Episode 8

Thomas Percy & The Coal

It was a beautiful day on the Island Of Sodor. Thomas The Tank Engine's smart blue paint shone in the sunshine. He arrived at a station, and saw Percy, and Sean.

"Hello Thomas." Called Percy, "You look splendid."

"Yes indeed." Boasted Thomas, "Blue is the only color for an engine."

"I've got some blue, but most of my paint is grey." Said Sean.

"I like my green paint," Percy replied, "I wouldn't want to be any other color."

"Well, well anyway," Huffed Thomas, "Blue is the only color for a really useful engine. Everyone knows that." And he puffed away importantly. Percy, and Sean just smiled.

Later that day, Percy was shunting some freight cars under a coal chute. Thomas was by him resting.

"Careful," called Thomas cheekily, "Those freight cars could be troublesome."

"Go on, go on" Shouted the freight cars, and pushed Percy.

"And by the way," Called Thomas, "Those buffers don't look safe to me."

But it was too late. Percy ran into the buffer, and went off the tracks. The last load of coal poured from the chute, and onto Thomas.

"Help, help!" Called Thomas. His smart blue paint was getting ruined by the coal dust. "Get me out!"

Percy was worried, but he couldn't stop laughing when he saw Thomas' paint being ruined.

"Ha, ha!" Chuckled Percy, "You don't look really useful now Thomas. You look disgraceful."

"I'm not disgraceful!" Spluttered Thomas, "You did that on purpose. Get me out!"

It took so long to clean Thomas, that he wasn't in time for his next train. Rosie had to take Annie, and Clarabel for him. The two coaches were most upset.

Thomas was grumpy at the sheds that night. Sean thought it was a great joke, but Percy was mad at Thomas, for thinking he caused the accident on purpose.

"Fancy, a really useful blue engine becoming a disgrace to Sir Tophamm Hat's railway." Said Percy.

Next morning, Thomas was feeling happy. He saw Percy struggling with a heavy load of freight cars, and he was feeling tired.

"Have a drink," Said his driver. The water tower was next to a siding, where it ended with unsafe buffers. Percy went to the siding, but the freight cars prevented him from stopping.

"Oh!" Called Percy, as he was being pushed, "Help!"

Percy let off a lot of steam when he got derailed. His wheels were buried deep in coal. It was time for Thomas to go, and he left laughing at what happened to Percy.

That night, the two engines made up their quarrel.

"I didn't cause your accident on purpose Thomas. You do know that, don't you?"

"Of course," Chuckled Thomas, "And I'm sorry about what I said yesterday. Your green paint looks splendid."

They also learned to be more careful with coal.