Toryreck is one of the towns that passenger trains on Thomas's branch line make a stop at. It's also the part of the line where the junction between the harbor and passenger sections of the line meet at, and thus, a signal box was placed there to keep traffic under control. This is where we meet Burnett Stone, the signalman at Toryreck. Since the next train wasn't due for a while, he was making a quick phone call.

"Hey Peter, I just wanted to double check… When's Lily supposed to be arriving tomorrow?..." He asked the other line. "2:00… Got it, any health related situations regarding her I should know about?... No? And how's Susan doing? Oh that's great to hear, I didn't know the baby was due that soon. Right, I'd better get back to work before something goes wrong, I'll call you later. Goodbye, son." Then he hung up, but something was already going wrong. Thomas, with Annie and Clarabel, was heading up the line, but Percy, with a trainload of stone, was coming in the opposite way.

"Shoot, I forgot about Percy!" He said to himself, but acted fast, and diverted Thomas onto the passing loop.

"What?!" Exclaimed Thomas, "Don't tell me we're being shunted!"

"Sorry! It's my fault!" Shouted Burnett as he came out rushing, and quickly explained.

Thomas was now a bit more forgiving. "Safety does always come first." He sighed as they waited for Percy to pass. While they did, Thomas began to observe his surroundings. At one end of the siding was an old goods shed. The doors were locked, and the windows had been boarded up. No one had used it for years.

"Say Burnett." Said Thomas, "I was just beginning to think about the last time I shunted trucks into that shed. I can't even remember why it was condemned."

"I'm sure it was something…" Sighed Burnett, he seemed to look towards it solemnly.

"You know," Continued Thomas, "I think the Fat Controller mentioned plans to demolish that shed during these renovations, probably for the best I'd say."

"How could you say that?" Asked Burnett, "I'd hate to see it go."

"Why? Its roof is on the verge of collapsing. Not to mention, I'm pretty sure it's…"

Thomas's thoughts were interrupted by Percy rumbling by with his stone trucks. After he passed, Burnett went back into his signal box to align the points, and Thomas was on his way once again. Percy, meanwhile, had arrived at the junction with his trucks, which were meant to be put on the goods train James was hauling.

"Dirty trucks, dirty sidings…" Grumbled the red engine.

"You never change, do you?" Laughed Percy.

"You don't understand, Percy!" Snapped James, "The Fat Controller has taken me off of passenger duties for quite some time, he said so before he left."

"And why would that be?" Percy quizzed as he shunted his truck into place.

"My wheels were feeling quite worn out with all the speeding I was doing, so he put me strictly on slow goods work so that I could think about all the ways I can be a 'Really Useful Engine', and…"

"... And?..."

"... And when I have, I can pull coaches again."

"Oh James…" Laughed Percy, "The Fat Controller's just trying to make this a better railway for us steam engines. He told me that the harder we work, the less he'll need diesels to he-"

"Help you?" laughed a voice.

Percy and James both jumped in shock. While they were talking, Diesel 10 had rolled up alongside them with a passenger train, and he then began taunting them.

"You'll always need help! Because steam engines are cowardly, cranky, worn out hunks of metal, who couldn't hurt a fly!"

This made James very angry, "No we're not!" He snapped.

"Yes you are!"

"Aren't!"

"ARE…" The diesel's threatening voice made James quiver, "While I'm here, I'm going to destroy you, dominate you, and by the end of this, you'll all be nothing but useless scrap."

"B-Big bully…" James whimpered, then the guard's whistle blew and the diesel oiled away. Percy found his voice as the last coach cleared the platform.

"You won't dominate us! We won't let you, we'll work harder than ever to prove our worth!"

"I hope you're right, Percy…" Said James quietly.

Percy couldn't help but recount his and James's encounter with Diesel to Thomas and Toby later that evening.

"So he does hate us steam engines…" Said Thomas worriedly, "That settles it, he can't be trusted."

"He couldn't actually turn all of us into 'Useless scrap' on his own… Could he?" Asked Percy.

"Of course not, you two must settle down." Assured Toby, "We've had diesels like him visit before, remember? Just like them, he's all talk, no action."

"But what if he does try to… Well, take action?" Asked Percy.

"Then we need to stand up on our own wheels to him." Said Toby wisely.

"You're right Toby." Said Thomas thoughtfully, "And hopefully you're right. Actions do speak louder than words, my driver once said…"

That night, back at the main sheds, Diesel 10 was having a difficult time sleeping. The steam engines intentionally kept one berth between him and themselves empty since they did not want to be anywhere near him, and he was also having a bad dream.

"Hello there… Tryfan, is it?"

"Yes I am, what do you want?..."

"To save you my dear engine. You see, I have a plan, and I think you might be able to help me… Do I have it correct that about a decade ago, you tried to hunt down an engine that was escaping to the North Western Railway?"

