Chapter 2

Foreword from the Author

Trying to figure out when exactly Thomas and Friends takes place proved quite tricky for me. The Railway Series, of course, takes place in a span of 66 years; 1945 - 2011. Yet the show itself seems to take place around the 50s or 60s. As I had more exposure to the world of the TV show, I mostly imagine stories taking place in that media. Thus I had to figure out what kind of time frame would fit the world and characters.

I always assumed that the show starts around the 1920s, just like the books, and progressed later on to the 1960s. This would give the show a 40 year time frame; which given that the show has only established one Fat Controller running the railway from the beginning (unlike the books which had three generations of controllers), a 40 year length does not seem that far fetched. At one point I considered having the world take place in the 1980s, introducing more modern take but not quite in the 21st Century. Unfortunately this would mean that the time frame would end up being a 60 year gap, which just does not make sense in the context I wanted to go for. So I decided it would be the 60s.

In terms of the drivers, firemen, and other characters; some will be there, others will have changed to reflect the era and the obvious 40 year time frame. You'll understand more as you read on.

Sorry this but got more rambly. Hope you enjoy the chapter.

- MulticolourInk

...

Edward sat at Brendam Station with his line of trucks. Soon he would have more, as James would soon be arriving from the China Clay Pits with even more trucks. The plan was that James would drop some at the docks, with a few left over for the potters, collect more goods of trucks at the same time, and then meet up with Edward at Wellsworth to combine them all as one train. It would be far too much for one engine to handle, so they were going to double-head it, dropping off the trucks at their respected stations along the way.

Edward wasn't really thinking about the trucks. He was deep in thought, as his driver noticed.

"Got something on you mind, Edward?", asked Charlie Sand

"Oh!", said Edward, snapping out of his said thoughts. "Err no, sorry Charlie. I'm just thinking about something"

"The missing tools?", asked Charlie.

"Yeah", Edward sighed.

"Blimey, you weren't kidding!", said a voice from his cab, "He really does tend to dwell on things doesn't he?"

"Now come on Tim", said Charlie sternly. "Have some respect. It's Edward"

"Oh yeah…", Tim paused. "Sorry Edward", he said, jumping out of the cab to face the blue engine.

Tim Clearwater was Edward's new fireman. A young man only in his mid-twenties, he was proving to be quite eager to learn, if not impulsive. Charlie had stepped up to the plate of driver, after Sydney Heaver retired, leaving the space of fireman for Tim to fill. The new team worked quite well together, despite the obvious changes; but both Edward and Charlie knew that in their old age, it was easier to accept that things changed all the time, and it was all the more better when a younger generation showed just as much passion in the work as they did.

"That's quite alright Tim", Edward chuckled, winking at Tim to show he was joking. "But you are right, I do tend to dwell on things"

"You're just worried is all, Edward", Charlie reassured. "But in all seriousness, you really think there's more to this?"

"Do you?", Edward asked him seriously. He was doubtful.

"Well you know me Edward", replied Charlie. "I don't tend to think too much on things. Don't like how the mind wanders. That's how different you and I are in that aspect"

"Quite right", Edward laughed.

He took a moment to bask in the content silence for a bit, watching the new buds of the station flowers dancing in the chilly wind, and listening to the birds sing.

The moment was soon interrupted by a familiar whistle.

"That would be James", said Tim, peering around Edward to spot the red engine puffing up. He pushed his line of trucks to the back of Edward's train, then was uncoupled and moved back to be switched onto the adjoining line. Unsurprisingly, he was wearing a scowl on his face.

"Everything went alright James?", asked Edward, as James puffed up to the opposite station.

"Oh everything went fine", James sighed. "Or it would be if I didn't have to push so many annoying trucks. Coaches would have come along fine. But noooo the Fat Controller decided to use me as the clay pit monkey"

"Did you manage to get to the docks alright?", Edward asked, trying to make the conversation as light-hearted as possible. He really didn't want James to have to head the train in this mood.

"Yeah I got them there", James sighed again. "Most of them went onto the ships. There's only a few left that are needed for the potters. And some other trucks. But as you're so old you can't manage that tiny extra weight so need me to shift it all"

Tim scowled from Edward's cab, but Edward laughed.

"You should know more than anyone, that taking more trucks than you can handle is a cause for trouble"

"I agree!", James' driver, Shaul laughed, as he leaned out of the cab. His dirty blond hair was messy as usual, and his wild-card persona easily made his presence known.

James went slightly red and looked away.

"Hey", Shaul leaned out further and patted the side of James' cab fondly. "It's alright. You'll do this job great as you usually do"

James cheered up a bit then.

"All ready to go?", said Charlie.

"Think so", replied Shaul. "Hey Brendan, how are his gages?"

"All pretty normal", replied the fireman, tapping each one.

"Great! Alright James, ready to do this?"

"You bet!", cried James, suddenly with a new sense of rejuvenation. They moved further up the line to switch onto Edward's, then backed up onto the train. As they did so, Shaul looked back, and winked at Edward.

"Well you've certainly cheered up James", Edward laughed as they were coupled together.

"Well I'm the one who has to get this train delivered", replied James in his usual smugness. Whether he was aware of what was going on, he didn't show it. "Let's get this moving!"

The two engines blew their whistles after the guard, and moved out of the station.

...

They travelled along merrily for a while. James decided to talk about the use of china clay.

