Seasons Of Giving!

Part IV: Percy And The Christmas Trees

Based on the 1986 annual of the same name by Christopher Awdry

It was only two days before Christmas; there were to be no trains running on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and the engines were looking forward to a nice long rest, as they brought goods and passengers to and from their destinations.

"Ugh! Ugh!" Percy groaned, pushing the heavy drifts of snow aside with a full mail train behind him.

"Keep it up, Percy!" Nia whistled as she passed by with her goods train.

Percy struggled on as the snow fell deep and hard.

"Oh, dear," he sighed sadly. "All this snow is going to make me late to Dryaw with the holiday mail."

Nevertheless, Percy struggled bravely on, his plough pushing hard against the heavy drifts of snow.

It turned out that Percy was very late indeed. The stationmaster was on the platform, looking down at his watch and waiting for Percy to arrive. Elizabeth the Vintage Lorry was nearby, dropping off some coal for the station waiting room.

Percy rushed quickly in and came to a stop right at the platform, taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh of relief.

"Phew! Sorry I'm late, sir. Got caught up in snow."

Elizabeth scoffed from nearby and raised an eyebrow, as the stationmaster sighed and smiled at Percy.

"Never mind, Percy. The delay wasn't under your control. But I am afraid that Harold will have to take it from here to make up for lost time."

"Yes, sir," Percy frowned, as the stationmaster went ahead to give the orders to load the mail into Harold's cargo net.

"Cheer up, Percy!" the helicopter called from the airfield nearby, as his pilot fitted his cargo net on. "You tried your best."

Percy managed to give his friend a slight smile.

"Dear, oh dear, Percy," Elizabeth remarked. "It's a shame you can't be a reliable engine if you can't make it on time."

"I was trying my very best, Elizabeth," Percy assured her. "The tracks were just covered with deep, deep snow."

"That's a possibility," Elizabeth wondered. "However, if you ask me, I'd say you're just being lazy. Try to go a little faster next time it happens."

Percy was speechless at such a remark, but nevertheless tried to regain his composure.

"That's not fair, Elizabeth! I got here as fast as I could!"

"Apparently not fast enough," Elizabeth assured him, unimpressed, then went on to claim, "anyway, I'm due to pick up Christmas trees from the plantation over in Hackenbeck. They're needed for the display that is to be put on at Tidmouth market tomorrow morning. I won't let silly snow get in the way. Not like you engines who use it as an excuse to not be on time."

"Snow is a lot more trouble than you think, Elizabeth," Percy warned. "You must be careful."

"On roads? Ha! No chance!"

Then she left the station, quite unconcerned.

"Don't listen to her, Percy," Harold assured him as he took off to the air. "She'll understand what snow can do eventually."

Percy watched him take off, then sighed and continued on his way as soon as his guard's whistle blew.

At Knapford Station, the engines were all in good spirits as the Fat Controller put the finishing touches on the tree inside the station.

"Wow!" Emily gasped, as she watched The Fat Controller put a gold star on top of the tree.

"Shiny!" Philip remarked, as the star and gleam from atop the tree.

Thomas backed into the station to join them, as James arrived to drop off his passengers.

"Only two days left till Christmas," Thomas reminded his friends.

"With no trains running, we'll soon snug and warm in our nice dry sheds," James added hopefully.

PEEP-PEEP!

The engines all watched as Percy rolled into the station and stopped, letting off a quick cloud of steam.

"Hello, Percy!" Philip called out. "Doesn't the station look lovely?"

"Yes," Percy replied feebly. "Wonderful."

He raced quickly away to fetch his trucks, much to the confusion of the others.

"I wonder what's gotten into him," Emily wondered.

"I'm sure it's the delay with the mail train that's got him all steamed up," James figured, slightly smirking. "I saw Harold's cargo nets full of mail from nearby as I entered the station. Can't imagine why Percy would be upset considering how much snow there is on the tracks."

He left the station as soon as his guard's whistle blew, and Thomas watched him leave, thinking hard.

"Hmm…" he thought, and rolled quickly out of the station beside Percy, as he backed on his trucks.

"Delays happen all the time, Percy," he assured his best friend. "I'm sure it wasn't your fault."

"I know that, Thomas," Percy admitted, "but it wasn't only the delay that made me upset."

"Oh. So, um...what's the problem then?"

"It's Elizabeth," Percy told him. "She called me out for being lazy just because I didn't make it on time to Dryaw Station. I don't think she understands how trouble snow can be to us engines."

"You're right, Percy," Thomas agreed. "But Elizabeth is nice deep down. There are just times when she believes that roads are superior to rails. She's not entirely condescending about it though."

"No," Percy agreed, feeling a bit better from having talked to his friend. "Just a little overconfident. She didn't heed my warning about the snow before heading to the plantation to pick up Christmas trees. I'm worried she won't make it on time to drop them off before the display tomorrow."

