Thomas, Emily and the Snowplough
Winter was coming to the Island of Sodor. The morning ground was covered in crisp white frost. Thomas and Emily where happily chugging up and down the line. Thomas was enjoying pulling Annie and Clarabel. He thought he was doing a grand job.
But Emily had other ideas. She thought he could be doing an even grander job. So Emily decided to help Thomas by telling him what he was doing wrong. When she saw him puffing down the branch line she cried out:
"Slow down, you're going too fast and bumping your passengers!"
Later Emily saw Thomas by a bridge. He had stopped to take on water and was talking to some children. "Stop talking to the children," called Emily "you're working and they will make you late."
"I'm never late." said Thomas huffily.
"There's always a first time." said Emily cheerfully, and she puffed away.
Thomas was cross. He loved talking to children and thought Emily was being a big bossy buffers. Annie & Clarabel agreed. "I'm never going to listen to Emily ever, ever again." said Thomas. "So there!"
The next morning a sleepy Thomas had to leave Tidmouth Sheds bright and early. He was to collect some trucks from the quarry and take them to the docks. Later that morning the Fat Controller arrived with the new weather report. "There is snow on the way. You must all have your snowploughs fitted."
"Excuse me sir," said Emily, "but Thomas has already left for the quarry."
"Then you must find Thomas and tell him Sir Topham wants him to wear his snowplough."
So Emily puffed away to get her snowplough fitted. The workmen fixed Emily's snowplough on in no time at all and she set off to find Thomas. Emily was very happy. She was looking forward to telling him what to do.
Thomas was taking on water at Marthwaite Station. Emily puffed up in front of him. She blew her whistle but Thomas didn't say hello. "She just wants to boss me again." grouched Thomas.
"Thomas!" She called. "You must go and get your snowplough fitted!"
Thomas could hear what Emily was saying but pretended he couldn't. He thought he was being very clever. So Emily tooted even louder again. "You must go and get your snowplough fitted!" she cried.
"Bother snowploughs," said Thomas "and bother Emily anyway. The weather is perfectly fine." And he puffed away as fast as he could.
Thomas delivered the trucks to the quarry. Then, set off to collect the cream from the dairy. Everything was going well. But soon the clear blue sky was eaten away by dark grey clouds. "They look like snow clouds to me." said his driver. And he was right. Soon big flakes of white snow began to fall. Then, the snow gathered into drifts and covered the tracks. "Cinders and ashes!" cried Thomas as his wheels began to slip.
Snow fell all over the island. Emily cut safely through the drifts with her snowplough. "Thomas will be in trouble now!"
Emily was right. Thomas was working harder and harder but he had to go more and more slowly. "We can't go on." said his driver. Thomas pulled to a slow sad, stop by a signal box and his driver went for help. It snowed and snowed. Thomas felt very cold and twice as miserable. Then he heard the sound of an engine. Thomas was delighted until he saw who his rescuer was. It was Emily!
"I told you to go and get your snowplough." she said. "Now look what has happened!"
Thomas was still cross. "You should say sorry for bossing me about."
"I am sorry." said Emily. "Sorry you didn't listen to me!"
Emily and Thomas chuffed into Tidmouth Sheds. The Fat Controller was waiting. He did not look happy. "Emily, you must take Thomas to get his snowplough fitted at once." said the Fat controller sternly. "You must learn to listen!"
Thomas felt bad. He didn't know it was the Fat Controller who wanted him to wear his snowplough. Emily felt bad too. She didn't like seeing Thomas in trouble. "I'm sorry sir. I forgot to tell Thomas it was your idea."
"You mean I have two engines that don't listen!" boomed the Fat Controller. "Well I never! Emily, you must take Thomas to get his snowplough fitted at once!"
Soon the work was finished and Thomas was wearing his snowplough. "Thank you for owning up." said Thomas. "You are a very good friend."
"That's all right" said Emily. "You're a very good friend too. But next time if you want to stay out of trouble, just do what I say."
Even Thomas had to laugh!
