Mr. Perrkins: Hello there, I didn't see you come in. Welcome to the Island of Sodor! Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Mr. Gilbert Perkins, an engine driver here on the North Western Railway, and welcome to the engine driver's common room here at Knapford, the biggest station on the entire Island. This is where we come to have a rest, and drink a cup of tea when we're not busy on the tracks. We engine drivers are very important, in addition to driving them, we make sure the engines are working properly and doing their jobs right. I usually drive Thomas.
He hears the telephone ringing.
Mr. Perkins: Excuse me for a moment.
He answers the Telephone.
Mr. Perkins: Hello, Engines Driver Common Room, Gilbert Perkins speaking. Sir Topham Hatt, sir! Good day, sir, you have a job for me? You want me to... Yes sir, of course sir. I'll have Thomas ready as soon as possible.
He turns back towards the viewer.
Mr. Perkins: That was Sir Topham Hatt, or as us staff and the engines call him the Fat Controller. He's the Head of the whole Railway! He wants me to take Thomas to Brendam Docks and pick up an important delivery for Maithwaite. You know it's not just drivers who are important to running an engine, you need a fireman to shovel coal into the firebox and a guard to make sure we arrive and leave on time. They haven't arrived yet so I'll grab their things for them.
He walks over to a wall to grab the fireman's shovel but it's not their.
Mr. Perkins: Oh dear, I'm sure he always leaves his shovel here. I'll grab the guards things.
He walks to the table but the guard's things aren't there.
Mr. Perkins: Oh dear, oh dear! We can't run a train without a shovel, whistle and flags! I know how about you go and see Thomas while I look for them.
Thomas and Gordon: Written by the Rev. W. Awdry.
Thomas is a tank engine. He lives at the Big Station on the Island of Sodor. He's a cheeky little engine with six small wheels, a short stumpy funnel, a short stumpy boiler and a short stumpy dome. He's a fussy little engine too, always pulling coaches about, ready for the Big Engines to take out on long journeys. And when trains come in he shunts the empty coaches away so that the Big Engines can go and rest. Thomas thinks no engine works as hard as he does. He loves pulling tricks on them including Gordon, the biggest and proudest engine of all! Thomas liked whistling rudely at him.
"Wake up lazybones! Why don't you work hard like me!"
One day, after pulling the Big Express, Gordon had returned to the sidings very tired. He was just going to sleep when Thomas came up in his cheeky way.
"Wake up lazybones! Do some hard work for a change. You can't catch me!"
And off he ran laughing. Instead of going to sleep again, Gordon though how he could get back at Thomas. One morning Thomas wouldn't wake up! His driver and fireman couldn't make him start. His fire went out and there wasn't enough steam. It was nearly time for the express and people were waiting but the coaches went ready. At last Thomas started.
"Oh dear, oh dear" he yawned. He bustled into the Big Station where Gordon was waiting.
"Hurry up You!" Gordon said.
"Hurry yourself." Replied Thomas. Gordon began making his plan.
"Yes" said Gordon "I will!" And almost before the coaches had stopped moving, Gordon reversed quickly and was coupled to the train.
"Get in quickly please" He whistled.
Thomas usually pushed behind the Big trains to help them get started started, but he was always uncoupled first. This time Gordon started so quickly they forgot to uncouple Thomas. Gordon's chance had come.
"Come on, come on!" Puffed Gordon to the coaches. The train was going faster and faster, too fast for Thomas! He wanted to stop but he couldn't.
"Peep! Peep! Stop, stop!"
"Hurry, hurry, hurry!" Laughed Gordon.
"You can't get away, you can't get away!" Laughed the Coaches. Poor Thomas was going faster than he had ever gone before, he was out of breath and his wheels hurt, but he had to go on.
"I'll never be the same again" he thought sadly "my wheels will be quite worn out!"
At last they stopped at a station. Thomas was uncoupled and felt very silly and exhausted. Next he went on a turntable, thinking of everyone laughing at him. Then he went on to a siding out of the way.
"Well little Thomas" chuckled Gordon "Now you know what hard work is, don't you?"
But poor Thomas didn't answer. He had no breath, he just puffed slowly away to rest and have a nice, long, long drink. He went home very slowly, and was careful afterwards to never be cheeky to Gordon again.
Mr. Perkins: Hello there, your back. Did you enjoy the story? It's a classic isn't it? And let me tell you a secret, Thomas is still cheeky to Gordon! Now, I've managed to find the shovel, whistle and red flag but I still can't find the green flag. Can you... Oh, look it's over there!
He rushed over and retrieved the flag from it's hiding place.
Mr. Perkins: There, all ready. Look, I can see the guard and fireman, it's time for me to go. I do hope you've enjoyed your visit and will come again soon. Goodbye!