"That's correct, mister."

"Well… I've always believed that that railway is thinking way too backwards. I mean come on, keeping over a dozen old tin kettles in service when they could be using efficient, easy to maintain engines like you? I think it's time someone finally gives them a wake up call, but I can't do it without you. So, Tryfan, if I spare you will you help me?..."

"... Yes sir, yes I will…"

Diesel then woke up suddenly, having to compose himself. He looked to see that all of the steam engines were asleep. Then he looked the other way to see the main water tower that they used. Still thinking about his dream, he had an idea.

"I promised I would help you boss…" He said quietly, "So I'll start… By doing this."

Diesel quietly rolled up beside the water tower. He looked around twice to make sure everyone was asleep, and that nobody was watching.

"Alright Pinchy, my thing of madness… I know you've been hungry, so it's time to eat."

No one could make out what it was, but something came out of his roof, and grabbed onto one of the water tower's legs. Then, the thing tore it off, causing the tower to lose its balance and come SMASHING on the ground! This woke up all of the engines with a startle!

"W-W-What was that?!" Exclaimed Henry

"Good heavens!" Said Gordon, "The water tower has collapsed!"

All of the engines looked in the direction of the water tower, but whatever the thing was that had torn off the leg, already had gone back into Diesel's roof.

"D-Diesel? Was that you?" Said Oliver, quivering.

"How could it have been me?" Asked Diesel, looking hurt.

"Good point, he doesn't have hands…" Said Henry quietly.

"Guess your controller didn't do a good job at maintaining this tower…" Continued Diesel, "One of the legs must have corroded from rust."

None of the engines could prove that it was Diesel, nor could they figure out any other possible explanation. So they all reluctantly had to take his word. By morning, Boomer had arrived to inspect the damage.

"Blimey…" He said, "It's going to take a while to rebuild it."

"But sir!" Said Gordon, "That's our main source of water, how are we going to fill up now?"

"I guess you will have to use a standpipe." Suggested Boomer, "It's the easiest way."

"But that can cause boilerache!" Protested Duck, "Please sir, can you try to rebuild it?"

"I'll get started on it" Said Boomer, "But it won't be done by today. You'll have to make do."

All the engines had to subside to that. Unfortunately, as they were taking turns on a standpipe, James started to get more and more antsy. Boomer noticed this.

"James, you need to wait your turn." He said sternly.

"But I have an important train to take soon!" Said James, "A shipment of coal is coming in from the mainland, and the waybill said I was to fetch it."

"Well…" Said Boomer with confidence, "We can always let D10 do it, then you can take the Limited since it's due later."

"But… Sir…" Said James, "The Fat Controller said I can't pull coaches until I-"

"I know what he said," Said Boomer, "But you do like pulling coaches, don't you James? And you are being really useful by ensuring that the engines get their fuel."

"When you put it like that…" Said James, "I suppose we can arrange for that, yes!"

And so it was arranged. When Diesel 10 arrived at the end of the line, he found the line of coal trucks that he, well… Technically wasn't supposed to take, but this was one of his tricks he had up his radiator. Two diesel shunters were arranging them for him, and… Well, let's just say these shunters aren't the sharpest tools in the shed.

"Here's all of the trucks." Said one.

"Just like you requested, Tryfan." Said the other.

"How many times do I have to tell you?!" Snapped Diesel, "That's not my name anymore…"

"O-Oh, s-sorry, b-b-boss." Stuttered the second one.

"That's a good engine…" Said Diesel, "But either way, thank you for bringing these Splodge."

"A-Actually, it's Splatter" said the first one.

"And-er-Dodge" said the second one.

"I don't have time to say both names!" Barked Diesel again.

"Hmmmph…" Mumbled both shunters.

"Why did you need the bad coal though?" Asked Splatter.

"Yeah," Pitched in Dodge, "The railway you're taking them to uses steam engines mostly."

"Exactly…" Smirked Diesel, "Our superior and I are going to make life a misery for those tin kettles. The railway doesn't need them, it needs diesels like us. Steam engines have no place on any railway these days, and since 'Fatt Hatt' doesn't seem to be getting the message, we'll just have to prove it to him."

Diesel was about to depart with his train when Splatter and Dodge interrupted him.

"Uh, boss?" Asked Splatter.

"What?" Said Diesel.

"Can't we help you? We're your friends, aren't we?" Asked Dodge.

This gave Diesel 10 another idea, "Tell you what Splodge…" He said cunningly, "Come with me. I'll have to make some… Arrangements first, but once said arrangements are taken care of, you two can start working on the island. That way, we can prove that anything those puffballs do, we diesels can do better. How does that sound?"

"Yes! Anything you say, boss!" Said the two shunters in chorus.

To be continued...