Mind That Bike
Based upon the story by Christopher Awdry
Adapted by Rachel Ravens
Takes place between TIOP and TE
Thomas and Percy were happily waiting at the station for Mr. Tipper to load the mail bags onto the post train.
"So, you're saying that Bulstrode is now on a beach on your branch line?" asked Mr. Tipper.
"Pretty much," said Percy. "I still feel bad about those runaway trucks…"
"That couldn't be helped, Percy," soothed Mr. Tipper. "It was a loose coupling."
"That could happen to any engine," agreed Thomas. "Just like when James was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Indeed," agreed Percy. "We still haven't forgotten how you sent a letter to Crewe a few years ago to ask how Henry was doing."
"Oh yes," said Mr. Tipper. "I remember that."
Just then, Henry came up. The points were jammed when he was taking the Flying Kipper, and he had to stop for the late night workmen to fix it.
"Oh, I don't think I know what exactly happened leading up to that letter or your reactions to it." he commented.
"I can tell you now," smiled Percy. "And you can tell us your part at Crewe."
Past
It was my first ever mail run, and I was trying to be very quiet.
"I never knew how peaceful the island was at night," I whispered to his crew.
"It is beautiful," smiled my driver. "I'd say we've got a clear run tonight."
"It's pretty frosty though," replied my fireman. "Be careful, or there may very well be an accident."
I eventually reached another station, and there was a very friendly looking man on the platform; a coffee in his hand.
"Hello," I whispered. "You're up early too."
"Well, I wouldn't be a reliable postman if I slept in," chuckled the man. "My name is Tom Tipper."
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Tipper," I smiled. "I'm fairly new around here myself. I'm Percy."
"Ah, I see," said Mr. Tipper; he was starting to load the mail bags onto my mail train. "I did hear word of a new station pilot two years ago. Heard you put Gordon in his place when he was being rude to Edward."
I chuckled. "I sure did. We've also got another new engine just before Christmas hit last year. His name is Toby, and he brought a coach named Henrietta. Both work on Thomas' branch line with him, Annie and Clarabel."
"Glad that Thomas has more help, and you've got a couple of new friends," Mr. Tipper smiled. I then went on to explain how Toby and Henrietta were rescued by Sir Topham Hatt.
"A henhouse!?" exclaimed Mr. Tipper. "That's just awful."
"And poor Toby was going to be abandoned in a shed," I sighed. "No engine deserves a fate like that."
Mr. Tipper nodded in agreement. "Thank goodness Sir Topham Hatt stepped in when he did. If I didn't know any better, he's developing a habit of rescuing engines and coach stock."
"And a good one at that," I smiled. Just then, my guard's whistle sounded out. "Oh, that's my cue, Mr. Tipper. I have to go."
"I'll see you later, Percy," Mr. Tipper waved until I was out of sight.
But the following day, I had received dreaded news from Kildane station. Henry had a nasty accident, and that completely depressed everyone for the better half of the day.
"I sure hope he'll get better soon," I said quietly as he shunted around the yards. I then heard James coming into the yards. "James, the red coaches are on platform three."
"I… I don't feel like taking a passenger train right now."
That took me completely off guard.
"James?" I asked in shock. "What's going on? You love passengers."
"It's nothing," James muttered. "I'm just… er… not well right now."
"Aren't you?" I asked. "You came into the yards just fine. We need all wheels on deck at the moment, what with Henry…"
"Henry's at Crewe because of me!" James snapped. "My goods train was in that siding. If I wasn't there, Henry would still be running on the railway right now! What if this happens again, and someone else runs into the back of my train? It's already terrible enough that Henry's hurt but if another one of you gets hurt along with several passengers, that could very well be the end of all of us!"
We both fell silent at James' outburst, I was certain James was trying hard not to burst into tears.
"James…" I said quietly. "That was not your fault. Sir Topham Hatt said ice and snow caused the accident. Thomas and Edward told me the same thing."
"But… what if Henry doesn't get better or come home?" James asked. "We can't have a missing engine from our fleet…" he sighed. "I wasn't particularly kind to Henry these past few months…"
"I'm sure he'll forgive you," I said. "Regardless of…" I couldn't finish my sentence, shuddering at the implications.
That next night, I was still very upset from my conversation with James.
"Percy, what's the matter?" asked Mr. Tipper.
"It's Henry…" I sobbed. "He got into an accident with the Flying Kipper. Edward says he's never seen an accident quite like it in his life, and James feels terrible for letting it happen…"
"How did he 'let it happen', per say?" asked Mr. Tipper.