He quickly set off with his trucks, as Thomas sighed and rolled away to collect Annie Clarabel.

As Percy was out and about pulling his goods train along the Branch Line, he felt much better and kept in good spirits as he made his way through the countryside, watching the children having fun in the snow.

Percy watched as the children rolled snowballs and rode toboggans all the way down the hill, and looked up at more children building a snowman from atop the hill. He chuckled as he saw who it looked like.

"That one looks just like the Fat Controller," he thought to himself, as he pulled his trucks steadily along.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth was rolling carefully on her way to the plantation. She passed Terrence working in a field nearby.

"Merry Christmas, Terrence!" she called out, as she passed him.

"Merry Christmas, Elizabeth!" the tractor replied, as he carefully made his way about the field.

Up ahead, Elizabeth saw Bulgy making his way along the road.

"Merry Christmas, Bulgy!" she greeted.

"Bah, humbug!" the double-decker bus replied, shocking Elizabeth as they passed each other.

"How rude!" she thought to herself, but felt much better when she saw Bertie up ahead.

"Merry Christmas, Bertie!" she called out.

Bertie was startled at the sound of her voice, and suddenly found himself skidding all over the road.

"Careful, Bertie!" she called.

Bertie quickly came to an abrupt stop, a bunch of relieved passengers aboard, as Elizabeth halted beside him.

"What happened, Bertie?" she asked. "You were skidding all over the place."

"Icy roads, Elizabeth," the bus replied. "It can happen to any vehicle in this cold weather. I highly caution you to be careful."

"Will do, Bertie!" she called as she slowly continued on her way. "Thanks!"

As Elizabeth continued towards the plantation, she heard a slight rattling sound from under her loader.

"Whatever is that strange sound?" she thought to her driver, as he leaned out of her cab.

"Don't worry, Elizabeth," he assured her. "I'll take a look at it as soon as we get to the plantation."

"Okay," Elizabeth sighed, as she continued on her way along the road.

Elizabeth made it to the plantation at Hackenbeck all in good time, and the men wasted no time with loading the trees into her loader.

"Hmm…" her driver thought, looking underneath her, prodding a wrench hard against the upper surface.

"Oof!" Elizabeth winced. "Watch it!"

Her driver rose up and sighed.

"There seems to be nothing wrong with you, Elizabeth," he admitted. "We should be fine with getting to Tidmouth. Don't you agree?"

"I'd say," Elizabeth agreed. "And on time too."

"Easy does it now," her driver cautioned, as they made it back on their way.

"Nothing to it," she assured him.

But as they left sight of the plantation and ventured into the woodland area, Elizabeth found that she had spoken too soon.

"Oh, my dear," she moaned, as she saw a surprise up ahead. "I wasn't expecting there to be a hill."

"Nor was I," her driver admitted. "But we must make it to market before dark."

Elizabeth usually experienced difficulties climbing steep hills, but made her way steadily up the slope nevertheless.

"Ugh! Ugh!" Elizabeth groaned, her wheels tugging firmly against the slope.

"Keep it up, Elizabeth!" her driver encouraged. "It won't be long before we reach flatter ground."

Halfway up the hill, Elizabeth heard the rattling noise again. To make matters worse, the snow began to fall as the wind picked up fiercely and blow right into her face.

Elizabeth spat the snow from her face, coughing immensely.

"This is not dignified!" she moaned, as she struggled further up the hill.

The rattling sound got louder and louder until all of a sudden…,

CRACK!

...something cracked and Elizabeth came to a halt.

"Oh, now what?" she moaned.

Her driver exited her cab and looked her all over. Eventually, he found what the problem was.

"One of your axles has broke, Elizabeth," he explained. "The rattling must have been the sound of it loosening. Now you'll have to report to the garage for a new set."

"But...what about the Christmas trees?" Elizabeth wondered. "They still need to get to market."

"Never mind, Elizabeth," her driver assured her. "I'll phone ahead for help, and someone will come along soon enough."

Elizabeth watched him set off to find a telephone pole, then sighed with dismay.

Percy had just made his last delivery of goods to Ffarquhar and looked up at the darkening sky.

"Now it's off to the sheds for a nice long rest," he assured himself.

Just then, he startled at the sound of the bell ringing. Passengers came shouting in and out of the station, covering their ears.

"What could possibly be wrong?" Percy wondered.

"I don't know," his driver told him. "But we may find out in a minute."

The bell stopped, and the stationmaster came out, looking concerned as he spoke with Percy's driver.

"Do you know the plantation near Hackenbeck?" he asked.

"Why, yes. Of course," the driver replied, Percy listening with curiosity.

"Well, Elizabeth has broken down on her way back from the plantation," the stationmaster explained. "The men working there just loaded her with Christmas trees needed for Tidmouth market tomorrow."

