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 purely for entertainment and never profit.
Episode 36: Duck takes Charge, Original Airdate: October 15th, 1986
It was a cool day on the Island of Sodor, all of the engine drivers on the North Western Railway were working hard. It was lunchtime, Thomas, Howard, Percy, and Duck were having lunch at the Tidmouth bunkhouse. They were currently discussing the latest gossip that was going around.
"And what Daisy didn't know" said Percy as he was explaining what had happened when he and his girlfriend went to the swimming pool last Saturday, "was that there was a loose hook on the latter".
"And what happened then?" asked Duck.
"Her swimsuit got caught on it and tore off" said Percy trying not to chuckle, "it was only after she got out of the pool that she realized that she was naked".
"Oh boy that must have been embarrassing for her" said Thomas as he laughed, "did she turn red as James' engine?".
"Oh, she turned even redder" grinned Percy, "that was after she almost deafened me and everyone with her scream before running off to the changing room".
Thomas, Howard, Percy, and Duck all laughed at the story. Just then they all heard a very familiar voice.
"Daddy" came the voice of a toddler.
Thomas turned to see Lucy waddling towards him, whilst his mother Tanya stood in the doorway of the bunkhouse kitchen.
"Lucy" said Thomas as he scooped up his daughter, "I see granny has brought you to visit daddy and granddad".
"That I did Thomas" said Tanya with a smile as she walked up to Howard and kissed him.
"Mom" said Thomas in embarrassment, "not in front of Percy and Duck".
"And why not son?" asked Howard with a naughty grin.
"He's obviously embarrassed" chuckled Duck.
Thomas ignored them and instead looked at Lucy who now sat in his lap.
"So, Lucy" Thomas asked his daughter, "you want a lunchtime story?".
"Story" said Lucy excitedly.
"I'm glad you're excitedly sweetie" said Thomas as he looked towards the others, "you guys interested in hearing?".
"Sure, thing son" Howard and Tanya both replied.
"I'm down for it," said Percy.
"Take it away Thomas," said Duck, also might I suggest you tell of how I came to the North Western Railway and how me, Percy and Henry put Gordon and James in their places?".
"That's a great idea Duck" said Thomas.
Duck smiled as he Percy, Howard and Tanya all sat down so that Thomas could tell his story. Lucy took her usual place of sitting on Thomas' lap.
"Right now," said Thomas as he began his story, "it all began about a week after Uncle Percy's incident with the "Backing Signal"".
(Story Begins)
"Do you know what?" asked Percy to Gordon and James one morning in the kitchen at the Tidmouth bunkhouse.
"What?" grunted Gordon in annoyance.
"I said do you know what?" Percy asked again.
Gordon and James both sighed in annoyance. It had been a week since they had tricked Percy with the "Backing Signal". They had hoped that it would teach him a lesson for the tricks he had played on them, but it seemed that it hadn't worked at all.
"Silly!" said Gordon, "of course I don't know what. If you don't tell me what "what" is?".
"Sir Topham Hatt says the work in the yard is too heavy for me" said Percy, "he's getting a bigger engine to help me".
"Rubbish" said James, "any engine driver could do that. If you worked more and chattered less, this yard would be a better, a sweeter and a happier place".
"Yeah" agreed Gordon, "especially for those idiots who think that signals mean going backwards".
Percy ignored them and left the bunkhouse for his engine. After lighting its fire, he set off to do his jobs for the day, his first was to collect some coaches.
"That stupid signal" Percy thought to himself, clearly remembering the time that he had misunderstood a signal and had gone backwards instead of forwards.
"No one listens to me now" he thought to himself sadly, "they think I'm a silly little engine driver and order me about".
He then coupled his saddle tank up to red branch line coaches. As he took them away, a look of determination came to his face.
"I'll show them what I can do" he thought to himself, "I'll show them".
But he didn't know how to show Gordon or James and so he continued his work. By the end of the afternoon, he felt both tired and unhappy as he brought some green express coaches to the platform at Knapford where he met Sir Topham Hatt.
"Hello Percy" Sir Topham Hatt greeted his employee before noticing how tired he looked, "you look tired".
"Yes Sir, I am Sir" panted Percy, "I don't know if my engine is either standing on her dome or her wheels".
"She looks the right way up to me" laughed Sir Topham Hatt before a kind look came to his face, "cheer up though. The new engine is bigger than yours and can do the job properly".
"Is her driver friendly?" asked Percy.
"Of course he is" replied Sir Topham Hatt, "would you like to help build my new harbour? Thomas, Lady, and Toby will help".
"Oh yes Sir" said Percy happily, "thank you Sir, but why is Lady helping. I thought that she and Burnett worked on the Kirk Roan line?".
"That right" replied Sir Topham Hatt, "but due to her pregnancy both she and Thomas have decided to move in together. So, I decided to transfer both her and Burnett to the Ffarquhar branch to make it a little easier for them".
"I bet Thomas likes that" said Percy with a smile, happy for his best friend.
"That he was" replied Sir Topham Hatt.
Percy then left happily knowing that things were going to get better. The next morning the new engine driver arrived; Sir Topham Hatt went to greet him at Knapford yard. The driver in question was Percy's old friend Montague Collett from the Great Western, he was in his mid-twenties with brown hair and green eyes and wore a green driver's uniform.
"May I ask what's your name?" Sir Topham Hatt asked kindly.
"Montague Sir" he replied, "but I'm usually called Duck".
"And why's that?" Sir Topham Hatt asked curiously.
"They say I waddle, but I don't really Sir" explained Duck, "but I like the name Duck better than Montague".
Just then Percy came into the yard, when he saw who the new engine driver was, he hopped down from his engines cab and hugged Duck.
