I do not own Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, they are strictly the property of both the Awdry Family and Britt Allcroft. This story is purely for entertainment and never ever profit.

Episode 14: Thomas and Bertie, Original Airdate: 20th November 1984

It was a cool autumn Saturday afternoon on the Island of Sodor. Thomas and Lucy were both walking home from an afternoon of picking blackberries, their baskets were both filled to the brim with blackberries that they had both picked from the bushes down by the river Eels.

"Looks like you're going to have to help granny bake a lot of blackberry pies when we get home Lucy" Thomas told his daughter, knowing that blackberry pie was her favourite dessert.

"Blackberry pie daddy" Lucy clapped her hands excitedly.

Thomas gave his little daughter a smile. As they continued their walk, they both soon saw a red AEC Regal "T Class" London Country Area bus with steam hissing out of its radiator, Thomas instantly knew who it was and decided to see if its driver was okay.

Both father and daughter walked up to the bus and saw a man of African descent wearing a bus drivers uniform and leaning against its side. He had an annoyed look on his face, however as soon as he saw Thomas and Lucy a smile came to his face.

"Hello Thomas, hello Lucy" said the bus driver happily.

"Hello Bertie" said Thomas who turned to his daughter, "say hello to Uncle Bertie Lucy".

"Hello Uncle Bertie" said Lucy happily.

"Well hello to you too little Lucy" said Bertie who then noticed the baskets in her and Thomas' hands, "been berry picking I see".

"Pick berries for granny to make pie" said Lucy excitedly.

"Blackberry pie nice," said Bertie.

"What happened to your bus then Bertie?" asked Thomas.

"The radiator busted" said Bertie in annoyance, "I've called Butch, but he said that he won't be here for an hour".

"Say do you want me and Lucy to wait with you until Butch arrives?" Bertie asked, he was hoping that they could say yes because he didn't want to be lonely.

"Sure, we can and if you want, I could tell both you and Lucy one of my stories as well?" Thomas told Bertie.

"Story daddy" Lucy chirped happily.

"Well, that would be nice and how about we sit in my bus, and you can tell it there" Bertie told his friend, "And maybe we could have some of the blackberries you and Lucy picked?".

Thomas, Lucy, and Bertie all got into Bertie's bus. Thomas and Lucy both sat down in one of the passengers' seats, whilst Bertie sat in his driver's seat.

"So, what story should I tell?" Thomas asked his daughter and Bertie.

"Maybe about how you and I first met?" suggested Bertie.

"And you and I both had that race!" Thomas said with a smile.

"Daddy and Uncle Bertie race?" asked Lucy.

"Sure Lucy" said Thomas as he began his story, "this begins the spring after my first winter as a driver for the North Western Railway".

(Story Begins)

Springtime had come to the Island of Sodor. Winter had since ended and the snow and ice had melted, new flowers had started to bloom in the fields whilst new leaves began to grow on the bare trees. For the engine drivers of the North Western Railway, they were relieved that their engines no longer had to wear snowploughs, Gordon and James especially.

One day Thomas, Howard, Annie and Clarabel were at the junction by Knapford Bus Yard, they had finished their work for the morning and were having lunch. As they were eating, they saw a man of African descent wearing a bus drivers uniform cleaning a red AEC Regal "T Class" London Country Area bus, the man had just finished cleaning his bus when he noticed the Billinton's. He then gave them a friendly smile and a wave.

"Hello there" said the bus driver as he walked over to the fence separating the bus station from the railway, "you all look very familiar haven't I seen you somewhere before?".

"Don't say I recall seeing you before" said Thomas before he politely shook the bus drivers' hand, "I'm Thomas Billinton by the way, I run this branch line and over here is my father Howard and my two sisters Annie and Clarabel".

"Thomas" said the bus driver in surprise, "now I remember where I saw you".

"You did?" asked Howard raising an eyebrow.

"Yes" said Bertie, "I remember helping your passengers home last winter when got stuck in the snow and hat to be rescue by farmer Terence".

Bertie the laughed at the thought, whilst Howard, Annie and Clarabel tried to their hardest not to snigger. Thomas however didn't like being reminded of it, nor did he like people making fun of it.

"And it looks like I've come to help you today" Bertie said as he finished laughing.

"Help me" snapped Thomas indignantly, "my engine can travel way faster then your bus ever could".

"No, it can't," said Bertie.

"Yes, it can," said Thomas.

"Can't".

"Can".

"Can't".

"Can".

"Alright stop arguing the both of you" said Howard, "you two sound like a pair of schoolboys".

"Well maybe if Bertie here accepts that my engine is faster then his bus, then maybe it will stop," said Thomas.

"Well, how about a race?" suggested Bertie.

Thomas, Howard, Annie and Clarabel all looked at Bertie with surprise plastered on their faces.

"A race?" asked Howard.

"That's right Mr Billinton" said Bertie, "we'll race from the station here and the first one who arrives at Ffarquhar is the winner".

Thomas stroked his chin, wondering whether he should accept Bertie's suggestion.

"Okay then" Thomas then said as he then shook Bertie's hand, "I accept your challenge".

Bertie smiled and then walked over to his bus. He hoped into the driver's cab and left the bus depot to head for the station, Howard then looked at Thomas with concern.

"Are you sure that racing is a good idea son?" Howard asked his son.

"I'm sure of it dad, there's not need to worry" said Thomas as they headed towards Thomas' E2's cab and Annie and Clarabel to the coaches.

Soon they arrived at the station where they saw that Bertie had arrives. Thomas and Howard then hoped down from the cab and walked over to the stationmaster, they then procced to tell him of their plan and to their surprise he agreed to start it for them.

