THOMAS AND THE SWAN

Percy has the misfortune to hit a pheasant on his way to the Dairy, and is rather startled by it.  Thomas laughs at him for being scared, but soon learns to empathise when he encounters a cross swan with a broken wing on the bridge crossing the river.

(Thomas and the Swan was included as an additional story in the paperback version of the 1985 Annual)

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PERCY TO THE RESCUE
Thomas is taking the all the children from the valley to the schools Christmas party. As the Vicar is leaving the train for the party, he realises he has left his Father Christmas costume at Ffarquhar station. Can Percy bring the costume in time?
 
EDWARD CRACKS A NUT

One evening, when Edward tries to leave the station with his passenger train, he finds he cannot move. It turns out the guard’s brake-handle has seized ‘on’. If he is to meet Henry’s connection, Edward has to work very hard to get his train to the junction on time.

 

THOMAS AND THE IMPORTANT VISITOR

One winter day, an important looking man has a meeting with Mr. Kyndley. Unfortunately both the road and railway are blocked with deep snowdrifts. At Thomas’ suggestion it is Terence who comes to the rescue to clear the line for them. The important visitor gets to the meeting, and The Fat Controller is very pleased with them all.

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OLIVER GETS THE BIRD

The guard is cross one day, when Oliver starts without him blowing the whistle. Both Oliver and his driver are puzzled, as they both heard one. Everyone has a good laugh, when it turns the stationmaster’s parrot, Cocky, had learnt to mimic the sound of the guard’s whistle.

 

DONALD’S DUCK

Dilly is a duck, who lives at one of the stations on the Little Western branch line. Both Duck and Oliver become very worried when she goes missing one day and no one can find her. She returns quite unexpectedly, with a very nice surprise!

 

GALE WARNING

James teases Henry about hiding in a tunnel one windy day, but after the green engine helps prevent a nasty accident when a tree falls on the line, James agrees that it’s useful to be able to stick when you need to.

THE TWIN’S PASSING PROBLEM

On one part of Edward’s branch line, there is a single-track with a passing loop about halfway along. Usually trains are short enough to pass each other. One day, this is not the case, when Donald and Douglas both arrive from opposite directions with very long trains of china clay wagons. The signalman is amazed when the Scottish Twins come up with a clever solution to the problem.

 

THE STRAWBERRY SPECIAL

In a story that may have provided the inspiration for Toby’s Megatrain, Toby tells Thomas and Percy how, on his old line, he was worked very hard pulling fruit vans. One day, he had to deliver a whopping 48 strawberry vans. Low on water, he had to leave the vans at a station, and get his tanks refilled before he could make it home. After going back, he managed to deliver all the strawberries safely.

JAMES’ REST CURE

James is grumbling that he has too much shunting to do and doesn't go out of the yard as much as he used to. But one day, he and Edward decide to swap jobs. After a very difficult journey to the Harbour with some stone trucks, James soon realises that he much prefers to stay in the yard!

BERTIE SAVES THE DAY

Bertie is looking forward to taking the Naturalists’ society on a picnic, and is very upset when he becomes ill and cannot take them anywhere. Bertie’s friend Algy has to take them on the excursion instead. Algy’s engine causes trouble all day, and finally packs in when it is time to go home. Luckily, Bertie is mended in time and is able to rescue the stranded passengers.

 

WHISTLE TROUBLE

Sir Handle is grumbling about being overworked again. Over the next few days, Sir Handel bounces about so much that he shakes the bolt holding the top part of his cab loose. Even though he was hoping for a rest, it turns out he has to pull his train anyway.

 

UNHAPPY LANDING

Thomas thinks jumping out of aeroplanes is silly, but he still comes to the rescue when a parachutist lands in the river.