"Oh, dear," the driver gasped. "So what happened then?"

"An axle broke," the stationmaster continued. "And it can't possibly be mended in time. Butch is on his way to take Elizabeth to the garage right now.

"Well, what do you suggest then?" the driver thought, scratching his head, then pointed back towards his engine. "That Percy take these trucks for the standard train then go on to deliver the trees to Tidmouth in Elizabeth's place?"

"If you don't mind," the stationmaster nodded.

"Bother!" Percy moaned. "I was looking forward to a rest in my nice, warm shed."

"Cheer up, Percy," his driver told him, hopping aboard his cab. "It shouldn't take too long."

"Think of the children who might not get a Christmas tree tomorrow if we don't do something about this."

Percy sighed in agreement, then smiled as he set off with his trucks.

As Percy made his way along with his empty trucks and guard's van behind him, he thought hard about what Thomas had told him.

"Elizabeth is nice deep down. There are just times when she believes that roads are superior to rails. She's not entirely condescending about it though."

"Hmm…" Percy thought. "Maybe helping Elizabeth out will be worth it. Not just for the sake of showing how really useful we engines are, but also for the benefit of helping out a friend in need."

It was dark by Percy neared Hackenbeck. The last train for the day had gone, and the lights on the hault had been put out. Luckily enough, Percy had a headlamp fitted on to help him see where he was going.

"Nearly there," he said to himself, as he saw the sight of the plantation up ahead by a lineside, torches lit by the young workmen held up as he made his way over.

"Oi! Over here!" one man shouted.

"Hurry!" shouted another. "Not a moment to waste!"

The men clapped and cheered as Percy stopped at the platform, letting off steam and whistling loudly.

"Thank goodness you've come!" the foreman told him. "You've probably seen our beacon, and made no mistake."

"We railway engines only try my hardest not to let anyone down, especially during the holiday season," Percy assured them. 'I'll have these trees delivered to market in no time!"

As the men set to work at sorting the trees a dozen at a time to be loaded into the empty trucks, Percy looked to see as Elizabeth was loaded onto Butch's low loader.

"Thank you, Butch!" the vintage lorry said.

"No problem!" the breakdown truck responded. "Got here as fast as I could!"

Elizabeth sighed, then looked over in shame as Percy watched from the station platform.

"The incident wasn't your fault, Elizabeth," the green engine told her kindly. "I'm glad to see that you're alright. At least more important than these trees being delayed to market."

Elizabeth was lost for words and didn't know what to say to Percy. She hadn't been very kind to him in regards to his own delay happening earlier.

"Come along, Elizabeth!" Butch called out. "It's off to the garage for a new pair of axles for you!"

Elizabeth smiled at Percy as Butch took her away then felt a gust of wind pick up and blow snow suddenly up into his face.

The job took a long time, and it began to get very cold and windy. Percy shivered as he waited for the men to finish, but his driver and fireman were enjoying a hot cup of cocoa with the guard in the brake van.

"Mmm," the fireman said, sipping the hot drink. "This is good cocoa, guard."

"Thanks!" the guard replied. "It's my wife's recipe."

The foreman knocked on the door and peeked in.

"Eh, pardon me, gentlemen, but the trees are fully loaded."

"Good," the driver responded. "Thanks, guard!"

Then he got up.

"Come along, fireman. Back to our engine."

The fireman put up down his empty cup, and followed the driver and foreman back outside.

Percy finished the stretch of his journey to Tidmouth with the trees fully loaded inside his trucks. He puffed up and down the valley, and clattered importantly along the Branch Line through empty stations and clear signals. All of a sudden, he saw the stars come out in the sky one by one, and felt the snow began to fall lightly.

"Ah," he sighed, as he made his way along. "Nothing like it."

He stopped at a level crossing and whistled hello to Trevor, as he passed over the crossing with a cartload of logs.

"Merry Christmas, Trevor!" he called out.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Percy!" the traction engine called back, as he slowly made his way along with the cart.

Percy made it back on his way and whistled hello to Paxton as he approached him up ahead.

"Merry Christmas, Paxton!" he greeted.

"Merry Christmas, Percy!" the diesel greeted back, as he made his way along with his goods train, humming.

"Phew!" Percy sighed, as he hurried along the track. "I hope I make it there on time."

"Steady now, boy," his driver cautioned. "We'll be there soon enough."

Percy sighed happily at the falling snow all around him, as he continued along the Branch Line towards Tidmouth.

At long last, Percy arrived at Tidmouth Market. The men clapped and cheered as he made his way to the platform.

"I've made it!" Percy cried, whistling loudly.

"Well done, Percy!" the foreman congratulated him. "We've gotten a call about Elizabeth breaking down and we're glad you're here now. We'll have these trees unloaded and put up on display in no time."

