FanFic:Thomas the Trackmaster Adventures Episode 25: Harley the New Engine

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Previous Episode: Episode 24
Next Episode: Episode 26

Episode 25: Harley the New Engine

Eagle lets the others in on his secret. A few weeks later, the unnamed engine, who is red and yellow in color, comes out for testing, and is christened "Harley".

Characters:

• Thomas
• Gordon
• James
• Percy
• Donald and Douglas (Donald cameos)
• Emily
• Molly
• Neville
• Eagle
• Dennis
• Harley
• Sir Topham Hatt
• Edward (cameo)
• Henry (cameo)
• Duck (cameo)
• Annie and Clarabel (cameos)

Transcript

Part One

Eagle: Do you know what I think?

Molly: {cheekily} News to me, that you could!

Eagle: I suppose it would be, never having done any thinking yourself!

Narrator: Neville chuckled, and he and Molly waited.

Molly: Well, go on! Aren't you going to impress us with your thoughts after all?

Eagle: Something... is going on at Crovan's Gate.

Neville: {innocently} Work?

Eagle: I think... that the men are building something. I was taking passengers at the station yesterday, and the workshop door was open. I couldn't see much, but there was something on the floor inside. It looked like a boiler!

Neville: {disappointed} Is that all?!

Molly: Probably a spare for one of us with round boilers.

Eagle: I don't think so. There were wheels as well. What I think...

{he pauses dramatically}

Eagle: ...is that I think they're building a new engine!

Molly: My fitter said he heard a rumor, too.

Narrator: Three tender engines and one diesel looked hopefully at each other.

Dennis: About time too.

{next morning}

Molly: What's the new engine's name?

Sir Topham Hatt: How did you know about the new engine? It's supposed to be a secret!

Eagle: I told them.

Sir Topham Hatt: {laughs} I haven't chosen a name yet. When I do, I'll let you know.

Narrator: But a few weeks later, when the new engine came out of Crovan's Gate for tests, Sir Topham Hatt had still not decided on a name. Thomas, Percy, Emily and Molly were looking with interest at his livery and design.

Thomas: How odd his design looks.

Emily: What a funny livery, too!

Molly: No, it's not. I like his look and colors.

Harley: {not named} So do I. I'm the first engine on your railway to have a design like that.

Percy: He reminds me of a friend back on my old railway. Some engines were colored in red and yellow, blue and orange, and many other livery combinations. Harley, he was called.

Harley: Harley?

Percy: Yes. Not a bad name for yourself, eh, "Harley"?

Sir Topham Hatt: Well done, Percy! {to the new engine} What do you think? You'd have to keep the livery as it is, to give your name some point. Would you mind?

Harley: Not a bit, sir! The name would suit me fine!

Sir Topham Hatt: Excellent. That's settled then. Thank you, Percy, splendid idea!

Narrator: Percy continued with his mail route, well satisfied with his morning's work. Harley's tests went without a hitch. He was a fairly small engine, but still strong. Molly was mildly impressed with his work, and the two became fast friends. Later, Harley arrived at Tidmouth Sheds with Sir Topham Hatt.

Sir Topham Hatt: This is Harley. He is our first custom build steam engine in eighty years. I want you all to make him welcome and a credit to the North Western Railway.

Narrator: He then left. The other engines gave Harley funny looks.

Gordon: He is the weirdest engine our railway's ever had.

James: Look at him: he's got no bunker or tender! What kind of engine is he?!

Molly: There's no reason to be mean, James. He's still a new engine. Just give him a chance.

James: Bah! He's only good for shunting, if that's what he'll do.

Narrator: Harley was very offended. Molly felt sorry for him. Some of the engines didn't give Harley an easy time. When he shunted their coaches, they didn't say "thank you". Every time they would pass him while they pulled a train, they would call him something nasty. One day, he was in a siding. Sir Topham Hatt came to see him.

Harley: {sadly} Maybe building me wasn't a good idea, sir.

Sir Topham Hatt: Nonsense.

Harley: But the engine's don't like me. I'm too different.

Sir Topham Hatt: It's what makes you special, Harley.

Sing-a-Long Segment

{Cut to Molly and Emily at Tidmouth Sheds}

Molly: Now for the part of the show which all of you youngsters out there have a chance to sing right along with the Fab Four. Now when I give the down beat, I expect and every one of you to really give out with all you got! Ready now? Here we go!

Emily: Hold it Molly! That ain't no way to start a sing along!

Molly: It ain't? I mean, it isn't?

Emily: Heck, no! You first got to create the proper atmosphere for the song, with the proper stage setting, you see!

Molly: Err... I'm afraid I don't know much about that stuff.

Emily: Well, it's a lucky thing I happen to be taking a course in Interior Decorating. Now, just tell me what kind of song this is going to be, and I'll show ya what I mean!

Molly: Well, actually, it's a really swinging number!

Emily: A swinging number you say? I think I know just what it needs.

{quickly sets up a green curtain throughout the shed walls, and is on top of a wood podium}

Emily: Here, now! All set for the swinging number!

{CRASH! The interior of Tidmouth sheds is completely wrecked.}

Emily: That should be what we call is bringing down the house!

Molly: Swing- I mean, er- sing, people!

The Beatles:
I give her all my love
That's all I do
And if you saw my love
You'd love her too
I love her

She gives me everything
And tenderly
The kiss my lover brings
She brings to me
And I love her

A love like ours
Could never die
As long as I
Have you near me

Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
Will never die
And I love her

Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
Will never die
And I love her

{Cut back to Tidmouth Sheds, somehow fully restored.}

Molly: I expect you folks to sing this next song with Gusto! And if Gusto couldn't make it today, sing it out yourself! Now, then, you ready? And a-one, and a-two, and a-

Emily: Offer, now Molly.

