EDWARD, GORDON AND HENRY

Based upon the original story and "Edward's Day Out" by The Rev. W. Awdry

Tidmouth sheds felt much bigger with just three engines in the shed. Edward, Gordon and James had more work to do on the mainline now that Henry had been bricked up in the tunnel at Ballahoo. James, the newest member of the fleet, was the railway's mixed-traffic engine, but found himself taking goods trains more often. This meant that Edward had to come out of the shunting yards to take local trains on the mainline.

"But I can take passenger trains just as well as you two can!" James protested.

"Not with wooden brakes, you can't," smirked Gordon. "At least Edward has brakes that can help him stop carefully."

"Now Gordon, don't be rude," said Edward. "James does his best and you know that."

"I suppose he's done better than Henry," grumbled Gordon. "Who would be scared of the rain? The rain, for goodness sake. It's just water."

"Maybe he's had a traumatic experience with water," James suggested.

"James!" scolded Edward.

"Regardless, his run into a tunnel has given us much more to do," muttered Gordon. Edward groaned; some engines had no sympathy to give out.

"Something wrong, Edward?" The blue engine glanced over to see the brown coaches Annie and Clarabel waiting in a siding.

"I was just thinking about Henry," Edward told the coaches. "Why would he go into a tunnel and be scared of the rain?"

"Maybe it's not the rain itself that scared Henry," Clarabel suggested.

"It isn't?" asked Edward.

"On the day Henry got bricked up," said Annie, "it wasn't just raining. Do you remember the thunder and lightning?"

"It was indeed scary," Edward confirmed.

"Maybe Henry was scared of the lightning in the thunderstorm," Clarabel put in.

"You may be right..." Edward said quietly. "Thanks for the insight, girls. I'd better get back to work." Just then, Sir Topham Hatt arrived to see the blue tender engine.

"Edward, I know you've been working very hard in the yard," he said, "but with Henry out of action, I need you to do some light trains on the mainline."

"Of course, sir," said Edward.

"Your first train is a passenger train up to Vicarstown," said Sir Topham Hatt. "Feel free to take Annie and Clarabel with you."

Edward gently buffered up to Annie and Clarabel and then brought them to the platform.

"We're glad you're taking us today, Edward," said Annie.

"James is always rough when he takes us out," added Clarabel. "He'd damage a coach if he's not careful."

"Once, he nearly pulled my coupling loose," said Annie. "Took ages for it to be refitted."

"I hope he gets better," sighed Edward. "Coaches need love and kindness, not rough treatment." The blue engine waited as the passengers boarded the two old coaches. Everyone then waited for the guard blow his whistle and wave his green flag, but neither happened.

"Where can the guard be?" asked Edward anxiously. His driver and fireman asked the stationmaster, who hadn't seen the guard. Then they asked the porter, who had seen him - last night.

"It's been almost ten minutes," groaned the driver. "If the guard doesn't turn up by now..."

"He's coming!" cried a little boy from inside Annie. There the guard was, coming up to the station with his flags in one hand and a half-eaten sandwich in the other.

"Sorry I'm late!" he cried. "My wife misplaced the keys so I couldn't find them and I didn't have time to eat my lunch."

"Well, at least we can start," said Clarabel. "Do your best, Edward." Once the guard had blown his whistle and waved his flag, Edward, Annie and Clarabel finally departed.

Despite the slow start, Edward and the coaches had a lovely day.

"We're coming up to Ballahoo tunnel, girls," said Edward. There sat Henry, dirty and miserable. He did cheer up a little when Edward blew his whistle at him and said hello.

"At least one engine on this island is kind..." said Henry to himself. "I hope Sir Topham Hatt will forgive me and let me back into service again..."

"Poor Henry," sighed Clarabel as she, Annie and Edward went into the distance. "If only we could do something to help."

"I'm sure something will come up," said Annie with confidence. "Sir Topham Hatt will see sense."

"I hope you're right, Annie," said Edward. Henry was really the only engine on the North Western Railway that Edward felt comfortable talking to. Gordon and James often taunted him, and so did other engines that were once on trial before being sent away. Having Annie and Clarabel with him was a blessing to be sure, but they weren't truly his own coaches.

"Do you mind if I take you out again tomorrow, Annie and Clarabel?" asked Edward when they reached Vicarstown. "I feel more at ease with you both with me."

"Not at all, Edward," said Annie.

"Thanks, girls," smiled Edward.

That evening, Gordon, James and Edward were in the sheds again.

"You were allowed to take my coaches?!" cried James in shock.

"You were taking a goods train," said Edward. "Plus, Sir Topham Hatt told me I was free to do so. And I'm taking them out again tomorrow."

"Ugh!" groaned James. "Why did he allow you to do that? Annie and Clarabel are my coaches!"

"They're no one's coaches," insisted Edward, doing everything he could to keep his temper in check.

"I'm trying to get some sleep!" growled Gordon. "You two little engines stop your arguing."

"I'm not that little..." James muttered. Edward went silent, glancing out the shed's windows on the door.

Oh, Henry, he thought sadly. I wish you were here now...

