Chapter 3: Welcome to Sodor!

Hi everyone! BlueTornado3275 here with another chapter of Thomas and Friends: Amber's Journey. It's time. Time to visit you-know-where through the you-know-what! Also if you're wondering who the old man was I'll tell you this. He's not Patch because Amber's world is the real time world. Patch in the movie was an actor. He will return. Ok! With that out of the way, on with the show!

"Why are there buffers in here?" I wondered. "It can't be the Magic Buffers… can it?"

I jumped off the platform and walked down the tunnel. The buffers were dusty and old. They reeked of wet wood. I picked up a rock and tossed it at it. It hit it and rolled off. I sighed.

"I didn't think so. Too good to be true." I walked up to it and touched it.

There was a whistle and bells and I was suddenly standing in a field with golden rails.

"What! B-b-b-but… no way!" I was standing inside the Magic Railroad. I looked around. It was beautiful. I spotted another buffer on the other side of the clearing. It got my heart beat faster.

"Yahoo! Here I come!" I ran for the buffers… and whacked into them.

"Oof! What the hell?" I said as the whistle and bells sounded.

Location unknown.

I lay there on my back. Staring at the blue sky with a cloud occasionally dotting it. I giggled. Then I laughed. I rolled around on the grass laughing.

"I knew it! They are real!"

Once I pulled myself together I sat up. The area I was in was overgrown. The buffers behind me were covered in ivy and the rails leading to them were as well. The bushes were overgrown as well. Almost as if they were hiding the buffers, probably from Diesel 10. Who knows? I walked along the old rails hoping to find civilization.

I walked for a good twenty minutes until I came across a junction. There were several lines running under a signal box. The points to the buffers were grown over. Obviously no one had been down there in a long time. It was cool to walk across the rails as I headed to the ladder to get to the signal box.

As I stepped on one rail I felt it vibrate. I looked to my left to see if any trains were coming. Nope. Not one. I looked to my right.

I jumped out of the way just in time as a train rushed toward me. I sat on the grass breathing heavily as I regained my breath. I watched as the train rounded the corner and disappeared. I could have sworn it was a large blue engine but I was still gaining my breath back. Once I did I got up and continued to the signal box.

The signalman was surprised to see me still standing as I entered the signal box.

"Are you alright love? You almost got hit by the express!"

"Yeah. I'll be fine. Just gave me a scare, that's all."

"Ok then. I saw you coming out of the woods. Were you hiking or somethin'?"

"Yeah, sort of." The signalman held out a mug of coffee.

"Want a cup o' coffee love? It'll help regain your strength."

I swigged the coffee down and sat in the chair.

"The next train will be coming through here with a goods headin' to Knapford. You can catch a lift if ye want." I nodded.

I was leaning on the rail of the balcony outside the signal box when the goods train appeared. If I was sitting on something I would have fallen off it. The engine that was pulling the goods was…

A grumbling Thomas.

"Why couldn't James have pulled this? He doesn't have a branch line to run." He was saying. I squealed and rushed down the ladder. Thomas pulled up to the red signal and saw this. The signalman came out of the signal box and leaned on the railing.

"This girl need's a ride to Knapford Thomas. Can you take her there?" Thomas looked at me. I was looking at him with crazy eyes.

"Do I have to? She's looking at me funnily." I shook my head furiously.

"Sorry. It's just that I've always wanted to meet you!" Thomas sighed.

"Ok. But I don't have any space. You could always hop into my cab…"

I was in there before Thomas could even finish his sentence. He sighed again. The signal dropped and Thomas puffed off. He puffed through the country and I took lots of photos. Everyone at school wouldn't believe what I found. I couldn't wait to see the look on Jo's face when she saw my photos!

…

Thomas pulled into Knapford Station right on time. I jumped out and looked around. It was amazing. I looked out toward the yard and saw Gordon resting in a siding, Stafford shunting trucks and Stanley pulling a train of trucks out of the yard. I looked towards Knapford junction and saw Henry pulling into the station, Emily crossing the junction and Daisy pulling up to the platform on the far right side of Knapford. I was breathless. It was so cool! The only thing missing from the station was…

"What's this I hear about a girl running out in front of the express?"

There it is.

I turned to see a man standing there with a black jacket, a yellow shirt, grey trousers and most distinctive, a black top hat. It was Sir Topham Hatt, the owner of the North Western Railway.

