Thomas, Percy and the Post Train
Based upon the story by Andrew Brenner, David Mitten and Britt Alcroft
Adapted by Rachel Ravens
Takes place between LECDBT and D&TDE
A lot had happened leading up the annual summer rush. One of the things that happened was the arrival of a new tank engine from the Great Western Railway. Though his real name is Montague, he much preferred to be called Duck. While this was great - no pun intended - there was a bit of a problem on Duck's first night.
"Er, everyone," said Gordon, "what are we going to do about this? There's eight of us and only seven berths in the shed!"
"I think we're going to have to take turns sleeping somewhere else," said Edward. "I know; I'll sleep at Wellsworth sheds tonight. I can get to my trains easily there, and Duck can get to know everyone else."
"Are you sure?" asked Duck in surprise.
"Positive," smiled the old engine. "We'll get to know each other tomorrow when I come into Knapford station. Besides, Henry and I have evening trains to take before going to sleep. It's usually Gordon, but-"
"Don't remind me..." muttered the express engine.
Ignoring this, Duck saw a lot of trust in Edward's gaze, and he agreed. He spent a wonderful first night on Sodor getting to know the others - when Henry got back from Gordon's evening train of course. Though, one thing was one Duck's mind when he was talking to them.
"Is it just me, or was Edward clanking when he left the shed?" he asked worriedly.
"Oh, we've been on him about that for the past year," sighed Toby. "He said he was going to go to the Steamworks when I got back from the Steamworks, but when I did come back, that was when the Christmas rush was going on."
"And then I wound up in a bit of an accident with jam and trousers," said Percy. "I was teased bitterly about it, and Edward refused to go to the Steamworks while that was going on."
"Does this have to do with the baggage trolley-"
"Yes," said Thomas, then he looked over at Gordon and James. "The backing signal prank didn't help either."
"We said we were sorry," grunted Gordon.
"Yeah, quit rubbing it in," agreed James.
"Oh, I see," sighed Duck; he wasn't sure what jam was doing in the baggage trolley. "I hope Edward goes to the Steamworks soon."
"Well, with the Summer rush due to start soon," said Henry, "that doesn't seem likely that he'll want to go, even though the Midland engines could step in and do his work."
"The what?"
"Oh, the Midland engines are five engines who came during a locomotive shortage," James explained. "They do various jobs on the island as needed, but they aren't officially owned by the North Western Railway - that's why you'll be the number eight."
"Oh, I see," Duck said. "I can't wait to meet them too."
Later on, when the engines had met a patrol helicopter named Harold and they had to witness two storms raging through the Island of Sodor, the eight engines were now in the thick of the Summer rush. Sir Topham Hatt was well aware of this, and early in the morning, he quietly headed for Ffarquhar sheds. Thomas, Percy and Toby were spending the night there, and the firelighters had started to light Percy's fire. The green tank engine was waking up as quietly as he could.
"Thomas," whispered Sir Topham Hatt.
"Huh…" yawned the blue tank engine, whispering. "Time for my morning passenger run already?"
"No," Sir Topham Hatt replied. "But it is time to get ready for the mail run. There's more mail than Percy can handle alone. Do you think you can help him?"
"Of course sir," Thomas smiled quietly. With that, the firelighters got him ready too, and Sir Topham Hatt left the sheds.
"I'd be glad for you to help me during the summer rush again, Thomas." said Percy.
"Well, it's only fair," smiled Thomas. "You've been a big help to Toby and I when you came to our branch line." He then looked at the snoozing tram engine between them. "Oh, let's go as quietly as we can."
The two tank engines did just that and got to the harbour. While they were waiting for their vans to be loaded, they looked at the beautiful night.
"Look at that, Thomas," said Percy. "The stars sure are bright tonight."
"Yeah," added Thomas. "My driver and fireman say there's clusters of stars called constellations."
"I wonder if there's any constellations in the shape of engines," Percy thought aloud.
"Not officially," chuckled Percy's driver.
Though, unfortunately, that night, there was a problem.
"Oh, come on!" groaned Percy. "When's that other boat going to get here?"
"It's already ten minutes behind schedule," agreed Thomas.
Just then, the dock manager arrived. "The boat's coming in now," he sighed. "It needed some minor repairs before arriving at the dock."
"It would have been nice to know that coming in," grunted Percy.
"Never mind," sighed Thomas. "When the mail's loaded, we can finally be on our way."
When the guard's whistles blew, both Thomas and Percy set off.
"The moon sure is bright tonight," Thomas commented as he started down the line.
