I do not own Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. Other then my OC's they are strictly the property of The Awdry Family and Britt Allcroft. Warning, this chapter has some strong language in it.
Episode 3: The Sad Story of Henry, Original Airdate: 16th October 1984
It was a dark and stormy night on the Island of Sodor. Thomas was sitting in his family's house in Ffarquhar watching television with his parents Howard and Tanya and his two sisters Annie and Clarabel, who were both watching their favourite show, The . Outside lighting flashed and thunder crashed the rain pounding down, Thomas looked out of the window to see the rain lashing against the windows.
"This storm is sure bad" said Thomas worriedly, "there might be flash floods tomorrow".
"There might as well be with this kind of weather about" replied Tanya to her son.
"Well at least the lights didn't go out" said Annie, "otherwise we'll miss Willard proposing to Angelica".
No sooner that Annie said those words a loud thunder crash was heard and before the Billinton's even knew it the power went out. Even the television much to Annie's dismay.
"You were saying Annie" asked a ticked off Clarabel.
"No come back you, please come back" said a frantic Annie as she shook the television, hoping that it would come back on.
"I better get the flashlight and the candles" said Howard standing up and walking into the kitchen.
"And call the electric company too please dear" called Tanya
Just then another loud thunder crash was heard, and a loud scream sounded from upstairs.
"Daddy" came a frightened voice.
"Oh no Lucy" said Thomas as he left his mother and his sisters before running up to his daughter's room.
Thomas burst into Lucy's bedroom to find her sitting up in her crib and crying. He rushed over to her crib before picking her up in his arms and then sitting down in the chair.
"SSSHHH its okay Lucy, daddy's here" said Thomas gently as he rocked his frightened daughter in his arms.
"Scared daddy" said Lucy with frightened tears trickling down her face.
"I know you are but I'm here you now" soothed Thomas.
"I want mommy" said Lucy.
Thomas sighted sadly. It was obvious that Lucy missed her mother very much, anger swelled up in him at the thought of Boomer and the three other people who had cruelly robbed his innocent daughter of her mother.
"I know I miss mommy very much too" said Thomas sadly.
"Why bad men take mommy away" asked Lucy.
Thomas knew the answer involving Boomer. He had held a petty grudge against Lady's guardian Burnett Stone, but the three masked people he had never seen before seen before and he had no idea what their story was. He thought that they were mere thugs who Boomer had hired but when one them shouted during the chase, he thought they sounded very familiar but just couldn't put his finger on it.
"I don't know Lucy, I really don't know" said Thomas solemnly.
Thomas stayed silent as he cradled Lucy in his arms as he thought of a way to get her to get back to sleep. He heard the rain pounding against Lucy's bedroom window, it was right then he knew what story to tell her.
"You know this storm reminds of the time uncle Henry stopped his engine in the tunnel and wouldn't come out again" said Thomas.
"Story Daddy?" asked Lucy calming down and beginning to smile.
"It sure is" smiled Thomas to his daughter as he began the story.
(Story Begins)
"Once an engine driver whose engine was attached to a train, was afraid of a few drops of rain. He drove it into a tunnel and squeaked through its funnel and would not come out again.
Henry Stanier was an engine driver for the North Western Railway, his engine was a hybrid between an LNER A1 and LNER C1 and because of its small firebox could not build up enough steam when he wanted it to. Although he could be slightly egoistic and prideful at times, he did have a heart and was good friends with both Thomas and Edward. However, he was prone to anxiety which could cause a few problems then finally one day his anxiety finally caught up to him. He was at Knapford station collecting the passengers when it began to rain heavily.
"The rain looks very heavy" said Henry nervously.
"It sure is and that also means there could be some flash flooding" replied Edward.
As Henry walked towards his engines cab, Edward could help but notice the deeply worried look on Henry's face. This made him concerned for his friend.
"You okay Henry?" asked a concerned Edward.
"I'm okay Edward, just don't like the rain that's all" replied Henry as he climbed into his engines cab.
