\u201cDiesel told me the silliest story today while I was helping him get his trucks back in order,\u201d said Percy. He backed into the Shed next to Edward. \u201cIt was about you,\u201d Percy told him.<\/p>\n
\u201cReally?\u201d said Edward.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are you listening to Diesel about anything?\u201d scoffed Henry.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause,\u201d said Percy, \u201cDiesel lies and his stories are funny when you know that. Like today, he said that Edward told this story to him, but I know he was lying.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI should like to hear this story I told him then,\u201d said Edward.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell,\u201d began Percy. \u201cOne day, said Diesel, Edward puffed into the docks. Emily and Gordon were there already. Then The Fat Controller arrived too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018The brand new brass water wheel has just arrived on a ship from the mainland,\u2019 said The Fat Controller.\u201d Percy did a voice to sound like The Fat Controller when he was speaking. \u201c\u2018It is magnificent! It will be displayed by the Waterworks at Great Waterton. Edward, you will deliver the water wheel to Great Waterton.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEmily and Gordon were surprised, but Edward was very proud to be picked,\u201d said Percy.<\/p>\n
\u201cHumph!\u201d Gordon steamed haughtily. \u201cI<\/i> wouldn\u2019t want to pull goods anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no need to be jealous, Gordon,\u201d said Emily. \u201cIt\u2019s not as if this was a real Special.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018I\u2019ve chosen you, Edward,\u2019 The Fat Controller told them,\u201d resumed Percy loudly over them, \u201c\u2018because you are the steadiest engine. You are to take the Express line. It is the smoothest and most direct way to Great Waterton.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Gordon gasped.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy<\/i> Express line?\u201d he spluttered. \u201cWhat if the Express were to get caught behind old, slow Edward and this water wheel?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not a real story, Gordon,\u201d said Emily, rolling her eyes. \u201cEdward didn\u2019t really<\/i> take his Special on the Express line.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou won\u2019t have to worry about that anyway,\u201d said Percy cheekily. He went back to telling the story before Gordon could ask why. \u201cSo Cranky lowered the water wheel onto Edward\u2019s flatbed. It had a shiny – and sharp – brass rim that shone in the sun. Everyone oohed and ahhed at the magnificent water wheel.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018Edward the Steady is at the ready!\u2019 said Edward.\u201d The entire Shed burst into laughter. \u201cThat was my favorite part!\u201d grinned Percy.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou didn\u2019t really<\/i> say that, did you, Edward?\u201d cackled James.<\/p>\n
\u201cI must have,\u201d chortled Edward, \u201cif it\u2019s in the story.\u201d Once the laughter died down, Percy went on.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd very slowly, Edward pushed his special Special out of the docks. Edward puffed up to the junction for the Express line. Thomas was waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat was I waiting for?\u201d asked Thomas.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d said Percy. \u201cDiesel didn\u2019t say. What he did say was that you said \u2018Bust my buffers, Edward! That\u2019s a very special Special!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Thomas looked miffed about his small and unimportant role in the story. Percy took no notice and continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cEdward was very happy. He looked ahead. If he took the Express line, he couldn\u2019t stop for people to admire his magnificent water wheel, but if he took the other track, he could stop at stations and bridges and sidings. A lot of people would see his special Special.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe signal changed,\u201d said Percy ominously. \u201cEdward didn\u2019t take the Express line.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut The Fat Controller told<\/i> him to take the Express line,\u201d scoffed Henry. \u201cEdward wouldn\u2019t take a branch line if he was told to take the Express line.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that, Henry,\u201d said Percy proudly. \u201cThat\u2019s how I knew Diesel was lying.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyway,\u201d he said, \u201cEdward was having a wonderful time! He went past stations, under bridges, and past farms. Everyone cheered and waved. Edward the Steady was now Edward the Magnificent!\u201d Edward chuckled at this.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen Edward arrived at the junction.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018The track ahead is in need of repair,\u201d said the Signalman.\u201d Percy did a different voice for the Signalman. \u201cBut the track ahead led to the school. Edward wanted the school children to see him so he chuffed on towards the broken track.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat doesn\u2019t sound like Edward at all, Percy\u201d argued Henry. \u201cHe would never disregard a Signalman\u2019s warning.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that, Henry,\u201d said Percy again. He persisted in telling the story. \u201cThe track was very bumpy and jumpy. The shiny and sharp brass edge of the water wheel started to cut into the ropes, but Edward didn\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no way Edward didn\u2019t know,\u201d interrupted Henry again. \u201cHe always minds his freight.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know<\/i>,\u201d insisted Percy. He scowled at Henry and forged on with Diesel\u2019s story.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the school, children cheered and waved. Edward wasn’t looking at the red signal coming up.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018Flatten my fender!\u2019 said Edward as he saw it at the last second-\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEdward wouldn\u2019t have missed a signal,\u201d Henry cut in again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI KNOW!\u201d snapped Percy. Henry stood quiet. When he was sure Henry wouldn\u2019t interrupt again, Percy continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cEdward applied his brakes but too late! The shiny brass edge of the water wheel cut even deeper through the ropes. Edward knew now his long journey had made him late. Then he had an idea.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will chuff up Gordon’s Hill<\/i>, Edward thought. It’s the fastest way to Great Waterton, <\/i>and the other engines on the hill will all see my Special!<\/i>”<\/p>\n
