Thomas' Giant Storybook

Thomas and the Important Visitor

It was winter. Heavy dark clouds filled the sky. That night snow fell, and deep drifts piled up in  the surrounding countryside. Next morning Bertie the bud set out early from Ffarquhar, but it wasn't long before he came back.
"We can't get over the hill," he told Thomas. "There are drifts larger than my roof. We were lucky to be able to turn round. You'll need to go steady at the tunnel, Thomas - I expect the snow's thick there, too."
Just then a taxi drove into the station yard. An important looking man got out and was taken to see the stationmaster. Then Percy came and told them that the cutting before the tunnel was almost filled with snow.
Thomas and his driver and fireman set off with the snowplough, but the snow was so thick that the snowplough bent and began to damage the rails.

"That's torn it!" said Thomas's driver. "We'll never get through now."
They took the snowplough off, left it beside the line and went back to the station. The stationmaster came up with the important looking man.
"This gentleman has to see Mr. Kyndley," he said. "It is a very important matter, and he must see him today at all costs."
The driver scratched his head.
"Well, I'm blowed if I know how," he said. "We can't get through a blocked cutting without a snowplough."
"A bulldozer might be handy," suggested the fireman.
"What about Terence?" asked Thomas. "Hasn't he got a bulldozer thing that his driver fits in front sometimes?"
"Well done, Thomas!" exclaimed his driver. "I'll telephone his owner straight away."

By the time Toby had taken some workmen to the cutting Terence was already hard at work. He and the men soon had the line clear and Toby went back to tell Thomas.
Mr. Kyndley's visitor got into Annie the coach and Thomas set off. Deep cliffs of snow stood on either side of the line that Terence had cleared, and Thomas puffed triumphantly through and stopped outside the cottage.
The guard helped the important looking man from Annie, and both Mr. Kyndley and his visitor came to thank Thomas. The guard went with them to make sure they did not slip on the path up to the cottage, and then Thomas, cold but pleased, left for the junction.
The Fat Controller was pleased too.
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again," he told them, "there can be no doubt that Thomas is a really useful engine.