Before Edward could ask anything else, the last passenger boarded Henry's coaches and the guard blew his whistle. Giving his engines whistle a toot and waving Edward goodbye Henry set off with his passenger train. As his engine puffed down the mainline the rain grew heavier, it lashed against his engine and made it hard for him to see what was ahead of him. This made Henry's anxiety grow more as he had just given his engine a brand new coat of green and red stripes and believe that the rain would spoil it, as he neared Ballahoo tunnel a crash of thunder finally made Henry snap. As he bought his engine into the tunnel, he stopped right before the tunnels exit and much to the passenger's surprise would not come out again. The guard hopped down from the brake coach and what up to Henry's cab.
"What's on Earth are you doing Henry?" asked the guard, "you can't just stop the train in the tunnel".
"Sorry sir but I'm afraid the rain will ruin my engines lovely coat of green paint and red stripes". Said Henry.
Hoping to get Henry to come out of the tunnel the guard blew his whistle until he was out of breath. Then he waved his flags until his arms arched but still Henry would not bring his engine out of the tunnel, he didn't want anyone to know of his anxiety
"I'm not going to ruin my engines lovely green paint and red strips for you" Henry said pretending to be rude and blowing steam at the guard.
The guard was quite annoyed with Henry's response, so he went over to the nearby rail phone to call someone. The passengers then all climbed out of the coaches and gave Henry some very angry looks on their faces. Henry felt a little guilty, he didn't mean to sound rude but he didn't want anyone to know of his anxiety.
Just then Lady's engine came puffing up to the tunnel pulling a passenger train. She stopped on the other side of the tunnel before the door on one of her coaches opened and much to Henry's surprise out stepped Sir Topham Hatt and his two assistants, Sir Topham Hatt thanked Lady for the lift before she tooted her engines whistle before continuing on her journey. Sir Topham Hatt approached, Henry with a stern look on his face.
"So I heard that you won't come out of the tunnel because it will spoil your engines green coat of green paint and red stripes" asked Sir Topham Hatt sternly.
Henry nervously let off some steam as him. He feared that Sir Topham Hatt would be even more cross with him, but much to his belief he was not.
"Well if that's how you like it then we'll pull you out" said Sir Topham Hatt.
The guard got some strong rope that he had in the brake coach and tied to Henry's engines front coupling. The passengers and the guard himself all took the rope as Sir Topham Hatt stood to the side supervising.
"Okay one, two, three, pull" he said.
The passengers and the guard all pulled and pulled. They pulled with all of their might, but still Henry's engine stayed in the tunnel, also Sir Topham Hatt didn't help with the pulling.
"My doctor has forbidden me to pull" he said with a fake cough.
Sir Topham then turned to face Henry.
"Now we're going to push you out" he said sternly.
Sir Topham Hatt, the guard and the passengers all when to the other side of the tunnel to the rear brake coach. They then all pressed their palms against the coach and each other as Sir Topham Hatt gave the instructions.
"Okay one, two, three push" he ordered.
The passengers and the guard all pushed and pushed. They pushed with all their might but still Henry's engine stayed in the tunnel and again Sir Topham Hatt didn't help with the pushing.
"My doctor has forbidden me to push" he said with another fake cough.
At last they gave up pushing. Sir Topham Hatt got out his phone and called Thomas and Howard who were shunting at Knapford. They said that they would be there as soon as they can, after hanging up Sir Topham Hatt, the passengers and the guard went back to the front where Henry was. When they did the rain had finally stopped.
"Look Henry its stopped raining" said Sir Topham Hatt.
"Yes but it will again soon" said Henry "and what will become of my engines green paint and red stripes then?"
Sir Topham Hatt then moaned, angry at Henry's apparent stubbornness and ego. Just then he heard a whistle from the other side of the tunnel. He quickly walked to the other side and saw that Thomas and Howard had both arrived.
"You called for us Sir?" asked Thomas.
"Yes I did" said Sir Topham Hatt, "Henry is refusing to come out of the tunnel because it will spoil his engines lovely coat of green paint with red stripes, you two think that you can push him out?".
