The engines on the Island of Sodor like feeling responsible, reliable and Really Useful. They work hard to complete their jobs on time, and they don't like confusion and delay…but trucks delight in mischief and their mischief causes trouble as the engines know only too well. Sometimes, they wear out the pore engines completely.
One evening, Henry didn't return to the Sheds. Then, the Fat Controller arrived. "Henry has had an accident and been sent for repairs," he said. "There are no other engines available, so Diesel will have to help until Henry returns."
"Yes, Sir," said the engines, but they weren't happy.
The engines didn't like Diesel; he was always being rude and showing off and he almost got Duck sent away by lying to the trucks. Having Diesel return to the island with goods from the Mainland was bad enough, but having him work with them again made the engines very uncomfortable.
"I hope Henry's mended soon," said Percy.
"He moves more trucks than three Diesels put together," agreed Thomas.
Gordon was cross. "Trucks are no one's friends," he huffed. "It's their fault we're in this mess."
No one could know that Henry didn't need as many repairs as they first thought, but even if they did, the Fat Controller had no choice but to make other arrangements. The next day, he sent James to do Henry's work while Edward took his place and when Diesel arrived, he went straight for Edward's Branch Line.
Diesel was delighted to be back on Sodor. "The Fat Controller just can't get rid of me," he oiled to himself. "He'll soon see how much better we diesels are. Reliable and revolutionary; that's us."
Late that afternoon, Diesel arrived at the Docks to do some shunting. Trucks were everywhere when he arrived.
"Oh yes," Diesels said to himself, "the Fat Controller will be getting rid of those steam engines once and for all soon enough." But the trucks had been listening to him since his arrival and his words gave them an idea.
Later, Diesel was asked to arrange a long train James to collect. As he started shunting the trucks together, they started to sing.
"Is that all you can haul?!
Henry's loads are longer!
Is that all you can haul?!
Henry must be stronger!"
"Pah!" Diesel grinned, "even a diesel like me could pull more than a big steam engine any day. I could push you all at the same time if I wanted to."
The trucks giggled.
"Push us all!
That's the longest!
Push us all!
You'll be the strongest!"
"That's me," said Diesel, "the world's strongest engine."
Diesel had to line the loaded trucks up along the quayside, but instead of taking a few at a time, he decided to shunt all of them at once. He shunted five trucks onto his original line…then ten…then fifteen.
Soon, James' train was ready; an enormous line of twenty trucks. "What's Diesel doing?" cried Percy.
"He thinks he's the world's strongest engine," replied Thomas. "He thinks he can push James' whole train onto the quayside." Thomas and Percy knew that Diesel wasn't much stronger than they were, but Diesel's job was about to get even more difficult.
Diesel didn't know that, because the line of trucks was so long, the shunters had set the brakes to keep them together. The trucks knew, but encouraged Diesel to push anyway once he was coupled up. "Push! Push! Push!" they called.
Diesel pushed…and he pushed…and he pushed…but the trucks didn't move. Diesel thought the trucks were being difficult on purpose, so he decided to trick them back by pulling them instead…but nothing happened. Diesel's engine roared loudly as his wheels kept slipping.
"Heave ho! Heave ho! You can pull, but we won't go!" sang the trucks.
This made diesel very cross. His engine and his wheels were making a terrible noise as he pushed and pulled harder…and harder…and harder…and harder…
SNAP!
Diesel suddenly roared away as the coupling broke. He raced towards the end of the track, but he couldn't stop in time. "HEEEEELLP!" he yelled as he bashed through the buffers and rolled off the edge of the quay…Luckily, Diesel had landed in a barge, but sand flew everywhere. "Grease and oil," Diesel sulked as the trucks laughed and laughed.
The Fat Controller soon heard the news. He was just leaving his Office when the telephone rang one more. Henry was ready to get back to work and The Fat Controller ordered him to the Docks at once.
When they arrived, the Fat Controller looked down crossly at Diesel. "I thought you would've learned from your mistakes by now," he said, "but I see that I was wrong. What do you have to say for yourself? But Diesel just squirmed and said nothing. "Can you make up for lost time, Henry?"
"Oh yes, Sir!" Henry replied happily. He backed up the trucks and the shunters released the brakes. Then, Henry pulled away as easy as pie and the engines cheered.
Diesel was sent home in disgrace, but the other engines had learnt a lesson. "Even trucks can do you a favour sometimes," chuffed Thomas.
"Like getting rid of smelly old Diesel," puffed Percy.