Thomas & Friends Season 12 Reimagined

Heave Ho Thomas!

One day, The Fat Controller came to Tidmouth Sheds.

"A new engine is arriving on Sodor," he boomed, "I need one of you to show him around the island."

"I'll do it, Sir!" peeped Thomas.

"Very well, Thomas," said The Fat Controller, "he will be arriving at Brendam Docks in an hour. Make sure you bring him to Knapford Station for 6pm for his welcome party."

Thomas set off happily. He always looked forward to meeting new engines and he was confident he could show this new engine how things worked on Sodor.

It was busy at Brendam Docks when Thomas arrived there. A lot of visitors to the island were boarding ships to go home.

'I wonder why Sir Topham Hatt is bringing another engine to the island when there's less work to be done,' thought Thomas.

Just then, an engine Thomas had never seen before came towards him. He was a big tender engine with dark blue paint and a bright red cowcatcher on his front.

"Gordon won't be impressed," Thomas chuckled to himself.

"Howdy," said the new engine, "I'm Hank! What's your name?"

"I'm Thomas!"

"It's a pleasure meetin' you, Thomas. You must be one of the finest little engines I've ever seen!"

Thomas was indignant. He didn't like being called 'little'. He thought Hank was making fun of him.

"Er, I have jobs to get on with, Hank. The machinery on this flatbed needs to go to the packaging factory. We'll deliver that first."

Thomas buffered up to the flatbed. Hank scoffed.

"That load is way too heavy for a little engine like you, Thomas. Let Big Ol' Hank take it for you!"

"I can manage on my own, thank you," Thomas puffed, trying to hide how cross he was.

The two engines set off.

When they reached the factory, Stanley was already there. He was taking boxes from the factory to the nearby villages.

"Try rearranging the boxes in the wagon," he said to the workers, "you might fit them in more easily if you use the space better."

"Hello, Stanley," puffed Thomas, "this is the new engine, Hank."

"Hello, Thomas. And hello, Hank! It's a pleasure to meet you."

Hank whistled to Stanley and then looked at Thomas.

He said, "I hope we won't be late, Thomas. You pulled that load kinda slow."

Thomas was furious. He knew he had delivered the machinery in plenty of time. He simply told Hank, "My next job is to take a tractor from Farmer McColl's to the repair yard. Go left at the junction up ahead. I'll catch up with you."

Hank smiled and set off along the track. Thomas frowned.

"What's the matter, Thomas?" asked Stanley sympathetically.

"Hank is a big bossy boiler!" huffed Thomas, "He thinks I'm too small to do anything useful, even when I've done a job well!"

Stanley thought for a moment. Then, he puffed, "Maybe he just worries. He might want to make sure you're doing all your work properly so you don't get in trouble."

Thomas pondered this.

"Maybe you're right, Stanley. Thank you."

The two friends smiled and set off to do their next jobs.

Once Thomas had caught up to Hank and the two of them had finally arrived at the farm, Thomas introduced Hank to Farmer McColl and then asked Farmer McColl the time.

"It's about half past 12," he said.

"There you are, Hank," Thomas puffed, "I still have plenty of time to get my work done. And I went at a safe speed the whole time"

Hank didn't look convinced.

"That tractor looks very big and heavy, Thomas," he said, "I oughta take it."

'Hank knows I'm doing my work in good time and he's still trying to show me how it's done!' Thomas thought angrily, 'I shouldn't have given him the benefit of the doubt.'

Thomas had had enough of Hank telling him he was small and weak. He told Hank to buffer up to the flatbed with the tractor on it. Hank beamed.

Once Hank was coupled up to the flatbed, the two engines left for the repair yard.

An idea suddenly flew into Thomas' funnel. It was time to pay Hank out.

"We must go faster, Hank! We're going to be late! I've just remembered, it's a long journey to the repair yard!"

"Are you sure it's safe, Thomas?"

"Positive."

Hank sped up. Thomas sped up too, just enough to only be slightly behind Hank.

"Are you strugglin' to keep up, Thomas?" called a very confused Hank.

"You're the one struggling," Thomas jeered, "you're not going to get this tractor delivered before tea time!"

Hank was upset. He sped up even more.

Up ahead, there was a bend in the track. The bend was tight enough that the engines had to slow down to go around it safely.

Hank didn't see the bend until it was very close. His breaks screeched as he tried to stop. He went hurtling off the track and into the bushes. Branches crunched and Hank's flatbed clanged on the rails.

Hank's driver and fireman had jumped clear just before the crash. Thomas looked at the sorry scene in front of him.

"Thomas! You told me it was safe to go faster!" huffed Hank angrily.

Thomas chuckled and retorted, "You kept calling me 'little' and 'slow' and saying I wasn't strong enough. You deserve it."

"But Thomas," said Hank, "I only wanted to help. I wanted to make sure we were doin' a good job."

"I was doing a good job. You just didn't see it."

There was silence for a few seconds. Then, Hank spoke up again.

"I'm sorry, Thomas," he said.

Thomas wheeshed quietly. He knew they really were going to be late if he didn't get help now.

"That's alright, Hank," he huffed finally, "but you need to trust me to do my jobs properly from now on."

Hank huffed, "Alright, Thomas. I promise."

Thomas sighed and went off to fetch Rocky.

When he found him, The Fat Controller was waiting there; he had heard about the accident. Thomas knew he was in trouble but he had to help Hank before he could worry about being told off.

While Rocky was lifting Hank back onto the tracks, The Fat Controller finally spoke to Thomas.

"I understand why you did what you did, Thomas," he said sternly, "but I can't have you putting people and engines in danger and holding things up just because of your hurt feelings!" He paused for a moment. Thomas looked down in shame. "But," he said, "since you did get help, I'll still let you attend Hank's welcome party, if you promise to let me handle these things from now on."

Thomas was surprised and agreed.

For the rest of the day, Hank allowed Thomas to do his work his way. He was impressed by how strong, fast and reliable Thomas was.

The party was just beginning as the two of them pulled into Knapford Station. They had made it just in time.

"Thomas," whispered Hank, "you did a great job today. Well done."

Thomas smiled. Maybe he could have a new friend after all.