Trust Thomas

Based upon the story by Andrew Brenner, David Mitten and Britt Alcroft

Adapted by Rachel Ravens

Takes place during STLOE


So, since you saw Thomas in the works, I'm sure you're probably wondering how he ended up there, right? Well, I guess we're going to have to back up a bit...

Down on the Ffarquhar branch line, Thomas was cheerfully pulling his coaches Annie and Clarabel as usual.

"Good morning, Terence," he whistled to him as he passed by his field.

"Good morning, Thomas, Annie and Clarabel," he replied warmly, tooting his horn as he did so.

Some cows in the field also heard the cheerful greeting, but decided to ignore it.

"Ah well," sighed Thomas, "I guess they're busy with their breakfast."

"At least these cows are used to trains going past," said Annie.

"Oh yes, I remember what happened to poor Edward," agreed Clarabel. "Those cows gave him quite a nasty surprise."

"I'm glad he didn't get hurt," sighed Thomas. "By the way, did you two know that he took a new engine down to the Skarloey line a couple of days ago?"

"Oh, really?" asked Annie. "What's the new engine like?"

"I'm not sure," Thomas admitted, "but Edward described him to be friendly when Percy, Toby, the Midland engines and I were visiting the other engines at Tidmouth sheds before we headed back down to our own sheds for the night."


As the trio coasted down the branch line, they saw the roads coming into view. Thomas would sometimes pass Bertie down here, and he would often challenge him to a race, much to Annie and Clarabel's dismay. But Thomas hadn't been doing that recently, due to the massive storm that had swept across Sodor a while ago. Many of the repairs had been completed for the North Western Railway, but on the roads…

"There's still a few holes there," Thomas observed. "I hope Bertie is careful."

"Indeed," sighed Annie, "I guess there's still a few last minute things that need to be done."

"Let's hope the road is mended before-"

"Ouch! That's another hole in the road." Bertie's cry of shock cut Clarabel off, as his tire sunk into a deep pothole. He tried to reverse out, but his back wheel hit a sharp bump, which punctured his tire.

"Bertie!" cried Thomas. "Hold on, we'll go get help at the next station."

"T-Thank you Thomas…" said the bus quietly.


It wasn't long before a breakdown vehicle had arrived and towed Bertie back to the garage. Algy had come in to fill in for him, and he was extra careful to mind the potholes and bumps.

"I got the passengers, Thomas," called the blue bus.

"Thanks, Algy," sighed Thomas. "Is Bertie alright?"

"It's just a tire; easy fix," said Algy. "But the railway was supposed to bring in another load of tar for the road to fix more of the potholes and bumps, and they didn't. I swear, you can't trust certain engines."

"You can trust me," Thomas said firmly. "Annie and Clarabel too. We'll figure out what's happened. Come on, girls." He said that last sentence as he heard the guard's whistle, and he puffed away at his steady but rapid pace.


Eventually, the three of them came to Knapford station, right on schedule. Thomas was about to head for the water column for a drink, when he caught sight of Duck on a siding.

"Hey, Duck, what's… oh no!" he gasped, "what's happened to your side rods?"

"One of them came loose when I was working," sighed Duck. "Donald promised to fetch it on his return goods to Knapford and will be back shortly. It'll be a quick fix, but I'm not happy about standing around doing nothing."

"I understand," said Thomas. "Oh, by the way, did you happen to see a tar tanker that may have been delivered to the wrong place?"

"Hmm, no," replied the pannier tank engine, "Why, was James looking for it?" he and Thomas laughed.

"I heard that!" grunted James as he angrily shunted some trucks.

"In all seriousness," said Thomas, "I was looking for it because there's still some bad bits of the road. Bertie had an accident and got a flat tire."

"Oh, poor Bertie," gasped Duck. "I'll keep my eyes open, thank you Thomas."


Meanwhile, James was still angrily doing Duck's work.

"It's too bad! That Quackers just had to break down right when I was resting!" James grunted.

"What, don't you like some quiet work for a change, Rusty Red Scrap Iron?" asked "Plank Wagon".

"Oh, you're asking for it!" James reversed and then bumped him hard. "Take that!"

"Ooh, ouch!" yelped the ballast truck. "Just you wait, we'll show you!"

Just then, Gordon arrived from his express run. "Hello little James," he greeted. "I saw Duck's out of action."

"No kidding," grunted the red engine. "I have to do his work here, there and everywhere until that side rod comes in."

"You know, he's not going to be out of action for long," said Gordon. "But if you were ill…" he added with a wink, "you couldn't shunt trucks here or fetch coaches there."

"Oh," James realised with a grin. "Yes, I see what you're saying. Oh, there's Thomas at the water tower. I'll start pretending now, and you go and tell him this story."

