FanFic:Saving Sodor Part 20: Really Useful Engine

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Previous Part: Part 19

Saving Sodor Part 20: Really Useful Engine

Characters: (in order of appearance)

• Rosie
• Thomas
• Sir Topham Hatt
• Percy
• James
• Gordon
• Henry
• Edward
• Toby
• Annie and Clarabel
• Bertie
• Harold
• David Higgins

Chapter Twenty

"THOMAS!" Rosie cried.

"Hello, Rosie," smiled Thomas.

Rosie was so surprised and happy, that she could hardly speak. "I...I th-th-thought...y-you were...scr-scr-scrapped!"

"Scrapped?" Thomas laughed. "Whatever made you think that? I look alright to you, don't I?"

"But I saw James take a load of your parts to the scrapyard!"

"Those parts were useless," explained Thomas. "They were no good, so the workmen got rid of them and gave me some new ones. They were able to repair me. Now I feel like a new engine!"

Rosie had never felt so happy. "Oh, Thomas! I'm so glad your okay!"

"Hey! You won't get rid of me that easily." Thomas laughed cheekily.

"I'm glad you're okay too, Thomas," said a voice. Thomas and Rosie looked to see that the Fat Controller had arrive.

"Thank you for having me be repaired, Sir," said Thomas gratefully.

"I thought for sure you were scrapped!" Rosie squeaked.

"Scrap you! After what you have done," chortled the Fat Controller. "Thomas! I could never scrap you. You have saved the Island of Sodor! You're a really useful engine!"

"Thank you, Sir," Thomas beamed proudly.

"What happened to the diesels, Sir?" asked Rosie.

"I had Diesel repaired and sent him back to the Mainland where he had come from. I also sent 'Arry and Bert with him. As for Diesel 10, he had his wheels taken away and was dumped in a rocky valley near a beach somewhere in England."

"Serves him right," giggled Rosie.

"You'd better go back to Tidmouth Sheds, Thomas," exclaimed the Fat Controller. "The engines will be glad to see you're okay. I have alot of work to do tonight. I'm going to make sure that everyone on Sodor knows what a really useful engine you are."

"Thank you, Sir," smiled Thomas. "I'll go back to the sheds now. Goodnight, Sir. Goodnight, Rosie." And Thomas puffed out of Croven's Gate and made his way to Tidmouth Sheds.

When he finally arrived at the sheds, all the engines gasped in surprise."THOMAS!" They cried in unison. Then they all blew their whistles and cheered as Thomas proudly used the turntable and backed into the one empty space in the sheds, surrounded by his friends Percy, James, Gordon, Henry, Edward and Toby.

"Welcome back, Thomas!" Percy peeped happily.

"Well done on saving Sodor!" James whistled.

"You proved me right; little engines can do big things!" Gordon tooted.

Thomas felt very proud. He had managed to save the steam engines of Sodor, and he was very happy to see how grateful they were. "Thank you, my friends."

"We're all glad to have you living with us on the railway," smiled Edward.

"And I'm glad to have friends like you," beamed Thomas.

Then all the engines happily fell asleep. They were all now safe, thanks to Thomas.

The next morning, the Fat Controller came to the sheds as usual. He sent all the engines except Thomas off to work. When he and Thomas were alone, the Fat Controller spoke to him.

"Thomas, I want you to do your usual jobs today," he explained. "Then, at the end of the day, when you've finished, I have a very important job for you. I will explain when you've finished your jobs."

"Yes, Sir," smiled Thomas, and he puffed out of the sheds and off to work.

He arrived at the coach yard where Annie and Clarabel were waiting for him.

"Thomas!" Annie exclaimed happily. "Thank goodness you're alright."

"We didn't think you'd be repaired," added Clarabel.

"Well, you don't need to worry now," smiled Thomas, as he was coupled to the coaches and pulled them out of the yard. "I'm fixed and back to work."

Thoughout the day, Thomas did his branch line run. As he passed several people and engines on his travels, they all cheered for him, making him know that he was special. They were all grateful for him saving Sodor.

When sunset came, Thomas arrived at Ffarquhar Station with the last of the passengers. Bertie was there to take them home. He was very pleased to see his friend.

"Glad to have you back, Thomas. After you saving Sodor, I don't know what we'd do without you."

"You wouldn't be able to race, that's for sure," chuckled Thomas.