"Duck its so good to see you" said Percy happily.
"Its good to see you Percy" replied Duck with a smile.
"But what are you doing here?" asked Percy as he broke away.
"Sir Topham Hatt hired me as the new station pilot of Knapford" said Duck, "an offer I was only too glad to accept".
"Alright you two" laughed Sir Topham Hatt, "now that you have been reunited with each other. There is a lot of work that needs to be done, Percy would you be so kind as to show Duck the ropes?".
"Right away Sir" replied Percy.
Both he and Duck headed off together whilst Sir Topham Hatt headed back to his office at Knapford. Percy and Duck had a busy but wonderful day nonetheless, shunting trucks and coaches into their proper places. Later that afternoon, Duck brought some red branch line coaches to the platform at Knapford.
Gordon and James were both there and watched Duck quietly do his work, they knew that he must be the new engine driver who Percy was talking about.
"He seems a simple sort of driver" said Gordon to James.
"Let's have some fun and order him about" suggested James.
Gordon agreed as he and James raced back to their engines. As Duck waited at the platform, both Gordon and James drove by in their engines making duck like noises.
"QUACK, QUACK, QUACK, QUACK" they both said.
They even both wheeshed smoke at him and his engine. Henry had just arrived at Knapford just in time to see Gordon and James driving away with their trains and laughing rudely at poor Duck, he then hopped down from his engines can and went to see if he was okay.
"Are you alright?" asked Henry.
"I'm fine" coughed Duck.
Percy had just arrived and was cross when he realized what had happened, he then went over to join Henry and Duck.
"What happened?" he asked crossly.
"Gordon and James obviously" said Henry in annoyance.
"Don't worry I'm sure they'll get tired of it," said Duck.
"I find that highly unlikely" said Percy, "oh Duck this is Henry by the way. Henry this is my old friend Duck".
"Pleasure to meet you Duck" greeted Henry politely.
"Like wise Henry" replied Duck before he turned to Percy, "may I ask do Gordon and James tell you to do things Percy?".
"They do" grumbled Percy, "and they're both quite rude at times".
"And not to mention about the "backing signal"" replied Henry crossly.
"Backing signal?" asked Duck curiously.
Percy and Henry both informed Duck about the incident with the "backing signal". When they were both finished with the story, Duck was cross.
"I understand that you were a bit cheeky Percy" said Duck, "but don't those two know that joking about signals can be dangerous".
"I reckon that they don't even care," said Henry.
"Right" said Duck determinedly, "we'll soon stop that nonsense".
He then whispered something to Percy and Henry who both agreed to it, the trio then decided to do it later that evening. Around 6PM, Sir Topham Hatt was putting the last of his papers away in his office. It had been a long day, and he was looking forward to hot buttered toast and bacon for tea at home. He was just about to leave his office when he heard a most extraordinary noise coming from Tidmouth sheds.
WEEEEEEEESH!
"What on earth?" asked Sir Topham Hatt as he quickly locked the door to his office and rushed to his car.
He arrived at Tidmouth sheds where he saw what the problem was. Duck, Percy, and Henry sat quietly on the points and turntable outside the sheds. Gordon and James were both furious as they wanted to put their engines in the shed but couldn't due to the trio blocking their way.
"Stop that noise" bellowed Sir Topham Hatt as he got out of his car, "what is going on here?".
"Duck, Percy and Henry won't let us into the shed" hissed Gordon crossly.
"Well maybe its because you two have been nothing but utter dicks to Percy and Duck" said Henry crossly.
"Why you little" said James crossly.
The drivers then began to argue, Sir Topham Hatt wasn't in the mood for something like.
"Alright that's it" he bellowed angrily.
Everyone then went silent. Seeing that everything was now calm, Sir Topham Hatt decided to ask Duck, Percy, and Henry why they wouldn't let Gordon and James into the sheds.
"Please explain Duck" said Sir Topham Hatt.
"Beg pardon Sir" said Duck as he began his explanation, "but I'm a Great Western Railway engine driver. We do our work without fuss, but begging your pardon Sir, Percy, Henry, and I would be glad if like to inform these two bullies that we only take orders from you".
Gordon and James were both furious at this and began to shout angrily at Duck, Percy, and Henry.
"Silence" snapped Sir Topham Hatt as he turned to the trio, "Percy, Henry and Duck I'm pleased with your work today but not with your behaviour tonight. You three have made a disturbance".
Gordon and James both chuckled at thinking that they were going to win this, however their hopes were quickly dashed when Sir Topham Hatt turned crossly on them.
"But you've been worse" said Sir Topham Hatt crossly to them, "you made the disturbance. Duck is quite right, this is my railway and I give the orders and if there's one thing that I will never tolerate is bullying".
Realising that he was right, Gordon and James apologised to Percy, Duck and Henry for their actions. After Percy went away to the Ffarquhar branch line, Duck was left to manage alone. He did so easily.
(Story Ends)
"And after that Uncles Gordon and James never bothered Uncle Duck again" said Thomas as he finished his story.
"Well at least until Diesel arrived," said Duck.
"True" replied Thomas, "but that story can wait until another day".
"Alright Lucy" said Tanya as she picked up her granddaughter, "its time to go home".
"Bye, bye daddy" said Lucy as Tanya picked her up at left the bunkhouse.
"See you Lucy sweetie" said Thomas.
Lucy and Tanya both left the bunkhouse as Thomas, Howard, Percy, and Duck went back to their engines to continue their work for the day.
And done, this chapter took me three days to write, and I must say I'm pleased with how it turned out. To let you know is that the next chapter will be Ghost Train and will feature a very familiar silver E2 with the number 0 on its side tanks. Anyway please be so kind as to leave a preview and as always, see you all next time.