"I'm glad we've got it," commented the driver. "Otherwise, the only lights we could have are the ones attached to you and the one in your firebox."
Percy was very careful not to whistle in the village area when he came to a station.
"Hello Mr. Tipper," he greeted.
"Hello, Percy," he replied warmly; he had his coffee in his hand. "I have some more mail for you."
"Oh, that's good," smiled Percy. "Been busy?"
"Quite so," replied Tom Tipper. "But it's worth it to get up early and see you."
"Likewise, Mr. Tipper."
"We're making good time, Thomas," smiled the driver. "Keep it up."
"I'm glad," said Thomas, "I don't get to do this as often as Percy does. It makes a lovely change."
"Signal's green, Percy," said his driver. "You're doing fine."
"It's such a peaceful run," agreed Percy. "I can't imagine a better job."
"Hello, Henry," whispered Thomas as the bigger engine passed with the Flying Kipper.
"Good morning, Thomas," he replied. "You keep up the good work."
"I will," replied the tank engine.
And Henry was right when he said "morning", for the sky began to change.
"Watching the world wake up," said Percy. "This is the best part of the mail train."
"Almost done with the mail run," said Thomas quietly as he stopped at Crovan's Gate. He gave an anxious look at the two old engines, Skarloey and Rheneas, sleeping there; the latter was slowly being woken by the firelighter.
"We've got to get those other two engines here as soon as possible," sighed Thomas to himself.
Percy had finished his run a bit later than Thomas did, and was just having a drink at Drayer station when he noticed something.
"Huh, where's… Harold?" he said to himself, giving a tired yawn. "Surely he can't have gone on his first patrol already."
"That's where you're wrong, chap," called Harold as he came in for a gentle landing. "Are you alright, Percy? You're usually resting in your sheds by the time I get back from my early morning patrol."
"One of the boats from the mainland… was delayed," Percy explained.
"Well, sounds like that boat better give it's stamps back, post haste," chuckled Harold.
Percy couldn't help but give a bit of a laugh too, but he was still very tired, and made his way back to Tidmouth sheds.
"Hello, Percy," smiled Duck. "You're up early."
"No," yawned Percy. "You're wrong. I'm back… tired and late."
He slowly backed up into the sheds, and was asleep almost before he touched the buffers.
"Oh, mail run. That's right," sighed Duck. "I guess Toby or maybe Katie will be taking your first goods to the harbour then," he added quietly. "Have a good sleep, Percy. I'll see you when you're refreshed for the day."
Meanwhile, Thomas had Annie and Clarabel with him for his first passenger run. He was a bit tired too, but unlike Percy, he managed to stay awake.
"What's happened, Thomas?" asked Annie, "you usually get back to the sheds a bit earlier than that."
Before Thomas could answer Annie's question, there was a commotion from the station.
"I'm telling you," snapped Thomas' driver. "It wasn't our fault. The boat from the mainland-"
"I don't care!" retorted another voice; Thomas and the coaches recognised it to be the man in charge of the post trains. "I'll be reporting this to Sir Topham Hatt."
"How rude!" gasped Clarabel. "They should get someone else in charge of managing the post trains."
"My thoughts exactly, Clarabel," Thomas grunted. "Wait until Percy hears about this."
Thomas had a chance to speak to Percy when the two met up at the harbor later that day, and he explained the situation.
"That wasn't our fault!" he gasped.
"I know," he sighed. "I haven't had a chance to tell Sir Topham Hatt about this yet."
"We'd better find him before we set out on the mail train again," Percy agreed.
But unfortunately, neither tank engine could find him, and both of them began to worry about what would happen to the post train.
"Percy?" called a voice from above, "you look a bit worried, chap."
"I am, Harold," he sighed. "The post train delay wasn't our fault, but the person who is in charge of it strongly believes it is."
"News was flying about all over the place this morning; something about a delayed boat from the mainland," Harold admitted. "But don't worry, chap. I'm patrolling by Knapford station next, I'll deliver the message to Sir Topham Hatt right away."
"Thank you, Harold." smiled the tank engine. "And Thomas and I will be quicker than ever before tonight, just you wait."
Later, the day transformed into night, and Percy and Thomas collected their post from the harbor. When the guard's whistles blew, they were off.
"Got to make good time," said Percy as he puffed along. "Can't afford another delay."
The little green tank engine eventually pulled into one of the stations, where a friendly figure greeted him.
"Mr. Tipper," he smiled.