"Uh well. I… uh… was hiking through the forest and… er… walked out in front of the express. I got out of the way in time though." I fibbed.

"Sir" I quickly added. Topham looked stern.

"I can't have people running out in front of trains. So make sure it doesn't happen again." I nodded. Then I regained my posture.

"So with that out of the way…" I grabbed his hand and shook it.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Sir. I have admired your railway for a long time but I never thought I'd get to meet them and the controller of it!" Topham blushed.

"Ah, well. Thank you Miss…?" I smiled.

"Amber. Amber McLeo." I shook his hand. Topham continued.

"Thank you Miss McLeo. I like to have a railway that runs on time. So. Are you from the mainland or another country?"

I had to think of another lie. I couldn't tell him I came through the buffers. He wouldn't believe me.

"Uh… well. Sort of." I quickly changed the subject. "I don't have anywhere to sleep tonight so could I sleep in the waiting room? Please?" Topham thought for a moment.

"If you don't have anywhere to go I could organize a hotel for the night. But you'll have to pay for the rest of your stay." I nodded. Topham went to organize a hotel for me tonight. I sighed with relief.

"You're not from around here are you?" I almost jumped out of my skin with fright. I turned around and sure enough Thomas was still sitting there.

"You're still here? I would've thought you had gone by now." He smiled.

"I'm still coupled up."

"Ah"

"Uncouple me and come with me." I shrugged. I leant down and uncoupled him from his train. I hopped in the cab and he chugged off.

…

We stopped at an abandoned siding near the Arlesdale. I walked around to the front of him.

"What did you mean "I'm not from around here"?" Thomas looked at me with a concerned face.

"Are you from Shining Time?" I froze.

"Uh… Yeah I am. What's wrong with that?"

Did Mr. Conductor send you?"

"No. In my world Mr. Conductor was an actor for a movie. He's not real in my world." Thomas was puzzled.

"If Mr. C isn't real in your world, then how are the buffers real in your world?"

"I don't know. It seems like some complicated time paradox. I don't understand it." Thomas smiled.

"Then I'll protect you until you go back. How does that sound?" I smiled.

"Deal." We laughed and I hopped back into Thomas' cab, Thomas reversed back to the line…

And crashed straight into the front of Paxton.

"Ow! Watch out Thomas. If you're not careful you could cause and accident." Thomas was worried.

"Paxton. How long have you been sitting there?" The green diesel thought for a moment.

"Uh… ever since you came to the siding. You're blocking my way to my trucks. Could you please move out of the way Thomas?"

"Oh. Sorry." Thomas moved out of the way and Paxton moved in to get his trucks. Thomas puffed away. Paxton was curios.

"What's Shining Time? I'll have to ask Diesel 10. He seems to know about it. I've heard him say about it once in his sleep."

…

I jumped off Thomas and waved goodbye as I headed to Sir Topham Hatt's office. I walked in as he was closing it up for the night.

"Here I am Sir. Ready for a long snooze." He laughed.

"Good. I found a nice hotel near Brendam Docks. I'll take you there now."

We hopped in his blue car and headed to Brendam Hotel. Once there Topham tipped his hat and drove off. I got my key and headed up the stairs to my room. It was big in every way. Big bed, big bathtub, big everything. I jumped on the bed and curled up and soon fell asleep, dreaming about the adventures I might have whilst here.

…

Paxton pulled up to the Vicarstown Dieselworks. He was humming to himself as he reached the rising turntable inside.

"What are you so happy about Paxton?" An oily voice asked. Paxton looked up.

"Nothing too exciting Diesel 10. I do have a question though." Diesel 10 sighed. He was sick of Paxton's stupid questions.

"What is it then." He snapped his claw snapped twice and he started to reverse to his malfunctioning shed. He hated it.

"What is Shining Time?" Diesel 10 stopped.

"What did you say?"

"I said "what is Shining Time?" Diesel 10 grinned.

"Where did you hear about that?"

Amber has found her way to Sodor and begun her adventure. She's befriended Thomas but how will the other engines take to her? Also Paxton as brought Diesel 10 into the mix. What'll happen too Amber as she travels Sodor? I had a thought whilst typing this about making Amber a reincarnation of Lady but that wouldn't work with Amber's character. Anyway thanks for reading and I'll see you all next chapter! Read and Review Please!