The next morning, Stanley woke up just in time to see Rosie wake up too. The previous evening, Stanley had asked her if she wanted a relationship or not. As happy as Rosie would have been to be in love with Stanley, she was still frightened if it would wound her even deeper after she lost Thomas' romantic love.
"Good morning, Rosie," said Stanley. "Are you alright?"
"I think so," said Rosie. "Thank you for your comfort, Stanley. We best be on our way now."
Rosie and Stanley set off to do their own work. While Stanley went to do a few passenger duties, Rosie went to Knapford Station to collect a goods train for herself. On her way there, her driver spoke up.
"Hey, Rosie?" he said. "The Fat Controller gave me a call this morning. He asked me to tell you that he has something for you. He wouldn't say what…but he was hoping you'd really like it?"
Rosie perked up. "Really?" she asked. "I wonder what he wants…" When she arrived at Knapford Station, the Fat Controller was on the platform.
"Rosie," said the Fat Controller. "I was wondering when I'd see you today."
"Good morning, sir. What did you want to see me for?" asked Rosie. "My driver says you have something for me…"
"Before you collect your goods train, yes I do have something for you," said the Fat Controller. He paused for a moment then spoke up. "Rosie…I've been thinking…ever since you first came to Sodor, you have been really useful and one of my hardest-working engines. You never gave any fuss about whatever work you were given, and you've been an excellent sport with all your friends. As such…I think you deserve a reward for all your services."
"What may that be, sir?" asked Rosie.
"A new coat of paint of course," said the Fat Controller. "Not just any repaint. Would you like a permanent brand-new colour?"
Rosie's heart stopped for a moment. Her lavender livery days would now be gone. She'd no longer be the lavender tank engine.
"What colour, sir?" she asked.
"A fresh, cherry-red livery," said the Fat Controller. "Just a slightly deeper shade of red than James."
Rosie thought for a moment. She closed her eyes and tried to picture herself as a cherry-red engine. She saw a vision of her lavender livery at first…then she imagined that lavender colour merging into red…and she really liked that thought.
"I think I would look amazing, sir!" she said. "Thank you."
"You'll have 'NWR,' painted on you too…and I was also thinking that a number would be a good addition too," said the Fat Controller. "But…what number do you like, Rosie? Is there any number that you associate with yourself?"
Rosie thought again for a minute or two. Then suddenly she spoke. "Thirty-seven." She said. "I don't know why, I just like how that sounds when you say it. Thirty-seven."
"Very well, Rosie. Cherry-red livery, 'NWR,' and No. 37. That sounds superb to me," smiled the Fat Controller. "Off you go now."
"Ohh! Thank you, sir! Thank you!" whistled Rosie. And she went with all haste to the Steamworks.
"My goodness!" she exclaimed. "A brand-new coat of paint…and a new colour! This is certainly a surprise!" Rosie whistled to the Steamworks and stopped hastily beside Victor and Kevin.
"Hello, Rosie," greeted Victor. "What can we do for you?"
"Please, Victor!" Rosie bubbled excitedly. "The Fat Controller said that I'm to be repainted for all my hard work on Sodor. Cherry-red livery with the No. 37. I'm all ready to start a new look!"
"It would be my pleasure, my friend," smiled Victor.
So workmen came along to repaint Rosie while Victor left for a few moments then came back with a flatbed with a large mirror so Rosie could see herself. The workmen scraped all her lavender paint off, until she was fully bare except for her smokebox. She looked at herself and thought for a moment. She suddenly felt a little sad.
"Well…lavender livery…I'll never see it again…" she thought. But as she pictured herself being red, she perked up again. Then the workmen opened the paint pots and got to work. Rosie watched the mirror as she was slowly, but surely covered with more and more cherry-red paint. She was already liking her new looks. Soon, Rosie was covered from smokebox to cab in cherry-red paint. Then the workmen carefully pained "NWR," on both sides of her, standing for "North Western Railway." Then lastly, they painted "No. 37," on both sides of her cab.
"Hello, new Rosie!" she whistled excitedly. "I've never looked better before in my life!"
After her paint had dried completely, Rosie set off to back to Knapford to collect her goods train and start her first day as another red engine. As she collected her trucks, people on the platforms all stared at her. They did not expect to see her in a new colour all of a sudden.
