Thomas and the Gold-Dust Crisis.

Chapter 1

50 years after Lady's accident many things on Sodor had changed, and the number of engine's grew within the time frame. However, though his role changed, Thomas the Tank Engine and his brother, Timothy the Elderly E2 never once forgot what happened. To basically sum the plot all up, you'll be reading a story of loving tank engines, folks far apart and the very railway that brought them all together. As you know, every story, like a railway, has their heroes. As you can probably guess from the prologue and intro, the hero of this one is Thomas the Tank Engine. However on the day that this story takes place, our little blue E2 is running behind schedule. Anyway, Thomas's home, the North Western Railway is on the island of Sodor, where it is run by him and his friends. The Island is so magical and wonderous, even Mr Conductor loves to help out here, with the invitation from Sir Topham Hatt of course. Anyway, as I said earlier, Thomas was running late on this particular day, and Gordon the Big Express Engine was waiting impatiently for him at Knapford Station as Timothy the Elderly E2 was shunting nearby.

"Where is he?!" Gordon cried. "That Thomas is running late!"

"Oh cool you pistons Gordon!" Timothy remarked. "You know how busy we are during the summer."

"PAH!" Scoffed Gordon. "Easier said than done."

As Gordon looked at the clock, he began to count the seconds out aloud.

"54! 55! 56! 57! 58!"

"Who do we apprentice?!" Cried a familiar voice cheekily as he then shunted a line of express coaches behind the big blue engine. "Practicing your numbers Gordon? That's a good engine."

"I was counting how many seconds late you are, little Thomas." Gordon corrected. "Now tell. What does that sign say?"

As Gordon then gestured over to a rectangular sign that stood on the station platform, Thomas spotted something that made him snigger with cheek.

"This should be fun." He thought as he then began to read the sign out loud. "North Western Railway." He began. "Really reliable and right on time."

"PAH!" Scoffed Gordon.

"Signed, head of the railway, Sir Topham Hatt." Thomas finished.

As Gordon then was about to make his statement, Thomas smirked in a cheeky manner and began to read aloud another part that he saw.

"Please excuse any delays during repairs." The E2 read. "We're trying our best to make this a better railway."

"What?" Gordon froze. "WHAT?!! It actually says that?!"

"Yes it does you bossy blue sausage." Thomas remarked, as his brother was bursting with laughter on the A3's reaction. "It's right there at the bottom."

"Oh." Gordon grunted with embarrassment, as he then saw the bottom sign. "Well, I notice it now. But still, you weren't on time, Thomas!"

"And you're being very bossy, Gordon." Thomas replied. "Now please excuse me. I'm going to pick up Mr. Conductor today, and he will be looking after us, while our dear controller takes a much needed holiday."

"PAH!" Gordon scoffed. "If you're referring to that man who uses that golden glitter stuff to teleport, then I rather say no, for we are able to take care of ourselves."

Then right before either E2 could make a remark back, a sound of a diesel's horn filled the air as a set of wheels thundered on the rails, then to everyone's shock, a class 42 warship with a hydraulic claw on his roof zoomed into the station yards.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY YOU STEAM KETTLES!!!" He shouted as he rocketed by on the line in between Thomas and Gordon. "I GOT SOME BUSINESS TO DO HERE AND I WANT TO FINISH IT FAST!!!!!"