\u201cBut wouldn\u2019t Gordon\u2019s Hill be in the other direction from Great Waterton?\u201d asked Emily. \u201cIf he made it to the Main Line from Brendam Bay at least, shouldn\u2019t he be past it already?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is Diesel\u2019s story,\u201d Percy reminded her. \u201cMaybe he doesn\u2019t know Edward\u2019s line very well.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018Edward huffed and chuffed up Gordon\u2019s Hill. Oliver and Arthur passed him coming down. They both thought his Special was magnificent.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWait,\u201d interrupted Emily. \u201cOliver and Arthur? What were those two doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d said Percy impatiently. \u201cThis is Diesel\u2019s<\/i> made-up story. You should ask him that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEdward huffed and puffed up the hill. At last, he reached the top. But the edges of the water wheel were cutting deeper and deeper into the ropes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen there was trouble! With a final jolt, the ropes broke! The magnificent water wheel rolled off Edward’s flatbed and down Gordon\u2019s Hill.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018Fizzling fireboxes,\u2019 said Edward.<\/p>\n
\u201cWas that what you actually said?\u201d smirked James.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething like that, I\u2019d imagine,\u201d said Edward. \u201cIt would definitely begin with an F.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGordon was further down the hill,\u201d said Percy, pausing for effect, \u201cwith flatbeds of scrap iron. The water wheel rolled down the hill and bounced onto Gordon’s flatbed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cScrap iron!\u201d cried Gordon. \u201cScrap iron!<\/i>\u201d Everyone laughed at Gordon\u2019s real indignation over fictitious freight.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow Edward’s magnificent water wheel was on its way to the smelters! Edward had to get to the smelter’s yard before Gordon. Edward puffed and Edward panted along every shortcut he knew. No one saw Edward pass and no one stopped to wave. That no longer mattered to Edward. He had to save his magnificent water wheel from the smelters.<\/p>\n
\u201cGordon puffed slowly into the smelter’s yard-\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI do not<\/i> puff slowly,\u201d complained Gordon.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou do,\u201d teased Emily, \u201cif you\u2019re pulling flatbeds of scrap iron.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGordon pulled up outside the smelting shed,\u201d snickered Percy. \u201cThen, suddenly, there was Edward! Gordon was surprised. Edward the Steady had won his race against the fastest engine on Sodor.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was hardly a race if I didn\u2019t know I was racing,\u201d said Gordon crossly. \u201cAs if Old, Slow Edward could ever beat me in a fair race.\u201d The rest of the Shed glanced around at each other knowingly. Gordon scowled. \u201cWell, he couldn\u2019t!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe magnificent water wheel was once again tied down to Edward’s flatbed,\u201d said Percy. \u201cWith chains this time.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018Edward the Steady once more at the ready!\u2019\u201d Edward gave James a winning look. James cackled so hard, he looked as though he would burst a valve. Everyone else laughed right along with him.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd his wheels clickety-clacked without a cheer or a clap along the way.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe water wheel was put into place in front of the Great Waterton Water Works.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018It looks grand,\u2019 said Thomas.\u201d Thomas\u2019 face perked up with interest at the mention of his name.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018It looks magnificent,\u2019 said Edward. And Edward didn’t need anyone to tell him that this had been a very special Special,\u201d finished Percy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI should certainly hope not,\u201d said Edward.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did you do to Diesel,\u201d asked Percy, \u201cthat he made this whole story up about you being irresponsible with a Special?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had a Special today,\u201d laughed Edward, \u201cand I gave him some helpful advice about it.\u201d Everyone understood then. Diesel did not like to be given advice. Diesel thought he knew everything already.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, if everyone is finished listening to Diesel\u2019s lies,\u201d huffed Gordon grumpily, \u201cimportant<\/i> engines need to get some sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I am<\/i> tired,\u201d yawned Edward. \u201cEddie the Steady is ready for beddy.\u201d<\/p>\n
The entire Shed burst out laughing again, except for Gordon who grumbled discontentedly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cDiesel told me the silliest story today while I was helping him get his trucks back in order,\u201d said Percy. He backed into the Shed next to Edward. \u201cIt was about you,\u201d Percy told him.<\/p>\n
\u201cReally?\u201d said Edward.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are you listening to Diesel about anything?\u201d scoffed Henry.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause,\u201d said Percy, \u201cDiesel lies and his stories are funny when you know that. Like today, he said that Edward told this story to him, but I know he was lying.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI should like to hear this story I told him then,\u201d said Edward.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell,\u201d began Percy. \u201cOne day, said Diesel, Edward puffed into the docks. Emily and Gordon were there already. Then The Fat Controller arrived too.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4215,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[164,167],"tags":[156],"class_list":["post-4112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fiction","category-the-railway-series-thomas-the-tank-engine","tag-engines-in-sidings"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/djangodurango.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/djangodurango.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/djangodurango.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/djangodurango.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/djangodurango.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4112"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/djangodurango.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4112\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4501,"href":"https:\/\/djangodurango.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4112\/revisions\/4501"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/djangodurango.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4215"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/djangodurango.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/djangodurango.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/djangodurango.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}