Thomas and Friends Fanfiction Series 4

Slow Down, Connor!

(Co-written by Transformersprimefan)

Connor and Caitlin are amongst the fastest of engines. They are streamlined and love to race along the lines from the Mainland to the Island of Sodor. 

But sometimes, they put their races before their safety. 

One winter day, with snow covering the whole of Sodor, Gordon was taking the Fat Controller to the opera on the Mainland. 

"Full steam ahead, Gordon, but be careful on the icy rails." warned the Fat Controller. 

"Yes, sir." said Gordon proudly. 

"Have fun." whistled Thomas. He was wearing his snowplough. He didn't like to wear it, but he was glad to be helping clear the lines. 

Gordon stopped at a signal, and he heard two familiar whistles. 

"Oh no." he groaned. "Not those streamlined show-offs again!" 

Connor and Caitlin stopped at the signal too. They had just raced and came in together. 

"That was fun!" whistled Connor. 

"I love skidding on the rails at this time of year." smiled Caitlin. 

"I'd take care if I were you two." huffed Gordon. "I once went too fast in the snow and I slid into a snowdrift beyond the station platform." 

"We won't let the snow and ice bother us, Gordon." said Connor confidently. 

"We know how to control our brakes." added Caitlin cheerfully. 

Gordon huffed away, doubtfully. 

Caitlin stayed on Sodor to take more visitors up to Ulfstead Castle. But Connor rode back to the Mainland to take other passengers from Sodor and pick up more further along. 

Connor loved speeding along. He crossed the Vicarstown Bridge feeling very happy and confident, barely feeling the cold at all. 

"I'm so speedy, I'm so energetic." he puffed happily to himself. 

Meanwhile, Caitlin was having trouble. As she sped towards Knapford with some returning passengers, she slid and skidded. 

(Also at the station are Toby, Percy and Henry.)

"Oh my! Oh no!" she cried. She braked but by the time she was able to stop, half of her coaches overran the platform. She had to reverse back to let out her passengers. The passengers were very cross. They moaned and complained. 

(The Teacher and her family are amongst the passengers.)

Caitlin felt foolish. 

"It would be safer if you went just a little more slowly, Caitlin." called Edward. "In the snowy weather, we all need to be extra careful on our tracks." 

"And we have to put up with silly snowploughs." pouted Thomas. 

"I guess so." said Caitlin. "I wonder if Connor is coping on the rails safely." 

She began to feel worried. 

Meanwhile, Connor rushed more and more as he reached the Mainland. He collected passengers at the end of the line. Many of them wanted to either return from a shopping trip or to visit Sodor's festive sites. 

(Reg and Edwina are amongst the passengers.) 

"All aboard now!" whistled Connor, and he sped back to Sodor. 

"Slow down!" called the stationmaster. "Temperatures are dropping fast. The tracks will be extra icy and slippery!" 

But Connor didn't hear. He was already far ahead with his coaches. 

"Wheeee!" he whistled excitedly as he journeyed along the line. 

The passengers loved the speedy ride, but Connor was heading for trouble. The stationmaster was right. The air grew colder and the rails became more icy and cold, and began to freeze over. 

Connor still used his sandbox at the bends, but he was far too confident. He was not worried, and by the time he was worried, it was too late. 

Caitlin was heading for the Vicarstown Bridge. She saw that the bridge was rising up to let an approaching ship pass through. She applied her brakes safely and stopped at the barrier. 

"Lucky Edward gave me that advice." she said to herself. 

But Connor wasn't being safe at all. Then there was trouble. 

Connor was approaching the bridge and he saw that it was rising upward, so he tried to apply his brakes, but he was now going much too fast. His sandbox was running low and there wasn't enough to slow him down. 

"Oh no! HELP!" he yelled. 

Connor broke through the barrier and slowed to a stop...with several of his front wheels teetering dangerously over the edge of the bridge. He saw the ship passing him below. 

"If I fall, I'll sink the ship! And if I don't, I'll sink into the water!" he cried. 

Then he heard a whistle. 

"Gordon!" he cried. 

Connor's Driver and Fireman flagged Gordon down with red flags, and Gordon slowed to a stop safely. He had brought the Fat Controller home from the opera. 

The Fat Controller stepped down from Gordon's coach and saw the situation. 

"To the rescue, Gordon!" he boomed in a serious voice. 

So Gordon's Driver coupled Gordon to Connor's rear coach, and Gordon started to pull. 

"Try to get yourself...back...on...track!" called Gordon as he took the strain. 

Connor tried his best, and Gordon kept his grip by dropping sand onto the rails. 

"Heave ho! I will do it!" he shouted. 

"Heave!" called the Fat Controller. 

Connor's wheels were soon back on the track, just as the ship passed and the bridge lowered back down. 

"Well done, Gordon!" cheered the Fat Controller. 

"Hooray!" whistled Caitlin and James, whom had just arrived with some trucks.  

Connor was relieved. 

Later, he apologised to the Fat Controller. 

"I should have taken more care, sir." he said meekly. 

"Yes, you should have done, Connor." said the Fat Controller. "It is always best to be safe and slow than speedy and daring in icy weather conditions." 

"I know that now, sir." said Connor. "And thank you, Gordon. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you before." 

Connor and Caitlin still like to be fast and have races, but from that day on, they were always more careful when travelling on icy tracks. 

(The End!)