"He was in the siding when it happened," I admitted. "The points were against Henry and he surged into the back of the goods train. It wasn't James' fault, and I tried to tell him that, but he still feels responsible."
"Hmm," said Mr. Tipper. "I think I have an idea. Percy, you just carry on your mail run."
"Okay, Mr. Tipper." I said, not quite sure where this was going.
Present Day
"Oh, poor James," sighed Henry. "I knew he took it harshly, but I didn't realise he nearly refused his passenger train."
"Seeing Duck's near crash into it, that makes it harsher in hindsight," Thomas sighed.
"Indeed," Henry agreed. "Anyway…"
Past
It took a few days for Mr. Tipper's plan to be put into action, but eventually, down at Crewe works, Mr. Stanier got quite a surprise.
"Henry!" he called to me. I was already under repairs. Though I still had a long way to go, I was already starting to feel a bit better.
"What's wrong, Mr. Stanier?" I asked.
"Nothing's wrong," he said. "It's just something you should see."
I gasped as I looked at what was in Mr. Stanier's hand. "It's a letter. Addressed to… Henry the Green Engine?! Since when do engines get letters?"
"Since now," chuckled Mr. Stanier. He opened it and read it to me.
Dear Henry.
Percy told me that the engines have been concerned for your wellbeing. In particular are Edward and Thomas, who had seen you in the crash, and James, who feels guilty for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. They all want to know if you're getting better at Crewe.
Signed, Tom Tipper the postman.
PS, I'm also worried about you. Hope you get better soon.
I let out a quiet gasp when Mr. Stanier finished the letter. "Oh, my friends… bless their smoke boxes for being concerned. And it wasn't James' fault at all."
"I know how to let them know what's been going on up here," said Mr. Stanier. He got out a pen and paper, as well as an envelope. "Now, what do you want me to write?"
Present Day
"Go on, Percy," said Henry when he finished his bit of the story.
Past
Back on Sodor, we had still been concerned about you, Henry, and it was a few days later when Sir Topham Hatt saw us at Tidmouth.
"Engines," he called, "you won't believe this. You've got mail."
"Oh no!" I gasped. "Did I miss out on some letters from one of the stations?"
"No, Percy," chuckled Sir Topham Hatt. "This is what I mean."
He showed the letter to the engines.
"Addressed to… all the engines on the North Western Railway?!" cried Toby.
"Yes, Toby," laughed Sir Topham Hatt. He opened it up.
"I wish Henry could have been here to see it too," sighed Gordon, and we all fell somber again. Then, Sir Topham Hatt started reading the letter.
To all my dear friends
Mr. Tipper wrote to me that you are all concerned for my well being, and I feel touched you still have me in your thoughts. Don't you all fret. Crewe is doing a wonderful job having me fixed up. James, I understand completely about you feeling responsible for my crash, but need I remind you that was never your fault. Ice and snow frosted the points over. I should be back by early spring. Maybe you can keep me 'posted' on all the happenings on the North Western Railway via letters.
Signed, Henry the Green Engine.
PS. Of course I couldn't write this myself. Mr. Stanier was kind enough to help.
We all gasped in surprise, as rushes of warmth spread through their boilers, and we knew it wasn't because of our fires.
"I guess Henry really is getting better," said Edward happily.
"So this was Mr. Tipper's plan," I smiled. "Oh, if the post train wasn't my favourite job before, it is now."
"I'd love to join you on the mail run sometime, Percy," said Thomas with feeling.
"And you shall, Thomas," said Sir Topham Hatt. "When there's extra mail vans ready to go, I'll ask you to help out."
We all beamed with happiness over this news.
Present Day
"And you did come home!" finished Percy, "and we're very glad to have you back with us."
"Thank you, Percy," smiled Henry. "That accident did me a good turn. I run better than ever."
"It's amazing what kind of happiness a letter can bring," sighed Thomas happily.
"Indeed it is," replied Mr. Tipper. "But I wouldn't be anywhere without my trusty van. Without it, the letter would have taken ages to reach the sorting office and Henry, and vice versa with the reply letter back to Sodor."
"We're very glad you have it," said Percy. "And Thomas and I always look forward to seeing you daily."
"Thank you, Percy," smiled Mr. Tipper. Finally, the points were mended, and the trains could move off.
"Good luck, you three," said Mr. Tipper. "Thomas, Percy, see you tomorrow, early morning."
But the next early morning, when Percy and Thomas arrived at the platform with their mail trains, they were in for quite a shock.
"There!" snapped a post man they've never seen before. "Now you can get that loaded into the train."
"Hey!" Thomas cried. "That wasn't very nice!"
But Percy heard something unusual. "A bicycle bell?" he exclaimed.
