THE KNIGHTS OF THE TURNTABLE

Written by Zack Wanzer and James Riddle

Set during Series 21

When James took Henry's goods train intended for Bridlington, he encountered three engines who lived in their own yard – Theo, Lexi and Merlin – as well as two more who lived at a Steelworks, Hurricane and Frankie. Following a confrontation with Frankie that left her literally hanging off a magnet after running into some molten slag, Theo, Lexi, Merlin and Hurricane came to Sodor for new opportunities.

Now, Theo helps Victor and Kevin out at the Steamworks, Hurricane at the Ironworks with Arry and Bert, and Lexi and Merlin share a shed with Derek at Cronk.

Merlin is a very unique engine; instead of having just one funnel on his smokebox, Merlin has three. This, he claims, helps him to become invisible, but really, all it does is surround him in smoke and steam.

It was now autumn on the Island of Sodor, and up at Ulfstead Castle, some bunting and flags were being put up. Merlin was pulling into the station with some visitors; Stephen and Glynn were on the other platform, chatting and joking amongst themselves.

"I say, my good fellows," Merlin addressed the duo, "what's going on up here?"

"Haven't you heard? Sir Robert's preparing for a special Renaissance fair!" explained Stephen. "There's going to be decorations and booths styled in the days of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries with kings, queens and gallant knights."

"And don't forget the Holy Grail," Glynn chimed in.

"The Holy Grail?" asked Merlin. "What's that?"

"A mystical Grail said to have the power to grant eternal life to those who drink from it," explained Glynn. "One of the knights' biggest quests back then was trying to find it."

"Oooh! That sounds like quite the extraordinary quest!" remarked Merlin, now greatly intrigued. "If the Grail is still out there, then perhaps there's still a chance it can be found!"

Stephen and Glynn looked at each other as if to ask, "Is he for real?" But Merlin was so enthusiastic about such a quest, he didn't pay any attention.

"I must gather a band of explorers at once," Merlin declared. "We can't risk the Grail falling into evil hands now, can we? Invisibility… on!"

Once the smoke and steam had cleared away, Stephen and Glynn could just make out Merlin's tender, puffing down the hill. His coaches remained on the platform.

"Should we have told him the Holy Grail is just a legend and might not actually exist?" Glynn pondered.

"Let's not hurt his feelings," Stephen insisted. "Besides, this could be rather entertaining."

"Oh? What makes you say that, Stephen?"

"An eccentric engine running across Sodor on a wild goose chase? Think of all the misadventures that could happen from it!"

Meanwhile, down at Cronk Central, Lexi had just arranged some trucks for Crovan's Gate. They were full of supplies and tools needed to help the workshops keep engines and rolling stock running.

"There, that should be the last of 'em!" the cab-forward engine said triumphantly. "Now all we need is for Bear to pick 'em up. Y'know, I wonder why he's painted blue when real bears aren't actually blue? They're usually brown or black or gray–"

"Greetings, Lexi!"

"Whoa, Nelly there, Merlin!" exclaimed Lexi. "Ya'll ain't in a race!"

"This is much more thrilling than any race, Lexi," insisted Merlin. "I am on a quest for the Holy Grail!"

"The Holy Grail? Ooh, what's that?"

Merlin quickly explained what that was to Lexi. "And so," he finished grandly, "I wish to pick up where the brave knights of old left off, and find the Grail! Would you care to join me?"

"A fair invitation this be, my liege!" Lexi declared, acting like a knight.

"An invitation for what?" asked Bear, rumbling into the yards. "And who's your liege, Lexi?"

"That would be me, my dear Bear," explained Merlin. "We're gathering engines on a quest to find the Holy Grail!"

"Finding the Holy Grail?" Bear looked utterly perplexed at such a notion. "Don't you already have some visitors up at Ulfstead Castle?"

Merlin gasped as he suddenly remembered. "Great Scott! I forgot about them! Bear, would you mind fetching them for me if I take your train in exchange?"

