Chapter 21: The history of Toby the tram.
It was a calm morning on the island of Sodor, Edith and Agnes were just walking out the front door of Gru's house. They were going fishing for a little bit, and they were taking their pets Kyle and Lucky with them.
Agnes: "Looks like we really picked the right day to go fishing."
Edith: "Yeah, maybe we'll catch something exciting today!"
Agnes: "If you want to find something exciting, how about we try fishing at the river over by Rolf's castle?"
Edith: "Hmm, okay."
At that moment, Toby puffed up in front of the house with Henrietta. He had been hired to take the girls to wherever they suggested to go fishing.
Agnes: "Hey Toby, we've decided that we're gonna go fishing at the river over by Rolf's castle."
Toby: "Alright girls, I'd love to go by that place again. The line down there is so peaceful."
Edith: "Hey, I remember that there's only ruins of that castle left. Do you think you'll end up like that one day?" *chuckles*
Agnes: "Edith!"
Toby: "It's okay Agnes, I know how Edith is with her jokes."
Agnes: "Phew, thanks Toby."
After Agnes gave a narrow-eyed look towards Edith, they both climbed aboard Henrietta with Kyle and Lucky following them. Then with a ring of his bell, Toby puffed off on his way to Rolf's castle. Edith and Agnes found their seats inside Henrietta, but Agnes was still a little upset over the comment Edith made.
Agnes: "Edith, why did you have to say that rude thing about Toby!? You should know how fragile his emotions are."
Edith: "I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. But it's not my fault Toby is so old."
?: "He may be old, but he's still very reliable."
Edith and Agnes suddenly turned to see someone sitting on 1 of the seats on the other side of Henrietta, but closer to the back. It was none other than Farmer McColl and his dog Katie.
Agnes: "Oh, hey Farmer McColl."
Farmer McColl: "Hello girls, going fishing I'm guessing?"
Edith: "Yep, but how do you know so much about Toby?"
Farmer McColl: "Because Toby and I are pretty close, he even once saved my sheep from a snowstorm right before they had lambs."
Agnes: "Aww!"
As they kept talking, Kyle and Lucky moved up by Katie as if they were talking too.
Farmer McColl: "You see girls, it's not such a bad thing that Toby is old. You'll be surprised, I've heard that he has a pretty interesting past."
Agnes felt even more curious after hearing this, then she started wondering if Toby really did have a legendary past. She hoped she would decide to think more on it sometime.
Later that day, Agnes had finished fishing with Edith. Now she was driving her track cycle into the yards over by Tidmouth sheds. She was just getting off when she started hearing someone talking, she looked to her left to see Thomas, James, Percy, and Emily talking with each other in the sheds.
Thomas: "You know guys, Toby really is a special tram engine."
Percy: "Yeah, remember the time he helped to fix a windmill after it was struck by lightning?"
James: "Yeah, and is it true he once pushed Gordon and the express up Gordon's hill while Edward was busy at Brendam docks?"
Thomas: "Yeah, I was the one who gave him the confidence to do that."
Emily: "Oh my, and I remember hearing that he once had his own tramway before it closed down."
Thomas: "Yeah, it was right before he first came to our island. And right after that, he saved me from a little issue with a policeman."
James: "And I think I also heard he threatened to give you side plates like Toby's!" *laughs*
Thomas: "Very funny James."
Overhearing this, Agnes was feeling more curious than ever. Even they were talking about Toby. So almost without thinking, she started heading over to them.
Agnes: "Hey guys, is this a bad time?"
Emily: "Oh, hello Agnes!"
Thomas: "Not a bad time at all, what's up?"
Agnes: "I couldn't help overhearing you guys talking about Toby, he must be a very close friend to you."
Percy: "He is Agnes, he's a member of the steam team after all."
Thomas: "Toby is one of the nicest engines we know, and one of the wisest."
James: "The only downside is that he's old and made of wood."
Thomas: "James!"
Agnes: "Wow guys, I wish I knew how to learn more about Toby."
Avery: "Oh, I can help with that."
Agnes looked ahead and saw Avery climbing down from James's cab, then she walked up to Agnes with an amused smile.
Avery: "Since I've been helping a lot around the island, I've been learning quite a bit about its history."
Agnes: "Wow, someone has surely been a busy bee."
Avery: "Do you still have those goggles I gave you when we were with Wilbert?"
Agnes: "Yes?"
Avery then started digging her hand through her skirt pocket, then she pulled out a brown flash drive that said "Toby's stories" on it.
Avery: "Try plugging this into those goggles, and you'll see the whole story about Toby's past."
Agnes: "Geez, where do you get all these flash drives!?"
Avery: "That's my little secret." *winks*
Agnes just gave a flat look, but then she just shrugged it off.
Agnes: "Okay Avery, I'll see what I can do."
Agnes waved goodbye as she ran off to do her quick job, but James had something on his mind about Avery.
James: "Do you really think Sir Topham Hatt is going to take it well that you're taking so many flash drives without his permission?"
Avery: "James, don't bother!"
Meanwhile at Gru's house, Agnes was in her sister's room looking for the virtual reality goggles she got after she first met Wilbert. After a lot of searching, she finally found them on 1 of the shelves above her sisters' beds.
Agnes: "Alright, time to see what Toby's origin story is all about."
After climbing back down, she took out the brown flash drive and plugged it into the side of the goggles. Then she put them on and waited for the magic to happen.
After a moment of feeling like she was in sleep mode, she found herself seeing what looked like a branch line track going through a mountain pass. Then as she started hearing some cute music, she spotted Toby coming down the track pulling Henrietta along with a short goods train.
"North of the island, there lives a dear old train"
"A little tram engine, Toby is his name"
(She then watches Toby arriving at Elsbridge station.)
