The parade of engines carried down the rails to Doncaster, hoping to finally find a trace of Thomas. They looked up and down, here and there, they looked everywhere. But they couldn't find a sign of their blue tank engine friend.
Slowly they were beginning to get tired again. They felt so tired they couldn't spin their wheels any more. Gordon tiredly looked up and sighed.
"This is hopeless..." he sighed, "We've been searching for a whole day and there is no sign of Thomas..."
"We can't give up now!" Emily cried out.
"Thomas would never give up on finding one of us!" Percy chirped.
"Their right." Edward said, "Thomas wouldn't give up on any of us, so we can't give up on him."
"But we're all exhausted!" James cried.
"But we seem to be following the right steps...right?" Henry asked anxiously.
Gordon was about to speak, until he heard a familiar whistle, "I know that whistle..."
"Gordon?!" cried a voice, "Is that you?"
Gordon looked ahead and gasped, "I-It's you..."
Out of the shadows, came a big green engine with two tenders, with a big smile on his face, "Hello there Gordon."
"Flying Scotsman." Gordon gasped, "W-What are you doing here?"
"Relaxing at the place we were made Gordon!" Scotsman chuckled at his brother, "Is there a Sodor engine parade happening? First I saw Thomas, and now you and your friends, little brother."
"WHY do you keep calling me little brother!?" Gordon complained, "We're EXACTLY the same size!"
The other engines couldn't help but laugh.
Percy then puffed up to Scotsman, "You saw Thomas?"
"Indeed I did. Puffing along asking for directions to Crewe." Scotsman explained, "Such a determined engine he is-"
"Except he is NOT suppose to be here!" Gordon huffed angrily, "We have been sent to get him back to Sodor – and quickly!"
Scotsman looked at them, puzzled, "Is that so?"
"Yes, and we've been looking for him all day." Henry sighed.
"Our wheels and axles hurt..." James whined.
Scotsman gave a small comforting smile towards the Steam Team, "Follow me." He slowly puffed forward and showed them some old sheds, "These sheds use to belong to me and my brothers. You can use them for the night – you've earned them."
"B-But Thomas-" Percy peeped sadly.
"We will carry on looking for him tomorrow Percy." Edward spoke kindly, "I am sure he can't have gone far. If we leave early in the morning, then we can catch up with him."
"Hopefully, my wheels are aching..." Emily sighed as she reversed into a berth.
"My poor paintwork...it's not...polished or shiny..." James whined.
"At least it's your paintwork and not a wheel, or axle, or your boiler." Henry spoke softly.
Soon, all the engines were in the sheds, relaxing after one tiring day. Percy was sleepless though, he couldn't stop thinking about his best friend.
"Oh Thomas...where are you..." Percy cried quietly, looking up at the stars.
The next day, as soon as the sun rose about the horizon, the Steam Team were all awake – refreshed and ready – and headed out for Crewe. Flying Scotsman just rested in his shed, watching them go. He kept his eyes on his brother at all times and gave a small smile.
"You will be excited for your surprise Gordon. I know I was."
Meanwhile, in Crewe, Thomas slowly started to open his eyes. He was just getting ready to properly wake up when his eyes popped open too a-
BANG!
Thomas shook and quickly looked around. He was in a small berth near a big building and was awoken by the sound of crashing metal and steel, and then a loud familiar voice-
"AUGUSTUS! MERCURY! Come on! Does that look like the right funnel for Ruby!?"
Thomas remembered that voice and slowly puffed out. He could see the amber engine, Lorelei, yelling at some steam and diesel engines who were shunting trucks and flatbeds into place.
Thomas looked aorund. It looked like a very busy Steamworks – much busier than the Steamworks on Sodor. There were many small steam engines and shunting diesels working together – and it looked like Lorelei was in charge.
"Lorelei?" Thomas cried, trying to get Lorelei's attention, "LORELEI!" He blew an angry peep of his whistle!
