "The least we can do is hope that Maurice rests in peace and the other engines and coaches have found loving homes."

"Indeed," sighed Leslie. "And we have to make the new engine feel welcome in his new environment."

"Speaking of which, when's he getting here?" asked Albert. "We've been waiting here for a good ten minutes."

Just then, an unfamiliar whistle sounded out.

"That must be him now," said Mildred.

Indeed it was. The engine steamed into the area. He was painted in the Tidmouth, Wellsworth and Suddery livery - a red variant - and had the number two on his side.

"A fellow Furness engine!" cried Albert. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name's Albert!" He quickly introduced his fellow engines to the newcomer.

"Er… h-hello…" said the new engine shyly. "M-my name is Edward. G-good to m-meet you all."

"Welcome to Sodor, dear," smiled Tasha. "You'll love every moment you're here."

"Indeed you will," said a voice. The engines looked over to see their controller.

"Edward, my name is Mr. Dry," he smiled. "But as all engines do, you call me 'sir'."

"Of course, Mr. Dry - er, sir," Edward said sheepishly. "W-what's my first job on Sodor?"

"You must work for a bit on Tasha's branch line," he said warmly. "She'll show you what to do."


Edward puffed off to help Tasha out on the branch line. His first job was to take a passenger train.

"The coaches are down there," Tasha explained.

Edward gently buffered up to some coaches.

"Welcome to Sodor, newcomer," said the first coach, painted in Great Western chocolate and cream.

"Oh m-m-my!" gasped Edward. "I-I didn't realize you could talk. W-what's your name, dear?"

"I don't have a name, really," the coach replied. "But it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Well, I'm sure a name will come up," smiled Edward. "M-my name's Edward. Let's go, my dear."

"Such a polite and handsome engine," the coach said to herself. "It's a pleasure to go out with him."

The two and the other coaches were soon running well, and the front coach struck up a good conservation with Edward.

"So, Edward," said the coach, "you come from the Furness Railway, yes?"

"I-I do," smiled Edward. "A s-st-stone's throw away from Vicarstown… according to my driver."

"That's where Albert, Victoria and Helena all come from," replied the coach. "I bet the coaches would be delighted to meet you too."

"W-wow…" Edward trailed in amazement. "This railway really does sound nice. This whole experience is a nice change from home."

"Positive changes can happen, Edward," smiled the coach. "You coming here is a blessing, and so's that power plant that's been installed at Peel Godred."

"What's it for?" asked Edward.

"Something about a branch line down there, I think," the coach guessed. "My guess is probably one of the other former Wellsworth and Suddery engines is due to run it."


But when Edward told that news to Duke at the junction, the newest engine on the island started to feel worried.

"That is going to damage their railway significantly," Edward realized. "The poor little engines…"

"Changes can be bad too," sighed the coach. "We lost Maurice recently, and the Mid Sodor engines have suffered a couple of losses in their time prior to this."

"Oh dear…" Edward said quietly. "I hope they can bounce back soon."

The engines were all hoping for the best for the Mid Sodor line, even though it didn't look very good. Unfortunately, more hard times came for Sodor following the years with Edward's arrival, as would come one day at the Peel Godred branch line.


Billy was tasked to take some trucks to a mine down there. This would have been well and good, if not for the fact he was feeling jealous.

"That Mildred's always taking passengers down the branch line!" he snorted. "I should take them too, not be stuck here."

"You will do as you are told!" snapped his driver. "Come on then."

He tried to urge him to shunt the trucks, but instead, Billy shot forward too fast and knocked the crew off the footplate. He landed straight into a mine.

"You are a naughty engine!" cried the fireman. "Now you will have to stay there until you can behave."

"Fine then!" grunted Billy. "I will."

But no sooner had his crew departed, there was a rumbling noise from below.

"Uh oh…" cried Billy, feeling the ground shift below his wheels. "What's going on…? Help!"

His crew, hearing Billy's cries, tried to rush for help.


Mildred was the closest engine, having Annie and Clarabel in tow down at Kirk Machan.

"Girls, stay here," said Mildred urgently as she was uncoupled. "I'll be right back!"

"Please get there in time!" begged Annie. Clarabel didn't say anything, but she winced with worry.

Mildred rushed over to the mine, but the mine was shifting rapidly.

"Mi-Mildred!" cried Billy; some of the workmen were trying to attach a cable between the two engines.

"Hold on!" called Mildred. "I'll pull you out."

Unfortunately, Mildred didn't even get a chance, for by the time the cables were attached, Billy fell down the deep hole.

"BILLY!" wailed Mildred. "NOOOO!" The tank engine panted from what she had just witnessed.

"This… this can't be…" she said under her breath. "We… we've got to get him out."

"There's no chance of that," sighed her driver. "He's way too deep down underground."


Mildred mournfully reported the news to the others that evening.