"He's quaint and old fashioned, but careful and wise"
(It focuses more on Henrietta.)
"His coach is Henrietta, and she's seen better days"
(It then shows it's going back to the time of 1984, and it then shows Toby pulling a goods train past a small station by a pond in a wide open field.)
"His mind keeps returning to the good old days, when they were busy working every day."
(Then it showed Toby puffing sadly down a long straight branch line before going across a bridge)
"But nobody rides with them nowadays, they can't understand why things have changed.
Their line is closing down today, foreeeeeever."
(Then it shows a bunch of memories of when Toby worked on his tramway.)
"Toby, oh Toby. What will become of you?"
(Whether it's during the spring, or in the winter.)
"The world's much nicer whenever we see you."
(It keeps showing Toby's times working on his tramway.)
"Toby, dear Toby. There's still lots that you can do."
(Then it shows Toby and Henrietta going past the windmill by Lower Arlesburgh.)
"Oldies but goldies, we still care about you."
(It then shows Toby coupling up to Henrietta at a small station platform, above him was a banner that said "Farewell Toby" on it. At the platform was a small crowd of people, most of them being children.)
"All of the children came to say goodbye, they clapped and cheered as Toby rang his bell bye bye."
(Then Toby and Henrietta left the platform leaving the children watching him with sadness on their faces.)
"Everyone was sad to see them go. Whatever will they do, and where will they go?"
(It then shows Toby sadly sitting in his shed before the doors close. Then one day, his driver and fireman show up and show Toby a letter.)
"Suddenly news came to brighten up their day, how Toby and Henrietta were needed right away."
(It then shows Sir Topham Hatt writing the letter in his office before it got sent.)
"The Fat Controller had written to say, could they please come and help right away."
(Then it shows Toby working over at Knapford station with some of the other engines, specifically Thomas, Percy, Henry, and Duck.)
"Now they're part of his family, foreeeeever."
(It then shows Toby working with Mavis at the quarry.)
"Toby, oh Toby. Show them what you can do."
(It then shows Toby traveling along the coastal track taking in the fresh sea air.)
"The world's much nicer whenever we see you."
(Toby is then seen happily puffing alongside Thomas and Percy down the main line while doing their current jobs.)
"Toby, dear Toby. There's so much to learn from you."
(It then shows Toby at a mountain village during the winter at night, the villagers were loading presents and packages into his vans.)
"Oldies but goldies, we still care about you."
(After he's loaded, he puffs off into the night. Then it shows Toby reversing into Tidmouth sheds amongst the entire steam team (minus Nia and Rebecca) who are all smiling at Toby. Then Toby smiles the brightest of all.)
"Oldies but goldies, we still care for youuuuuuu."
(Then they all give a happy toot of their whistles, but Toby just rings his bell.)
After that, Agnes took off the goggles. Once her whole face was visible, she had an awestruck look with tears welling up in her eyes. But before she knew it, she started to softly cry while holding her free hand over her eyes. She cried for a good moment before wiping away her tears.
Agnes: *sniffs* "I can't believe Toby had to go through so much."
When she was done wiping away her tears, she started growing a stern look on her face. She knew what she had to do.
A little later, Agnes came dragging Edith out the front door of Gru's house and she was clearly throwing a fit about it.
Edith: "Hey! What the heck Agnes!? Where are we going!?"
Agnes: "We're going to see Toby, I believe you owe him an apology for that comment you made about him!"
Edith: "Come on, he clearly knew it was just a joke!"
Agnes: "You're apologizing to Toby, and that's final!"
With that, Agnes kept dragging Edith as they went out to find Toby.
Meanwhile, Toby was happily sitting in his shed at Arlesdale End. It was very peaceful at that time of the day, and Toby was loving every second of it. Just then, he thought he heard footsteps coming closer. When he looked ahead, he saw Edith and Agnes walking towards him alongside the tracks.
Toby carefully puffed out of his shed to greet the girls.
Toby: "Hello you 2, what brings you girls here?"
Agnes: "Hey Toby, I believe Edith has something to say to you."
Agnes gave a stern glare while gesturing Edith to apologize to Toby. Edith gave a frustrated sigh, then she stepped closer to Toby.
Edith: "Listen Toby, I'm sorry for the comment I made about you when you took us fishing."
Toby was a little surprised to hear this, he never expected Edith to be the kind of person to apologize for something she did.
Toby: "Really?"
Edith: "Yeah. I do like to joke around, but sometimes my schemes can go a little too far."
Agnes: "Plus, I found out what you went through in the past before you were invited to live on Sir Topham Hatt's railway. I'm feeling really bad that your old railway got shut down, and you weren't able to work so much like you used to."
Toby: "Oh! Well, thanks you 2. I did feel pretty bad that my old tramway was closed down, but I've learned to move on. But still, I appreciate you girls trying to support me."
Edith then came closer to Toby and patted the corner of his front cow catcher.
Edith: "Sure thing pal, we always have to look out for each other at times."
Agnes: "How would you like to hang out with us, just to try and make it up to you."
Toby: "Sure, that would be nice. What did you girls have in mind?"
Edith and Agnes thought for a moment, then they got a pretty good idea.
Agnes: "We can take a slow ride through Henry's forest, it's 1 of the nicest places on the island."
Toby: "Okay kids, hop aboard!"
With that, Edith and Agnes happily climbed into Toby's cab. After a slow and steady start, they calmly puffed down the line to Henry's forest. Agnes felt the happiest out of the 3. Not only because Edith had made amends with Toby, but she now knew how special Toby really was and how much she now cared for him.
To be continued.
Music used - Toby.
Based on - Thomas and friends.
Written by - Mike O' Donnell and Junior Campbell.
