Random TTTE Fan Episodes and Rewrites

You Can Do It, Toby! [Season 8] [Rewrite]

Several storms had hit The Island of Sodor. A great deal of damage had been done and the sky remained grey and foreboding.

Toby struggled up Gordon's Hill with some trucks of stone, desperate not to get caught in the next downpour. Gordon came up alongside him.

"Hurry up, slow coach!" sniffed Gordon, "You'll be late with your delivery!"

"I'm trying my hardest," panted Toby.

"Pah," huffed Gordon as he began to speed away, "you're not even a proper engine."

Toby was irritated but tried not to be. He pressed on until he finally got over the hill.

That evening, The Fat Controller came to Toby's shed.

"Edward is needed at the docks," he boomed, "you must work at Wellsworth Yards in his place."

"Yes Sir!" said Toby.

When he arrived at Wellworth Yards the next morning, he saw that there was a lot of work to do. There were trucks as far as the eye could see.

Toby got started right away. He huffed this way and that with truck after truck. Some passengers waiting on the station platform couldn't help but watch him glide along the rails. They thought he was very grand.

Soon, Toby had shunted several long lines of trucks and wagons. Douglas arrived to collect one of these trains: some wagons of frozen vegetables. He whistled to Toby and steamed away.

When Donald arrived to collect his trucks of slate, he looked all puffed out.

"What’s wrong?" asked Toby.

"I can't get enough steam," gasped Donald, "I dunno what the problem is."

Determined to get his job done, Donald surged forwards. However, he couldn't manage. He quickly broke down.

"Oh dear," wheeshed Toby, "I hope they can find another engine for this job."

"Aye," agreed Donald, "and quickly."

When the station master spoke to the two of them, they realised another engine wouldn't be coming.

"Our telephone wires are down because of the most recent storm. We can't phone for another engine."

"Perhaps ye should take the train, Toby!" suggested Donald.

Toby wasn't sure. He was only a small engine and an old one too. The long train looked like it would be too heavy for him.

"Well," said Toby slowly, "there is no-one else, I suppose. I'll have a go."

Donald cheered. He would have blown his whistle loudly if he'd had the steam.

Toby backed up to the train. Once he was coupled, he began to pull. He summoned all his puff. The train was even heavier than he'd thought it would be and the trucks were not cooperating. He tried his hardest but he just couldn't move the train.

"I can't do it," said Toby finally.

"Now what do we do?" asked Donald.

Toby thought for a moment.

"Do all these trucks need to go to Brendam?" he asked.

"Neigh," replied Donald, "only half. The others are for Suddery."

Now, Toby knew what he was going to do. He asked for half of the trucks to be uncoupled from his train. When he tried to pull the remaining trucks, he could move forwards much more easily.

"Right, see you later, Donald!" called Toby as he rattled away.

'Alright,' he thought as he sped along, 'I know Douglas is pulling his train along this line. Maybe I can catch up with him.'

Toby pumped his pistons. He was going to have to work very hard for this delivery to be made on time.

The first station went by. Toby didn't know how much time he had before the boat sailed. He needed to speed up. It was difficult even with this smaller and lighter train but he pressed on.

He went through the next station. He still hadn't passed any engines yet.

Soon, Toby was approaching Upper Brendam Station. He could see another engine was already there and he thought he knew which engine it was.

"Douglas?" he called out to the engine ahead of him.

"Toby," Douglas called back, "what brings ya this far from the shuntin' yards?"

Toby explained everything just as the guard blew his whistle. Douglas gave him a toot to show that he'd heard everything and then sped off towards Brendam. Toby followed as closely as he could manage.

Toby felt tired but he knew the journey was almost over. If he managed to keep up with Douglas, he was sure he'd make his delivery before the boat was ready to leave.

After what felt like forever, Toby finally reached Brendam. He gave his loudest ever sigh of relief! All the workmen there could probably tell how hard he had been working because they all clapped and cheered for him!

"Right," called Douglas, "back ta Wellworth for the rest o'th'trucks!"

The two engines sped back along the line as fast as their wheels would carry them.

Once they were both back at Wellsworth, Douglas took the rest of the slate trucks. Toby got ready to shunt Donald to the repair yard.

Donald shouted, "One, two, three, heave!"

Toby had barely any strength left but he knew he could make this trip if he used all the strength he had. He hauled Donald along the track.

"I can do it, I can do it," he chanted as the repair yard drew closer and closer.

"Yes ye can, yes ye can!" joined in Donald.

Eventually, they made it. Toby reversed Donald into the repair shed and rested for a moment.

"Right," sighed Toby, "now I've got more trucks to shunt." Despite how exhausted he was, he couldn't have been happier.

Later that evening, Toby stopped by Tidmouth Sheds. Gordon snorted when he saw him.

"I've heard all about how you couldn't even pull a common goods train today," he said.

"I heard all about it as well," smiled Edward, "Donald told me all about how you struggled on just to help him out. I think you've done a fine job at my yard!"

"Thank you, Edward," puffed Toby. Then, after a moment of thought, he added, "You know, between delivering half of Donald's trucks, getting Donald in for repairs and shunting all those trucks in the yard, I just might have hauled more than any other engine on the island today. That's strange to think about."

Edward smiled. Toby smiled back. Gordon just pouted.