Gordon grinned, and puffed over to the water tower.

"Hello, Gordon," said Thomas, "I'm doing a bit of detective work. Have you seen…"

"I've got bad news," Gordon said quickly, "James has taken ill."

"Oh dear!" gasped Thomas, "first Duck's out of action, now James too?"

"I'm afraid so," sighed Gordon. "I'm due to take out the express soon."

Both engines then heard the deep tone of Donald's whistle, indicating he just arrived with Duck's side rod.

"I'm due to depart in ten minutes," said Thomas, "but it shouldn't take that long to fix Duck's side rod. If he can take my return passenger train, then I can take James' next goods train."

"Good plan, Thomas," said Gordon, and the tank engine set off to tell Duck the news, while Gordon headed back to James, and the two sniggered quietly to each other.

"He totally believed you, eh Gordon?" laughed James.

"Indeed," Gordon grinned, and he went to tend to the express.


Meanwhile, Thomas told Duck and Donald what happened.

"I'd be happy to take Annie and Clarabel," smiled Duck.

"Wi' a' this branch line wirk ye'v bin daein' in Thomas' steid lately," said Donald, "Ah'm surprised ye dinnae hae yin yit, Dook."

"Surprises do happen," chuckled Thomas. "I'll see you two later."

Thomas collected James' goods train and puffed away, while Donald headed off to the coal tower to fill up for his next train and Duck was ready to collect Annie and Clarabel.


The trucks were still agitated from James' harsh bumping from previously.

"That scarlet red monster will pay for what he's done," said one truck.

"Who's to say that James is to be bumped?" asked the ballast truck. "He's not here right now."

"That's true," said another truck, "but we'll get him later."

"What about Thomas?" smirked the ballast truck. "One engine is as good as the next, right?"

"We have been bored all day," said a third truck. "Okay, let's get him."

Thomas hadn't heard any of that, and was happily humming a tune to himself. But suddenly, the trucks gave him a massive bump. "Whoa!" he cried in shock. "Hey, what's the meaning of this? I was kind to you the whole run!"

"On, on, on!" called the trucks. Much to Thomas' shock, he had been diverted onto a siding by mistake, and there was a pond at the end of it.

"Brakes, driver!" cried Thomas, and his driver did so. The blue tank engine braked for all his worth, but the buffers were very old and broke apart.

SPLASH! Thomas landed straight into the pond; his back wheels were still on the rails.

"Cinders and ashes!" he cried. "The day started so well too…"

A toad eyed him suspiciously and jumped onto his bufferbeam.

"I'm sorry I landed in your home," Thomas said to the toad, "but those trucks pushed me and the points were set down the wrong track."

The toad just croaked and hopped away; Thomas wasn't sure the toad got the message.


Down at Knapford, Douglas had just come in with his own goods run. He was just going for a drink at the water column before heading for a rest at the sheds, when James came into the platform with Sean, Mick, Harry and Dexter.

"Hello, Douglas," greeted the red engine. "Splendid day we're having, isn't it?"

"Aye," the Scottish engine replied. "How hae you've bin?"

"Just wonderful," he said proudly, "the rails have been dry all day, I'll have a smooth run with-"

Just then, the station master came up.

"Thomas has derailed in a siding and crashed into a pond," he explained.

"Losh sakes!" cried Douglas, quickly grabbing Judy and Jerome as well as a flatbed, "A'm oan mah wey!"

James froze in shock. Had pretending to be ill really gotten Thomas into an accident?

Oh, what have I done? He thought anxiously.


Meanwhile, Donald was passing through with another goods train, when he caught sight of Thomas in the siding and the pond up ahead.

"Thomas!" gasped Donald, "Urr ye a'richt?"

"The water sloshed my fire, and my buffers are damaged," Thomas admitted, "I can't get out even if I tried. Douglas is already coming with Judy and Jerome; the signalman told me."

"Ah kin tak' they trucks oan mah goods train." Donald told him, "Thir's less trucks oan mah goods than usual, 'n' ah kin tak' a few mair."


Douglas came up a short while later, and the twins worked fast. As arranged, the trucks were put onto Donald's goods train, and Douglas went ahead to help Thomas to the Steamworks. Judy and Jerome were left in the siding for Douglas to pick them up on his way back.

"Whit wur ye daein' oan th' mainline?" asked Douglas when Thomas was on his flatbed and they went off together.

"James was ill," Thomas explained, "so I decided to take his trucks while Duck took Annie and Clarabel."

"James wis perfectly fine!" cried Douglas in shock. "Ah saw him wi' Dexter, Sean, Mick 'n' Harry moments afore ah picked ye up."

