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 nothing else.

Episode 7: Thomas and the Breakdown Train, Original Airdate: 30th October 1984

It was a sunny afternoon in the Sudrian village of Ffarquhar. People were walking their dogs and children were buying ice cream, but one thing both the adults and children had in common was enjoying the sunshine.

Thomas and Howard had been given a half day by Sir Topham Hatt as a reward for all their hard work for the past week. Right now, they were on their way to the Rainbows End Creche and Nursey to pick up Lucy. Thomas was also going to tell the other children his story of how he got his branch line as he had both promised them and Rev. Awdry and Boston. They soon arrived at the play school, they got out of Thomas' car and walked up to the door where they knocked. A teacher opened the door and when they saw who it was, they brought them into the main room where the children were playing, Lucy saw both her father and grandfather and walked up to them with her arms stretched out.

"Daddy, grandaddy" chirped Lucy happily.

"Hello, my little angel" replied Thomas with a smile on his face, "has your day being fun?".

"Fun day daddy" giggled Lucy.

Thomas and Howard both smiled at Lucy. Just then Reverends Awdry and Boston entered and smiled when they saw Thomas and Howard standing there.

"Ah Howard and young Thomas" said Rev. Awdry smiling, "here to pick up little Lucy?".

"That's right Reverend" said Howard.

"And is young Mr Billinton also going to tell us how he got his branch line?" asked Rev. Boston.

"That I' am" said Thomas with a smile on his face.

Both Reverends Awdry and Boston smiled when they heard the news. Rev. Awdry got the seats in a line for everyone to sit on, whilst Rev. Boston told all the children in the nursery that it was story time. The children then sat down on the seats in excitement as Thomas then took his own seat.

"Alright everybody" said Thomas clearing his throat, "the story that I'm about to tell you is how I got my branch line, and it also involves Lucy's uncle James".

(Story Begins)

Everyday Sir Topham Hatt would get up at 7 AM, have breakfast and would then get into his blue Lagonda V12 and drive to his office in Knapford Station. However, if his car had to be serviced or if it was broken down, then he would head to Wellsworth Station and catch the first train to Knapford. But first he always went to Tidmouth sheds and give his engine drivers their jobs for the day. One morning he did such a thing, when he got there, he saw Thomas and Howard filing up Thomas' E2's tanks at the water tower. They smiled when they saw him walk up to them.

"Good morning Sir" said Thomas with a smile.

"Good morning Thomas, Howard" replied Sir Topham Hatt smiling, "I see you are preparing for another busy day young Thomas?"

"That I' am Sir" replied Thomas.

"Thomas has learned a lot over the past two weeks" replied Howard, remembering Thomas' attempts at pulling a goods train.

"Glad to hear that" said Sir Topham Hatt with a knowing smile, "remember don't be impatient, your E2 can never be as fast or strong as Gordon's A1. But you can still be a really useful engine driver".

With that Sir Topham Hatt turned and walked away whilst Thomas and Howard hopped into the E2 to help Edward with the goods work. Because Thomas had learned a lot about goods trains over the past two weeks, both Edward and Sir Topham Hatt were certain that Thomas would soon be able to handle things on his own. One morning Thomas and Edward were just finishing shunting some trucks when Thomas noticed something in the siding.

"Hey Edward, why's that train doing there?" Thomas asked pointing to the siding in curiosity, "and also what are those two strange things?".

Edward looked to where Thomas was pointing. There was a small olive green coloured coach, two GWR Ventilated vans, two flat trucks and the two strange looking things that Thomas wanted to know about.

"Oh, those are cranes" explained Edward, "and that train in question is the breakdown train".

"What's it used for?" asked Thomas.

"When there's an accident the workmen hop in the coach and an engine takes both them and the breakdown train to where it's needed" said Edward.

"And what are those cranes used for?" asked Thomas.

"The cranes are for lifting heavy things like engines, coaches and trucks" said Edward.