Molly: Oh, what is it this time, Emily?

Emily: You still haven't learned after all I taught about redecorating the room to fit the song!

Molly: Oh no, not in your life! Last time, you nearly wrecked the entire place!

Emily: I promise it won't happen again, Molly, jut give me another chance. Please?

Molly: Oh, well I guess I ought to have my smokebox examined, but- Aw, all right. This next number is one that really rocks.

Emily: Really rocks, you say?

{quickly assembles a dump truck filled with rocks and dresses as a construction worker}

Molly: What in blazes is that?!

Emily: You said it rocks, didn't ya? {CRASH! Rocks unload from the dump truck, all over Emily and Molly.}

Molly: Why did I ever listen to you? I must have rocks in my head!

Emily: Really? Try going like this! {laughs as she blows rocks from her funnel}

Molly: Sing, folks!

The Beatles:
Michelle, my belle.
These are words that go together well,
My Michelle.

Michelle, my belle.
Sont des mots qui vont très bien ensemble,
Très bien ensemble.

I love you, I love you, I love you.
That's all I want to say.
Until I find a way
I will say the only words I know that
You'll understand.

Michelle, my belle.
Sont des mots qui vont très bien ensemble,
Très bien ensemble.

I need to, I need to, I need to.
I need to make you see,
Oh, what you mean to me.
Until I do I'm hoping you will
Know what I mean.

I love you...

I want you, I want you, I want you.
I think you know by now
I'll get to you somehow.
Until I do I'm telling you so
You'll understand.

My Michelle.

Part Two

Narrator: Despite Sir Topham Hatt's persuasion, the other engines continued to bully him, telling him he wasn't how a steam engine should be. One day, Douglas was being turned around for his next train. Harley was shunting trucks, but they were being cheeky to him.

Troublesome Trucks: Clickety clack! Don't look back! Different steamie's on our track!

Narrator: That made Harley cross. He banged them hard! Unluckily, Douglas was half-way round, when Harley accidentally biffed the trucks into him.

Harley: Oops...

Douglas: Och! What are ye thinkin'?! Noo my train's delayed!

Harley: Sorry!

Narrator: The mess was cleared up, and Douglas had to make up for lost time. For the next few days, Harley continued to have mishaps. He sometimes accidentally biffed the coaches, derailed, or ran into a wall. This caused much confusion and delay. The next day, Harley was in a siding, feeling very sorry for himself.

Harley: Why was I ever built? I'm nothing but bad luck.

Narrator: Molly went to see him.

Molly: Harley, what's wrong?

Harley: Well... I'm a jinx.

Molly: What do you mean, a jinx?

Harley: Everything I do and everywhere I go, nothing but trouble.

Molly: It's not your fault. You're still a young engine.

Harley: Maybe so, but I cause mishaps everywhere. Maybe no one wants me.

Molly: I'll take you to Sir Topham Hatt.

Narrator: When she did so, Molly explained Harley's problem.

Sir Topham Hatt: I see. Harley, I'm going to give you a simple assignment, where hopefully nothing can go wrong.

Narrator: Harley's assignment was delivering coal around the island. It went well for the rest of the day. While he was preparing for his next train, the stationmaster came up.

Stationmaster: Harley! James has broken down, and you need to rescue him!

Narrator: Harley thought about it, and broke out in laughter. He arrived at the scene of humorous disgrace. James had cracked a siderod, and seething passengers gathered around in what was becoming an ugly mob. Well, of course it was ugly. Have you ever seen a pretty mob?

Harley: Well, James. Not so useful now, are you?

James: Shut up! It's not funny!

Harley: And not really reliable either. I'm surprised you let this happen James. Nothing should stop us engines.

James: Now are you going to help me or stand there and make fun of me all day?

Harley: Well that last thought sounds like fun. But, I'd better make up for lost time. One more thing.

James: What? {Harley blows steam all over James, covering him in dirt} HEY!

Harley: I have always wanted to do that as payback.

Narrator: James was fuming as Harley pulled him and his train to Knapford. When he arrived the passengers thanked him for a splendid effort. Then he heard the news of Neville stuck in the mud. Without hesitation, Harley set off to help Neville.

Neville: Harley! Can you help me out of this mud?

Harley: Of course I can!

Narrator: Harley pulled Neville out of the mud. It took a minute or two, but at last, he pulled Neville free of the mud. Harley was late with his coal, and hurried back as fast as he could. When he reached his coal trucks, he couldn't stop in time!

Harley: OH NO!!!

Narrator: Harley smashed into the coal trucks, and was covered in coal dust. Molly came to help, with Sir Topham Hatt. Harley was worried. But Sir Topham Hatt was smiling.

Sir Topham Hatt: Harley, you may have caused confusion and delay, but you are a really useful engine after helping James and Neville. I'm sending you to Crewe to have your bad luck cured.

Harley: Oh, thank you, sir!

Narrator: Molly took Harley to the Crewe on her next train. And when he came back, his bad luck had gone, and came to see the engines at Tidmouth Sheds. But James had something different to say.

James: Harley, I'm sorry I said mean things about you. You're a fine engine and a fine friend.

Harley: That's okay, James. It's good to be a really useful engine!

Narrator: Harley now works at Norramby branchline, pulling mixed-traffic trains and occasionally shunting in the yard. He often helps on Thomas' branchline when Thomas is ill or away, and is very careful with Annie and Clarabel. There was also something different about him. On his cab side now reads the number 37, and he is proud to be a member of Sodor.

THE END

Fun Facts

• First appearance of Harley, as well as his first three accidents.
• Sing-a-Longs: And I Love Her by The Beatles; Michelle by The Beatles