"What?!" Thomas exclaimed. "How dare he pretend to be ill! Oh, wait until I see him next!"

"Ah will speak wi' him," said Douglas firmly. "Ye juist worry aboot getting yer buffers fixed."

Thomas then remembered. "Douglas, speaking of fixed, you haven't seen a tar tanker have you? Bertie's had an accident because some of the road still hasn't been fixed from the storm damage."

"Actually," said Douglas, "Ah think Ah mind yin doon at Wellsworth. It mist hae bin left thare by mistake fae anither goods train." he gave Thomas a reassuring smile, "Efter Ah drap ye aff, Ah wull pick it up 'n' mak' sure it gets tae Bertie quickly."

"Thanks, Douglas," sighed Thomas. "That makes me feel better already."


The Scottish engine dropped Thomas off at the Steamworks, but not before he and Thomas both learned that not only Sir Handel had faked ill as well, but Peter Sam had also ended up in an accident.

"I don't believe this!' gasped Thomas. "First James faking ill, and now Sir Handel too?"

"Some engines these days," grunted Mr. Percival. "Sir Topham Hatt won't like this."


And indeed he did not.

"James the red engine!" scolded Sir Topham Hatt. "You have caused confusion, delay and indirectly got Thomas into an accident!"

"Y-yes sir," stammered James.

"You will be put on goods trains as a punishment." Sir Topham Hatt said firmly. He saw Donald come in with his goods train; James' trucks coupled behind. "Donald, I want you to take James' passenger train back down to Knapford after your coal and water stop. James pretended to be ill this morning."

"Och, did ye noo?" snapped Donald. "Thomas haes ended up in an accident because o' ye."

"I know…" grunted James. With that, the engines quickly swapped jobs.

Wait until I see that Gordon. Thought James. I'll give him a piece of my mind.


And indeed, James did give Gordon a piece of his mind, as did Sir Handel. Not only that, but Gordon saw both Thomas and Peter Sam in the Steamworks.

My ideas caused this? He thought worriedly. Peter Sam looks worse for wear, and Thomas… oh, by Greasley's name, our alliance. How did I let that slide? A serious look crossed the express engine's face. Henry's due at Vicarstown with a goods train around the same time I get there... Right. "James, when you get back to Knapford," said Gordon aloud, "tell Sir Topham Hatt to get Henry to look after the express and put me on goods trains as a punishment."

With a shocked look, James silently obeyed the request, and Gordon thundered up to Vicarstown.


"Henry!" he called, and caught sight of the green engine resting in the shed.

"Gordon?" asked Henry, "what's happening?"

"You need to take the express."

Henry blinked. "Uh… Sir Topham Hatt arranged for this?"

"He's going to," Gordon replied. "Just trust me on this one."

"Well, I don't object to the express," the big green engine said, and it wasn't long before the engine's jobs were swapped.


"I can't say I'm pleased with you planting ideas into James and Sir Handel's minds, Gordon," said Sir Topham Hatt firmly. "But…" he trailed, "I'm impressed with you taking your punishment with dignity."

"Thank you sir," Gordon said quietly.


Thomas finally got back to work some days later, and James and Gordon approached the tank engine at Knapford after he dropped off Terence at the Skarloey Railway; currently, he was with Annie and Clarabel.

"Thomas," said James, "we're really sorry we got you into that mess. Faking you're ill is never a good idea."

"And that is not what an alliance is," Gordon added. "I'm truly sorry I broke it, Thomas."

"Hey," said Thomas with a small smile. "You two have apologised, and Gordon, I do believe you thought of your own punishment yourself. I'm proud of you for taking dignity in that."

Gordon managed a small smile. "It's good to have you back, little Thomas."

Just then, Thomas heard a bus horn.

"Bertie!" he cried happily. "Did you get that tar for your roads?"

"Yes, I did," he smiled. "There's no more bumps or potholes. Thank you for getting the message out, Thomas!"

"My pleasure," replied the blue tank engine. "Hey, you know what this means?"

"Oh no…" groaned Annie and Clarabel, knowing what was coming.

"Ready, set, go!" The guard's whistle blew and Thomas and Bertie were off. Gordon and James had to be amused by this.

The End


Trust Thomas really benefits from a larger timeframe, as many events just seemed smashed together to form a four minute story. Gordon telling Sir Handel and James to fake illness is what got Zack the idea for this story to take place at the same time as Trucks!. I really like how Zack and I wrote Gordon in the ending of Trucks!, and it shows even more here. We're in for another large single episode block between STLOE and a mini special centred around Peter Sam and Sir Handel, which we've yet to title.

Also, at the time of posting the footnotes, Zack mentioned that the next episode, Thomas Gets Bumped, is Bertie returning Thomas' favour. See you then.