"F-fell down a mine?!" gulped Edward. "Oh, flatten my funnel…"

"He might have been rude," sighed Albert, "but he was still one of us…"

"Indeed dear," Tasha said quietly.


The engines were very subdued from the incident for a while afterwards, giving whistles of respect for their fallen fleet member whenever they were required to whistle.

"Oh, I wish there was something we could have done…" sighed Edward when he took out the friendly coach that he had met on his first day.

"Sometimes, there is nothing that you can do, Edward," replied the old coach.

"It's not fair," Edward said mournfully. "Engines shouldn't have to be discarded like that in such a manner."

"I can't argue with that, Edward," sighed the old coach. "But we have to keep moving forward. You can't turn back time."

"I guess so…" But Edward somehow wished he could turn back time to fix things.


Things got even worse for Sodor, when one day, he woke up at Tidmouth sheds to find someone else missing.

"Tasha?" he gasped. "Tasha, where are you?"

"Edward, calm down," said Glynn reasonably. "She's probably still out on the mail run."

"No," Edward insisted. "Tasha should have been back by now." He puffed out of the sheds to investigate when his crew came.

"What's up?" asked his driver. "You seem a bit on edge."

"I don't know where Tasha is!" he cried. He came to the coach siding in Knapford yards. "Have any of you seen Tasha?"

"Tasha?" asked Victoria. "No. We were asleep."

"Have you checked the Arlesburgh branch line?" asked Helena.

"Oh no, I haven't," Edward replied, a rush of relief coming over him. "Thank you, Helena."


He puffed off to check the branch line, but was in for a shock when he saw a sign.

"Line closed?!" he exclaimed. "Wha-what is this?"

"I'm afraid the line is closed down, Edward," sighed Mr. Dry. "Without the Mid Sodor Railway running anymore, it's not as serviceable."

"The Mid Sodor Railway closed too?!" cried Edward. "What about Falcon, Stuart and Duke, where are they?"

"That's a bit of a long story, Edward," Mr. Dry shook his head sadly. "And as for Tasha and the coach… well…"

"NO!" wailed Edward. "I won't take it. I can't!"

Edward puffed away before Mr. Dry could explain anything else.


"So many losses…" Edward sighed as he buffered up to Annie and Clarabel for a main line local train. "I should have done something for them…"

"It's not your fault, dear," said Clarabel quietly.

"I just wish I could have been there…" Edward said under his breath. "I would have been able to fix it…"

"Some things just can't be fixed," Annie whispered to Clarabel.

"He's only young, the poor dear," sighed Clarabel, "and he's had to go through so much already. We should just support him on the journey, Annie."

"Right…"


Down at Crovan's Gate, Edward saw Rheneas this time.

"The Mid Sodor line closed?!" gasped the old engine. "Oh no!"

"I've no clue what's happened to the trio," Edward said sadly. "Worse still, Tasha and the old coach I befriended are also gone."

"That's terrible news," sighed Lucy. "I hope they've ended up in safe hands somewhere."

"Me too, Lucy," Edward said quietly. "Small comfort, I'll admit, that it wasn't said any of them were scrapped."

"Yes," agreed Annie. "Maybe they've ended up on nice railways somewhere."

"And Duke's probably keeping Falcon and Stuart in order," giggled Clarabel.

"I wish they could have come here instead of wherever it was they actually went," smiled Rheneas. "I would have liked to have met the trio myself. Skarloey and Proteus would tell you the same thing."

"I think Proteus and Falcon are brothers," Edward explained. "It would be nice for them to meet eventually."

Edward was feeling a bit better now he talked with Rheneas, and life seemed to carry on as usual.


On the Ffarquhar branch line, Leslie and Phyllis were out on their usual trains of trucks one day. However, the signalman had forgotten to set the points properly, and both their signals showed clear.

"Alright," Leslie said to themself with a smile. "We're on a good run today."

"What a lovely day," smiled Phyllis. "I saw some adorable lambs down in the field this morning."

However, both engines saw each other right at the points.

"Phyllis!" cried Leslie. "Brakes!"

"I'm trying! Apply yours too!" called the green coffee pot.

But though both engines braked hard, it wasn't enough, and both crews and the guards jumped clear.

CRASH! Trucks spilled goods all over the track - some of them were broken - and both coffee pots sustained heavy damage in the collision - bent buffers, damaged handrails, Phyllis' cowcatcher was warped, Leslie's cylinder had cracked, you name it.

"We'd better get Judy and Jerome!" cried Phyllis' driver; the fireman went back to telephone for help.


Mildred went to fetch Judy and Jerome to clean up the mess.

"Are you two alright?" asked Mildred anxiously.

"We should be fine after we're fixed up," sighed Leslie.

"Don't worry about us, Mildred," smiled Phyllis. "We've both had worse."


