Thomas and Friends Fanfiction Series 7

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It was a noisy day on the Brazilian Railway. Thomas and Raul were shunting in the dockyards of Guanabara Bay. 

"I love shunting," said Raul. 

"Me too," chuckled Thomas. 

"I still think I'm better than you, Thomas," challenged Raul. 

"Now, don't start that competitiveness again, Raul," warned Cassia. 

Raul blushed, remembering his near accident after his grudge shunting match with Thomas. 

"I'll try to not be so...competitive," he said quietly. 

Thomas and Cassia winked at each other. 

Just then, Gabriela puffed in. She looked worried. 

"Raul, the bridge near the station is damaged. I'm not sure it's safe to take anything too heavy across it. It could collapse!" 

"I'll take care," promised Raul, "I only need to take some empty trucks to the goods yard." 

"And I am taking one truck of ballast for the new opera house," added Thomas. 

"I hope nothing goes wrong," said Gabriela, "workmen are on their way to check over the bridge." 

Thomas and Raul weren't too worried. Their loads were not heavy at all. 

Later, Raul was puffing along with his empty trucks. The bridge was not too far ahead of him. He saw some danger signs telling him to slow down. 

The workmen flagged him down as he slowly approached. 

"This bridge will collapse in a matter of time," they said worriedly, "no more engines are to go over this bridge after you. You'll have to spend the night at the station tonight while we make repairs." 

Raul understood. 

"You'll need to warn Thomas," he said, "he's due across soon to bring ballast to the opera house building site." 

"We will," promised the workmen. 

Raul made his delivery and made himself useful in the goods yard, shunting there. 

The workmen telephoned to Guanabara Bay to warn Thomas not to take his ballast truck across the bridge today. 

But there was a problem. The man on the telephone got distracted after the warning call when he saw Fernando was about to travel to the forests. He needed him to stay behind so he could work in Raul's place, and he forgot all about warning Thomas. 

As the man went to stop Fernando, Thomas was given the all-clear from the workmen at the Bay to head off to make his delivery on schedule. 

By the time the man realized his mistake, Thomas was far away and unable to be stopped. 

Thomas was puffing happily along, thinking all was fine. He saw the signs and he slowed down as directed. But the workmen, thinking Thomas had been warned to stop, hadn't put up any stop signs and danger signals before having their lunch. 

Then it happened!

Thomas whistled his arrival to warn the workmen and they didn't have time to flag Thomas down! 

"Pare! Pare!" they shouted. 

Thomas didn't know this meant 'Stop!' He didn't understand what was happening until it was too late!

He applied his brakes properly when he saw the bridge was still dangerous, but he braked too soon and came to a stop on the bridge itself! 

"Oh no!" he gasped. 

The workmen watched in horror as a support in the bridge collapsed and fell into the ravine below. Thomas was in danger! 

"Don't move!" shouted one workman. 

"If you do, the whole bridge may fall with you on it still!" yelled another. 

Thomas hardly dared puff. 

Meanwhile, Raul was bored at the goods yard and decided to observe the progress of the repairs to the bridge. 

But when Raul arrived, he was very shocked to see Thomas was stuck and in danger on the bridge. 

"Thomas, what happened?!" 

"I'm trapped! The bridge is collapsing!" 

"I'm coming!" 

Raul bravely edged nearer to the bridge. He knew not to actually cross it as it was already coming apart under Thomas' weight. His Driver walked quickly across to attach a chain to Thomas' coupling. 

"Be still and calm, Thomas," warned Raul. 

As gently as he could, Raul began to haul Thomas off of the bridge. 

Thomas was scared and shut his eyes. 

Raul worked as carefully as he could and tried to not panic. If he did, he may move too fast and cause Thomas to fall into the ravine. 

Just as Thomas was pulled to safety, the bridge finally collapsed. But Thomas' ballast truck was still on it. 

It fell with the bridge and Thomas was still coupled to it! 

"HEEELP!" 

"I've Got You!" promised Raul. 

He heaved with all his might. 

With a snap, the coupling attaching Thomas to his truck broke. Thomas was heaved to safety and the truck of ballast plunged into the ravine. 

"Phew!" panted the two engines. 

"You saved me, Raul!" cheered Thomas. 

Raul felt very proud. 

Back at the station, Thomas and Raul were recovering. Thomas was shaken up from his near accident and Raul's engine was overheated after his strenuous rescue operation. 

The stationmaster came up to them. 

"You can both spend the night here," he said, "the Brazilian Controller has been told all that's happened. He will have stern words with whoever was responsible for Thomas not being warned, and Raul, you will be checked over at the repair yards." 

"What about the bridge, sir?" asked Thomas. 

"Don't worry, Thomas," said the Stationmaster, "Gabriela will be bringing the materials to build it up again. The men will be receiving them and making a full start in the morning." 

Thomas and Raul were pleased. 

Some weeks later, Thomas and Raul were finally able to re-join their friends at Guanabara Bay. They were the first to travel over the newly rebuilt bridge. 

Thomas and Raul told everyone of their adventure and they all agreed to be extra careful when there were dangers on the railways. 

(The End! 1st half of Series 7 completed!)