"Hello, Percy," he waved. "I heard about what happened last night. Don't worry, I know it wasn't your fault."
"Thank you, Mr. Tipper." he sighed, as the postman started to put the mail bags into his vans.
"By the way, how is Duck doing?" asked Mr. Tipper. "Has he settled in nicely?"
"Very," confirmed Percy. "He makes the yard run like clockwork."
"Tell him I said hello," Mr. Tipper smiled as Percy's guard's whistle blew. "See you tomorrow, early morning."
Meanwhile, Thomas was making good time along the line too. He came to Cronk station.
"Five minutes early," he whispered to himself. "We'll show that rude man that the mail train can be run smoothly."
As the mail was being loaded and unloaded, Thomas heard someone shivering.
"Huh?" he gasped in surprise. There was a man on the platform. "Excuse me, you're not one of the porters."
"Oh, me?" asked the man. "No, I'm here because I missed my last train. I can't get home."
"Maybe I can give you a lift," said Thomas. "If it's on the way up, I've still got post to deliver. And if it's on the way back, I've still got to get to Tidmouth sheds anyway."
"Thank you," smiled the man. "I left my car at Kellsorphe Road."
"Mind you," said the fireman, "it may be a bit uncomfortable in Thomas' cab with three."
"Given the alternative, I'd take it."
Thomas happily puffed along, dropping off the letters and parcels at each station.
"This little tank engine is a hard worker," commented the man. "Do you always do this?"
"Percy takes the mail run, usually," Thomas explained. "but I help him during the summer rush, and sometimes on other busy nights."
"You're a very good friend to him then." the man smiled.
At last, they reached Kellstophe Road.
"Thank you," said the man as he went to get his car. "You were a big help."
Later in the day, Percy met up with Harold.
"Hello," greeted the tank engine. "Why aren't you flying? Being lazy?" he joked.
"No, the wind's too strong." Harold sighed. "I can't fly."
"Maybe you should try rails," Percy suggested. "They work wonders, always."
"Very funny," Harold rolled his eyes before continuing. "You know, there was a passenger Thomas rescued on his mail run."
"Oh, really?" asked Percy in surprise. "I wasn't told about that."
"He's talking to the man in charge of the post train," said Harold. "Maybe he'll knock some sense into his brain."
"Oh, I certainly hope so." smiled the tank engine, and he puffed off as his guard's whistle blew.
That night, Sir Topham Hatt managed to find Thomas and Percy.
"There you two are," he said, "I was trying to find a chance to speak with you for the past couple of days. Harold said you two weren't to blame for the delay from a couple of nights back, and I never believed that post manager."
"Thank you, sir," sighed Percy in relief.
"And here's something else." He showed them a letter.
"Addressed to… Thomas the Tank Engine and Percy the Small Engine?!" Thomas gasped. "Another letter addressed to us, this is a surprise!"
"Well, there was that letter Henry sent us from Crewe," chuckled Percy.
Sir Topham Hatt read it aloud.
Dear Thomas and Percy
Both of you work very hard to give everyone parcels and letters, and I think the post train is the pride of the line. I recently got some birthday cards thanks to your efficient runs. And Thomas, thank you so much for helping me home the previous night. I would have been stranded until dawn if not for your kindness. Keep up the good work, both you and Percy both.
Signed, Mr. Mitten
"Oh wow," gasped Thomas. "That's very nice of him."
"Well, let's continue to be really useful and get more mail delivered, Thomas," said Percy. "Last one to get their mail done has square wheels."
"It's on, Percy." chuckled Thomas, and they both departed when their guard's whistles blew.
The End
I actually woke up pretty early and decided "you know what, let's get into this episode right now." Upon rewatching it, I realised just how beautiful it was. The episode mostly takes place at night or early morning, which makes some interesting lighting effects for the scenes at hand. On my DA version, I had to included the song, Night Train, which takes place as Thomas and Percy are puffing through the night. It's just as beautiful as the episode, and gives you a "feel good" feeling after you've listened to it. Another thing to note, is a nod to WildNorWester's take on Percy in his series when it comes to the Mail Train. He loves watching the world wake up.
Some bits of callbacks and foreshadowing take hold here. Of course, there's the mention of Edward's clanking, which will be resolved long since by the next standalone happens, I promise, and we also see Duck's first night on the island. This also mentions the sheds issue, eight engines to seven berths ratio don't exactly work, as Gordon points out. And at the very end, Percy mentions "square wheels", unintentionally foreshadowing Henry's accident and subsequent nickname by Diesel.