But unfortunately, that's not what the board of directors said.

"These Coffee Pots have been nothing but trouble," grumbled one of them.

"They should have been scrapped long ago!" agreed another one.

"But they can't!" cried Bertram Hatt. "I designed them myself. We've already lost Maurice, I can't-"

"Let's have a vote," said another director grimly. "Who thinks that the Coffee Pots should go?"

Bertram and Mr. Dry's hearts sank when most of the directors raised their hands.

"This won't go down well," sighed Mr. Dry.


The day after it was decided, Albert was puffing by with Victoria and Helena in tow, when the trio saw a shuddering sight when they got to a red signal.

"Phyllis, Leslie?!" Albert exclaimed when he got to Crock's Scrap Yard.

"It's us alright…" sighed Phyllis.

"We didn't realize that crash would have been the last one we had…" choked Leslie. "Albert, Victoria, Helena, continue to run the railway for us."

"We've got to get you out of there!" cried Victoria. "Mr. Dry and Mr. Hatt can-"

"That won't be happening," Phyllis said sadly. "They've been severely outvoted."

"Oh…" Albert said under his breath. "I… I see…" He swallowed. "I… I hope the two of you find peace up there."

"Thank you, Albert," the two Coffee Pots smiled weakly.


"Scrapped?!" Edward exclaimed when he saw Albert at the junction.

"I'm afraid so…" he sighed. "There's nothing we can do…"

"Why is life so unfair?!" Edward wailed. "Maurice, Billy, Tasha, the Mid Sodor trio and now Phyllis and Leslie?"

"I… I don't know…" Albert said quietly. "I really don't know, Edward…"

"It's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair…" Edward was in so much of a tizzy he almost didn't hear his guard blow the whistle.

"Edward," Annie said calmly. "We have to go."

"It's not fair!" Edward cried as he departed.


The young engine's mood did not improve at all during that day, and Glynn, Albert and Mildred, as well as the coaches and the smaller engines turned concerned.

"They didn't do anything wrong!" Edward's voice was a mix of fear, sadness and rage that night in the sheds. "Why are their lives cruelly taken from the world?!"

"The railway board just don't understand engines' feelings at all…" sighed Glynn, hardly daring to believe he was the last of the Coffee Pots left.

"This is a tragic day for us all," added Mildred quietly.


The following day, the engines all set off to work as usual. Mr. Hatt looked on mournfully.

"Just listen to their whistles…" he said quietly. "They sound so sad."

"Their whistles?" asked Mr. Dry. "They sound like they always do, though I can't deny the engines aren't happy at all."

"An engine's whistle may sound the same on the surface, Alfred," said Mr. Hatt, "but they do sound slightly different depending on how they feel. I heard Edward whistling when he took his first passenger train to the Skarloey Railway; it sounded so uplifting. But listen to it now."

Both men were silent as they heard Edward's whistle cut through the air. It seemed to have a mournful sound to it as the engine pulled into Knapford with Annie and Clarabel on platform two.

"You're right, Bertram," whispered Mr. Dry. "I've never noticed that before. You have a gift."

"I think we should let the engines mourn for a while," Mr. Hatt told him. "It would be very unwise to drop new engines on them so soon after this withdrawal."

"Right then," agreed Mr. Dry.

And the grieving continued for a while. Edward, Glynn, Albert, Mildred and the coaches all kept up the workload as best as they could. Only time would tell if things would change for the better.


SURPRISE! Here's a prequel special to The Adventure Begins. How did a CSA One-off turn into a full blown prequel special, I'd have no idea. But anyways, here's something Zack and I threw together in a few days. I pretty much wrote this first chapter solo, Zack helped with the editing.

Sadly, Maurice, the TK&EL No. 2 had been withdrawn before the story picks up, but don't worry, Zack and I have a plan for him. And as for Neil and his siblings (brother and sister), we haven't quite got there yet, but we'll see what we can do. This first part of the special takes place over the course of a couple of years, rather than in one year like the rest of the specials. We see Billy get lost in a mine shaft, which explains Edward's anger from United We Stand when Thomas goes past a danger sign on purpose. Tasha's absence will be further explained in a Thomas and the Magic Railroad rewrite, and yes, the coach that Edward meets is later known as Old Slow Coach. And Phyllis and Leslie's final moments were just a real tragedy. Proteus is the ghost engine from Duncan Gets Spooked and Ghost Train, which means that Rusty didn't just make the story up. Mildred is a mythological gag. Her name was going to be used for Carly, but it was decided her name was too old, so she was used for a Wellsworth and Suddery tank engine instead.

It was also really fun to have Annie and Clarabel interact with another engine than Thomas, and seeing Edward in a much shyer state in his early days. Shows he wasn't always the wise and brave engine we know him as today.

Next time, we see the engines recovering from Deep Scars.