Railways of Sodor: Thomas & The Missing Engine

James' Old Tricks

The early morning sun rose across the yards, harbour and streets of Tidmouth as the mainline engines waited, ready for the day's work ahead. Despite the bright and glorious sunrise, the engine's spirits were sour.

"Henry, you keep taking time out of your work to go galavant of somewhere." Gordon complained.

"I galavant of to my forest for your information."

"Henry, your forest is only a short distance away from Kildane." Said Alice, quite puzzled, "Yet I've seen you headed for those old sidings near Kellsthorpe Road."

"Aye, it's not just ye." Barked Donald, "Edward and Thomas are also in the loop too."

"What are you talking about?" Replied Henry defensively.

"You can't deny all three of you are acting really suspiciously." Thought Emily.

Just as a fierce argument was about to break out, Jinty rushed up in a panic.
"GUYS, GUYS!" He painted, coming to a hult whistling.

"Calm down Jinty." Said Bear, "What's wrong."

"Calm down? CALM DOWN! Last night Percy left light engine for Kellsthorpe but never came, Thomas too." Jinty wheeshed angrily, "AND those two diesel shunters called Spladger or whatever ran out of the yards in the evening, AND THAT DIESEL WITH A CLAW ON THE ROOF NEVER CAME TO TAKE HIS TRAIN OR ANY SINCE YESTERDAY MORNING!"

The engines were taken aback by Jinty's outburst and the circumstance of the situation, for all they knew Diesel 10 and his hench engines had somehow tricked and scrapped the two tank engines.

"I'm sorry you lot but Thomas and Percy are still here and preoccupied with helping and protecting the lost engine, Thomas told me so last night." Explained Edward, puffing up to a hult next to Jinty.

"But now there's a deeper question..." Thought James, "Just what are those bastards up too. Edward, you've got the day off mostly, right?"

"Yes, why?" Asked Edward

"James, what are you thinking?" Asked Alice, concerned.

"I'm thinking of spying on those three and figure out what they're planning." James said, before puffing out of the sheds and towards the Kildane Ironworks. A few of the engines just looked at each other, confused and puzzled.

"Ahem." Coughed Henry, "It's all best that we get to work but if we see anything that could be concerning or be a threat to the railway, don't be afraid to leave your train behind and get involved. I know I'd rather have a severely delayed train than any of you in danger."

"Henry is right." Mr Conductor walked up, seemingly from nowhere, "Until what's going on is dealt with, be prepared to take action, and don't worry about the passengers. Let me take care of them."

Within an older, more closed off part of the Kildane Ironworks, an area that had been considered a dumping grounds for old scrap metal and storage. A certain light brown class 42 warship with a claw upon his roof sat waiting in one of the sidings, on his left, a pair of class 08 shunters, one with an olive coloured cab and front and one with purple cab and front.

The three diesels waited there for someone to arrive.

"Are you sure our owner is coming?" Asked Splatter.

"Yes Splodge." Smirked Diesel 10, just as James creeped in slowly and silently coming to a stop. Hiding behind the rusted and rotten remains of a GWR 28xx, its boiler and coupling rods long since removed.

"Ok, what are you planning that doesn't involve some magic rubbish." The red Lancashire mogul. Just as he said that, a growl of a diesel engine came up, his filthy green paint and number D261 on his sides. James gasped as the unmistakable figure of Bowler, the engine from 1962 who had sucked a hat into his air intake.