It had been an interesting few months on the North Western Railway. Not long after Edward left Tidmouth Sheds to live at Wellsworth with Philip, Thomas left the Island of Sodor in the middle of the summer to go on a big adventure around the world. He ended up coming back with a tank engine from Kenya named Nia. With Edward's berth empty, Nia moved into Tidmouth Sheds. Henry, seeing how Edward's change was an improvement, was now also in talks with the Fat Controller for a change of his own. In addition, the Fat Controller was preparing to purchase a new tender engine from the mainland. It was now autumn, and the engines busy were adjusting to the new timetables.
"Good morning everybody!" Nia greeted one morning.
It had only been three days since she and Thomas had returned. The other engines, who had grown used to having two empty berths opened their eyes slowly.
"Good morning, Nia." yawned Percy.
Emily and James looked at each other sleepily. Neither their drivers or fireman had arrived yet. Henry, however, was up and steaming.
"Good morning, Nia!" he replied cheerfully.
"Isn't it a beautiful day?" Nia swooned. "Just look at the beautiful sunrise!"
"Personally, I prefer clouds…" mumbled Gordon, still half asleep.
"Don't mind Gordon, he's always a fusspot before the fireman comes." Henry chuckled. "I must be off now, I'm needed in Vicarstown."
"Okay, see you soon!" peeped Nia. "Come on Gordon, it's time for work! The express awaits."
"I'm ready when I say I'm ready." Gordon boomed.
Nia felt rather hurt.
"He's still upset that Edward left." Thomas explained.
"It's been two months." retorted James. "He really should be over this by now."
"Yes, but Gordon has shared a shed with Edward since the early days." said Emily. "And I'm sure having a new engine in his place feels weird to him."
Nia now felt sad for Gordon. "Well, I do hope he and I can still become friends. Is there anything I can do to help him?"
"Perhaps you could fetch his coaches." suggested Percy. "It would help me too, since I have to finish some extra mail deliveries."
Nia perked up excitedly. "Very happy to help the both of you then!"
Later, Nia was at Knapford shunting the express coaches to the platform. Gordon was surprised to see his coaches ready and waiting for him as he backed onto them. Nia pulled up beside him
"Good morning again Gordon!" she greeted upbeatedly.
"Hello, Nia…" Gordon replied rather awkwardly. "...thank you for arranging these. Off you go now."
Nia sighed in disappointment and headed back to the yard. The Fat Controller, who had been standing on the platform, had seen everything.
"Come on now, Gordon. I expect you to be more polite to Nia. She's a very welcome addition to the railway who comes at a time when we need the extra help. Show some gratitude."
Gordon wheeshed steam sadly. "I know sir, but it feels so unusual to have her at the sheds instead of Edward. To have an engine from another country that I've never met take the place of someone I've known for decades is very unsettling."
"I'd suggest getting to know Nia then." advised the Fat Controller. "She and I had a long talk the other day, and she's a very kind engine who really wants to be friends with everyone."
"I suppose…" Gordon chortled pompously.
Soon, it was time for the express to depart, and Gordon set off, still feeling depressed. As he sped down the line, he couldn't stop thinking about how so much had changed over the course of only a few months. When he stopped at Wellsworth, he peered into the yard to see if he could spot Edward shunting. But Edward was nowhere to be seen.
"Hello Gordon!" came a high voice.
Gordon jumped and looked back to see Philip pulling up beside him with some milk tankers.
"Oh...hello, Phillip."
"Are you looking for Edward?" asked the little boxcab.
"Yes, do you know when he'll be back?" Gordon replied eagerly.
"Well, I don't know since he's at Brendam Docks right now. Maybe he'll be here when you come back!"
Gordon sighed impatiently.
"Have you met the new engine by the way?" chattered on Phillip. "Apparently she's from Kenya, all the way in Africa. Wow! I can't wait to meet her."
"Yes, Phillip, I have." Gordon uttered through gritted teeth.
"Oh, that's right! She sleeps at Tidmouth Sheds with you. What's she like, Gordon? Is she fun?"
But Gordon said nothing more as he left the station and went on his way. By the time he reached Vicarstown, he had managed to feel cross.
"It's not fair!" he complained to Henry. "Edward just decides to move away after years and years of staying with us, and then some new engine from halfway around the world takes his place! It's disgraceful. It's disgusting! It's-"
"Calm your boiler, Gordon!" scolded Henry. "You've been complaining about Edward nonstop since he left, and now you just can't seem to accept Nia. You seriously need to learn how to deal with change, Gordon. Otherwise, we'll never hear the end of it. Now that would be despicable."
Gordon just pouted. "Come on Henry, don't you feel the same way? At least you and I will still be there together."
"Well, about that…" said Henry. "I've been meaning to tell you something."
"Tell me what?" sniffed Gordon.
Henry took a deep breath. "I'm moving out of Tidmouth Sheds too. I'll be staying here at Vicarstown now."
Gordon was completely taken aback in shock. "WHAT?!"