"Goodness me, Rosie!" said a man. "You've been repainted?"
"Yes sir," said Rosie. "How do I look?"
"I think it's brilliant!" said the man.
"You look wonderful, Rosie!" said a woman. Rosie smiled as she made her way out of the station and onto the main line with her train. Soon, she saw Thomas at Elsbridge Station with Annie and Clarabel. She wondered what would happen if Thomas saw her now as she came up beside him.
"Hello, Thomas!" she whistled.
"Oh, hello R…ROSIE?!" gasped Thomas. "Is that you?"
"Yes, Thomas. I'm red now."
"No…no-no! It can't be!" gasped Thomas. "I'm dreaming! Wake me up! Wake me UP!" He blew his whistle loudly and sharply, then let off a loud hiss of steam. Rosie giggled at his funny behaviour until the steam cleared away.
"Hmm…NOW let's see who's dreaming," said Thomas and he took a good, intent look at Rosie.
"Are you really red, Rosie?" he asked.
"Of course I'm red, Thomas," said Rosie. "The Fat Controller rewarded me for all my useful work here on Sodor with a new livery. How do I look?"
"I think you're quite beautiful in your own way, little sister," smiled Thomas. "You're as red as a rose."
"R-really?" giggled Rosie.
"Yes, Rosie," said Thomas. "I think you look revolutionary and astounding. Cherry-red is your perfect colour!"
"Thanks, Thomas!" whistled Rosie as she set off again.
"Cinders and Ashes!" Thomas said to himself. "Rosie's red now! That is a marvellous change! She was cute in lavender before, but this gives her a completely new image! And I know just who to tell…" and he set off with Annie and Clarabel again.
Rosie, meanwhile came to a red signal at a junction. Then she saw Emily stop nearby.
"Hello, Emily!" she whistled. "Like my new livery?"
"What new livery?" asked Emily as she turned to look at the tank engine.
"Whoa…my…my stars! Rosie!" chimed Emily. "You're a red engine!"
"Yes," said Rosie. "I've been repainted for all my useful work on the railway. What do you think?"
"My goodness, Rosie," sighed Emily. "I've never seen you looking…more mature."
"Really?" smiled Rosie. "You really think so?"
"I think red is a first-rate colour for you, Rosie!" whistled Emily. "I really like it!"
"Thank you, Emily!" whistled Rosie. And Emily made her way to Knapford Station to idle for a while and hopefully see Thomas while Rosie kept enjoying her first day in red. But she wasn't the only red engine, as the entire island knew too well...
James is a very splendid red engine who loves to go fast…sometimes a little too fast. As he stormed towards Knapford, he frightened Toby just as he passed him by only a few inches.
"Out of the way, Toby!" called James. "Hello, Knapford! Here's James!" And he stopped sharply right beside the Fat Controller and a workman.
"Hey, Emily," James smirked.
"Hello, James," Emily sighed, not very impressed.
"Mind your speed, James! And stop showing off!" snapped the Fat Controller. James scoffed and looked away.
"He's right, James. Stopping sharply like that is bad for your breaks," advised Emily.
"I can't help being fast, Emily," laughed James as Thomas came up beside him.
"Don't forget that time your wooden brake blocks caught fire!" teased Thomas. James suddenly remembered that accident so long ago…but he had other thoughts too.
"Yes, I remember all that," said James, turning a little red in the face. "But I got rid of my wooden brake blocks and I was painted red. So good things came out of that accident, and I don't have brake problems anymore."
"You might have problems again if you carry on like this," Emily smirked.
"I have to break sharply sometimes, Emily," James bragged. "I'm the fastest red engine on Sodor!"
Emily sighed and whistled out of the station while Thomas stayed behind a while longer, so he could spread the word he really wanted to spread.
"Fastest red engine on Sodor, are you?" he chuckled. "What about Rosie?"
"Rosie's not fast! And she's not red either!" laughed James. "She's more of a…navy lilac."
"She's red now," said Thomas. "I just saw her today."
"Rosie's RED?!" exclaimed James. "Uh…RED-red? Like…like ME red, James red? Splendid red? Are you teasing me? Thomas? Thomas! THOMAS!"