Soon both Thomas and Bertie had their passengers and were waiting for their race to start. Bertie revved his buses engine and Thomas had his E2 blow a small wheesh of steam both eagerly anticipating for their race to start. The stationmaster got out a green and prepared to wave it, starting the race.

"Are you too ready?" the stationmaster asked both Thomas and Bertie.

"Yes, we are!" they both announced.

"Well then, get ready" the stationmaster said as he raised the flag brought it down, "GO".

Both Thomas and Bertie then shot off, leaving only wind that nearly knocked off the stationmasters hate. At first Thomas' E2 could not go as fast as he wanted to and so Bertie took the lead, his red bus rapidly disappearing into the distance.

"Hurry Thomas" called Annie and Clarabel from the coach windows, "Bertie's a long way ahead of us".

"Don't worry you two" called Thomas from his cab, "there's a level crossing coming up soon".

And Thomas was right, very soon the level crossing that he mentioned had come up. As they crossed, they all saw Bertie waiting on the other side, as Thomas' E2 sailed gaily through, he gave them a surprised look as Thomas leaned out of his E2's cab.

"Hello Bertie, goodbye Bertie" called Thomas from his cab as his E2 continued down the line.

Eventually the road left the railway so they couldn't see Bertie anymore. Soon they came to Dryaw station to both let off and pick up their passengers, as the passengers boarded Thomas looked anxious.

"Hurry up please everybody" called Thomas, "we have a tight schedule to keep".

"Calm down son" said Howard, "there are more important things then winning a race".

"I know dad, but I just want to prove to Bertie that my engine is faster than his bus" said Thomas to his father.

As soon as the passengers had boarded and the doors closed, the guard blew his whistle and Thomas set off down the line. As they continued their journey, they heard the tooting of a bus. They looked up and saw a familiar red bus with its driver toothing triumphantly crossing the bridge.

"Oh bother" said Thomas as his E2 rolled under the bridge.

"Don't worry Thomas" said Howard, "we'll beat Bertie yet".

Soon they came into Elsbridge station where they saw Bertie at the bus stop as he was letting some passengers off and picking up some new ones. As Thomas' E2 came onto the platform, Bertie poked his head out of the window.

"Hello there Thomas, you must be tired" Bertie called out as the last passenger board his bus, "oh sorry can't stop, we bus drivers are never finished with our work".

Bertie then sped off down the road, leaving poor Thomas feeling flustered.

"Oh, dear I'm sure we've lost" said Thomas sadly.

"Never mind Thomas" Howard soothed his son, "you'll feel better after your engine has had a drink".

True to his father's word, Thomas did feel better. When the last passenger had boarded the coaches, the guard blew the whistle and they set off once again. They soon crossed Elsbridge viaduct when they heard am impatient horn, both Thomas and Howard looked to see Bertie's bus waiting at the traffic lights in Elsbridge village. This filed them both with new found determination.

"Looks like we might win this race after all son" Howard told his son.

"And now its clear sailing to Ffarquhar station" agreed Thomas as he started to speed up his engine.

The traffic light soon went green, and Bertie's bus sped off with a roar and chased after Thomas' E2. By now Thomas' E2 had reached its full speed, Bertie tried hard, but both the road went up a hill and Thomas was much too fast and charged into Hackenbeck Tunnel leaving Bertie far behind.

Soon Ffarquhar station came into view and Thomas rang his engines whistle in triumph. Annie and Clarabel both stuck their heads out of the windows to cheer him on.

"We've done, we've done hurray" they both cheered to their older brother.

Thomas then slowed his E2 down and gently brought it to a stop at the platform. As they and the passengers exited both the locomotive and the coaches they heard a horn, they then saw Bertie coming into the station, both Bertie and the passengers then exited the bus. The passengers all cheered to Thomas' victory, and they even gave Bertie a big welcome too. Smiling Bertie then walked up to Thomas and shook his hand.

"Congratulations Thomas that was fun" said Bertie, "but if my bus was to have beaten your engine over that hill, then she would have to have wings installed and be an aeroplane".

"That she would" said Thomas, "but I would much rather you and I be friends?".

"Well that I would like very much too" smiled Bertie at Thomas' suggestion that the two of them becoming friends.

And that's what they became that day and now they both keep each other very busy by bringing each other's passengers. Although they often talk about their race Bertie's passengers told him that they don't like being bounced about like peas in a frying pan and Sir Topham Hatt has warned Thomas about traveling at dangerous speeds. So, although between you and me they would like to have another race. But I don't think they ever will do you?

(Story Ends)

"Daddy and uncle Bertie race" asked Lucy as Thomas finished his story.

"I don't know, maybe we did or maybe we didn't" Thomas said giving his daughter a smile.

Just then they heard a horn toot. Thomas, Lucy, and Bertie looked out of they bus windows to see a yellow and blue tow truck coming down the road.

"It's Butch" said Bertie standing up.

"Well, I guess that me and Lucy better be heading home then" said Thomas as he and Lucy stood up and picked up their baskets full of blackberries.

"Hope I see you two soon," said Bertie as he leaned down to give Lucy a hug goodbye.

"Bye, bye uncle Bertie" Lucy said as she gave her honorary uncle a kiss on the check.

Thomas smiled at the scene before taking Lucy's hand and exiting Bertie's bus and heading for home as Bertie went to talk to Butch.

And finished. I just want to say that I'm SO, SO sorry that it took so long for this chapter to come out, truth be told I was a bit lazy, but I promise you lot that I will try and make sure that this doesn't happen again. Any please kind to leave and commit and tell me how you felt about me making Bertie of African descent. As always see you all next time!