I do not own Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, they are strictly the property of both the Awdry Family and Britt Allcroft. This story is for entertainment only and never profit.
Episode 33: Old Iron, Original Airdate: October 8th, 1986
It was a quite night on the Island of Sodor. In the village of Ffarquhar, Thomas was putting Lucy to bed. He had just given her a bath after she finished her dessert of a chocolate éclair, following a tasty dinner of kippers.
"There you are Lucy" said Thomas as he tucked her into bed, "are you ready for a story?".
"Story daddy" said Lucy excitedly.
"Right then" said Thomas as he sat down in the chair next to Lucy's bed, "how about I tell you the time of how Uncle James called Uncle Edward's K2 old iron?".
"Old Iron?" asked Lucy.
"That's right sweetie" said Thomas as he began the story, "it all began one day at Wellsworth".
(Story Begins)
One day James at to wait at Wellsworth till Edward and his train came in, this of course was making him cross. James didn't like waiting, but he knew that if he left without his passengers, they would complain of how bad a railway the North Western was and that Sir Topham Hatt would be cross.
"Honestly" grumbled James to himself, "why can't Edward ever be on time for once".
Just then Edward's K2 finally came into Wellsworth pulling three red express coaches. Edward then hopped down from its cab.
"Late again" called James from across the line.
"Sorry James" said Edward, "but I'm afraid my engine's been having trouble lately".
"That's because she's blue" grumbled James, "if she was red like my engine here, she'd always be on time".
"Oh I don't know" laughed Edward, "if being red makes an engine fast. Then maybe Sir Topham Hatt should use her as a fire engine".
James was infuriated by Edward's joke, by then his passengers had board the two green express coaches that his L&YR was pulling, and he fumed away. He was still bad tempered when he got back to Tidmouth sheds for lunch, he parked his engine in one of the berths before heading into the bunkhouse kitchen so that he could have his lunch.
Thomas, Lady, and Percy were already in the kitchen when James entered. By now, everyone had learned of Lady's pregnancy, everyone was every excited and happy for her. Although they had been upset with Thomas briefly for being careless, Howard and Tanya had both calmed down and were now looking forward to having a grandchild, Annie and Clarabel were both especially excited. The trio then noticed James come into the kitchen.
"What's up James?" asked Percy.
"Its Edward" grumbled James, "his K2 clanks about like a lot of "old iron" and is so slow. He shouldn't be working on the North Western Railway if his engine does that".
Thomas, Lady, and Percy were indignant. The three of them had great respect for Edward and hearing someone badmouth him was something they would not tolerate.
"Old iron!" said Percy angrily, "slow?!"
"Why Edward's K2 can beat your L&YR in a race any day" said Thomas crossly.
"Really?!" said James, "I should like to see him do it".
"Honestly James" said Lady crossly, "you really can be an utter prick sometimes".
"Bah" said James rudely as he went to eat his lunch, "I knew that it would be pointless talking to you three about it".
Thomas, Lady, and Percy said no more as they left the bunkhouse and went to eat their lunches someplace else.
The next day James was at Knapford yard, having just delivered a goods train. After shunting it into a siding, he then left his engine and went to have lunch out of the way. A short time later James was just finishing up his lunch when he noticed that his L&YR engine was chuffing away.
"Hey stop" shouted James, "come back with my engine".
James then tried to run after his L&YR, but it was going too fast for him to catch up with it. James then watched helplessly as it chuffed out of the yard, he then ran back to the signal box.
"All traffic halted" called the signalman.
"What happened?" asked James, "and why is my engine chuffing off on its own?".
"I saw two boys were on your engines footplate" explained the signalman.
"Two boys?" asked James incredulous.
"That's right" said the signalman, "they tumbled off when it began moving".
"Well how are we going to get my engine?" asked James.
Just then the phone in the signal box began to ring, the signalman went over and answered it.
"Hello, yes James is here" said the signalman.
The signalman then hung up the phone.
"The inspectors coming at once" explained the signalman, "he wants a shunters' pole and coil of wire rope".
"Whatever for?" asked James.
"I don't know but you better get them all the same" suggested the signalman.
Confused James then went to get the shunters' pole and rope. A few minutes later, Edward's K2 came into the yard along with the inspector, the inspector then saw that James had the pole and rope.
"Good, now hop in James" said the inspector, "we haven't got a moment to lose".
"How do you expect us to catch up to my engine in Edward's?" asked James.
"Just wait and see James" smirked Edward.
Edward's K2 then raced out of Knapford yard. Meanwhile down the line, Thomas and Howard were heading towards Knapford with a goods train.
"It sure is a beautiful day out" said Thomas.
"It sure is son" replied Howard to his son, "looks like nothing can possibly go wrong.
Just then both Thomas and Howard noticed some red approaching them fast on the other line, when it raced past, they saw that it was James L&YR much to their surprise.
