DAISY AND THE WATERMILL

Based upon "Thomas, Daisy and the Watermill" by Andrew Brenner

Adapted by Zack Wanzer and Rachel Ravens

Set during Series 4

On the Ffarquhar branch line, there is a watermill situated next to a bridge northeast of Callan. The building had been there for many years, long before railway lines were laid alongside it, and it had become a popular sight on the line.

Daisy the diesel railcar, however, failed to see the appeal of the watermill, and made her opinion quite clear.

"Why don't they just tear that old thing down and replace it with something more modern?" she asked. "I swear, that old shack is practically falling apart! Why can't people make buildings that are sparkling and futuristic like those on the mainland?"

"Maybe people just prefer smaller buildings like the watermill," suggested Percy, "and don't need big, fancy buildings to block the view of the countryside."

"Quite right, Percy," said Toby. "And besides, that watermill helps turn grain into flour so that people can enjoy English muffins for breakfast."

"Maybe so," said Daisy, "but wouldn't it be dark inside without a light bulb?"

"The watermill doesn't need electricity in order to power up," explained Toby, chuckling a little. "The water wheel on the outside helps to power it!"

"Pah!" scoffed Daisy. "That sounds horrendously old-fashioned! Anyone with modern ways of thinking knows that factories do that sort of thing much better with electricity! The sooner that those in charge of that watermill come to their senses, the better!"

And on that note, Daisy flounced away with her passengers on board.

"She just doesn't understand, does she?" huffed Percy, watching Daisy leave.

"Never you mind, Percy," assured Toby. "She'll come around soon enough."

To Daisy's disgust, as she approached Callan station, she had to pass the old watermill.

"Ugh…" she shuddered as it got closer to her field of view. "That rotten old thing is a hazard, the way it's been maintained!"

"Oh, lighten up, Daisy," assured her driver. "The way you go on about it, you act as if it's affected you personally!"

"You just don't understand," huffed Daisy as she passed the watermill. "No one does…"

Daisy was glad when her last run for the day had finished up, for this meant that she wouldn't have to look at the old watermill again. At least, until the next morning.

"Thank goodness that they've got the sense to use that light bulb for the sheds instead of a candlestick," Daisy smirked as she backed into the carriage sheds. "Who'd be daft enough to use a candle to bring light into the sheds?"

With a contented yawn, Daisy closed her eyes and went to sleep. The light bulb flickered for a moment before it finally went out. Daisy briefly opened one eye, but otherwise didn't think much about it.

Before the sun rises, Thomas and Percy were always tasked with taking the mail train. As it was dark, the two engines had the common sense to use their headlamps. However, there was quite a surprise when they went to collect their vans with Duck at Knapford.

"What's happened to the lights?" asked Duck.

"That's strange," gasped Thomas. "There's no way the porters can see in pitch black!"

"The power plant's shut down," explained one of the porters, holding up a lamp of his own. "There's no electricity in the stations or houses on this side of the island!"

"Oh no!" cried Percy. "It will be difficult for people to do their jobs, even when it's daylight."

"Not to mention that people won't be able to have English muffins and toast in the morning if the flour mills aren't running," added Duck. "Without electricity…" He gasped. "What if the Peel Godred branch has gone out too?!"

"That's really not good!" Thomas exclaimed. "Lisa, Carole and Simon need electricity to run!"

"We'd better check on the branch to make sure they're alright," said Percy. With that, the trio set off in different directions with their trains.

Meanwhile, back at Ffarquhar sheds, Daisy was still sleeping when she heard a commotion.

"Ohhh, what is it now?" she muttered sleepily.

Just then, her driver arrived with Mr. Volley the stationmaster. "The power has gone out on the west side of the island, ol' girl," sighed her driver.

"Has it now?" sniffed Daisy. "I thought the light bulb was supposed to be turned off at night! Is it really worth ruining my beauty sleep for this?"

"It is!" snapped Toby, who had come to collect Henrietta. "Electricity is vital for the island's running. Lights, signals, the mill, you name it!"

"If the signals are out," gasped Henrietta, "we'll need someone to use flags so we don't crash into someone!"

"Good plan, Henrietta," nodded Mr. Volley. "I'll let Sir Topham Hatt know as soon as I can. Meanwhile, you two had better inform each stationmaster on the branch line about it."

Toby and Henrietta quickly picked up some workmen to bring them to the power plant, knowing Thomas and Percy won't be back from their mail run for a while.

"Now this just leaves us with the matter of how the people are going to get their English muffins and toast for breakfast," said Daisy's driver. "If the flour mill's inoperable–"

"Hmph, if that flour mill can't work, why not fire up the old watermill?" Daisy grunted. "It's apparently not up to date enough to use electricity."

Daisy's driver had heard his engine's sarcastic quip and beamed. "Daisy, that's a brilliant idea!"

"Wait… what?"

"If we work late tonight in taking grain to the watermill, there could be enough flour by daybreak to serve bread to the people on the branch line in the morning!"

"And you, Daisy," said Mr. Volley, "will take the grain to the mill."

"I… I… WHAT?!"

To say that Daisy was most displeased with this arrangement would be putting it mildly. However, she did have help, and the other engine in question was quite excited for her task…

"Another trip down the branch line!" cried Mavis. "Ooh, I love it! Come on, Daisy! Let's see who can get more trucks to the watermill."

