Toby's Seaside Holiday

Based upon the story by Christopher Awdry

Adapted by Rachel Ravens

Takes place during LECDBT


One winter's night, the cold wind was blowing against the shed.

"Another snow storm?!" cried James. "It's only a couple of weeks into the new year."

"It would seem that way," sighed Henry.

"Ugh…" groaned Gordon. "It'll be impossible to get to sleep with that snow storm…"

"What we need," suggested Edward, "is to listen to a story."

"A mysterious story," said Percy.

"But," added Thomas. "It must have a happy ending."

"And maybe one about being warm too," put in Henry.

"Well, I wouldn't say this story is 'mysterious'," chuckled Toby, "but I guess I could tell that story of when I went to the seaside again."

"Oh, do tell!" cried Thomas. "You never got to finish it actually."

"Maybe start again from the beginning, Toby," Percy suggested, "anything to keep our minds off the freezing cold."

"If you insist, Percy." chuckled Toby, and the other engines agreed - between the party and Percy's baggage trolley incident, the engines had forgotten about it. Besides, Percy was eager to get away from the topic of the latter.


Past

When I was young, I worked in Yarmouth Harbour with some of my siblings. The two I was the closest to were my brother Holden, and my sister Flora. The day started out like any other, where the sun was shining down on us and warming us to our frames.

"I've got the vans for the next ship!" Flora called when she shunted them to where the North Star was docked.

"Always on the dot, sister," I chuckled to her. "I'll have to go and get the coaches for Marvin's next passenger train."

"Be sure to meet me at the water column afterwards!" she called after me when I left.

"Oh, I'll remember," I retorted. "Don't be a fusspot, Flora."

Flora rolled her eyes at me, and just at that moment, Holden bustled in with another rack of trucks.

"Here's some more trucks to unload the cargo from," he called.

"Holden!" cried Flora as she started to depart. "You-"

"I have the brake van!" he snapped.

"No, you have the wrong trucks!" Flora replied. "This ship is unloading fish."

Holden looked back, embarrassed. "Oh… I'll go back and collect the vans then." He shunted the trucks to another siding and went to get the vans.

"We can't have the fish going off," I sighed as I moved off. "That would make a lot of customers very upset."


I managed to reach the big station at Yarmouth to shunt the coaches for some of the engines there. One of them was a Claud Hamilton of the D56 variety used by the Great Eastern Railway, later formed into the London North Eastern Railway of the Big Four companies. His name was Marvin, and he was in the apple green livery that Gordon wore before he came to Sodor. His number was 8783.

"There you go, Marvin," I called as I shunted the coaches behind him.

"Oh… thank you, Toby," he said quietly.

"Are you okay, Marvin?" I asked him.

"I guess I'm just… tired," he admitted. "I had a bit of a late night last night."

"Do you wish to talk about it?" I prompted.

"Er… n-no thank you," he sighed. "You must be very busy."

"I'm not too busy to know if something's wrong," I insisted. "Come on, Marvin, what's the issue?"

But before I could get a reply, the guard's whistle blew.

"That'd be me," he said suddenly. "I'll see you later, Toby." he pulled out of the station, leaving me confused and worried.

"I wonder what's up with him…" I sighed. I trundled off to shunt more coaches for the big engines, knowing that our controller ran a tight ship.


Whenever I saw Marvin at the station, his responses were the same every time, and I decided to have a chat with my siblings in the shed that night.

"I'm telling you, something's really wrong with him today," I sighed.

"He seems to be having these lapses of sadness that come and go," Flora replied. "Sometimes it's in mild doses, and sometimes it's very extreme."

"But why?" asked Holden. "Do you think he just needs some time away to clear his smokebox properly?"

"I don't think that's quite it…" Flora trailed, but I didn't quite hear her at the time.

"I think you're onto something, Holden," I smiled. "Maybe we'll have to listen out for any special trains, and Marvin can take one."

Both Holden and I went to sleep, but I could tell Flora stayed awake a bit longer.

"Oh, my little naive brothers…" she whispered under her breath.


The next day, my driver and fireman came into work looking extremely excited.

"What's going on?" I asked curiously as they got into my cab.

"We've been promised a trip to the seaside!" cried my driver.

"Really?" I gasped in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"There's a seaside village near here," explained my fireman, "where they have a festival each year."

"Lots of people come to it," added my driver, "one of the organisers thinks it would be a good idea to have a display of engines at the station as an extra attraction."

"And you, Toby," smiled my fireman, "are to be one of them."

"Me?!" I cried in surprise. "What an honour."

