A/N This is from Thomas, Percy and the Mail Train, as the basis episode's called in my country.
Hey, it's me, Percy. I shall tell you about when Thomas had to help me pull the mail train because it had too many parcels for one tank engine alone and our heavier fellow engines were unable to take it, due to their other jobs making it unable to fit their timetable.
At night, when the other engines are tucked away in their sheds, you can still hear the faraway call of an engine's whistle and the clickety-clack of train wheels turning. This is the sound of the mail train. One train was pulled by Thomas and the other by me, as the loads were too heavy for one engine to do the work alone. Less mail travels on trains now, so I can do it alone now, though. The mail was and still is loaded onto freight cars at the harbor and us engines would pull our trains through silent stations, delivering our precious loads. On a clear night, a big shiny moon brightened the journey, but often Thomas and I could see the stars. I still have the moon and stars on my journeys. But whatever the weather, lamps along the track always light the way, as they did then. One night, I was waiting at the junction. The main line train was late. At last, Henry arrived.
"Sorry", he puffed. "The mailboat from the Mainland was delayed.
"Come on, Percy," said Driver. "Let's make up for lost time."
I puffed along as quickly as I could. The sun was already rising as I finished my work.
Never mind, I thought. It's nice to be up and about when it's the start of a new day and there's no one around. I quite often look for the good in things in my life and that was a time to do so.
I was not alone for long.
Bother! I thought. It's that dizzy thing Harold. We tend not to get on that well at times. It seems we just have trouble understanding each other's ways. We're quite different, Harold and me.
"Good morning," whirled Harold. "I only said railways are out of date but you're so slow with the mail. You should give everyone their stamps back."
I was too tired to explain.
"Birdbrain," I muttered. Harold made me cross, in addition to how tired I was.
"Good morning, Percy," called Duck. "You're up early this morning."
"No, you're wrong," I sighed. "I'm back, tired and late".
I rolled into the shed and fell asleep, almost before my buffers touched the bar. Driver decided to set off early that evening. Thomas was waiting at the station.
"Thank goodness I have a chance to speak to you. Driver said the person in charge of the mail has complained to Sir Topham Hatt about the delay last night."
"But that wasn't my fault," I replied.
"I know," said Thomas. "And so does Sir Topham Hatt. But this mail person wouldn't listen. Tonight, we'll just have to be quicker than ever before."
We engines were just leaving when we heard a familiar buzzing.
"I say, you two, there's news flying about." That was Harold's words to us.
"Where?" I puffed crossly.
"All over the place. They're going to scrap the mail train and use me instead. Wings work wonders, you know. Always."
"Rubbish," huffed Thomas. I was cross with that cocky helicopter myself.
That night, everything ran like clockwork. Thomas and I steamed through the stations making good time everywhere we went. At a station, Thomas noticed a man looking cold and worried. He had missed his train home.
"We can give you a ride," said Thomas's driver. "But it'll be rather uncomfortable."
"Thank you," said the man. "Anything's better than sitting here."
The next afternoon, I passed the airfield and saw Harold.
"Hello, lazy wings. Are you too tired to fly today?"
"The wind's too strong," grumbled Harold. "I've been grounded."
"You need rails," I laughed. They work wonders you know. Always." I was using his words against him, modified to suit the situation.
That night, Sir Topham Hatt showed we two engines a letter. It was from the man who missed his train.
"He thinks you are both splendid and everyone says the mail train is the pride of the line." My friend and I were pleased with the letter from that man. For both of us, it was something like being called a Really Useful Engine.
A/N I'm not British, they are, so respect me for trying.