Lorelei quickly looked down, "Oh! Morning Thomas! Be right there!" she called and quickly steamed along the tracks inside the Steamworks and came beside Thomas, "Did you have a good sleep?"
"Yes, thank you Lorelei." Thomas chuffed happily, he then looked around again, "Lorelei? Where am I?" He asked.
"Oh! This is the Crewe Steamworks." Lorelei puffed, "Not as busy as we use to be years ago, but we still provide the best maintenance and care for sick engines who need repairs. Probably the best place in all of England."
"Wow!" Thomas peeped excitedly, looking at all the busy engines working around, "You work here?"
"Built here, work here, live here." Lorelei corrected, "What are you doing here anyway?"
"Oh, I..." Thomas started to shake. He thought it'd be best to head home – but something inside him wanted to explore more, "I...I need to get to the south of the Mainland. I was told to come here for directions."
"South? Why do you need to go there?" Lorelei asked, "That's VERY far from Sodor for a small tank engine."
"I'm not small!" Thomas huffed, "I...need to collect a train."
"Oh, well I'd recommend the best way to go is to go through London, reach London Victoria and take the line that goes down to Brighton." Lorelei said.
Thomas suddenly beamed in surprise, "Brighton!" He cried to himself, "Of course!"
"You'll want to head south of here to London Euston. Once there, you'll need to avoid London traffic and head for London Victoria, one of the big stations of London." Lorelei explained, "Be careful – London is now a maze of tracks and stations – you'll get lost very easily."
"I will! I know where I'm going!" Thomas peeped and headed out, laughing to himself, "Brighton! I can go there!"
Lorelei looked at him and stopped at a set of buffers as she watched him go, "..there's no way a tank engine will be able to pull a train from Brighton to Sodor..."
Meanwhile, the Steam Team were puffing with all their might towards Crewe – they had to find Thomas soon!
At the back, Edward was panting up behind with every ounce of steam he could make, but he was starting to feel a sharp pain in his wheels.
"Hurry up Edward!" Gordon called out crossly, whistling to him furiously!
"I'm trying!" Edward cried out, "I'm going as fast as I can!"
"Edward! Your wheels are wobbling!" Emily cried. Edward was indeed wobbling, he tried to keep up as fast as he could, but he couldn't keep up with the younger and stronger engines.
The team looked back at Edward worriedly, "Edward! You alright?" Henry called back, but before Edward could reply-
"ARGH!" Edward cried out in pain! He felt a crack and he soon wobbled off of the tracks!
"EDWARD!"
The team came to a halt and reversed up to Edward. Edward just hissed in pain, trying not to let tears fall from his eyes.
"Has something broken?" Gordon asked worriedly.
"I think..." Edward panted, "M-My crank pins have broken...I just heard a crack and snap..."
Henry then got an idea, "Crewe's steamworks should be close by – if we push and pull Edward there, we can have him fixed!"
"Are you sure?" Emily asked worriedly.
"I know so!"
Percy puffed beside Edward, "You're hurt badly Edward...you pushed yourself to far."
"I..." Edward muttered sadly, "I just wanted to be strong...for Thomas...he wouldn't give up on me, so I can't give up on him..."
"But you must know your limits Edward." Emily spoke soothingly, "Thomas would be heartbroken to hear you broke down because you were looking for him."
Edward sighed and agreed, "You're right...I'm sorry everyone...I'm delaying everything...I'm not better than scrap..."
"Nonsense Edward!" James puffed, as he gently hooked up to Edward and helped to pull him onto the tracks, "You worry so much about everyone else, we...didn't worry about you."
Henry gently buffered up to Edward and pushed him along, as the Steam Team puffed along to Crewe.
Shortly after, they turned up in Crewe. Henry was keen to look around and led the team, leaving James to pull Edward along. Everyone looked around at the Steamworks that was in full steam, working to fix ill and broken engines.
"It's not as busy as it was when I was here." Henry said to himself, "I wonder if-"
"Hello!" A voice chirped, making the team jump out of their boilers in shock, then they saw an amber tender engine approach them, She laughed as she tooted her whistle, "Great to see you again Henry!"