"Oh, Toby!" called Flora. "You lucky duck. That will be exciting."

"It sure will," I agreed. "You, Holden and the others take care of things while I'm away, won't you?"

"Of course, Toby," smiled Flora. "You go and enjoy having people waving at you."

"I will, sis," I grinned as I trundled excitedly away to the big station.


When I went into the works, I was given new paintwork and my brass was being polished.

"Oh, hello!" my driver looked into my brass work and waved.

"Do you see your reflection in it, driver?" I laughed.

"I sure do," he chuckled back. "Oh, and here's a final touch."

My driver and fireman proudly presented me with…

"A new bell!" I cried happily. "Oh, thank you. My old one was getting a bit worn out."

Once that was fitted, I trundled back out, and saw a familiar face at the station.


"Marvin!" I called. "Good to see you."

"Huh?" he gasped quietly, "who… Toby?!"

"That's right," I chuckled.

"Wow, Toby, I almost didn't recognise you." he smiled. "You look spotless and is that a new bell?"

I happily rang my new bell to show it off.

"I'll take that as a yes," he grinned. "But why the makeover right now?"

"I've been invited to the seaside as a special attraction for a festival," I explained.

"Wow..." Marvin sighed, "that does sound like fun."

"Would you like to be in the festival too?" I asked. "I'm sure the festival wouldn't mind an extra engine."

"You'd do that…" trailed Marvin in awe. "Toby, I…"

"It will be great," I grinned. "Come on, Marvin. What do you say?"

"Well… I have to arrange it with the stationmaster and our controller," he said. "But otherwise, I'd be glad to go."

Controller and stationmaster both agreed with the idea, and an LNER B12 by the name of Sarah went to go and collect Marvin's next train.

"Thanks for covering for me, Sarah," he said quietly.

"It's not a problem, Marvin," she smiled. "Now you go and have fun with Toby."


The two of us set off together down the line.

"Toby, thank you so much for this chance," said Marvin as we coasted down the line. "You are a great friend."

"It's not a problem," I smiled. "Being a special attraction will be great fun for both of us."

"What does a special attraction do?" asked Marvin.

"Oh, just smile and blow whistles at everyone," I explained. "Well, so says my driver and fireman."

"Or ring your bell in your case," joked Marvin.

I then glanced over to a nearby field. "Aww, look at those sheep leaping around."

"I think there's a newborn lamb or two," added Marvin. "Oh, that one's barely able to get up."

"We all start somewhere," I chuckled. "Do you have a favorite station you stop at along this route?" I asked Marvin.

"Well, it's Yarmouth, of course," Marvin grinned. "Where else would I get to talk to you and your siblings every day?"

"That's too easy," I laughed.

"But it's true," chuckled Marvin. "You lot always manage to brighten my day, even if it is for a little bit on my bad days."

"We all have our off days," I said with feeling. "But thankfully, today isn't going to be one of them."


While Marvin and I were having a good day on our run to the seaside, another engine was not having a good run at all. He was an LNER J15 class with the number 7612. He was painted in the LNER black, but his paint was all muddy.

"Oh, come on…" panted the other engine, clanking all the way down the line. "I've got to get this train to the station on time."

"Easy does it, Strandford," soothed his driver. "We can't afford a breakdown."

"I know," Strandford sighed, "but I can't let my branch line down…"

HISS, WHEESH! Strandford started coughing in a cloud of steam.

"Oh no…" he sighed. "This had to happen now…"


"Strandford!" I cried, recognising the engine when he occasionally came to my harbor to pick up trucks.

"Are you okay?" asked Marvin.

"Not really…" he panted. "I had a major steam leak and I'm clanking as I go down the line."

"Come on, Marvin," I said, "let's help him to the station he's supposed to go to, then we'll go to the seaside."

"The seaside?" asked Strandford. "That's where I'm going too. That'll save you both time."

"What a coincidence," chuckled Marvin, and together, we buffered up to our friend. The three of us took off with Strandford and the train.

"So, why are the pair of you heading to the seaside station?" asked Strandford. "And without trains either."

"Oh, Marvin and I are supposed to be part of a special attraction at a festival," I explained with a smile.

"A festival?!" exclaimed Strandford. "You two are in luck. Festival time is the best time of the year. Lots of extra trains and visitors. I expect you'll be able to stand on the long carriage siding."

"Oh, that sounds magnificent," smiled Marvin. "I can't wait to see that."

"It sure is," said Strandford. "The warm sunshine will reflect your paintwork and the ocean water is crystal clear on a sunny day. There are occasionally dolphins that will pop up."