Satisfied with the answer Thomas then went back to work. Three days later he was having lunch with his father in Knapford yard when a red car pulled up, its doors opened and out stepped his mother Tanya and his two younger sisters Annie and Clarabel. Annie and Clarabel both ran over to Thomas and gave him a huge hug that knocked him to the ground, but he didn't mind it as he was pleased that both his mother and sisters had decided to visit him and his father at work.

"Mom, Annie and Clarabel" said Thomas happily has he stood up, "what are you doing here?".

"We decided to visit both you and dad whilst you were at work" said Tanya smiling as Howard kissed her on the cheek.

"We also wanted to see the railway yard that you worked in too" replied Annie.

Thomas smiled at his sister. Just then they heard a whistle and saw a black L&YR Class 28 tender engine pull into Knapford Station, Thomas wondered who it was as he had never since it round either the yard or Tidmouth sheds before.

"Wonder who that is?" asked Thomas.

"No idea son" replied Howard, "why don't we all head to the platform and see who it is?".

So, the Billinton family walked over to the platform where the engine had stopped. They saw Sir Topham Hatt speaking to a man in his early twenties with black hair and wearing a red uniform. As the Billinton's walked up to them Sir Topham Hatt then saw them and smiled.

"Ah Thomas, Howard, Tanya, Annie and Clarabel, you are all just in time" said Sir Topham Hatt grandly.

"Yes, we are Sir" replied Thomas, "who may I ask is this?".

"All me to introduce myself" said the young man politely, "my name is James, James Hughes".

"Young James here is a new employee for the railway all the way from Lancashire" said Sir Topham Hatt, "he's going to be helping Henry and Gordon with the passengers and goods services on the mainline from here to Vicarstown".

And with that Sir Topham Hatt walked back to his office and James walked over to his engine. As he hopped into the cab, Thomas noticed something with his brakes.

"Excuse me James but your brakes?" said Thomas.

"Oh, you mean those bloody wooden brakes" grumbled James, "I asked them to give my engine some proper brakes, but they said that the wooden brakes would do just fine".

"Well, that remains to be seen" said Howard.

James then bid the Billinton's farewell and headed off to the sheds as Thomas and Howard both went back to work. Tanya, Annie and Clarabel would both continue to visit Thomas and Howard at work for a few days and even visited them at the sheds, soon Annie and Clarabel even befriended Edward, Henry and Gordon. Gordon admitted even they made him smile. Annie and Clarabel even helped cheer Henry up whenever his engine had problems. But soon Thomas' life would change for the better, a few days later both he and Howard were shunting with Edward when they heard a frantic whistling.

"Who on earths that?" asked Thomas in confusion.

"I don't know" replied Edward.

Soon they had their answer. James then rushing frantically into the yard, his engines brake blocks were on fire with sparks and flames spitting out. He had been pulling a goods train which consisted of seven plank trucks, but as he tried to apply his brakes whilst coming down a hill they failed, and the heavy goods was pushing him forwards.

"Help, help" called James frantically, "my engine can't stop".

Poor James soon disappeared into the distance as Thomas, Howard and Edward all looked on in shock.

"We better do something" Thomas said in determination.

"Yes, but how?" asked Howard.

They soon had their answer. An alarm started blaring and the yard manager came rushing over to them.

"James engine has come off the line near Ffarquhar" panted the yard manager.

"Well, what do we do?" asked Thomas in shock.

"Get the breakdown train, quickly now" said the yard manager as he headed off to ring Sir Topham Hatt and inform him of the events.

"Hurry up son, there's not a moment to lose" said Howard as both he and Thomas rushed towards Thomas' E2 and hopped into the cab.

The workmen quickly boarded the works unit coach and Thomas coupled up to the breakdown train and set off. Thomas' E2 was soon puffing down the line as quickly as it could, if this were any normal day Thomas would try to prove that he was like Gordon. But not today, right now he was not trying to be like Gordon at all. A fellow engine driver was in trouble and need help and that was what Thomas was going to do.

"I do hope that James is okay" said Thomas to his father.

"So do I son, so do I" replied Howard to his son.