"Er… I don't know…"

"It could give you the chance to stretch your wheels and have an adventure of your own," Merlin insisted.

"Well… alright, Merlin," Bear conceded at last. "I guess it could be rather fun. Just don't cause too much confusion and delay on your 'quest'."

With that, Bear rumbled away while Merlin backed down onto the goods train.

At the Steamworks, Theo was waiting for the train to arrive so he could arrange the trucks to where they were needed. He was most surprised to hear a whistle, shortly followed by another, instead of a horn coming his way.

"That's odd," he pondered. "I wasn't t-told of any scheduled maintenance."

"Ho-ho, there's no maintenance going on there, Theo!" called Merlin as he pulled in. "It is us, Merlin and Lexi, with these supplies and tools!"

"Merlin! Lexi!" Theo gasped. "What a s-surprise! Where's Bear?"

"He's traded jobs, so now he's looking after Merlin's passengers," explained Lexi. "So now, a valiant quest awaits us!"
"What quest?"

"Why, to find the Holy Grail, of course!"

"What's the Holy Grail?" Theo quizzed. As Merlin explained the purpose of the quest, little Theo's eyes were wide with wonderment.

"So, would you care to join us?" Merlin offered.

"Oh, I'd l-love to!" said Theo excitedly. "It all s-sounds s-so exciting! I'll j-just get these trucks s-sorted as soon as I c-can."

"Huzzah!" Merlin chortled. "Another brave knight has joined our band in the quest for the Holy Grail!"

The next engines the trio met up with were Derek and Molly at Vicarstown station.

"Good tidings, fellow rail knights!" Merlin greeted, believing now that he truly was in the sixteenth century.

"Are… you alright, Merlin?" Molly asked, concerned.

"Oh, dearie goodness," Derek sighed. "He must've taken on Henry's special coal by mistake."

"That can't be so," said Molly. "That was resolved years before we came here."

"Oh… right. My mistake."

"R-Relax," Theo insisted. "He's as sober as a pr-priest on Sunday."

"We're assembling a team of brave knights on a quest to find the Holy Grail!" explained Lexi. "Would you two care to join?"

"Oh, that does sound like jolly good fun," beamed Derek. "What say you, Molly?"

"I don't know about this," Molly murmured. "Is it a good idea for us to neglect our jobs and puff around Sodor on a wild goose chase? What would Sir Topham Hatt say?"

"Once we succeed in our grand quest for something wondrous," Merlin insisted, "he will be most pleased with us. Who knows? Maybe a certain red tender engine will be very enamored with your bravery too."

Molly blushed upon hearing that. "W-Well, I guess it could be fun…"

Just then, the group heard a familiar horn, and saw Sidney rumble in with some trucks singing a tune.

"Ha ha ha, he he he,

A very special job for me!

All the way to Vicarstown,

So I won't let Sir Topham down!"

He stopped singing once he saw the five engines. "Oh, hello," he greeted. "What's going on here?"

"Merlin's invited us to join him on a quest to find the Holy Grail," explained Derek.

"Ooh, can I join too?" asked Sidney.

"The more, the merrier!" Merlin grinned. "All we need now is one more engine to join our merry band."

"Band?" Sidney questioned. "I thought we were playing knights…"

"A band doesn't always mean a group that performs music, Sidney," Molly explained. "It can be used sometimes to talk about a group."

"Ooooooh…"

"And I know just the engine to invite!" Merlin said proudly.

"Is this a joke? Please tell me you're joking."

"It is no joke, Arthur, my dear engine," Merlin insisted. "Besides, is it coincidence that you happen to share the same name as the very king who was tasked to find the Holy Grail?"

"Well, actually, Arthur wasn't my name to start with–"

"I always thought the Holy Grail was found by a treasure hunter with a fear of snakes and James Bond for a father," said Sidney, confused.