His yell was so loud that the sound echoed through the big station. Passengers and engines all stopped and stared.
"When did this happen?!" Gordon sputtered furiously.
"I've been planning this for awhile, and the Fat Controller agreed since most of my work now is based around here." Henry explained. "I've already told the others. I never told you because you were still so upset about Edward. I now have to tell you this today because tonight is my last night at Tidmouth. I was hoping we'd be able to enjoy it…"
Gordon steamed out of Vicarstown in a big huff. "This is an outrage...first Edward leaves, Nia moves in, and now Henry leaves! I'll be the only one of the original three left…maybe this will convince Edward to come back."
When Gordon arrived back at Wellsworth, he found Edward at the other platform with a small goods train.
"Oh Edward, am I ever so glad to see you!"
Edward blinked in surprise. "Well hello to you too, Gordon-"
"That new African engine has taken your spot in Tidmouth Sheds, and now Henry is leaving as well! You need to come back, otherwise I'll be the only one of the original three tender engines left!"
Edward sighed. "Gordon, Henry came to me first when he wanted to move. He said that having to commute across the island to Vicarstown every morning was getting tiresome. He wanted to be closer to his work. I encouraged him because I was happy that I had made the change. You, me, and him are three of the oldest engines on this railway. As we grow older, we need to take it easier so that we won't risk breaking down as often."
"I may be as old as you and Henry, but I still pull the express!" protested Gordon. "It may be a bit more tiring now, but I manage."
"There's still only so much we can do as we grow older." Edward continued to explain. "In fact, part of the reason the Fat Controller is getting a new tender engine is to help you with the express."
"Me? Share my express?" Gordon exclaimed.
"Yes, and with Henry at Vicarstown now, she'll probably be joining you at Tidmouth."
Gordon defeatedly wheeshed himself in a cloud steam. "So it really will be like this forever and ever…"
"You'll get used to the changes, Gordon." Edward soothed. "You just need to give them time. Nia and I have met and she's a very nice engine. I would suggest talking to her; she'd probably understand given all she's been through."
Gordon slunk back to Tidmouth Sheds early that evening. He sat alone and depressed in his berth. He watched as the other engines passed by with their evening trains.
"If I'm so old, then maybe I should just stay in this shed for the rest of my days…"
"Now I wouldn't recommend that." chuckled a voice.
Gordon looked up to see Nia backing into the berth beside him.
"What do you want?" he murmured.
"Well, I never really got the chance to talk to you today." Nia replied. "You were in such a hurry with the express."
Gordon just sighed.
"I can see that you are sad." Nia continued. "Thomas told me how hard it's been for you lately. I too, know what it's like to deal with change. In fact, I'm going through one of the biggest changes right now."
Gordon raised his brow. "How so?"
"Well, as you can see, I'm on a new railway in a whole new country! Before I came here, I was alone and without work. My old branch line in Kenya had shut down, and I feared that I might be scrapped. When Thomas came along, I decided to go with him because I recognized that change would be good for me. However, this meant leaving behind my friends in Africa. I was sad to leave and they were sad to see me go, but they understood. But moving does not mean we stop being friends; in fact, I just had my driver write a letter to my friend Kwaku to let him know how happy I am here on Sodor! We'll always be friends, even though we're hundreds of miles apart."
Gordon was impressed. "Wow...you're very brave to make such a big decision, Nia."
"Edward and Henry are some of your oldest friends, Gordon. Just because they are staying somewhere else now doesn't mean you won't still be friends. You'll still be able to see them all the time. I have my old friends, too, but now that I'm here on Sodor I've made lots of new friends! And I really do hope that you can be one of them."
Gordon now felt rather foolish. "I'm sorry I've been so cold to you, Nia. Old engines like me need time to get used to new things. I think that you're very kind and thoughtful, and I would love to be your friend."
Nia smiled. "I'm so glad we are friends then. And I hope we can both be friends with the new tender engine that will be joining us."
"That will take some getting used to as well." Gordon chuckled.
The two engines soon found each other chatting like old friends, and by nightfall the other engines had joined them for Henry's final night. Henry and Gordon told stories about their younger days.
"Did you know that Henry used to be so afraid of rain that he hid in a tunnel and refused to come out?"
"Is that so?" laughed Nia.
"Yes, and then he burst his safety valve and Edward and I had to take over the express!" smirked Henry.
"He also once ran into a ditch because he didn't want to pull trucks!" teased Thomas.
"Don't remind me!" sniffed Gordon. "But of course then I rescued you after you fell down that mine!"
When morning came, the engines bid their final goodbyes to Henry as he headed toward his new home at Vicarstown. Gordon felt the familiar wave of sadness creeping up, but took some comfort knowing that he would still see his friend often. Just then, Percy came bustling in from taking the mail.
"The Fat Controller wants us all at Knapford." he ordered.
"Whatever for?" yawned James.
"I'm not entirely sure, but I hope it's about the new engine!"
"Already?" groaned Gordon.
"We best go there and find out then." advised Thomas.
But that's another story.