But Thomas didn't reply. He just kept chuckling as he left the station. Then James had to go and collect a goods train, much to his displeasure. When he got started, he was still wondering what Thomas said about Rosie.
"Was he just teasing…or is it the truth? Another red engine on Sodor…along with me, Victor and Arthur?" he thought.
Later, James wasn't having a very good day, as he was still thinking about Thomas' news, and dealing with troublesome trucks. And then he saw…
"Rosie?!" exclaimed James.
"Oh dear! What an awful noise!" the trucks smiled.
"Hello, James," smiled Rosie.
"You really ARE red!" gasped James.
"Yes. I've been repainted. What do you think?" she asked.
"I'll tell you what I think. I think you're trying to look like me!"
"No I'm not!" Rosie replied.
"Not so red now, squeaky wheels!" jeered the trucks.
"Why are they calling you that?" asked Rosie.
"No reason, just ignore them," James said quickly. "Ahem. Where are you off to then?"
"I'm taking my trucks to Crovan's Gate," said Rosie.
"I'm going to Crovan's Gate too. Wanna race?" challenged James. "Just to see who's the fastest red engine."
"OK, that sounds fun," agreed Rosie.
James chuckled at first. Then...
"One-two-three-GO!" And James took off like an arrow.
"James!" called Rosie as she sped up too. James was fast, but Rosie was fast too. She could cruise almost like a diesel. It wasn't long before she caught up beside James, but he only went even faster while Rosie kept huffing after him. Rosie liked being a fast worker. She was full of energy and willing to do anything to prove herself, but her excitement stopped when she saw the signal up ahead.
"Red signal, James!" she alerted.
"Oh, come on!" complained James as he applied his brakes. But when he did, it didn't slow him down too much.
"James!" cried Rosie. James tried harder, but he still didn't slow down much. He kept gliding along the line…towards Henry who was just coming out of the siding.
"Oh! James!" cried Henry.
"Oh no!" cried James as he tried even harder to stop. Luckily, he stopped just in time to let Henry pass on unharmed.
"Sorry, Henry!" called James. Henry sighed with relief as he kept on his way. Then Rosie came up beside James.
"There's clearly something wrong with your brakes, James. You barely managed to stop. I don't think you should be racing," she advised.
"Maybe WE should drive. Good idea!" chortled the trucks.
"You're just worried I'll win and prove I'm the fastest red engine on Sodor," said James, trying to sound casual.
"I don't care about that!" exclaimed Rosie. "You need to go to the Steamworks and find out why your brakes aren't working properly. I'll deliver your trucks while you're having your brakes checked."
"Fine," he sighed. So James was uncoupled from his train and Rosie arranged his trucks with her own. He waited until Rosie had gone before he started off slowly and carefully for the Steamworks.
But when James stopped at the next signal, his brakes didn't make the horrid noise they had before.
"Huh. They didn't make a noise that time," he wondered. And he kept huffing on slowly all the way to the Steamworks. But when he stopped on the turntable, there was still no sound.
"Hah! It wasn't my brakes after all!" James' driver was convinced and whistled to the workman to turn James around.
"It was the troublesome trucks pushing me like they always do!" James was so convinced that there was nothing wrong with his brakes, he didn't even bother having them checked.
"Hah! Goodbye!" he laughed on his way out. But Victor came up to the turntable and saw something that wasn't there before.
"Kevin!" he called.
"Yes boss?" replied Kevin as he swerved up alongside.
"Are you leaking brake fluid?" asked Victor.
"Of course not, boss. I check regularly," said Kevin.
"Then what is that?" Asked Victor, looking back down.
"What is what? Oh! It IS me! Oh no, oh no, oh no!" and Kevin went speeding off again, making another mess.
Rosie was almost at Crovan's Gate with her trucks as well as James' trucks…when she suddenly saw Stanley there too.
"Goodness…James was meant to go to Crovan's Gate…myself…and even Stanley!" she whispered. "Now…let's give my sweetie a glimpse of my new looks…"
Rosie slowed down a little and came calmly up beside Stanley.
"Oh, Stanley?" she said sweetly. Stanley looked at Rosie…then gasped in shock.
"R-Ro…Rosie?" he stammered. "A-are you…painted a new colour?"