"We try Sir" said Howard.
Sir Topham Hatt then stood back as Thomas and Howard both buffered Thomas's E2 to the back of Henry's coaches. They both then procced to try and push Henry and his coaches out of the tunnel, Thomas pushed his E2 as hard as he could but the most he could do was move Henry's engine and the coaches only 1 meter. Eventually he and Howard both had to give up.
"We're sorry Sir" said Thomas sadly, "but both me and dad can't do anymore"
"That's okay Thomas, both you and your father can have the rest of the day off for your efforts" said Sir Topham Hatt.
Thomas and Howard then reversed Thomas' E2 and drove away. After they had both left Sir Topham Hatt then walked angry back to Henry at the front of the tunnel, Henry looked a little nervous at what Sir Topham Hatt was going to say.
"Henry I have had it up to here with this arrogant and egoistic attitude of yours" said Sir Topham Hatt angrily "for that you are suspended from work and with a severe pay cut until further notice"
Henry was both shocked and saddened at hearing this, he was also dreading what might happen to his engine. What Sir Topham Hatt said next confirmed it.
"And since you like your engine staying in the tunnel so much, then it can" finished Sir Topham Hatt "for always and always and always".
A bus was called to take the passengers to their destinations. As they headed for the bus they each gave Henry an angry glare, however as the guard went by he gave something more then a angry glare. Sir Topham Hatt had just rung some workmen when he heard a loud crack, he turned to see Henry laying on the ground and clutching his bloodied nose as the guard stood over him with his fist clenched and looking very red in the face.
"Guard" a shocked Sir Topham Hatt as he came over to Henry, "what did you do that for?".
"Shut the fuck up fatty" snarled the guard angry to a shocked Sir Topham Hatt as he prepared to hit Henry again, "I'm just teaching this bastard a well deserved lesson".
But before he could do anything else, Sir Topham Hatt stood between him and Henry who
"You will do nothing of the sort" said a furious Sir Topham Hatt, "there will be no striking other staff on my railway, I'm the head of the railway and only I decide the punishments no one else do you understand me?".
"I will give you to the count of three fatty to get out of my way said the guard through clenched teeth "and if you're not out of the way by then I'll smash your fucking head in"
Sir Topham Hatt although shocked by the guards threat just stood his ground.
"One" said the guard, giving Sir Topham Hatt a chance to get out of his way. But Sir Topham Hatt did no such thing.
"Two" snarled the guard through clenched teeth.
Still Sir Topham Hatt did nothing.
"THREE, ALRIGHT YOU STUPID FAT BASTARD, PREPARE TO HAVE YOUR FUCKING HEAD SMASHED IN ALONG WITH THAT SELFISH FUCKER" shouted the enraged guard as be prepared to assault both Henry and Sir Topham Hatt. But before he could do anything else a bolt of lighting struck the guard, knocking him to the ground unconscious. Sir Topham Hatt, Henry and Sir Topham Hatt's two assistants looked on with surprise.
"Strange" said Sir Topham Hatt "the clouds are breaking up, anyway call the police" he told one of his assistants who had pulled out his phone.
Some the police arrived along with the workmen. The police put the guard who had just regained consciousness in handcuffs and hauled him away, kicking and screaming. Meanwhile the workmen pulled up the old rails and built a wall in front of Henrys engine so that Henry could not get it out again, whilst Lady took Henry's coaches back to the yard. Three hours later the wall was finished and when it was Sir Topham Hatt turned to face a saddened Henry.
"As for you Henry, you can stay in the boarding house until you see sense" said Sir Topham Hatt sternly and he walked away leaving Henry with tears in his eyes. Luckily, Edward was stopping by and gave Henry a lift back to Tidmouth. Whilst their way back to Tidmouth Henry told Edward of his anxiety, although he felt sorry for Henry, he did give him a talking for not admitting his anxiety to Sir Topham Hatt.