"Oh wow!" I cried. "That does sound like a grand sight. I love seeing dolphins when I'm at the harbor."


Eventually, the three of us got to the station.

"Thanks for lending me a buffer, you two," said Strandford. "I'd better go get mended at the works here. You two enjoy your time at the seaside."

"Of course," Marvin headed for the siding and I shortly followed. But the stationmaster looked very surprised to see the both of us, staring and frowning at us before walking away and shaking his head.

"Now that's a bit odd," I commented to Marvin.

"Maybe he's been a bit busy," he speculated. "Railways almost never sleep."

"No indeed," I laughed. Ironically, I let out a sleepy yawn myself, and Marvin felt tiredness overcome him too.


The following day, Marvin and I awoke in the early morning.

"Oh, look at the sea, Marvin," I called to him. "It's even more beautiful than the sea at the harbor."

"It looks as if a giant piece of sparkling glass is put over the top of it," he smiled. "Oh look, there's a dolphin popping up."

"And there's a baby one right by it too!" I realised with a grin. "Aww, it's so cute."

There were some white birds squealing in the sky and swooping overhead too.

"What are those birds, Marvin?" I asked him.

"They are seagulls, Toby," he explained. "They come by here all the time. Maybe even more with the festival," he chuckled. "I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to pinch any food left on the ground."

We both chuckled at the idea, but then we realised something.

"Where are the other engines?" I asked. "Surely we can't be the only engines assigned to being "special attractions."

"I'm sure they'll be here soon," assured Marvin. "Maybe there's been an odd delay here and there. You know how it can be."

"I guess, but we got here yesterday," I realised. "Surely the others can't have waited until the last minute."


Just then, our crews arrived looking glum.

"Well if that doesn't take the biscuit!" my driver exclaimed. "It's all off, you two."

"There's nowhere for the pair of you to stand," went on my fireman.

"But what's wrong with where we are?!" I wailed.

"We're not in anybody's way here!" cried Marvin.

"It's just an excuse I reckon," said Marvin's fireman, lowering his voice. "The real trouble is, you're both too smart, Toby and Marvin. They're afraid you'll show their branch line up."

"You've no idea how much I wanted to strangle those people!" snapped Marvin's driver, clenching her fists together.

"That'll do, Molly," sighed Marvin's fireman. "Come on, let's go back to work."

Our crews got back into our cabs, and I looked sadly behind me.

"I'm so sorry, Marvin," I sighed. "I was hoping for us to have an exciting time at the festival to cheer you up from a few days ago."

"But Toby," smiled Marvin. "You have cheered me up a bit. You've been very kind to me, and we have a lovely run up here. And we did help Strandford to the works. That's worth more than any celebration."

"You know," I smiled back. "You're absolutely right. Come on, let's go back to the station."


Flora and Holden came over to us when we were back at Yarmouth.

"What are you both doing back so soon?" asked Flora.

"The festival's off," sighed Toby. "Saying we'd "show the branch line up" or some nonsense like that."

"Ugh, those guys don't know special attractions when they see some," grunted Holden.

"But you know," said Marvin, "we are all special attractions, every time we go on our own line."

"What do you mean?" asked Flora.

"We just smile and ring our bells or blow our whistles at everyone!" I explained grandly, and with a laugh, we all did just that.


Present

"You didn't get a chance to be in the festival?" cried James. "That's not a happy ending."

"I'd argue that it is," smiled Thomas. "You helped a friend and got to have a good time with another friend despite the circumstances."

"That is worth missing any celebration," agreed Percy. "Definitely a happy ending in my book."

"Besides, I did get to the seaside, for a little while anyway," Toby smiled. "Though I'm sure if Sir Topham Hatt organised the event, things would have gone a lot smoother."

The engines all laughed and had to agree. And before they knew it, they were all asleep too.

The End


Another surprise entry for Classic Sodor Adventures, this one is based on the Toby's Seaside Holiday half of Special Attraction. This showcases most of the cast to be away from Sodor for the majority of the story, which was a heck of a lot of fun.

- Holden is Toby's unnamed brother that was seen in the flashback.

- Flora is revamped as Toby's sister in the SeventyVerse.

- Marvin - later Molly - is the same engine that appeared in the flashback of the story, numbered 8783.

- Stanford - named for the works he was built at - is the engine Toby helps to the station in the flashback. I renumbered him to be in line with what the real GER Class Y14s were.

I also cut and paste the beginning and ending of the TV series versions of Granpuff and Sleeping Beauty, which I think work much better here. Granted, Toby and Thomas swap lines and Duck isn't even present - he's not on Sodor just yet - but it still works.