"I think your driver's been watching far too many action movies," sighed Molly.

"And you honestly believe that a group of sentient locomotives is going to succeed where a medieval king and his knights failed?" Arthur insisted.

"Sometimes the impossible is just the possible that hasn't happened yet," Derek said brightly.

"N-No one got anywhere in l-life by not t-trying," Theo added. "J-just look at myself and Lexi now!"

"Oh…" Arthur murmured. "Oh, alright. I'll give it a shot."

"Huzzah!" cheered Merlin. "And with that, the Knights of the Turntable have been formed! One for all, and all for one!" Smoke and steam poured out of his funnels…

…and the scene took on a medieval appearance. Merlin, Lexi, Theo, Derek, Arthur, Molly and Sidney were now housed in a large roundhouse resembling a castle, their crews all dressed like knights. Some workmen were also there, dressed as medieval castle staff.

"We're Knights of the Turntable,

Sing 'round whene'er we're able!"

Their crews then jumped up on a workbench…

"We do routines and chorus scenes

With trackwork im-pec-able!

We pride our work on Sodor

For our journeys are never a bore!"

…and began to jump and dance while a lively band played the music. One of the drivers accidentally kicked a workman carrying some tools, causing him to drop them.

"We're Knights of the Turntable,

Our jobs are for-mid-able!"

By now, the drivers and stokers were knocking stuff off of the workbench, creating a bigger mess on the floor.

"But many times, we're given rhymes

That are quite un-sing-able!"

Another driver had ripped a curtain from its hooks, causing a bit of dust to fall.

"We're opera mad on Sodor

And we form the liveliest choir!"

Meanwhile, a cleaner chained to a wall, having heard the music, clapped his hands together. Back with the drivers and stokers, they had begun tap-dancing, and one of them used the others' helmets as a drum kit before whacking another unfortunate workman on the head.

"Our work is tough and able! ("Squawk!" cried a parrot.)

Quite in-de-fatig-able!

Between our jobs, we handle slobs,

And watch stuff on the cable!

It's a busy life on Sodor…"

Suddenly, the music stopped, and then Lexi sang a solo by themself:

"Our fans still cry out, 'We want more!'"

The music resumed again, and the drivers and stokers finished up their dance routine as steam surrounded the scene once again…

"If our imaginations get any goofier," said Arthur, "we may wind up committed."

"Oh, don't be such a sourpuss," said Derek. "That song was rather catchy."

"Now, before we begin our quest," Merlin declared, "I believe it's best for our knights to be given proper titles." He gestured for Lexi to come forward first. "Lexi, I dub thee… Laird Lexi the Boisterous!"

"Whoo-hoo!" Lexi chortled as their bell rang loudly.

"And you, Theo," Merlin continued, "I dub thee… Sir Theo the Quiet!"

"R-Rather fitting," Theo smiled sheepishly. The next three engines to get their respective titles were Sir Derek the Jolly, Dame Molly the Gentle and Sir Sidney the Forgetful. Which just left Arthur…

"What will my title be, Merlin?" the burgundy tank engine asked.

"You, Arthur, my lad, have the most important title amongst us," Merlin said grandly. "And I shall be the ever wise Stealth Engine Wizard!"

No one said a word to that title. They thought it better to let Merlin have his imagination.

"Onward, Rail Knights!" Arthur declared. "Let us ride to find… the Holy Grail!"

And so, the band split into their own smaller groups; this way, they would cover more ground more easily. Lexi and Theo journeyed down the Brendam branch, Molly and Derek set off down the Kirk Ronan, and this left Arthur, Merlin and Sidney to tackle the main line.

"So what do you think you'll do with the Grail once we find it?" Lexi asked.

"Oh, I d-don't know," said Theo. "Maybe it'll g-give me s-strength?"

"Now that would make for quite a sight!" Lexi chuckled. "Theo, the Small but Strong! I bet it can also give courage to those who don't have it, or maybe even change one's gender!"

