Thomas sped off down the rails! He didn't know much of where he was going, but he just followed the rails to their destination.
Although Thomas rarely did do work that took him across to the Mainland, he has heard a few things. He knew that the station before Sodor was called Barrow-in-Furness. But that was all Thomas knew. He didn't know where he was going from here.
But Thomas felt happy, he had the moons and the stars to guide him, and his lamp shone brightly in the night, shining his way down the rails.
So this was what the Mainland was!
After puffing along the rails for a few minutes, Thomas approached a station platform. Looking around, he saw he was at the station of Barrow-in-Furness.
"Wow...so this is Barrow-in-Furness!" Thomas looked around in awe, "Hmm...not as busy as I heard it can be...well..." Thomas chuckled nervously, "I guess it is past midnight now..."
Thomas slowly carried on down the line. He was a little nervous, but he was determined to carry on exploring.
As he slowly puffed along the line, Thomas saw a white light in the distance. It was around the same shape as his headlamp.
Maybe it was another engine!
"Uh, h-hello!" Thomas called out, trying to communicate with the engine. The engine continued coming Thomas' way – and it was coming quite quickly!
"H-Hey!" Thomas called out, "T-There's another engine here!" Thomas then whistled loudly!
The engine gasped and came to a sudden halt! The scratching metal of its brakes pierced through the air!
Thomas gasped and closed his eyes, bracing for the hard impact! But thankfully, Thomas felt a gentle tap on his buffers, as the mysterious engine came to a sudden halt.
Thomas opened his eyes nervously, and watched as the engine slowly reversed to give him space.
"Goodness gracious me!" The engine exclaimed, "Whatever was that for, almost made an old engine's boiler explode!"
"I-I'm so sorry!" Thomas quickly apologised. He couldn't make out the engine much, except for his face. He had red buffers like his own, only it had markings that said 'No. 20' along it.
"Goodness...not to worry young lad, suppose that's engines today." The engine chuckled.
He appeared to be a kind sort of engine.
"Um...e-excuse me..." Thomas asked anxiously, "W-Who are you?"
"Huh? The engine looked up, before stuttering, "Oh goodness me! Wherever are my manners...come with me young engine. Let's go somewhere with...a little more light."
The engine reversed, allowing Thomas to follow him. He was actually not that fast.
The two engines entered a large shed, big enough for two engines to settle in. The elderly engines driver hopped out and turned on the lights, giving the two engines a chance to examine each other.
Thomas was amazed. The engine was painted in a fine Indian Red livery with golden linings and markings. He had four big wheels, and a tender behind him. On his tender, marked in the yellow letters, was the initials 'F R'. What could F R mean?
"Wherever are my manners." The old engine chuckled, "Not introducing myself...my name is Raymond."
"I-I'm Thomas." Thomas introduced, warming up to the elderly engine, "What big wheels you got..."
"Oh yes?" Raymond chuckled, "Well, back in my day, it was very common for engines to have just four wheels, then all these bigger and stronger engines started popping out of nowhere."
Thomas was amazed, "Um...how old are you?"
"...Quite a rude question." Raymond insisted, but laughed it off regardless, "Well, I know I was finished on a Tuesday so...hmm...how long has it been since 1868?"
Thomas gasped in shock! Raymond was at least more than 100 years old! He has never met an engine as old as Raymond! Well...he has met some old engines, but none as old as Raymond is.
"Wow! You must be very wise!" Thomas complimented, eagerly!
Raymond chuckled bashfully, "Well, it is nice to hear such lovely compliments once in a while. But I base it all on experiences. Living as long as I have, you will notice there are bad times to learn from, and good times to be thankful for. It is our duty as the older engines to pass that knowledge to the young ones. So they will learn more and more. It is a ongoing progress, so that one day those engines can teach other engines."
"Wow..." Thomas was amazed, "You sound like my friend Edward."
Raymond's eyes suddenly sparked up, smiling a bit, "Edward, eh?" he chuckled, "Oh I remember an Edward once."
Thomas looked up at him, confused.
"Well, back then, I use to teach a nice, young engine named Edward. Very polite, very kind, always offering to help others."
"Edward..." Thomas listened and gasped, "That must be who you're talking about!"
"Hm? Oh no Thomas..." Raymond sighed, "The Edward I knew was transferred in 1915 to the Sodor Railway. Don't know what they did with him now..."
