The engines on the Island of Sodor are good at different things. Gordon is a very good Express, Twilight is good at organizing the coaches and trucks, and when Fluttershy is not shunting trucks, she very good at being the secondary back-engine. When engine have heavy loads, Fluttershy buffers up behind and helps push but Fluttershy is a small tank engine, some engines think this make her a waste of space.
One day at Knapford Station Gordon was telling the other engines about Fluttershy. “Fluttershy just keeps getting in the way,” Gordon sniffed, “She's just a deadbeat”.
“But she’s doesn’t make a beat when she rolls along the track,” Pinkie said.
“Deadbeat,” said Thomas, “means someone fails to meet a financial obligation or is a waste of space”.
“So she needs to stay out of our way,” said Gordon and the other big engines agreed with him. But Pinkie was very upset. Meanwhile Fluttershy was in the yard gently shunting the coaches and trucks when she heard what Gordon had said, she was so upset by it that she ran out of the yard and into the coach shed.
Later Twilight and Pinkie were shunting trucks in the yard when Twilight noticed that her friend was upset. “Hey Pinkie”, she asked, “why do you look so glum.”
Pinkie told her what Gordon had said about Fluttershy, “The other big engines don’t think she's useful enough to be here”, she said.
Twilight saw the Fat Controller and told him what Pinkie had said. “I will ascend to the matter immediately”.
The Fat Controller had a plan, he went to see Fluttershy who was quietly and slowly shunting trucks in the yard, still hurt from Gordon’s word.
“The Engines on the Arlesdale Railway have no engine to help them deliver the wool to the town across the Island,” he said, “I’ve asked my brother if I may borrow an engine and he gladly sent Fergus. So I want you to work with Fergus delivering wool around the surrounding towns and villages”.
“But sir,” she asked through sniffs, “who will look after the trucks?”
“Nia will do your work”, Sir Topham Hatt replied.
“When the other engines heard that Nia was going to help them, they were pleased.
“Nia is very kind and reliable,” said Donald.
“It makes no difference to me,” said Gordon pompously, “I don’t need a back engine,” and he wheeshed away.
The little engines on the Arlesdale Railway where getting their trucks of wool ready for Fergus and Fluttershy, Fergus was already there waiting for Fluttershy to help him. Mike had just pushed his trucks into place, when he saw Fluttershy, her eyes stung with tears and she was puffing slowly as she stop next to the little engines.
“Oh dear, Fluttershy,” Rex said as Fluttershy parked next to Bert, “What’s wrong?”
“Gordon called me a Deadbeat and waste of space,” Fluttershy sniffed sadly, “like I’m not useful anymore”.
“Big engines always think that,” Fergus said, “but though we may be small, in fact we are more useful than they are.”
“Yeah, Big engine normally look down on us,” Bert chimed in.
“Even though we are the ones on top,” Mike said, as the tiny trio of engines began to sing.
Never overlook a little engine
Little ones are really useful too
We've got trucks to pull
So make 'em extra full
I've never known a job that I couldn't do
"With a little help from me maybe!" Rex said as he buffed up behind Mike.
Never overlook a little engine
We can take you where you want to go
We may have tiny track
But we'll get you there and back
And hold on to your hats
We don't go slow
"Look out, you two!" Mike called out as their drivers' hat flew away and landing on Fergus and Fluttershy's lamp stands.
If you think that bigger's better
Then you're making a mistake
The ocean isn't wetter than a tiny little lake
A cherry might be tastier than a great big cake
And we can turn around in half the time those big guys take
Never overlook a little engine
We have set our sights upon the sky
You need a lot of puff
Being big is not enough
I've never known a job that I wouldn't try, Mike sung as he pulled some sheep.
"Ha, ha! Me neither!" Bert laughed as her pulled and elephant.
"Nor me!" Rex exclaimed as he pulled a statue of a dinosaur.
Never overlook a little engine
Like me
Like me
Like me
Like us
The group where laughing when it was time to go. “Ok Fluttershy and Fergus,” Rex called out, “off you go.”
Fluttershy and Fergus began to chuffed away still humming their little song. Fluttershy enjoyed working with Fergus, it was great for delivering woof to the stations in the beautiful countryside.
But Nia was not happy, without Fluttershy the trucks would sing their silly songs. “Nia pulling us along, Nia pulling us along, Nia pulling us along, let’s hold back,” they giggled. Nia found herself going slower and slower and slower, halfway up Gordon’s hill. Her wheels stopped all together. Nia was stuck.
“Oh dear,” she complained, “this is Gordon’s line.”
Nia’s guard phoned the signalman to warn him.
“It’s too late to switch Gordon to the middle line,” said the signalman, “You’ll have to flag him down.”
Gordon saw the guard as he approached the hill. “If I stop on this hill, I’ll never get started again,” he said crossly, and he buffered up to Nia. Gordon try to set off again, but his wheels spun and spun.
“It’s no use, we need a back engine”, said the driver, “I’ll send for Fluttershy,” Gordon was cross.