"Boy James is sure in a big hurry today," said Thomas.
"Eh Thomas" said Howard in a worried tone of voice, "James wasn't in the cab, if anything his engine is a runaway".
"What?" asked Thomas in shock.
Meanwhile Gordon and James were both at Knapford station. Gordon had just been about to leave with the express when James' L&YR raced past them, just they were both told that all traffic on the mainline was halted. Naturally, Gordon was annoyed at this.
"What's the big idea?" he asked angrily, "don't they realise that the express is the most important train on the North Western Railway?".
"Of course, they do Gordon," said Henry.
"Then why the hold up?" he asked.
"If they halted all traffic then it means that it's something very important," said Henry.
Just then Edward's K2 raced past them and into the distance. Henry then noticed something in the cab.
"Gordon why on earth was James with Edward in his K2's cab?" asked Henry.
"What?" asked Gordon in surprise, "he was?".
"Yes, he was" said Henry in concern, "that means that his engine is a runaway".
Edward and James were both racing after James' L&YR in Edward's K2 with every ounce of steam it had. They soon managed to catch up with James' engine, the inspector then climbed out onto Edward's K2's front with the nose of wire rope in the crock of the shunters pole. He was trying to sway it over the buffer of James' engine, it was difficult to do so however due to both the engines swaying.
"Almost got it," said the inspector.
"Please hurry" said James pleadingly.
"Don't James" said Edward kindly, "John will get your engine".
And he did, at last he managed to slide the wire rope over the buffer.
"Got it" he called at last.
Pulling it tightly, gently braking Edward checked his engines speed. When both engines' cabs were aligned, James quickly scrambled over into his own cab and took control of his engine.
"Well then" laughed Edward, "looks like the "old iron" caught your engine after all".
This made James feel bad, he knew that he shouldn't have been so rude about Edward's engine.
"I'm sorry" said James sincerely, "that's for saving my engine. Your engine was splendid Edward".
"That's okay" said Edward, "I forgive you".
Both Edward and James's engines arrived at Crosby side by side. Both Edward and James saw that waiting on the platform was Sir Topham Hatt.
"That was a fine piece of work" said Sir Topham Hatt as the two engine drivers joined him on the platform.
"Thank you sir" replied Edward politely.
"James you can have a rest and some much deserved lunch before you take out your next train" said Sir Topham Hatt.
"Thanks sir" replied James, "I could use with it after this excitement".
"I'm proud of you Edward" said Topham Hatt when he turned to face him, "your K2 shall go to the works to have its worn parts mended".
"Oh thank you sir" said Edward happily, "it'll be lovely not to hear her clank".
"Excuse us Sir Topham" said a man who came onto the platform.
"Yes" said Sir Topham Hatt as he turned to face the man who had spoken his name.
Two had appeared on the platform with holding the arm of a young boy each, James then noticed that they were the boys who had fiddled with his L&YR's controls.
"You're the brats who fiddled with my engines controls aren't you?" James asked angrily.
"We're so sorry" said the 1st boy sadly.
"We only wanted to see how trains worked" said the 2nd boy who had begun to cry.
"Well, I hope that you two have learned a lesson" said Sir Topham Hatt, "trains can be very dangerous things. If you hadn't been careful, you could have been seriously hurt or even killed".
"We know and we're sorry" said the two boys together.
"However" said Sir Topham Hatt in a more kind tone, "since no one was hurt and you want to learn how trains work, I suppose you can be shown".
"Really?" asked the two boys.
"Sure" said Sir Topham Hatt, "but only once your fathers believe that you can be trusted not to do something like this again".
"We will sir" said one of the fathers.
"And once we do what day will you be able to show them?" asked the other father.
"Maybe they can be shown on a Friday during the school holidays".
With that the fathers made they arrangement and took their boys home, hoping that the boys would keep their trust and if they did keep it, then they'd get their reward of seeing how trains worked.
(Story Ends)
"And ever since then the two boys have behaved themselves and having kept their promise were soon given their reward of seeing how trains worked" said Thomas as he finished his story.
Thomas then saw that Lucy had fallen fast asleep. Smiling, gently kissed her on the forehead before turning off her light and leaving her room. He then went downstairs so that he could watch Superman: The Movie before going to bed himself.
Meanwhile out on the mainline Gordon and James were chasing down the latter's L&YR, only this time it wasn't running due to a pair of young boys. This time round, the culprit was a drunk, who was in the cab.
"Look at me" the drunk called from the cab, "I'm driving my car, my shining red car".
"Honestly James" Gordon in annoyance, "how could you let a drunk steal your engine".
"I don't fucking know Gordon" said James, "I didn't even know that it was possible for drunk to steel my engine.
And done. Sorry it took so long, but I'm proud of how it turned out. Anyway please be so kind as to leave a preview and as always, see you all next time.