Thomas and Friends: The Retold Adventures

by The Blue EM2


Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady

Sir Handel and Gallus, in the eyes of Mr Percival at least, had been poorly behaved, so had been confined to the shed for several days, at least until their attitude improved. This meant that Peter Sam and Silverstream were busier than ever, having to do Sir Handel and Gallus' work in addition to their own. However, efforts had been made to help them settle in on the railway, which included repainting Peter Sam into the line's house livery of red and blue. The two of them made a perfect pair, as Peter Sam was excitable, and Silverstream was, shall we say, hyperactive. In fact, in terms of sheer energy she gave Pinkie Pie a run for her money, and that took some doing, I must say.

"Anybody would think he wanted to work," Sir Handel said sarcastically from his shed road, as Peter Sam rolled into the yard with some trucks. The blue engine (or rather, soon not to be blue engine as he was due to be repainted) was incredibly bored, with nothing to do at all.

"All respectable engines do," replied Skarloey with his trademark Welsh lilt. "Now mark my words, Peter Sam and Silverstream. Keep calm and carry on, and you'll do well. Very well indeed."

"Isn't that the phrase I see on those old mugs?" Ocellus asked, as she continued polishing Skarloey.

"Yes, it is," Gallus said, sitting around the yard. "Seriously, do you ever do anything other than polish Skarloey?"

"Well, he's not running, so I can't exactly drive him, can I?" Ocellus asked, rolling her eyes as she did so.

Anyway, Peter Sam and Silverstream were so excited they were in no state to listen at all, and set off for the yard to collect some coaches. Peter Sam rolled onto them gently, coming to a precise stop as the couplers engaged. Silverstream hooked the coaches up gently, and away they went.

"He's ever so gentle," said the coaches. "He's so much nicer than that Sir Handel. He just bumps us and calls us names, but this engine treats us properly."

"Thank you!" Peter Sam replied, as they steamed up the line toward the station by the lake Skarloey (or lake Lake). The faster he wanted to go, the longer the journey seemed to take up the line, especially between the stations as the line ahead seemed to stretch out into infinity, going on forever in front of him.

When he finally got back that evening, Henry and Fluttershy sat in the platform with their train to Knapford. This train was already late, with people loudly tutting and checking their watches, and the passengers from the narrow gauge line scrambled out of the coaches and ran over to the mainline train.

Henry sighed loudly. "This simply won't do I'm afraid, you two," he complained. "These people all have places to be, and things to do, and trains to catch to places far away. This is the train the railwaymen call-"

"Henry, that's the wrong episode!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, as Percy rolled past on a goods train.

"What?" Fluttershy asked, very confused.

"Ignore her," Henry replied. "This simply won't do, and I can't afford to be kept waiting. If you are late tomorrow night, I shall leave without you, and then your passengers will be in a mess!" And with that, he blew steam and snorted away into the distance, his train visible for several minutes, and the noise of his exhaust beat audible for several minutes on top of that.

Peter Sam snorted. "Pah! He wouldn't do that, would he?"

But Silverstream was not so convinced. "What if he does?" she asked, quivering. "That would be terrible. It would be the worst. Possible. THING!"

Peter Sam sighed. "You sound like James' driver." And away he went with the coaches, back to the yard. But in truth, he was a little worried.



The next day, Peter Sam picked up his passengers as he always did. The guard blew his whistle and waved his green flag, and they set off down the line. As they rolled along, Peter Sam sang a song, the red saddle tank keeping up his cheerful melody to raise his spirits.

"I'm Peter Sam, I'm running this line, I'm Peter Sam, I'm running this line!"

"Surely it should be 'We're Peter Sam and Silverstream, we're running this line, We're Peter Sam and Silverstream, we're running this line'?" Silverstream asked.

"Silver, that doesn't scan," Peter Sam replied. "I'd need to come up with a completely different melody in order for that to fit." But he soon forgot all about it as he steamed along the side of the lack, past the forest. "Oh, how wonderful it all is," he smiled to himself. On the way, he passed over the bridge over troubled water. Sorry, he passed over the bridge that crossed the falls of Rheneas, or the falls of falls. The coaches were in high spirits too, as they were fond of the pair who took them up and down the line.

Every afternoon, the narrow gauge trains have to wait for an hour at Lakeside, waiting for the boats to come back in from their trips across to the other side. There, near the station, is a little teashop called Sugarcube Corner. They serve tea and cakes there for the passengers and holidaymakers, and it is run by a delightful woman called, aptly enough, Mrs Cake. However, this is simply her nickname. Her real name is Clara Carlton, but everybody refers to her as Mrs Cake due to her skill in producing confectionary. Her husband, a Mr Cake, or Charles Carlton, runs the station buffet at Crovan's Gate, and both are instantly recognisable and valued members of the local community. Drivers enjoy buying her wares, and Silverstream did so this very afternoon.

But soon the waiting was over, and Peter Sam whistled loudly. "Peep peep! Get in quickly please!" He was worried about missing Henry's train, and the potential repurcussions that could bring for not only the passengers, but for him as well.

Then, it happened. According to the Guard, Peter Sam was too impatient, but Peter Sam claims that he heard a whistle and saw a green flag, a story backed up by Silverstream. Either way, he set off down the line, leaving Mrs Cake stranded on the platform.

"Oh no!" Mrs Cake cried. "How will I get home now?"

The coaches were aware of this too. "Stop! Stop!" they cried. "You've left Mrs Cake behind!"

Silverstream slammed the brakes on and brought the train to a stop. "Oops," she said sheepishly, looking very silly.

"Bother," Peter Sam said. "We're sure to be late now." And they started off again, but Peter Sam rushed along the line, not taking the opportunity to sing. He flew along the track, shaking from side to side as he thundered along, his pistons pumping and his wheels revolving round at speeds never before seen. The coaches rocked back and forth, which was not a pleasant experience for anybody onboard. The train clattered into the station just in time, Henry sitting there in the platform.

"Well," the big green engine said, "at least you're on time today."

"Hooray!" Peter Sam cried. "We did it!"

"That's a relief," Silverstream sighed, as she sat back in the cab. But then Mrs Cake went to speak to the two of them, and she did not seem pleased at all.

"Why did you leave me behind?" she asked. "Don't you know there are no proper roads up to that station?"

"Sorry miss," Peter Sam replied, his face falling.

"Henry said he would leave without us if we were late!" Silverstream added, her face one of shock.

Mrs Cake laughed. "Oh, you two!" she snorted. "Henry was only teasing you! He wouldn't leave before you, as it's a guaranteed connection!"

"Well then," Peter Sam said, "I shall have a word with Henry and Fluttershy."

But Henry was nowhere to be seen, nor was his driver. Both had vanished completely.