Meanwhile James was feeling his engine all over to see if it was damaged. His engine had come of the rails and had crashed into a cow field, the trucks were piled up behind him with the last two trucks including the brake van remained on the rails. A farmer was driving his orange caterpillar tractor nearby when he saw the crash, he suddenly stopped his tractor and rushed over to see if James was okay.

"Are you okay mate?" he asked in concern.

"I'm fine" grumbled James, "except my poor engine is now off the line thanks to these useless fucking brakes, I always told those idiots that they were no good, but they didn't listen to me".

Just then a whistle blew and both James and the farmer looked to see that Thomas and Howard had arrived with the breakdown train. James then walked up to them as the workmen left the works unit coach.

"Well, I glad to see that you two have arrived," said a relieved James.

"That's what we're here for" said Thomas, "now lets us all get down to business".

Once Thomas had shunted the breakdown alongside the brake van and he, Howard and the workmen all set to work clearing the up the mess. Thomas and Howard both worked hard all afternoon going backwards and forwards, first they pulled the brake van and the intact trucks out of the way so that the breakdown train could clear away the mess. Soon they had cleared away the mess and James' engines tender had been put back onto the rails, now it was time to put James' Class 28 back on the rails as well.

James watched in worry as the cranes slowly but surely lifted his engine into the air, one the engine was in line with the rails the cranes slowly began to lower it. Soon it was back on the rails as the workmen then reattached its tender. James hopped into the cab and tried to get it to move but it could, Thomas then offered to help it back to the yard. James accepted the kind offer as he got into Thomas' E2's cab with him and Howard as they puffed away leaving the workmen to clear up the remnants of the mess.

It was evening by the time they returned to Tidmouth Sheds, Sir Topham Hatt, Edward, Lady, Burnett, Tanya, Annie and Clarabel were waiting for them at the goods station as they came into the yard. Thomas, Howard, and James all jumped down from the cab as the group greeted them with proud looks on their faces.

"Well done, Thomas the foreman as told me all about what you and Howard have done" smiled Sir Topham Hatt, "I'm pleased with you, you are a really useful engine driver".

"Thank you, Sir" said Thomas happily.

"As for you James" Sir Topham Hatt said turning to face him, "your engine shall have some proper brakes and a new coat of paint, which colour would you like?".

"I would very much like red Sir, its my favourite after all" said James excited.

Sir Topham Hatt smiled before turning back to Thomas.

"And for you Thomas, I've decided that for your reward that you shall have a branch line all to yourself" said Sir Topham Hatt proudly.

Thomas was so happy that he did not know what to say. Howard, Tanya, Annie and Clarabel told him how proud they were of him, Lady however gave Thomas a massive kiss on the lips which Thomas returned by slipping his tongue into her mouth causing them both to French kiss.

"I think that we should give the two some privacy" smirked Burnett to the others who smiled at the scene.

Now Thomas is as happy as can be. He has a branch line and two orange coloured LMS Suburban Coaches, Thomas had asked Sir Topham Hatt if Annie and Clarabel could have a job as stewardesses for his branch line, a request that Sir Topham Hatt was only too happy to grant him.

Thomas is never lonely on his branch line, Lady, Edward, and Henry often stop by to tell him the news. Gordon being always in a hurry rarely stopped, but he always remembered to whistle hello to Thomas.

"Do well on your branch line Thomas" he would also sometimes call out.

And Thomas thankful for Gordon's comments would either whistle back or shout thanks in return.

(Story Ends)

"And that was how I got my branch line" said Thomas as he finished his story.

"Thank you for telling us your story Thomas" smiled Rev. Awdry, "I do hope that you could us more sometimes?".

"That I will, but its home time for us" Thomas said as he picked up Lucy.

With that Thomas and Howard left Rainbows End and got into Thomas' car and drove home.

Sorry it took so long. But as I said before I will try and update on a regular basis, that I will keep trying to until I succeed, I would like to point is that the LMS Suburban Coaches are what Annie and Clarabel were in the Railway Series and also please comment if you guess who the farmer is?