"Huh… oh my!" gasped Thomas. "You're right, Percy. That post man's riding off on a bike!"
"Indeed," sighed Percy. "That must be difficult. No one should carry post bags on a bike."
"We'd better get these bags loaded," said Percy's driver. "Come on, let's do it."
"Is Mr. Tipper sick?" Percy asked worriedly.
"Most likely," sighed Thomas. "If only there was something we could do…"
"There is!" cried Percy. "Let's get our drivers and fireman to write letters and send them to Mr. Tipper in the post!"
"That's a great idea, Percy!" smiled Thomas.
"You two shall do it next evening when you're in the sheds," grinned Thomas' driver. "Come on, let's get these into the vans and make up for lost time."
The two tank engines felt better after that and set to work with a will.
But the next early morning when the tank engines showed up with their letter - carried by Percy's guard in the brake van - they were in for another shock.
"Welcome back, Mr. Tipper," smiled Thomas. "Henry's found a- Oh… what's happened to your van?!"
"My post master decided that the van was too expensive to run," sighed Mr. Tipper. "Now I've only got a bike to carry the mail bags. I'm sorry, I can't help you today."
"Oh…" sighed Percy. "So you won't have time to see-" before Percy could finish his sentence, the early morning station master came up.
"Mr. Tipper," he called, "you need to come back to Sir Topham Hatt's office. He needs you to sign important papers right away."
"Oh dear," Mr. Tipper groaned. "This will make me later still. Percy, Thomas, could you both watch my bike, please?"
"Certainly," smiled Thomas weakly.
Unfortunately, Mr. Tipper was in a hurry and was being careless. He propped his bike against Percy's mail van and rushed away.
"Stop!" cried Percy and Thomas, but Mr. Tipper was out of sight. There was worse to come. Percy's driver hadn't seen the bike and started away.
"Oh no!" Percy cried. "Now there'll be trouble."
There was a very loud crunch under the mail van's wheels, and the bike slipped away completely.
"Stop the train!" cried Thomas.
Percy's driver's did so, and all the late night porters and Mr. Tipper rushed to the scene.
The bike's remains were extracted from the tracks and put onto the platform. Thankfully, no one was hurt.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Tipper." apologised Percy.
"It wasn't your fault, old friend," sighed the postman, "I was being careless. But now I've only got my legs to get the mail delivered. Whatever next?"
"What if we got Bertie to help," suggested Thomas. "I know he's a bus, but he may be able to lend a wheel temporarily."
And indeed the bus was happy to help.
"Don't worry, Mr. Tipper," smiled Bertie. "I'll get your parcels and letters to everyone in no time."
"Thank you, Bertie," sighed Mr. Tipper as he rode as a passenger in the front seat with all the post bags inside. It was a bit crowded, but much better than riding a bike or walking.
"It would be much better if you got another van," sighed Bertie.
"If only my postmaster could see that," said Mr. Tipper.
The postmaster indeed could see that Mr. Tipper was unhappy with these new arrangements, and quickly set about to make plans…
A few days after Bertie had starting helping with the post run, Mr. Tipper was waiting happily for the tank engines.
"Cinders and ashes!" cried Thomas. "Is that a smart new van we see?"
"It is indeed," he smiled. "That accident did me a good turn, Percy."
"Oh, that's great news, Mr. Tipper!" grinned the tank engine.
"It's much better than another bike and worth the expense, says my postmaster." he told the tank engines. "Now, I can always be on time again."
After loading the mail vans, Mr. Tipper was then given the present that Thomas and Percy had been meaning to give him.
Dear Mr. Tipper.
We have both been very concerned for you when you were sick yesterday. We hope you will get better soon. One of the best things to happen to us is pulling the mail train and we always look forward to seeing your smiling face.
Your friends always, Thomas and Percy.
"Aww, thank you both," smiled Mr. Tipper. "I'd better get a move on. But with my new van, I won't be late to deliver the mail." He got into it and drove off.
"So I did help!" smiled Percy. "But… by accident you might say."
The End
Admittingly, this has less focus on the bike and more focus on the relationship shared between Mr. Tipper, Percy, Thomas and the mail train as a whole. I didn't plan for the letter to be sent to Henry and then to the other engines, it just slipped nicely into place. This also ties into the whole 'accidents aren't always a bad thing' moral the episode was going for.
Henry's also found yet another missing Saloon Coach. Just throwing that out there.
That's the last one-shot in this block, and the last one-shot by Chris Awdry, thank goodness. They were tricky as heck to write up. Next up, is the introduction of my favourite female character in the TAF franchise. Keep your eyes out on Zack's profile for that.