"I'm p-pretty sure that's n-not what happened t-to Molly," Theo said quietly.

Up ahead, Marion was loading some dirt into trucks for Timothy to take away. The workmen needed the space to install drain pipes to prevent flooding during heavy periods of rain.

"Look, Lexi!" called Theo. "Th-there's Marion and Timothy! P-Perhaps they can help us!"

"Great idea, fellow knight!" Lexi complimented. "Greetings and fair tidings, fellow rail riders! How art thou this fine day?"

"Erm, just as fine as fine can be," said Timothy, surprised at the experimental pair's sudden presence.

"Would either of you wish to join in a game of 'Guess What's in My Shovel'?" Marion offered.

"Oooh, my favorite game!" Lexi cried enthusiastically.

"Er, Lexi, we may not have time for–"

"Alright, Lexi," said Marion, lifting her arm over one of Timothy's trucks. "Guess what's in my shovel!"

"Ooh! Have you found the Holy Grail?" Lexi asked hopefully.

"Hmm… nope! Afraid I haven't seen any grails while digging," said Marion. "Theo, any guesses?"

"It's dirt, isn't it?" the traction engine deadpanned.

"It is!" Marion cried cheerfully, her shovel unloading itself into the truck. "How did you know?"

"Lucky guess. H-Have you seen the Holy Grail a-anywhere, Timothy?"

"No, I'm afraid I haven't, " said Timothy. "Don't tell me; Bill and Ben set you up on a fool's errand?"

"Oh no," Lexi insisted. "This was Merlin's idea."

"Merlin?" Timothy repeated. "Oh, I should've known this silly quest was his idea."

"It's not silly," protested Lexi. "It's a quest of greatness!"

"Oh, I'd like to find the Holy Grail!" Marion beamed. "I did find a pirate treasure chest, after all."

"There's no time for that, Marion!" groaned Timothy. "We need someone to help dig up the dirt for the workmen in order to install these new pipes."

"Oh, right…" Marion looked sheepishly away. "I almost forgot about that, Timothy… My apologies."

"P-Perhaps another time, then?" Theo offered. With that, he and Lexi set off.

"Oh, but it would be fun to have an adventure like that," Marion insisted.

Timothy sighed. "You can be rather silly at times, Marion," he admitted with a smile, "but that's one thing I love about you."

Marion couldn't help but blush and giggle at that compliment.

"Oh, Timmy…"

Meanwhile, down at Kirk Ronan…

"Molly? Derek? What are you two doing down here?" asked Lauren. She was one of the station platforms with Audrey, Hilary and Mark, and Julie was arranging some trucks at the harbor.

"We're looking for the Holy Grail," explained Molly.

"It's quite a jolly good adventure," Derek added. "Have either of you seen it?"

"Afraid not," said Julie. "So many goods come to the harbor on a near-daily basis that I never have the time to see what's in those crates."

"Oh dear," sighed Molly. "I'm starting to wonder if our quest was for nothing…"

"Oh, come now, Molly," assured Derek. "Don't think that way. So we've had some bad luck so far, but that doesn't mean we should quit. Did I quit when my cooling system kept breaking down on me?"

"No, and you eventually got a rebuild so you could break down less often," said Molly.

"So if I didn't give up then," Derek continued, "then we shouldn't give up now."

"You're right, Derek," smiled Molly. "I wonder how the others are getting on…"

"…now that, Arthur, is how we deduce that the average idiot's brain is banana-shaped!"

"Oh, come on," Arthur denied, "said brains can't be that big!"

"I don't know why, but I feel like we're forgetting something," said Sidney.

Suddenly, the trio saw a junction up ahead. A signaller was flagging them down while some workers were tending to the signals.

"What's going on up here?" asked Arthur.

"Our signal's out of order," explained the signaller. "We're flagging engines through until it's mended."

"Signals!" Sidney gasped. "Now I remember! Sir Topham Hatt wanted me to help with signal maintenance on the branch line!"

