Thomas and Friends: The Adventure Begins

Blue

On Monday, May 31st, Sir Topham Hatt spoke with Albert Regaby in his office about an official livery for the engines of the North Western Railway. They were planning to use this new colour on Thomas and Edward. In light of the war, Mr. Regaby suggested a khaki livery, similar to the paintwork being used by the engines of the Great Western Railway, but Mr. Hatt wanted a colour that meant peace and loyalty as a symbol of anti-war propaganda, so he preferred a light shade of sky blue. Regaby and the other railway officials feared that Hatt would be jailed for opposition of the war if they used the paintwork in that manner, but Topham simply told them that it was a "universal matter of life".

Taking in his words, the shade of blue was accepted, and a handful of painters on the island had enough cans of blue paint for two engines and by the next morning on the first day of June, Thomas and Edward were sent to the Railway Works at Crovan's Gate to receive their new coats of paint.

"Why blue?" asked Thomas. "I'm fine just the way I am."

"The Director is officially adopting us into his railway," said Edward. "That means we're no longer part of our old railway anymore."

Thomas tried to take in as much as he could and accept it for what it was, but he resumed his gentle and happy mood when they arrived at the Works. The painters had been waiting for them. First, they scrubbed off Thomas and Edward's old paint with strong sponges, then they applied a special pink paint to go under the new blue coats, used to keep the water out.

An hour later, Thomas and Edward were covered from fender to firebox in bright blue paint with red stripes. They even had numbers painted in yellow on both sides of themselves. Thomas was given the number 1 on his side tanks and Edward was given the number 2 on his tender.

"How wonderful!" Thomas cried. "We're both blue!"

"And we each have numbers!" Edward added.

Thomas noticed the number 1 on his side tanks.

"Does this number mean I'm the best? I've always liked being number one."

"That just means we are the first and second engines of this railway," Edward said. "Now I've got a train to pull, you've have a position to keep up with in the yard."

So Thomas went back to Vicarstown and showed his smart blue paint to the other engines.

"You look like the sky on a clear day," remarked Colin.

"Like a calm ocean with no waves," chipped in Lily.

"Who cares? It's just a color," said Adam pompously.

The three engines were silenced by a voice belonging to Wilbert.

"What happened to your old color, Thomas?" he asked, hands behind his back.

"The Fat Director had me repainted this way," Thomas answered. "I'm now officially part of the railway and I'm number one!"

Wilbert was confused about something else.

"Who's the 'Fat Director'?"

"Sir Topham Hatt, of course. It's just a nickname I came up with because he needs exorcise."

"But we still address him as 'sir', right?"

"Right."

Wilbert looked up into the sky as Thomas sprayed him with a cloud of steam.

"Something the matter, Wilbert?" asked Thomas.

"Last night they said London had been attacked," answered Wilbert. "With those airship things and such. Will they get us, too?"

"No, Wilbert, I hope not," said Thomas. "I can't imagine your family back home having the worst time of their lives if the Krauts get Brighton. But all the same, you and your father would be much happier back home with your family. This war should have ended by now."

Or so he thought...