Fluttershy was nervous but very excited, she was going to be the back-engine for two trains. Fluttershy cheerfully buffered up and the strange train set off.
They chuffed gently into the station. Thomas, Percy, Twilight, Pinkie, James and Rebecca thought it was very funny to see the great and grand Gordon struck in the middle.
“Look at that”, laughed Thomas, “Fluttershy’s stronger than Gordon!”
Gordon was embarrassed. The Fat Controller spoke severely to Gordon, “You have said rude things about Fluttershy,” the Fat Controller said, “she proved today that she’s useful, reliable and very helpful”. Gordon felt very ashamed.
The next morning, Gordon apologized, “thank you for helping me Fluttershy”, puffed Gordon, “you really are a useful engine”.
“It’s okay Gordon”, Fluttershy chuffed happily, “That’s what friends are for.”
The Fat Controller’s plan had work, there was no more talk about Fluttershy being a waste of space.
It was a windy day on the Island of Sodor, trees were blown, leaves were scattered, and the Fat Controller’s hat flew away. The engines were all looking forward to the annual Sodor Flower Show. At Tidmouth Shed, had news of an important special.
“It must get to Maithwaite Station before the world-famous opera singer Alicia Botti arrives”, he boomed. Alicia Botti was coming to open the flower show. The engines were very excited, they all want to collect the special, but the Fat Controller gave the job to Pinkie.
Pinkie was delighted, but after the Fat Controller left, Gordon and James were sniffy.
“It can’t be that special”, boasted Gordon, “or the fat Controller would have sent me.”
“Or me,” added James, “a red engine would be just the thing”.
Pinkie wondered what the special could be, she steamed out of Tidmouth Shed as fast as he could.
Pinkie arrived at Brendam Docks just as Carly unloaded her special. Pinkie was disappointed to see it was a roll of carpet.
“What’s so special about a carpet?” he wheeshed gloomily.
“Maybe it’s a magic carpet”, said Salty, “I hear teller them that they can fly. Do you know any magic words?”
“You mean like ‘please’?” asked Pinkie asked hopefully.
“No Pinkie,” said Salty, “other magic words like hey presto, hocus pocus and abracadabra”.
Carly had lowered the carpet onto Pinkie’s flatbed, “It’s doesn’t look very magic,” said Pinkie sadly. But as Pinkie puffed away the carpet unrolled itself as if by magic.
Pinkie puffed as quickly as she could. He had to stop at a junction, Gordon was waiting there. When Gordon saw what Pinkie’s special was he sniffed louder than ever. “A carpet, no wonder the Fat Controller gave the job to a small engine”.
Just then the wind whistled and whirled, and the carpet flew into the air.
“Look,” Pinkie cried, “It is a magic carpet, it can fly!”
“That’s not magic,” snorted Gordon, “That’s just the wind.”
Henry passed by pulling a long train, and the carpet suddenly dropped onto one of his trucks.
“It is a magic carpet,” whaled Pinkie, “and it’s going without me”.
Pinkie chased after Henry, “Wait for me,” she cried, “please!” But Henry didn’t hear Pinkie.
Henry passed though Maron Station, James was taking on passengers. “Help!” Pinkie cried, “Henry’s got my magic carpet!”
“There’s no such thing as a magic carpet,” huffed James.
Just then, the carpet lifted off Henry’s truck, and glided onto Douglas’ tender.
“See,” cried Pinkie, “It is magic, it can fly.” Pinkie raced after Donald and Douglas.
Until finally Donald and Douglas pulled into Kellsthorpe Station. Pinkie pulled in as fast as he could, “Wait!” cried Pinkie, and the twins didn’t move, but the carpet did it flew off Douglas and landed on the tracks.
“Help!” cried Pinkie, “my magic carpet!”
Gordon was even more less impressed than before, “Still trying to make your little job seem important,” he grumbled. Then there was trouble.
Thomas and Twilight were coming, and they were on the same track as the carpet, so Pinkie, Gordon, Donald and Douglas blew their whistles as loud as they could, but Thomas and Twilight couldn’t stop in time.
“I’ll say a magic word”, cried Pinkie, “hey presto, hocus pocus, abracadabra!” But the carpet didn’t move, “Please” puffed Pinkie hopefully. Suddenly the wind whistled, and the carpet flapped, it lifted off the track and fluttered onto Pinkie’s flatbed.
“It IS magic”, gasped Gordon.
“And I’m going to be late,” puffed Pinkie. Pinkie’s driver had tied the carpet down and Pinkie steamed off as fast as she could.
Pinkie puffed into Maithwaite Station; the Fat Controller was waiting for her. Pinkie told him about the magic carpet, “It tried to get away,” she gasped, “and caused confusion and delay”.
The Fat Controller laughed, “Ho, ho, ho, there’s no such thing as a magic carpet,” he boomed, “but you Pinkie are on time and a really useful engine.” Pinkie felt very proud.
Soon the carpet was unloaded and put into place. Gordon arrived with Alicia Botti. And the Flower Show was an enormous success and even though the Fat Controller had said the carpet wasn’t magic, Pinkie and Gordon were not so sure.