"You fool!" gasped Merlin. "Don't you know how seriously dangerous it is to neglect signal maintenance?! What if your crew misreads a signal and causes a terrible accident?!"

Sidney looked down at his buffers while Arthur gawked at Merlin with surprise; was this Merlin? The engine who claimed to turn himself invisible?

"Settle down, Merlin!" Arthur scolded. "If Sidney had neglected his job out of sheer laziness, then it would call for a scolding. But you know how forgetful he is! He'd never do something like this deliberately! What's gotten into you?!"

Merlin snapped out of it after hearing such a scolding and felt rather ashamed.

"I-I…I don't know what came over me," he said at last. "I… I'm sorry, it… Oh, it's not a pretty story…"

"What happened?" asked Arthur. "What did you mean by crews misreading a signal and causing an accident?"

Merlin looked at his friends. He really didn't want to talk about it, but he knew they weren't going to drop it until the truth came out. At long last, he sighed, and decided to let it out.

"It happened on a clear January evening in 1955," he began, "and I was running light engine at Bournemouth Central. Unbeknownst to my driver and fireman, we'd passed a shunting signal at danger, and I saw that we were about to collide with a passenger train from Weymouth to Waterloo, whose own signals were set to all clear. I called out to my driver and fireman to stop, but it was already too late!

"We collided with the other engine at an acute angle, causing both of us to derail, with the other engine being tipped over at an angle. Both of our crews were injured, as was one of the passengers on the train. When help arrived to clear the wreckage, the other engine's fireman was detained for questioning while my fireman, our drivers and the passenger were taken to hospital. It was morning before I'd been re-railed, and the other engine was re-railed by mid-afternoon.

"Tragically… I never saw him again after the accident." Merlin paused, trying to hold back tears.

Arthur and Sidney were left speechless at this sad tale. All this time, despite this jolly, eccentric exterior, Merlin had been holding back such a traumatic sense of guilt for a fellow engine being scrapped.

"It… it wasn't your fault, Merlin," Arthur finally spoke. "Your crew were the ones who'd misread the signal while you were paying attention. You even tried to warn them, but they wouldn't listen to you."

"Accidents happen," Sidney added, "sometimes without rhyme or reason. And all the wishing in the world can't take back what has happened. I'm sure the engine is watching from the Great Railway Above, and knows you didn't mean for it to happen."

Merlin gave a small smile upon hearing that. "Thank you," he said quietly. "I needed that."

"What kind of king would I be if I didn't impart some kindness and wisdom to his followers?" Arthur teased.

"And what kind of controller would I be if I didn't scold silly engines for abandoning their jobs?" a stern voice rang out. The three engines looked over and saw Sir Topham Hatt drive up in Winston.

"Uh, guys?" Sidney whispered nervously. "I think we might be in trouble…"

"I don't claim to know about what goes on in your smokeboxes or bonnets," said Sir Topham Hatt, "but I doubt that serves as a justifiable excuse to go running about the island, and leaving others to do your work as well as their own!"

"Please don't blame Arthur and the others, sir," begged Merlin. "It was all my idea! When Stephen and Glynn told me about the Holy Grail, I felt so excited at the possibility of a fantastic adventure, I asked the others to join me on the quest to find it. I never meant to cause so much confusion and delay. If you wish to punish anyone for all this, then I take full responsibility."

"Oh, Merlin…" sighed Sir Topham Hatt, shaking his head. "The Holy Grail is little more than a folklore legend. Many scholars and archaeologists have tried searching for it, but came up with nothing in the end. The closest anyone got was in a movie, and even then, it was just fiction."

Merlin's heart sank. "So… my quest was for nothing?" he asked sadly.

"I'm afraid so."

"Perhaps not entirely, Merlin," assured Arthur. "It was thanks to this quest that you finally opened up to us about your accident years ago, and you were finally able to let go of the guilt you've felt over it."

