Thomas the Tank Engine

The Rev. W. Awdry wrote the first volume of the famous Thomas the Tank Engine stories in 1945. Since then these delightful stories about Thomas and his friends have become children's classic. Thomas and the other engines are always getting into mischief, but at the end of the day, they are all Really Useful Engines.

One day Thomas was at the junction, when Gordon shuffled in with some trucks. "Poof!" remarked Thomas, "what a funny smell." "Can you smell a smell?" "I can't smell a smell," said Annie and Clabel. "A funny, musty sort of smell," said Thomas. "No one noticed it till you did," grunted Gordon. "It must be yours." "Annie! Clabel! Do you know what I think it is?" whispered Thomas loudly.　"It's ditchwater!" (Down the Mine)

The Home signal showed "clear", and James began to go faster. He started to climb the hill. "I'll do it! I'll dot it!" he puffed confidently. Half-way up he was not so sure! "I must do it! I must do it!" he panted desperately, but try as he would, his wheels slipped on the leaves, and he couldn't pull the train at all. (Leaves)

Gordon lay in the ditch all day. " Oh dear!" he thought, " I shall never get out." But that night they brought floodlights; then with powerful jackes they lifted Gordon and made a road of sleepers under his wheels to keep him from the mud. Strong wire ropes were fastened to his back end, and James and Henry, puling hard, at last managed to bring him to the rails. Late that night Gordon crawled home as a sadder and wiser engine! (Off the Rails)

The Fat Controller told the Queen their names and she talked to each engine. Then she turned to go. Percy bubbled over, "Three cheers for the Queen!" he called. "Peeeep! Peeeep! Peeeep!" whistled all the engines. The Fat Controller held his ears, but the Queen, smiling, waved to the engines till she passed the gate. The next day the queen spoke specially to Thomas, who fetched her coaches, and to Edwards and Gordon who took her away; and no engines felt prouder than Thomas, and Edward, and Gordon the Big Engine. (Paint Pots and Queens)

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