the tales of sodor's engine

no stone unturned

James the Red Engine was running late. He was due at the junction so that Thomas could make his guaranteed connection, but the lorry driver had only just arrived with the parcels for James' train.

"Hurry up! Hurry up!" he called as his vans were being loaded. As soon as the doors were shut and locked, James, wheels spinning, sped out of the station.

He made good time up the line, but ahead he saw the viaduct, which was being repaired.

"Bother!" James cried. "I had forgotten about the viaduct. Now we'll really be late."

As James approached, he slowed to a standstill. Looking around, he scoffed.

"I don't see anyone working today. I think I'll go faster, to make up for lost time!"

But James was wrong. There were men working below. From his side of the viaduct, James couldn't see them properly. As James sped up, the beating of his pistons made the weak viaduct shake. The workmen shouted for James to slow down, but James couldn't hear them.

Then there was trouble! One of the arch stones, which the workmen were preparing to replace, had been shaken loose. It suddenly gave way, missing the workmen by inches and plunging into the ravine below.

Startled by the splash, James glanced down and saw the workmen glaring up at him. He slowed back down at once, but the damage was done. James felt ashamed as he finished his journey to the junction, thoroughly embarrassed and thoroughly late.

"It's lucky for you I'm a guaranteed connection!" said Thomas when James tried to explain. Thomas huffed out of the station leaving a sad James behind.

After setting down his trucks, James crept slowly back up the line toward the big station. He was miserable.

"What will Sir Topham Hatt say when he finds out I damaged the viaduct?" he thought pensively. "I'm sure he'll send me away. Oh dear!"

As James had feared, Sir Topham Hatt was waiting for him when he arrived at the big station.

"I-I'm sorry, sir," James started.

"Whatever for?" Sir Topham Hatt smiled.

"You mean you're not cross with me?"

"Should I be cross with you for something, James?"

James, not wanting to play his hand too quickly, said nothing about the viaduct.

"Oh, nothing!" James chuckled nervously.

"Well, I do have an important job for you," said Sir Topham Hatt. "There's a special train of scaffolding, mortar, and stone that needs to be taken to the viaduct right away. I was told that a stone fell from one of the arches today, which means it needs to be strengthened before I can let another engine onto it."

Now James felt very ashamed. Not only had he damaged the viaduct, but his mistake would now further delay trains to the junction.

"Sir," James said finally, "there is a reason you should be cross with me."

"Oh?"

"I caused the stone to fall. I didn't see the workmen and thought that meant I could go faster across the viaduct."

"I already know, James," said Sir Topham Hatt.

"Y-you do?"

"The workman reported that a red engine was on the viaduct when it happened. I don't have many red engines, do I, James?"

"No, sir," James replied. "I made a bad mistake, didn't I?"

"A bad mistake that you can make up for," Sir Topham Hatt said, reminding James of the special train.

"Of course!" James smiled. "Since I'm the one who damaged the viaduct, I should be the one to help fix it!"

"Precisely," Sir Topham Hatt said, smiling himself. "Really useful engines leave no stone unturned, if you get my meaning."

James understood completely and set out with the special train for the viaduct at once. When James arrived, he apologized to the workmen and stayed as long as he could be useful to them.

James returned to the sheds that evening a much wiser engine. He now knew that while we all make mistakes, what is important is that we are accountable for them and willing to set things right again.