Just then, Toby steamed up behind Thomas and the coaches. The Fat Controller was on board his cab. He climbed down, walked onto the platform and up to Thomas. "Well done, Thomas. You've completed your branch line run on time. Now, it's time for you to do your important job. Leave Annie and Clarabel here. Toby will take them back to the coach yard. I want you to go to the sidings which look out to the sea. Then wait a while. Someone will then come to see you."

"Yes, Sir."

The passengers had now left the platform and were on board Bertie. "Well done, Thomas!" He called cheerfully as he started his engine and raced down the road and out of sight.

Annie and Clarabel were uncoupled from Thomas and were coupled onto Toby. "Off you go, Thomas," said Toby, and Thomas puffed away.

After rejoining the main line, Thomas crossed the island under the sinking sun. Eventually, he came to a set of points, which were leading to go to where the Fat Controller had commanded him to go, so he crossed the points and followed the line.

As he puffed along, four more lines ran alongside the one he was following; two on each side.

Finally, Thomas arrived at his destination, and stopped.

He had come to some sidings, which were on the edge of a small slope. The sidings were looking out at the sea, which reflected the colour of the evening sky, as the sun slowly sank down from the sky, soon to sink behind the horizon. The only sounds to be heard were the gentle waves and the gulls which were flying in the evening sky.

Thomas was not alone. James and Lady were in the two sidings on his left, and Percy and Rosie were in the two on his right.

"Here he is!" Percy cried to the other engines.

"What are you all doing here?" Thomas asked.

"Well," grinned James, "you had a bit of help to save Sodor, didn't you? That's why me and Percy are here."

"And I was the engine you came to for help, but got encouragement instead," added Lady.

"And I was the engine you saved from Diesel 10," smiled Rosie.

"But what are we all doing here?" asked Thomas, puzzled.

Before any of the engines could reply, the quiet of the sea was suddenly drowned out by a whirring noice. The engines instantly knew who it had come from. They looked into the sky to see Harold flying low above them. "Thomas, old chap! I have an important vistor to see you!"

He came down gently and landed beside the sidings. Then, a man dressed in black came down from him. He walked up to the engines and pointed at Thomas. "You're Thomas the Tank Engine, am I right?"

"Yes. Who are you?"

"My name is David Higgins. I'm with the Sodor Gazette. I've heard from Sir Topham Hatt that you saved all the steam engines from Sodor. I'm here to take yourphotograph. Your story is going on the front page on tomorrow's issue of the Sodor Gazette."

"The front page?!" Thomas beamed excitidly.

"That's right," Higgins smiled. Then he held his hand up and gestured with it. Could you all just move back, so that I can get you all in? I understand these are the engines involved in your adventure?"

"Indeed they are," smiled Thomas, as he and the other engines backed up a little. Higgins took a camera out of his coat pocket and looked through it. "Perfect!" The camera then flashed. "Okay, thank you all," smiled Higgins. "Harold, please take me back so that I can have this picture put on the front page of the Sodor Gazette."

"No problem," replied Harold, as Higgins then climbed back on board him. Harold's blades started to turn. "Goodbye," Harold called to the engines. "And well done, Thomas! You've shown me just how brave and useful engines are!"

"Thank you, Harold!" Thomas called, then he and the engines watched as Harold took off into the sky and out of sight.

"What do you think of that, Thomas?" Percy wheesed happily. "You're going to be on the front page of the Sodor Gazette."

"You're a very special engine!" said Lady.

"Maybe," smiled Thomas modestly. "But I'm not the only special engine. You are too Lady." Thomas then looked at Percy. "So are you Percy, my best friend." Percy smiled, proud to be best friends with this special engine. "As are you, Rosie," went on Thomas. Rosie blushed shyly. She was so happy that the engine she had loved for a long time now loved her back. Thomas then looked at James. "Even you, James." At this complement, James blushed, going much redder than ever. "All of the Fat Controller's engines are special," finished Thomas.

Then the five engines watched the sunset in silence. Furthur away, Harold continued flying with David Higgins on board. Once Higgins arrived at the newspaper factory, the picture he had taken of the engines would go on the front page of the Sodor Gazette, which would have an article about how Thomas the Tank Engine worked up the courage and bravery to save the Island of Sodor from the evil Diesel 10, and proved himself to be a hero, a legend and most of all, a really useful engine.