"And so you see Henry you really should have told Sir Topham about your anxiety" said Edward "I'm sure that he would have understood".
"I know" said Henry sadly.
"Cheer up Henry, I'm sure that Sir Topham Hatt will forgive you and let your engine out" said Edward kindly.
As Edward and Henry puffed up the mainline in Edward's K2 Gordon raced by with the express. As he did, he shouted out.
"Serves you right Henry" he called.
That made Henry feel worse and it made him want to burst out crying. When they got back to Tidmouth Henry walked sadly back to the boarding house, despite having to try and push him out of the tunnel Thomas felt sorry for Henry, Howard however told Henry that it served him right for his stubbornness and disregard for the passengers. Lady also felt sorry for Henry and unbeknownst to him or Sir Topham Hatt, it was her who had sent the lightning bolt at the guard and saved them from being potentially being beaten to death. Everyday when he got a chance Henry would go to the tunnel and look at his engine. Soot and dirty from the tunnel had spoiled his engines lovely coat of green paint and red stripes anyway. He wondered if he would ever be allowed to bring it out and pull trains again, but I think that he deserved his punishment don't you.
(Story Ends)
"Uncle Henry pull trains again" asked Lucy as Thomas finished his story.
"That Lucy is a story for another time" a smiling Thomas told his daughter as he lay her down in her crib. "Now go to sleep and just you remember the storm can't hurt you whilst you're inside the house".
As Thomas was about to kiss her goodnight. A loud scream came from downstairs.
"NNNNNOOOOOO" came a familiar voice.
Thomas signed. He knew that his father had called the electric company and the news wasn't good. He then kissed Lucy's head goodnight and left her room before heading downstairs, as he entered the sitting room he was Annie pounding the floor with her fists.
"Bad news I take it dad?" asked Thomas to his father.
"I'm afraid so Thomas" replied Howard, "the electric company said the power will be back tomorrow".
"Which means we'll don't know if Angelica accepts Willard's proposal" said a distraught Annie.
"Oh shut it Annie" said an annoyed Clarabel as she slapped the back of Annie's head.
"Well I think that its best if we all read then" said Tanya hoping to keep Annie and Clarabel for having a fight over Annie's despair at losing her favourite show.
As Howard set down some lit candles the Billinton's each left to grab a book. As Thomas grabbed his favourite book, Alex Garland's The Beach from his room he looked out of his window at the storm.
"I sure hate to be out there and only an idiot would play golf in this kind of weather" said Thomas to himself.
But unbeknownst to Thomas there was an idiot playing golf at the very moment. Over at Grovan's Gate Golf Course Sir Handel was currently playing a game. Over to the side, his brother Peter Sam and their friend Skarloey were watching.
"Sir Handel I really don't think that you should really golf in this kind of weather" called Peter Sam.
"I'll be fine Peter Sam, besides I need to practice for the upcoming golf tournament or else Duncan or Rusty maybe beat me" Sir Handel shouted.
"You really should listen to your brother Sir Handel" called Skarloey "a thunderstorm is not the best weather for playing".
"Will you both please stop nagging me" called an irritated Sir Handel "I know what I'm doing".
As Sir Handel raised his golf club to strike the ball a bolt of lightning struck it, giving Sir Handel a nasty shock before he collapse to the ground.
"SIR HANDEL" shouted Peter Sam in horror at what just had happened to his brother.
Peter Sam and Skarloey both rushed over to Sir Handel who was slightly blackened and with his hair standing up on his head. They both frantically search for a pulse, which much to their relief they managed to find.
"Please Sir Handel say something anything?" pleaded a deeply worried Peter Sam.
Sir Handel's eyes then both shot open.
"Please call me an ambulance" he croaked.
And done. It took me a bit longer due to me taking a small bit of time off for both Christmas and New Year, I promise that I will try and not take so long again. I should also let you all know that I sometimes get distracted by certain things. Also some of the stories will be altered to fit Lady in.
Anyway hope that you like this chapter and I'll see you next time. Also be so kind to preview my story, it would mean the world to me.