Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

Fergus Power

Fergus, the railway traction engine loves his work on the Island of Sodor, but of late, his services haven't been required. He's not sure why, and nor is his driver, but what Fergus is being used for is his secondary function of being a temporary generator. Fergus doesn't mind doing the job, but it is all he ever does now as more and more often generators are failing and Fergus is a much easier temporary replacement.
"I am not a generator!" protested Fergus to his driver.
"I know..." he replied. "But we have to do as were told..."
"But I want to work again!" shouted Fergus whose face was going red with anger.
"But you are working..." interrupted a voice. Fergus and his driver then looked round to see the Fat Controller. "Fergus..." he continued. "You are a really useful engine...but as the Island is having some financial difficulties at the moment, you have been reallocated."
"But I'm the pride of the Cement Works, Sir!" protested Fergus. "Please, put me back there..."
"I will have to think about that..." replied the Fat Controller. "But in the meantime, get back to work; the dentists have had a bad power-cut. They need you at once!" and with that, the Fat Controller left. Fergus' driver then got Fergus ready, and then he was off to be a generator once more.

"Thank goodness..." sighed Fergus as his work was done at the dentists. Their power was now back on, and the patients could have their check-ups once more.
"Thankyou Fergus..." congratulated the dentist. "Without you, I couldn't have done all these appointments. I really do thank you." Fergus smiled, but still in his mind, he didn't feel useful at all. He then set off on the line and just kept sighing as he looked along the bustling towns and villages. Children waved and said hello to him, but he didn't reply.
"Fergus, be a bit nicer please..." said his driver. "The children would like a reply."
"Why should a generator reply to the children?" replied Fergus. "Only useful engines should reply."
"But you are useful..." protested his driver. "Weren't you listening to the dentist?"
"Ofcourse I was. But I'm an engine...and that's what I want to be..." replied Fergus in a more angry tone. His driver then gave up trying to cheer Fergus up. It was no use at all. Fergus didn't feel useful at all, and his driver had to live with that. The next day, Fergus wasn't in the mood for work at all, and his driver had had enough of his recent moodiness. He then went to see the Fat Controller, but he had to wait as he was in a meeting. He sat down and stared at anything of interest in the waiting area, but he soon picked up the Newspaper.
"Oh..." he muttered to himself. "Lady Hatt won the baking competition...how interesting." The time didn't pass very quickly at all and soon enough, Fergus' driver was getting very impatient. The Fat Controller's secretary, Ms. Nellie as she was known, was getting annoyed at his impatience.
"Please calm down..." she pleaded as she was busy working out some important monetary figures.
"Oh alright..." replied Fergus' driver, but just as he was about to sit down, the Fat Controller beckoned him into his office.
"Right..." began the Fat Controller. "Is he still in a mood?"
"Yes..." replied Fergus' driver. "All he wants, and I want is to be back at the Cement Works. We miss working there..."
"I know…but our money problems have meant some engines are having to do less work." replied the Fat Controller.
"Please Sir..." pleaded Fergus' driver. The Fat Controller was just about to think through his decision when all of a sudden, a power-cut occurred. The power quickly came back on, but then the Fat Controller's phone rang. He answered immediately.
"The hospital is in complete blackout?" he said in some surprise. "You need power immediately. Right, I'm sending Fergus!" and he put down the telephone very quickly.
"What!?" cried Fergus' driver.
"There's a man having some surgery at this moment. Without the power, he may lose his life. You're going now!" replied the Fat Controller sternly. "And now means now!" Fergus' driver quickly left and when he got back to where Fergus once was, he saw him being lowered onto a loading lorry.
"Quickly!" called the lorry's driver and Fergus' driver got on board.

As the lorry raced down the roads, Fergus couldn't believe what was happening.
"Whoa!" he cried as the lorry veered quickly around corners and through bends. It was an unusual sight but the roads to the hospital were cleared and Kelly from the Pack was waiting nearby the hospital to lower Fergus next to the main power supplies. They soon arrived and Kelly began to lift Fergus up into the air. He did it as quickly as he could and before he knew it, Fergus was lowered next to the power supply. His flywheel was soon hooked up to the band keeping power at the hospital and then Fergus began to spin his flywheel. He built up speed very quickly and was bringing up the power once more.
"Come on boy!" cried Fergus' driver.
"Oomph..." cried Fergus as the spinning got even faster. As the power was back on, the surgeon carried out his work on the man and before he knew it, the operation was completed. Fergus was still whirring his wheel as quick as he could until he got the message that a mechanic had come and fixed the power for good.
"Thank goodness" cried Fergus as he slowed down. "I've never been so overworked in my life..."
"But you were a good generator..." laughed his driver.
"Hmmm..." agreed Fergus. "I was good wasn't I?"

Soon enough, Fergus spoke to the surgeon who thanked him greatly. He said the man was recovering well and that the operation was a complete success. He also mentioned that the man would send a thank you card to Fergus and his driver for their hard work. Fergus smiled greatly.
"See you are a useful generator!" said Fergus' driver.
"I am indeed..." agreed Fergus.
"Good to hear!" called a voice; it was the Fat Controller's. "Fergus, in such a situation you proved your worth as a generator...and you have made me think. I feel it will be wonderful if you returned to the Cement Works with immediate effect."
"Oh yes!" cried Fergus in delight.
"But..." interrupted the Fat Controller "You will still have to be a generator every so often. We are trying to fix the power problems, I promise!" Fergus still smiled with delight. He could now once again be the pride of the Cement Works and be happy once more, but now since the hospital situation, Fergus feels happy to be a generator, even if it becoming quite an occurrence!