"Oh, yes… There is that, Arthur."

"Well, Merlin," said Sir Topham Hatt, "while you meant no harm in this adventure, you still convinced some engines to neglect their duties. Perhaps two weeks of goods trains will keep you from making that mistake again in future."

"Yes, sir," Merlin sighed.

It wasn't long before all seven "knights" were gathered together at Crovan's Gate.

"So there is no Holy Grail after all?" Molly asked disappointedly.

"Theo and I found one!" Lexi announced proudly. The five other engines looked at the two experimentals in surprise.

"You did?!" Derek gasped. "Where?!"

"Reg f-found it for us at Crock's Sc-Scrap Yard," explained Theo, unable to contain his excitement. "Oh, p-please show everyone our discovery, driver!"

The other engines looked in anticipation as Theo's driver presented his and Lexi's discovery… which quickly turned to confusion and disappointment.

"A pair of nameplates?" Sidney frowned.

"And they don't even match!" added Arthur. "One reads 'Falcon', and the other 'Stuart'."

"I haven't heard those names in ages!" came a voice from the narrow gauge line. It was Peter Sam with Gertrude and Millicent in tow.

"Our old nameplates!" he gasped with wonder. "We haven't worn them since our time at Peel Godred! Won't Sir Handel be surprised when he sees them!"

"I don't believe it, Peter Sam! Our old nameplates have finally been rediscovered!"

"If only Duke were out of the works to see this," said Skarloey. "He'd be thrilled to see a part of the Mid Sodor's history has been rediscovered."

"How long does a bleedin' overhaul take?" grumbled Duncan. "He shoulda been oot o' the works months ago! Mine dinnae take this long!"

"There must've been more things wrong with Granpuff than we realized," said Peter Sam, rather worried. "He must be so lonely in there. I hope he's alright…"

"So do I, brother," sighed Sir Handel. "So do I…"

A few days later, it was the start of the Ulfstead Castle Renaissance fair. The Estate had been greatly transformed to look more like a medieval village with stalls and such from the olden times, and people who attended were dressed up in appropriate attire. There was even a field set up for jousting on horses, and another for archery. Any engine who could make it had been invited to watch the fun as well. Even the seven "knights".

"All in all," said Merlin, "at least the festivities didn't get disrupted. It would've spoiled everyone's fun."

"Well, look who's come back!" Stephen spoke up as he and Glynn arrived with some more visitors.

"Have fun looking for the Holy Grail?" Glynn asked.

"Oh, we've found the Grail, alright… in a way," Merlin chuckled. "A very important memento to one of Sodor's earlier railways."

Stephen and Glynn gasped in surprise.

"For real?" Stephen asked in disbelief.

"No quest is too impossible for King Arthur and his Knights of the Turntable," Arthur teased. "One for all…"

"And all for one!" the "knights" chorused together.

THE END

Merlin's story is based upon an event that took place on January 22, 1955, in which No. 30783 Sir Gillemere – the engine which Merlin is based upon – collided with H15 No. 30485 at Bournemouth Central station after the driver misread signals. The H15 was condemned following the accident, but Sir Gillemere was repaired, remaining in active service until it was withdrawn in March 1961.

Author's Comments

Out of the stories for Set 4 so far, this was probably the toughest to write up, mainly because it was difficult to determine where to take this story. As is stated here, this takes place following the Journey Beyond Sodor rewrite in which Merlin, Theo and Lexi (as well as Hurricane) end up becoming Sodor residents, and so we got to see how the experimental trio handles things in their new home. It was also a good way of delving into Merlin's backstory, based upon what happened to the actual No. (30)783, which could make for some great storytelling. The H15 in question is Easton, who previously appeared in Thomas, Between the Lines, and sadly, he didn't survive per real life. Up until that point, the story was fairly comedic with a lot of unique interactions between the characters, and is probably the most Monty Python-esque story thus far.