A few days later, Gordon was due to take the express out as per usual. Sir Topham Hatt often boarded this train so he could get to meetings with those at Vicarstown on the other end of the line.

"Nobody else is strong enough to take this train but me," Gordon said proudly to himself. "The express is the pride of the line."

"Come on, ol' boy," said his driver. "Let's get a good run."

"That we shall indeed, driver," the big blue engine grinned. Gordon started to puff along the line, feeling the wind on his funnel as he gathered speed.

At the tunnel where he was bricked up, Henry could hear Gordon's whistle in the distance. Every time the blue engine passed when pulling the express, he would whistle at Henry and tell the green engine that it served him right. But today, however, that was not going to be the case.

CRACK! WHEESH!

"What is going on?!" Gordon choked through a cloud of steam. To Henry's surprise, Gordon had come to a stop just before the tunnel, steam billowing all around.

"What's happened?" gasped Gordon. "Why am I feeling so weak?" His driver stopped the train to inspect Gordon.

"You've broken your safety valve," he explained. "There's no way you'd be able to take the train anymore."

"Ohh, the indignity!" groaned Gordon. "And we were going so nicely too...!" To add to Gordon's misery, Henry was laughing at the situation from where he stood. Gordon scowled at Henry, but he was too far away to care.

"We're going to be late," said Jeremiah Jobling crossly; he got out with other passengers following behind. "Thanks a lot for stopping in the middle of nowhere." Sir Topham Hatt had gotten out of the train to speak to Gordon.

"Didn't I tell you to get checked over at the Steamworks last week?" grunted the controller.

"Erm... I kind of forgot..." Gordon said quietly.

"Honestly, some engines..." grunted Sir Topham Hatt. "Send for another engine at once." The guard ran back to Crovan's Gate while Gordon sadly puffed onto a siding.

"This is not my day..." he muttered to himself.

Meanwhile, down at Crovan's Gate, Edward had taken Dexter down there to get fixed up. His wheel had come loose.

"Thanks for the lift, Edward!" said Dexter. "I hope me repairs don't take too long!"

"Always happy to lend a buffer, Dexter," replied Edward. "You get better soon."

"Oh, I will!" said Dexter. "I always come back better than ever!" Edward started to head back when suddenly, Gordon's guard came up.

"What's going on?" asked Edward.

"Gordon's broken his safety valve and the express is delayed," the guard explained. "Are you doing anything else right now?"

"Well, I was going to go back to the yard and shunt trains, but none of them are too urgent," Edward admitted. "Hop in my cab; I'll see if I can get the express to Vicarstown." The guard didn't have much of a choice, as they were so low on engines at the moment, so he agreed.

When they got to the tunnel, Edward buffered up to the coaches. He then began pulling to try and get them to move, but he didn't get very far. The train was too heavy for him alone.

"I knew it was no good," said Gordon. "Edward can't push the train."

"What are we to do now?" groaned Sir Topham Hatt. "James is taking a goods train, I've had to send away those two engines back to the mainland..."

"I suppose the next thing you're going to do is let Henry try," Gordon said sarcastically.

"Not a bad idea," Sir Topham Hatt nodded. "Henry, if I let you out, will you promise not to stall in tunnels again?"

"I promise, sir," he assured. "I'll be right there." As his crew lit up his fire, Henry started to move out of the tunnel. He hadn't moved since he'd stopped in the tunnel, and so his joints were quite stiff.

"Ooh, that doesn't feel normal," Henry grunted.

"Have a run to ease your joints," called Sir Topham Hatt. "And find the turntable."

"Right, sir," said Henry, stretching his wheels for the first time in days.

"I'm so glad to have been let out again," said Henry. "But... oh, what if there's another storm?"

"Henry," said his driver, "it's natural to be afraid if you were caught in a storm. I even get scared at times too."

"You do?" asked Henry.

"I do," the driver nodded. "I remember one day when I was in school and playing with my friends, and then suddenly, a storm came out. We were all called inside and a lightning strike went off near the trees. I was frightened ever since."

"That's really scary," said Henry. "Sorry to hear that, driver."

"But talking about your fears with someone you trust does help," said the driver. "It works with me."

"You're right, driver," said Henry. "I'll talk with Edward about it when I get back to the express."

As soon as Henry was turned around, he went straight back to the express and was coupled on in front of Edward.

"Are you ready, Henry?" asked Edward.

"I sure am!" replied Henry. "How about you?"

"Yes, I'm good to go," Edward smiled. The guard's whistle blew and the two engines started away. It was hard going at first, but when they went through the other tunnel again, it became much easier.

"We're doing it, Edward," smiled Henry. "Well done."

"We sure are, Henry," replied Edward. "I'm glad to see you out and about again. But... why did you hide in the tunnel, exactly?"

"I..." Henry sighed. "Um... Edward, promise you won't tell this to Gordon and James?"

"I promise."

"I... suffered from steam problems that day," Henry confessed. "Being afraid of the rain was just a cover story so you wouldn't know the real reason why."