"Yes, sir!" Percy beamed at him, as the men unloaded the trees from his trucks.

Percy watched as the men set up each tree one-by-one, and decorated them with lights three at a time.

DING!

DING!

DING!

"Wow!" Percy gasped, as he marveled at the sight of the Christmas lights being turned on. "They sure do look lovely."

"They do," his driver agreed, as he and the fireman watched the display being put up from inside the cab.

The plantation manager came over from Hackenback to see that the trees arrived okay, and was happy to see them being put beautifully up on display.

"One more tree to go!" one workmen shouted out, as two more pulled the last tree from Percy's truck.

"Hmm…" the plantation manager thought, eyeing the tree with interest, than walking over to the foreman.

"Eh, excuse me, foreman," he asked, "but may I please have a word?"

The foreman walked with him in a corner of the station, and the two men talked amongst themselves, as the plantation manager whispered something in the foreman's ear...

Next morning, the engines at Tidmouth Sheds had just gotten up and were ready to start their day's work when Elizabeth came to visit them.

"Merry Christmas Eve, fellow engines!" she greeted, as she pulled beside the shed.

"Merry Christmas Eve, Elizabeth!" Thomas greeted back.

Percy was rather confused.

"How did the garage manage to fix so quickly, Elizabeth?" he asked.

"Oh, it was easy," Elizabeth replied. "Just an overnight job. All they had to do was fit me with a new set of axles. Driver pitched in to help me fix me up on time."

"On time for what?"

Elizabeth chuckled, as both her driver and the plantation manager exited her cab and walked towards her loader.

"Well, on time to bring you your surprise, of course, Percy!" she responded.

"Huh?" Percy wondered puzzledly, then looked and gasped as both men pulled his surprise down from Elizabeth's loader.

"Wow!" he marveled as they brought it over closer towards the shed.

Both the driver and the manager stood the tree up by the shed and plugged it in to make it light up, much to the engines' amazement. The manager looked at Percy and smiled.

"The men and I thought you and your friends might want to have this tree in your shed over Christmas, Percy," he told him kindly. "I don't know what we would have done without you."

"Nor would I," Elizabeth.

"This Christmas tree is a token of our gratitude, Percy," the manager went on. "The display would have never been successful if it weren't for your efforts, and I shall you write to the Fat Controller to say so. Thanks again, and, um, a very happy Christmas to all of you."

'Thank you, sir!" Percy replied, then looked over at Elizabeth. "And, eh, thank you too, Elizabeth."

"Any time, Percy," the vintage lorry replied. "I'm sorry if I came off kind of rude yesterday. I am now truly convinced rails are just as reliable as roads, even during the risk of a delay."

Percy smiled at his good friend.

"Merry Christmas, Elizabeth!" he greeted.

"Merry Christmas, Percy!" she greeted back.

"Three cheers for Percy!" Thomas called out.

The engines all whistled loudly in congratulation of Percy and his efforts, and all Percy could do was just smile.

Well, here we have it. A sweet and simple Christmas outing based on the Christopher Awdry annual of the same name. There wasn't much I could add to this one that the original didn't, but the Percy/Elizabeth dynamic was a fun start to play more into it. I'm glad to have finally given Percy a chance in the spotlight. He's a really fun character to write, and I just hate how current seasons have brought him back to the way he was before TOTB. It was also nice to give Elizabeth some development, and have learn a lesson that roads aren't superior to rails. She's like that in a way, but not completely dismissive towards the railway about it like Bulgy and George are. Percy also learnt the lesson of helping out a friend in need despite coming into conflict with Elizabeth, and that one good turn deserves another. There's not much more I can say about this one other than it just being a simple adaptation of something a lot smaller. I hope you've all appreciated my efforts with it, and it shall my be my last adaptation for a while, at least until the summer comes around. As always, stay tuned for...

Millie Plays It Safe - a firework display is to be set up at Ulfstead Castle for New Year's Eve, though Millie thinks the spot Samson has chosen is unsafe and looks around the castlegrounds for a safer spot.

And coming in 2020…

The Power Of Words - Big Mickey has a hard time communicating with other engines, though when Cranky's arm needs repair, Big Mickey must manage in his place and overcome his problem.

Turn 'Em Into Roads - George is tasked with guiding Philip and the workmen in laying some tarmac down for a level crossing on Edward's Branch Line, though when he feels BoCo is intentionally avoiding him, he schemes to get revenge on the Metropolitan Vickers diesel by causing trouble for both him and Philip.

The Good Side Of George - Rebecca encounters George on probation and makes an attempt to be friendly towards him, despite George being somewhat unfriendly towards her.

Oliver Sent For Scrap - Oliver never tires of boasting about the time Douglas saved him from scrap. However, his boastfulness gets the better of him when he is sent to take some scrap trucks to the scrapyard, and Iron 'Arry and Bert plan to scrap him.