Henry gasped happily, "Lorelei!" he chuckled, "It's been so long!"
Lorelei giggled happily at the sight of her old friend, "You haven't dented your boiler again have you?"
"Oh no!" Henry laughed before looking at Edward, "But, my friend needs your help."
"Why, what has ha- GOOD GRACEOUS ME! What on Earth have you been doing!?" She cried at the sight of Edward's broken crank pins and cracked wheels, "No matter – get back here, and I'll have you fixed in a jiffy!" She quickly hooked up to Edward and pulled him into a working station.
After 5 minutes, Edward was fixed, and he rolled to the rest of the team, "See, told you!" Lorelei teased.
"Would've been better if she stayed quiet." James laughed. Lorelei quickly steamed up to him, until they were buffer-to-buffer.
"Look, I don't go around telling engines how to break their coupling rods, set their brake blocks on fire AND damage their whistles - so don't you DARE start telling me how to fix them!" She shrieked into his face.
The rest of the Steam team looked at her in shock, James' boiler shook in fear as he agreed, "Okay, s-s-sorry!" he puffed and quickly puffed away.
Everyone looked at Henry, who gave a small grin, "She's...got a temper." He simply muttered.
"So, what are you guys doing here exactly?" Lorelei asked, looking at them suspiciously – only to smile at Henry.
"We're looking for our friend Thomas, we heard he came this way." Emily said.
"Thomas! Thomas..." Lorelei started to think, "Nah, doesn't ring a bell. What does he look like?"
"He's a blue tank engine." Said Edward.
"Tank engine?" Lorelei copied.
"6 small wheels." Henry added.
"A short stumpy funnel." Said Gordon.
"A short stumpy boiler." Added James.
"And a short stumpy dome." Finished Percy.
"WAIT!" Lorelei gasped in realisation, "6 small wheels – a short stumpy funnel – a short stumpy boiler – and a short stumpy dome! I HAVE SEEN HIM!" She cried!
"Where!? Where is he!" Percy begged.
"London! He asked for directions south so I told him to go to London! He was just here a couple of minutes ago!" Lorelei cried.
"LONDON!?" the whole Steam Team gasped.
"Oh no...London is a maze!" Emily cried.
"Not for a big engine like me!" Gordon huffed, "I know London like the back of my cab!"
"Lead the way then Gordon!" Said Edward.
James just smiled, "At least a lot of people will get to see my paintwork!"
Henry smiled a bit at Lorelei, "Thank you Lorelei." He was about to catch up until Lorelei stopped him.
"Keep an eye out...London is not like it use to. It is now the most busiest city in all of England. Trains popping in and out every second!" She cried, "Please stay safe..." she begged.
Henry gave a reassuring smile, "I will, see you later." He puffed and left to catch up with the others. Soon, they were all steaming towards London, preparing for a maze of tracks and mysterious engines. Lorelei continued to cry out for 'good luck' until they were out of sight...
Back on Sodor, Blake was pulling Annie and Clarabel down Thomas' branch line. She was getting worried every minute. She thought they would all be back by now...
"Blake dear, your slowing down." Annie called out. Blake quickly picked up speed.
"S-Sorry Miss. Annie, sorry Miss. Clarabel..."
"Don't get your boiler fussed up Blake dear." Clarabel soothed.
"You've been slowing down and speeding up and shaking all day."
"Is something wrong Blake?"
The two coaches listened to Blake dearly. They trusted her as much as Thomas, and knew she'd never mean for them to be late or early, but they also know that Blake still has her anxieties – and she still hasn't fully recovered from her PTSD.
"It's just...I thought Thomas would be home by now...he promised me he'd be back by sunrise...and he never came back..." Blake muttered on, "I'm worried...what if they never come back."
"Relax Blake, I'm sure Thomas will be home soon." Annie soothed.
"I am sure they're on their way home, right now." Clarabel smiled.
Blake felt comfort from the two coaches, and gave a small smile, but she still wasn't sure.