"No Raymond!" Thomas chirped eagerly, "Edward is okay! He's still working with us!"
Raymond looked up in awe, listening with eagerness to the tank engine. Thomas explained all about his railway, and explained more specifically about Edward! Raymond was amazed!
"Oh yes..." Raymond smiled, "That sounds just like Edward...always helping everyone else. I suppose some of my wisdom has remained with him."
Thomas smiled in awe, "You remember him after all these years?"
"Why yes." Raymond acknowledged, "Why...I am the only one of five engines of the Furness Railway who exist today. Well...four if you don't include..."
Thomas looked at the old engine sympathetically, as his smile disappeared, "Raymond?"
"Oh, never mind. Just old memories." Raymond reassured, "I guess in my great age times come and go, but the memories, no matter the kind, stay the same. Suppose I should be grateful, I am one of the lucky ones who has been preserved."
"Preserved?" Thomas asked curiously.
"Yes, it's when an engine, or in other cases, other vehicles like cars or planes, get brought privately, so they can be maintained and protected as a...museum piece. Well, that is the rude way of stating it." Raymond explained, "Some engines are preserved record holders, others have a rich history, or others have other form of historical value. Me for example, I am the oldest standard gauge locomotive still in service in Britain. I am suppose to be based in Shildon, but the people who look after me offered to take me and my companion to Barrow-in-Furness for a short brea-"
"Huh? Protect us from what?" Thomas wondered.
Raymond looked at the tank engine in wonder, "Don't you...oh, never mind. It's nothing important." Raymond returned his friendly smile, "Besides, you look like you're in perfect working order. You work on a lovely railway, and it sounds like you have many wonderful friends too. You are a very lucky engine."
Thomas couldn't help but beam from buffer to buffer.
"Hmm, speaking of which..." Raymond wondered, "What are you doing here anyway? Quite a time for you to be away from home.
"Cinders and ashes! Busted..." Thomas thought to himself. He'll most likely get into trouble now...then Thomas had a clever idea.
"Um...I have been told to...get a special delivery!" Thomas puffed, "Um...but...I don't know where I am going..."
"I see." Raymond said, taking Thomas' word, "Where do you need to go?"
Thomas was stuck again...he honestly didn't know many places on the Mainland. But he still wanted to explore more.
"Um...I-I can't remember..."
Raymond just chuckled, "A little forgetful are we." Thomas blushed embarrassingly, "Hmm, well, maybe it's York you need to go. It's one of the bigger stations here in the North of England. Although...it is quite a distance. Especially f-"
Thomas' eyes lit up! York! The National Railway Museum! Thomas had heard of that place! He went there once a couple of years back! Maybe that could be a good place to explore!
"Thank you Raymond!" Thomas peeped excitedly, before reversing out of the shed and speeding off down the track!
"Wait! Don't you need instructions!" Raymond protested, trying to catch up with the blue tank engine, but it was no use. He couldn't keep up.
"Quite a distance for such a small tank engine..." Raymond wondered to himself. But he shrugged it off, before tiredly returning to his shed.
That morning came very quickly. Back on Sodor, Blake was pacing on the rails anxiously. She hasn't seen or heard Thomas this morning! He mustn't have returned home!
"Oh no! Oh dear..." Blake whimpered anxiously, "Why did I have to tell Thomas how t-"
"Good morning Blake!"
Blake jumped on the rails anxiously, but it was only Percy, the little green tank engine. Percy peeped good morning, before looking around.
"Blake, have you seen Thomas this morning?" Percy asked.
"U-Um...n-no...w-w-why?" Blake wondered anxiously. Percy then began to look around nervously.
"He never came back to the shed last night." Percy explained, "We all thought he would finish early that night...it's not like Thomas to disappear like that..."
Blake's eyes widened in shock. She quickly tried to leave the scene, but Percy quickly followed her!
"Blake! You know where he is!" Percy called out!
Blake didn't say a word, she just shuddered in her smokebox!
"Please Blake, where is he..."
"...I-I promised him I-I wouldn't say a w-word..."
"Please Blake...he might be in trouble, and we can help him! Please..."
Blake couldn't take Percy's sad face any more. As much as she hates breaking a promise, she knew she had to tell some engine about Thomas...
"H-He has...gone over to the Mainland..."
"Huh?" Percy asked again, "I couldn't hear you."
"...He's gone to the Mainland..."