"Yes, I am, Stanley," she smiled. "I've been hoping to see you eventually. The Fat Controller rewarded me with this new livery this morning."
"You were lavender just yesterday…" murmured Stanley. "Now you're cherry-red…"
"Ohh…I hope you're not disappointed, Stanley," Rosie said worriedly.
"No…I'm not, Rosie…" said Stanley, staring endlessly at his friend's new appearance. "You've never looked prettier. Red paint, NWR, and a number! That's just amazing!"
"Really?" asked Rosie.
"Yes, my rose," smiled Stanley. "This is the finest you've ever looked to me…anyway, what are you doing here?"
"Oh, I was racing James to see who the fastest red engine on Sodor is, but his brakes were making awful noise and he barely stopped. I'm taking his trucks while he goes to the Steamworks to be checked over."
"Very good," said Stanley. "Well, I must be going. I love your new look, Rosie! See you later!"
"Bye, Stanley!" whistled Rosie. After Stanley left, Rosie began to make her way back to the yards.
"Well," she said to herself. "This has been quite a day. A new coat of paint, some praise, a race…I just hope James isn't having any problems…"
James did have a problem. He was leaking brake fluid. And without enough fluid, his brakes couldn't work well at all. But he hadn't heard that horrible noise since he gave Rosie his troublesome trucks, and soon James forgot all about being careful. He went all the way up Gordon's Hill and began firing down at a terrific speed.
"Wha-ha-ha-ha! Whoo-hoo!" he called with a whistle.
And then there was trouble. James' driver worked the brake lever to slow James down, but the brakes didn't work!
"Oh no!" he cried.
"Oh NO!" cried James. "I can't STOP!" And he thundered right past Gordon and slid down the curve. James then went rocketing through Knapford Station, blowing everyone's hat off and blowing a few people off their feet.
"Oh! Ohh…JAMES!" boomed the Fat Controller. James kept shooting down the line, crying out for help even though he knew it was useless. But then, he saw Rosie huffing through the yard and took the only chance he had.
"Rosie! Help!" he cried. Rosie could not believe what she had seen.
"James!" she cried as she picked up speed, desperate to help James before he ran into any more trouble, but James was too fast for her. She had never seen James go so fast. She chased him onto another line, going red in the face and panting hard. But disaster soon lay ahead. James rocketed through the yards and toward Tidmouth Sheds. The driver and fireman jumped clear…and James screamed in terror as he shot across the turntable, through the berth and then…CRASH! James smashed right through the shed and stopped, just as Rosie came huffing up behind.
"James! James!" called Rosie. She coughed against the thick dust until she came up beside the broken shed and found James in a terrible wreck. "Are you okay, James?"
"I think so…" groaned James. "How's my paint looking? I'm really in trouble now!"
"You can say that again, James," said a familiar voice. The Fat Controller was most displeased. "I told you many times about showing off and rushing about! And now, you've ruined the shed!"
"But sir, James has had problems with his brakes all day," explained Rosie. "He was trying to be careful. He even went to the Steamworks to have them fixed."
James chuckled nervously. "You did go to the Steamworks, didn't you James?"
"I did go…but I thought the problem had stopped, so I didn't wait to get fixed."
"Oh, honestly, James. It would have been better to fix your brakes when you had a small problem, before it turned into a much bigger one," said the Fat Controller as he left the sheds.
"I'm sorry, sir," said James. "Sorry, Rosie. I should have known another red engine would give good advice."
"At least you proved one thing today James. For a while there…" she giggled. "You really were the fastest red engine on Sodor!"
James managed to laugh a little, but it wasn't much worth it. Duck, Max and Monty, Oliver the Excavator, Jack, Belle, Flynn, Harold and Rocky all came swarming to the sheds to start repairs. Rosie had a big day indeed. But this was only the beginning to her big change between her and Stanley.
So there you have it, my explanation for Rosie's repaint. Nothing incredible I'm well aware, but frankly I can't see any other reason why she would randomly be given a new livery. With that, we are half way through this story. Unfortunately however, and I really hate having to say this, it might be a while before you see the next chapter. It's that time of the year again, and it looks like we might be hit with another hiatus where God knows when we'll be able to update like we did around this time last year. Ugh... Leave your reviews and I'll catch you next time, whenever that will be.