"I don't get why you love taking trucks so much…" muttered Daisy.

"And I don't get why you don't like it," Mavis giggled, buffering up to her train. "It makes an engine feel important!"

Daisy groaned as she was coupled up to her trucks, and she also carried some millers in her compartments.

Both engines got to the old watermill in good time with their first batch of grain. Mavis watched the watermill in curiosity; she seldom saw it. The water slowly flowed through the big wheel as the grain was turned into flour.

"Wow, Daisy," she grinned. "It looks magnificent, doesn't it?"

But Daisy didn't think it was magnificent. Even in the dark, getting an up close look at the watermill made her disgusted at years, possibly decades, worth of dirt and grime that had built up on the exterior.

"Why don't they just refurbish this rotten old thing?" she grunted. "It's a wonder it hasn't fallen on itself yet! Have it more modern and up to date–"

"Daisy the Diesel Railcar!" Mavis snapped. "Do you realize what such mindsets could have?"

Daisy was taken aback. "Wh-what do you mean, Mavis?"

"Don't you see, Daisy?" the quarry diesel interjected. "Without old technology like this, new ways of power wouldn't have been invented. Not only does this include the newer windmill, but if steam engines like Thomas, Percy and Toby were never built, we wouldn't be either!"

"W-well…" Daisy gulped. "I… I just… thought that…"

"And think of Thomas, Percy and Toby themselves," Mavis went on. "They have been running longer than you or I were ever drawn or thought of. Would you want them to be 'modernized' or… Great Railway forbid… gone?"

Daisy was left in a stunned silence, letting Mavis' words sink in. No… no, no, no! I wouldn't ever let that fate befall them… These thoughts plagued her mind for the rest of the evening.

The two engines' drivers were helping the millers and workmen in unloading the grain and taking it inside the watermill. It was a long, slow process given how steep the path to the watermill was, and the only source of light they got came from Daisy and Mavis' lamps.

As dawn began breaking across Sodor, all the grain had been unloaded and turned into flour. Mavis and Daisy yawned, exhausted from their endeavor.

"I'll be glad to get some rest tonight," Mavis said in relief.

"You two should be proud of yourselves," said the head miller. "Especially you, Daisy. Many people would be without breakfast if not for your idea!"

Daisy glanced down at her buffers. "I… was being sarcastic," she admitted sheepishly. "I didn't think that would actually work." She glanced over at the quarry diesel. "If anyone ought to be thanked, it should be Mavis. She made me see how important the watermill could be."

Mavis looked up modestly. "It was nothing."

Just then, Toby arrived with Henrietta. "Good news!" he announced. "The power plant is fixed, so the bakeries can sell all the bread and English muffins."

"Just in time too!" exclaimed the head miller. "I heard that the guards were getting exhausted waving their flags all night."

"I'm glad they can get a rest too, Toby," said Mavis.

Daisy looked glumly at the rails. "Toby… I'm sorry for the way I've been acting the past few days. I see now that older technology can be just as useful as newer technology."

"Heh, and all it took was a blackout to see that?" he chuckled. "Well, I guess next time you get high and mighty, we should fake a power outage."

"What?!" exclaimed Daisy, and Toby, Mavis and Henrietta all burst into laughter.

"Just kidding!" laughed Toby. Daisy rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"I'd better get back to the quarry," said Mavis, trying to suppress another yawn. "Trucks can't tend themselves, y… you know…"

"I'll send Percy up to help you if you get too tired," called Toby.

Mavis blushed upon hearing that. "S-sure, Toby, thank you."

Daisy and Toby exchanged a look.

"Toby, do you think…"

"I think it's possible," chuckled the tram engine. "If Thomas gets wind of this, Percy won't hear the last of it!"

All across the island, people were happily eating English muffins and toast for their breakfast. This included the drivers of Lisa, Carole and Simon.

"Freshly made by the old watermill at Callan!" smiled Lisa's driver. "This is delicious!"

"New technology is nice," said Carole's driver, "but sometimes, you can't beat the original."

"Mmm, you sure said it," nodded Simon's driver.

The three electric engines listened anxiously to the discussion.

"Can't… beat the original?" Lisa said to her colleagues. "Do you think that… we may be kicked off the branch line and have steam engines run here instead?"

"They wouldn't think of doing that," insisted Simon. "Steam engines can't handle the steep gradients like we can. And aren't we older than some classes of steam engines as well?"

"Yes, but…" Carole trailed off. "Sir Topham Hatt's only been doing the bare minimum here since Stevie…" She sighed. "I don't know, you two… I really don't know…"

THE END?

Author's Comments

I've been meaning to have this story written up for the past few months, but given how short the original magazine story was, I ended up putting it on hold. In fact, it was originally going to be the seventh story of this set following Polar Bear, but of course, that wasn't how it happened. Still, better late than never, for I'm glad that, with Rachel's help, we finally got it done! Anyway, this story takes place rather early on in Daisy's Sodor career, hence she isn't used to the island's more old-fashioned ways like the watermill. Rest assured, she still thinks that newer ways are better, but admits that they aren't always the best. (Not that she'd say it out loud, though!) It was also fun pairing her up with Mavis in the second half, showing the differences between the two Ffarquhar diesels.

Upcoming stories:

- The Boxcab and the Jester

- The Devil's Railway