"I mean, what is the point of humans making all that worthless clay into vases and stuff. It's all breakable. If an engine was made out of that, it would be a disaster! Mind you, it would make them shinier…but that is beside the point!"

"It's different to what humans find worth in something than we engines do", replied Edward. "Think about all the things that humans can take joy in, and the things we engines take joy in. It can differ, and sometimes not make sense, but sometimes we can both agree on the same things"

"Some people like the colour red, and others don't", James' voice fell. "The other day some train enthusiast called my paint work a ghastly unsightly colour! Can you imagine?!"

"Yeah I can…", Edward said. He was reminded of how some railway enthusiasts had sometimes complained to the Fat Controller about how brightly coloured the engines were. Calling them unsightly and unproper.

"I'd rather drive a red engine, than one with a dull livery from the mainland", Shaul chuckled.

"Quite right", said Charlie. He patted Edward's side. "Edward here is a piece of the beautiful blue sky we drive under"

"And James is…"

"Fiery lava", Brendan laughed before Shaul could come up with anything.

James scowled.

"Red monster!", the trucks giggled from behind.

James scowled harder.

"Hey none of that!", said Shaul. "Nah James is a red ruby"

"Or a garnet", teased Brendan. Shaul nudged him.

"Yeah that's right!", said James', determined not to let anything spoil things for him now. "That's what I was called when I was repainted to red the first-"

"SHAUL, BREAK!", cried Brendan suddenly.

Everything went by so fast.

James felt his breaks slam on so hard that he bumped Edward back a little, who then bumped back into the trucks. Edward yelped in surprise, and Charlie pulled his brakes back.

Luckily the guard in the breakvan had also felt the tremor, and slammed his breaks on before the trucks could do anything. The two engines and their train managed to glide to a halt on the line.

James opened his eyes, and gasped.

"Err Edward. You're not going to believe this"

"What happened?", said Shaul, who was a bit dazed.

"Look", said Brendan, pointing in front.

Shaul looked up and couldn't believe his eyes. Lying on the tracks, tipped on its side and with a wheel missing, was a small cart. It was partially filled with what looked like scrap metal.

James' crew got out to inspect it. Edward's crew remained in their engine and watched.

The cart itself was not as big as an ordinary cart, but neither was it the size of a toy cart. It was around the middle, with a rope attached to the front, but nothing attached to the end.

"These are all engine parts", said Shaul, as he inspected the assumed scrap metal inside the cart.

"Look", said Brendan. "Someone has tried to pull it across the rails. Ain't no engine that was pulling this"

Shaul nodded. His engine looked on with the same puzzled expression.

"That's all good and all", said Charlie, jumping down from Edward's cab. "But we don't have time for this now. We gotta shift this. The next train will be coming along soon. We'll just report this to the next station"

"And say what exactly?", said Shaul. "We don't really have much of a story to tell from this"

"They don't care abou' that", replied Charlie.

"Everything alright?"

The crew members turned to see a man from the nearby signal box running up to them.

"No worries" said Charlie, raising his arm in greeting. "Just a mishap, but we'll sort it quickly and be on our way"

"I'll telephone the net station, and the one before, just to let them know there has been a slight delay", the signalman nodded. Then he ran back to the signal box.

It didn't take long for the crew members, and the guard, to clear the mess, and soon the train was on its way again.

"Well. That was weird", said James bemused.

Edward didn't say anything, but a sinking feeling was forming in his boiler.

...

When they finally reached Suddery, Charlie and Brendan went to speak to the Stationmaster.

Edward and James waited anxiously, as Tim and Shaul checked them over.

Soon Charlie and Brendan emerged with the Stationmaster. He certainly didn't look happy.

"Well at least nothing bad came of this", he told the driver and fireman. "But I will have to contact the police about it. Someone dumping a cart like that on the tracks is violation of safety at best"

"I agree, but it's not like they'll catch whoever did this. There ain't no cameras along that line. And they've surely got away", replied Charlie.

The Stationmaster could do nothing but shrug. "It is what it is"

Just then, the phone in the Stationmaster's office rang.

"Oh bother", he groaned, and ran inside to get it.

Edward sighed. The dreaded feelings he had before were starting to swell inside him again.

"What are you thinking of Edward?", asked James, sensing his friend's emotions.

"Nothing James", Edward sighed again. "Well, only about the tools, and now this cart business"

"You think there's some kind of connection?", asked James

"Maybe…"

Edward shook himself out of his stupor.

"Nah forget it. I expect you think I'm just mad", he chuckled.

Normally James would have responded with a quippy remark. But something in Edward's tone made him stop.

"Nah, I don't think you are, Edward", said James. "You usually have a sixth sense about this kind of stuff"

Edward smiled.

Then, just before they were about to head off, the Stationmaster suddenly ran out of his office all flustered.

"Wait! Edward, I need to speak to you"

"What's up?", said Shaul, jumping down from James' cab.

The Stationmaster took a moment to get his breath back.

"I just had a call from Wellsworth", he said. "They've had a call from the scrap yard. Those pieces that were in the cart, might be from there. The workers did report some units had gone missing"

"Is that all?", asked Charlie.

"No", answered the Stationmaster. "They've also had a call from the Works. Those trucks of new parts Edward took earlier today. Some of it's gone missing!"

"Missing?!", cried Charlie. "How?"

"And that's not all, continued the Stationmaster. "A part has been found at the entrance of Henry's forest"