"Oh, Henry..." gasped Edward. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. We all have our off days."

"But... some people at the railway board want to send me away because of my shy steaming," said Henry. "I don't know what to do, Edward."

"Just do whatever you can," said Edward encouragingly. "So long as you work hard and do your best, the railway board can't fault you for it. And if they do, they are just rude for the sake of it."

"I... guess you're right," said Henry.

"And I've got your back, Henry," Edward comforted. "Remember that."

"Thanks, Edward," Henry said quietly. It felt good to know that he had at least one engine on his side.

"You're almost to the station, you two!" called Sir Topham Hatt from one of the coaches as he stuck his head out of the window. But at this point, Edward and Henry were going really fast, and the wind didn't help.

"Aah!" cried Sir Topham as his hat flew off of his head. The hat landed in a field close to a goat munching on some grass nearby.

"Nooooo!" cried Sir Topham as he saw the goat begin to eat his hat.

"Well, that's one happy little goat," chuckled Henry. Edward couldn't hold back his laughter either.

"Look at him trotting around the field," giggled Edward. "He looks so proud of himself."

Henry and Edward finally pulled into Vicarstown station. They lost a bit of time, but the passengers were very grateful. Sir Topham Hatt came to speak to the two engines.

"Well done, both of you," smiled Sir Topham Hatt. "You both worked very well together."

"Thank you, sir," said Edward. "It's good to finally have Henry back in service."

"Indeed it is," said Sir Topham Hatt, turning to the dirty green engine. "Henry," he said, "you've done so well, you can have a new coat of paint."

"Oh, thank you, sir!" he cried happily.

"I'd ask if you'd like to be repainted blue," continued Sir Topham Hatt, "but I think that would just lead to confusion among the passengers. North Western green seems to fit you best, Henry."

"I have to agree, sir," chuckled Henry. "We've already got two blue tender engines as is."

"That's true," said Edward. "Oh, and speaking of blue engines, Gordon needs to get fixed up!"

Back at the tunnel, the men had begun to tear down the wall. Gordon sat on the siding feeling sorry for himself.

"I should have listened to Edward in the first place..." sighed Gordon. "It was probably karma for being so rude to Henry."

"I think it was," said his driver. "There could have been more to the situation than we know." Before Gordon could ask what his driver meant, they and the fireman heard a pair of familiar whistles.

"Hello, Gordon," came Henry's voice as he and Edward came through the tunnel. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, er... not too good," Gordon admitted. "The safety valve incident didn't go down well with the passengers."

"But Henry and I did manage to get them to the station," assured Edward.

"That's good to hear," said Gordon. "Er... and, it's good to see Henry out again."

"Thanks, Gordon," smiled Henry. "Come on, let's get you to the Steamworks."

The three engines all headed over to Crovan's Gate where Skarloey was just coming in with a goods train.

"Hello, everyone," said Skarloey. "Henry, welcome back."

"Thank you, Skarloey," said Henry. "How have you and Rheneas been?"

"Pretty good," replied Skarloey. "Workload is a bit difficult with just the two of us, but we're managing."

"We know the feeling," sympathized Edward.

"We've been struggling ever since Glynn was forced into withdrawal," Henry added.

"I still can't believe that happened," sighed Skarloey. "Glynn was designed by Sir Topham Hatt himself."

"It's a crime, erasing a part of our controller's history with the railway," agreed Gordon gravely.

"He was always so friendly," said Rheneas, having just come in with some workmen coming back from mending the line. "And had a good sense of humor."

"Indeed he did," agreed Henry. "He will be missed."

"But now the question remains," said Edward, "who will take his place as the North Western Railway's number one engine?"

"That's a good question, Edward," said Gordon.

"I guess we've got a mystery on our buffers," agreed Henry. "I wonder what James will think."

But that's a story you already know, don't you?

THE END

Author's Comments

After having completed The Adventure Continues and The Adventure Carries On, I figure I'd write up this little prequel to The Adventure Begins by adapting the stories the actual special never did.

For my personal headcanon of the TV series, Thomas came to Sodor in the spring of 1979 (the year Awdry and Allcroft first met, leading to the series we know and love today), and so this takes place in the autumn of 1978. Edward being left behind in a shed took place long before the guard incident, with 98462 and 87546 (not mentioned by number) being among the engines sent away before Gordon, Henry and James showed up. And even though James claimed in The Adventure Begins that Annie and Clarabel were his coaches, it could be that, like Rock 'n' Roll stated, he was being boastful and not telling the truth.

Lastly, there's Henry's real reason for not wanting to come out of the tunnel; he's afraid the railway board may send him away, though it's also possible that there was a thunderstorm out when he was taking his train, explaining why he was scared of water in The Adventure Begins. But unlike said special, here, he's in his old shape (this also applies to the two fanmade sequels prior to his rebuild).

What will I be doing after this? Well, I have some ideas in mind regarding the Christopher Awdry stories, making an abridged season out of seasons 13-16, but rewritten completely, a prequel mini-series to The Adventure Begins focusing on Glynn as the main character, and maybe the occasional original story here and there. We'll see.