Thomas & Friends Season 12 Reimagined

Excellent Emily

Emily puffed into Brendam Docks. The Fat Controller was waiting for her.

"The recent storm has caused a great deal of damage," he said, "I need you to help with the clear-up. Your first job is to pick up Trevor from the vicarage and take him to the airport so that he can clear fallen trees away from the runway."

"Yes, Sir!" peeped Emily.

The other engines at the docks had all heard what The Fat Controller had said. They all spoke to Emily as she was getting coupled up to her flatbed.

Thomas puffed, "If you could make it out of Black Loch yesterday, you can do anything!"

"You did an amazing job there!" added Percy.

Emily smiled.

'I am amazing,' she thought, 'amazing Emily...excellent Emily!'

Oliver had overheard all of this and he was none too happy.

"You didn't make it out of there alone, you know!" he huffed.

"I still did well," retorted Emily, "well enough to do a good job here. I was made to brave storms!"

"Just don't get overconfident," Oliver said with a grave look on his face as he left to do his own work.

"Stuff and nonsense," wheeshed Emily.

...

Soon, Emily had collected Trevor from the vicarage and was on her way to the airport. Trees and telephone poles had toppled over and workmen buzzed around the island like bees.

"I know the workmen are doing their best," huffed Emily, "but I don't want to be late because I have to wait for them. We'll take a shortcut to the airport!"

"What if workmen are needed on that track and they just haven't gotten to it yet?" asked a nervous Trevor.

"I can push through!" proclaimed Emily.

The longer she puffed, the longer Emily feared she would be delayed. She was rushing to get to the airport so that she could move on to the next job. Her wheels were buffeted by the poorly maintained rails as she sped along them.

Soon, Emily had to go round a bend. She knew she had to slow down a little but even when she did, she was still going quite fast.

She rounded the bend with no difficulty only to come face to face with a huge fallen tree.

"Yikes!" cried Trevor, shutting his eyes tightly.

Emily's driver applied the brakes but it was too late. Emily crashed straight into the tree. The sounds of clanging metal and crackling sticks filled the air as she came off the track.

"Ugh!" she moaned when a tree branch tickled her face.

After a while, help reached Emily. The track was soon clear and Emily back on it. She had made herself very late.

"You were right, Trevor," she huffed, "I should have stuck to the tracks that already had workmen working on them. I'll have to go back and use one of them now just to make sure I don't crash again!"

Emily started to carefully reverse back to the junction.

As she got there and turned onto the other track, she was desperately trying to think of a way to make up for lost time. She knew going too fast was a bad idea and she knew she couldn't rely on shortcuts.

When Emily eventually reached the airport, Murdoch was there.

"Oh," he said, "Oliver told me you were headed this way. Didn't think I'd catch you before you left, though."

Emily thought back on what Oliver had said earlier. She realised that she had indeed been overconfident.

"Murdoch," she wheeshed, "I need help. I'm very late to do my next job and I don't think I can get back on schedule on my own."

Murdoch frowned and puffed, "I'd love to help but I have to take all the fallen trees away. The sawmill is using them."

Emily looked around. There were quite a few fallen trees and multiple flatbeds to carry them all.

Just as Emily was pondering what to do, The Fat Controller turned up.

"I'm disappointed that I couldn't deliver this message sooner, Emily," he said severely, "but your next job is to take workmen from Knapford Station to Abbey Station. I also need you to deliver coal to several towns and then to shunt rubbish trucks with Whiff. I doubt, however, that you can get it all done in good time after your mishap!"

Emily knew The Fat Controller was right. She looked over at Murdoch.

"If I have to go to Knapford," she puffed, "the sawmill isn't too far out of my way. If I wait for a little bit, I can take the fallen trees there..."

"Ah," said Murdoch, knowing what Emily was thinking, "I can deliver all the coal in no time if I know what towns I need to go to...if that's alright with..."

The Fat Controller smiled.

"It just might work!" he boomed.

Emily waited. She waited until The Fat Controller had given Murdoch's driver the list of towns. She waited until Trevor had moved all the trees away from the runway. She waited until the trees had been loaded onto the flatbeds. All the while, she was doing her best to stay calm.

When it was time to leave, Emily made sure to go at a sensible speed, and on tracks she knew would be clear.

After travelling for less time than she had expected, Emily reached the sawmill. She left for Knapford Station as soon as her flatbeds were uncoupled; she knew she didn't have any more time to waste.

As she raced along, she tried to remember all the tracks that appeared to have workmen working on them.

Once she was at Knapford and the workmen had all boarded her coaches, Emily was ready to make her journey. She was confident that she knew which tracks were safe.

She managed get the workmen to Abbey Station in good time. Although she still had plenty to do, Emily was already looking forward to a nice rest in the shed.

Later, as she having this rest, Oliver stopped by.

"Did you run into any trouble?" asked Oliver.

"Yes," replied Emily sheepishly. She then told Oliver all about what had happened that day.

"I'm glad things turned out alright for you," sighed Oliver with a smile.

"Me too," said Emily, "and Oliver..."

"Yes?"

"Thank you for looking out for me."

"That's alright," chuckled Oliver, "I'll look out for you again when there's a snowstorm. I love snow."

"So I've heard," grinned Emily. Oliver rolled his eyes as she began misremembering all the details of his own stories.