Episode 5

Hello, it's me, Thomas, again and this time I shall tell of the first time I got to pull a train. You think of me as quite a happy little engine, but I've got a range of emotions and that shows in this story.

One time, I was grumbling to the other engines, "I spend my time pulling coaches about, ready for you to take out on journeys".

The other engines laughed at me.

"Why can't I pull passenger trains, too?", I said. I was bored of being at the station all day.

"You're too impatient", they said. "You'd be sure to leave something behind,".

"Rubbish," I said. "I'll show you." They just thought they were so much better than I was, so I thought.

One night Henry and I were alone. Henry was ill, something wrong with his boiler he thought as he had steaming problems. The men tried to help him get better, but failed. Even when morning came, he still felt bad. I was concerned for my friend.

I had to get the coaches ready for the first train, which he usually pulled.

"If Henry is ill," I thought, "perhaps I shall pull his train." This thought made me happier.

I ran to find the coaches. "Come along, come along," I fussed.

"There's plenty of time, there's plenty of time," they grumbled. So I was being impatient.

I took them to the platform and wanted to run round in front at once. But Driver wouldn't let me and told me "Don't be impatient, Thomas,". So, I just sat there, waiting and waiting for my friend.

While I was waiting, the people got in. The conductor and stationmaster walked up and down. The porter banged the doors, and still Henry didn't come. I guessed he was too ill.

I got more and more excited as the waiting went on. It looked as I started thinking when Henry was still not there after the doors banged, Henry was still not better.

As I waited, Sir Topham Hatt came to see what was the matter, and the conductor and stationmaster told him about Henry.

"Find another engine," he ordered. In that moment, I knew my chance had come.

"There's only Thomas", they said. My mechanical heartbeat fluttered at that.

"You'll have to do it then, Thomas. Be quick now!", I was told. I was full of joy, thinking this was the best day of my whole life.

So I ran round to the front and backed down on the coaches, ready to start.

"Let's not be impatient," said Driver. "We'll wait till everything is ready."

But I was too excited to listen.

All I can say about what happened next is I was too excited and absent-minded to listen to Driver and a mistake happened.

I started without my coaches. Somehow, but I've got no idea exactly why.

As I passed the first signal tower, men waved and shouted. But I didn't stop, not realizing what was the situation.

"They're waving because I'm such a splendid engine, I thought importantly. "Henry says it's hard to pull trains, but I think it's easy." Looking back, I understand why it was seemingly easy, but I didn't in that moment.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry," I puffed, pretending to be like Gordon. Because the train I didn't yet realize I forgot was a passenger train, it just suited me to act like him, cheeky engine I've been known to be.

"People have never seen me pulling a train before. It's nice of them to wave." And I whistled, "Peep, peep, thank you."

Then, I came to a signal at "DANGER."

"Bother," I thought. I must stop and I was going so nicely, too. What a nuisance signals are," I blew an angry "Peep, peep" on my whistle. I thought I was pulling the train, still and hated having to stop.

The signalman ran up to me. "Hello, Thomas," he said. "What are you doing here?" I thought "Why didn't he know?", since I had yet to realize I forgot my coaches.

"I'm pulling a train," I said. "Can't you see?"

"Where are you coaches, then?" That made me realize what was going on.

I moved my eyes to look back. "Why, bless me," I said, "if we haven't left them behind." I was referring to Driver and me. Boiler sludge, I thought.

"Yes," said the signalman to me, "you'd better go back quickly and fetch them."

I wasn't one bit happy anymore, to the point I wanted to cry and even felt tears forming in the back of my eyes. My lip even trembled.

"Cheer up," said Driver. Let's go back quickly and try again." And with that, we went back to the station.

At the station all the passengers were talking at once. They were telling Sir Topham Hatt what a bad railway it was. To hear them talk made my eyes well up.

But when I came back, they saw how sad I was and couldn't be cross. This time I shall get it right, I thought and Driver comforted me as everything got ready, so I didn't have to actually start to cry.

I was coupled to the train, and this time I really pulled it. That made me happy again.

Afterwards my fellow engines laughed at me and said, "Look, there's Thomas who wanted to pull a train, but forgot about the coaches." Except Edward, who was too kind to tease me and actually comforted me when the others teased me if he was around. But I had learned not to make the same mistake again. I shall wait until everything's ready next time I pull a train, I decided after that day.

A/N His concern for Henry's based on his TV sad face. Real steamers seem to have a heartbeat, so I incorporated that combined with the mechanical heart references in other fics. "Boiler sludge", is engine English for saying crap in my Thomasverse, since boiler sludge is their equivalent of poop. Towards the end, I put in stuff someone who's on the verge of crying might feel. His lip actually trembles in The Adventure Begins in this story. TvTropes even says something about Thomas coming back to the station in tears.