//------------------------------//
// Sophie and the Missing Christmas Tree 
// Story: Thomas and Friends: Christmas Adventures 
// by The Blue EM2 
//------------------------------//

It was Christmas Eve on the Isle of Purbeck, and everybody was very busy indeed. Owing to various different things that had been happening, the final rush to get everything ready for Christmas was finally underway. People were making their last minute shopping before the shops shut for the Christmas period. Trains bustled up and down the line, delivering supplies and other equipment for the citizens of the island.

And a special event that people always looked forward to was the big carol party that was always held to ring in Christmas Day. Every year on Christmas Eve, the citizens of Falmouth would gather in the town square to sing carols, and at midnight, when Christmas Day arrived, the lights on the tree would be switched on to signal the beginning of a joyful time indeed.

And this year was to be extra special indeed. Around lunchtime that day, Lady Haven stepped out onto the platform at Swanage to see Vulcan waiting for instructions. "Ah! Vulcan!" she said. "Just the engine I was looking for."

"Can I help, ma'am?" Vulcan asked.

"I have just received a message that the Christmas tree for the town square has just arrived at Wareham. I want you to collect it and bring it back to Swanage so it can be put up in preparation for tonight's festivities."

"What about these vans, though?" Vulcan asked. "They aren't going to deliver themselves!"

"I'll have Sophie take them," Lady Haven explained. "And don't worry; you'll be back well before the singing begins. If anything we're relying on your voice somewhat."

"That is true," Vulcan agreed. "We've got good Bass and Soprano lines, but we're a little weak on the top tenors. It's also a good thing we have two strong altos as well- yourself and Zipp, of course."

"Why, thank you," Lady Haven replied. "Now off you go!"

Vulcan steamed out of the platform as Sophie pulled in with a passenger train. Pipp hopped out of the cab and set about uncoupling the train. "I'm looking forward to tonight!" she said. "I always look forward to wearing my caroling outfit and singing carols."

"I bet you do," Sophie said. "So do I, as a matter of fact. Singing, that is."

"I've never really heard you sing," Pipp noted, as she made some adjustments.

"I've not had much reason to. How could I hope to compete with a voice as angelic as yours?"

Pipp was about to reply when Lady Haven walked over. "Mom! How are things?"

"Pipp, I need you and Sophie to deliver those vans. They are loaded with firewood for Norden. You will then be needed back here to assist with other duties."

Pipp knew that she still had plenty of time to get ready, and smiled. "On it!"

She was able to quickly get Sophie on the other end of the yard and had her attached to the stock in no time. After a short wait to get going owing to a restricting signal they were on their way up the valley.





About half an hour later, Sophie and Pipp were held at Corfe Castle. The signal in front of them was red, informing them that the line was blocked. But there was no sign of a train approaching. They waited and waited and waited.

"Where is that train?" Sophie asked. "We'll be stuck here all day at this rate!"

Pipp was concerned as well. "What if a train is stalled up ahead?" she asked, more as a rhetorical question than as one which should be answered.

"What if there is?" asked Sophie.

Pipp temporarily left the cab to speak to the signalman, and then returned a few minutes later. "He hasn't heard from Wareham box in quite a while," she said. "Something may have brought the telegraph wires down. He wants us to go and take a look."

"Ok," Sophie said, and they left their train behind before setting off into the distance.





Sophie was given clearance to pass through the signal at Norden by the signaller, who was also concerned about the missing train. As they climbed towards the junction, they suddenly spotted a white mass in the short cutting that ran to the junction.

"Look!" Sophie said. "There's a snowdrift up ahead."

Pipp listened closely. "And there's a voice as well! Come on! Let's help them out of there!"

Sure enough, there was a train within the snowdrift. It was none other than Vulcan, who had the tree with him. "Thanks for digging me out," he said. "I know how much this tree means to the community, and otherwise we might have frozen solid here."

Vulcan's driver nodded in solumn agreement.

Pipp nodded. "No problem. Now all we need to do is deliver you and the tree to Swanage and then get our own train to Norden and back. We're getting a bit tight for time!"





After a busy afternoon of work, the engines and their crews completed their assigned tasks, and as darkness fell most of the residents of Swanage gathered for the festivities. Even Zipp, who was not happy about being required to wear a dress.

"Come on Zipp! You look really cute in a puffy gown!" Pipp replied.

"I'm only wearing this because mom made me," Zipp grumbled. "The second this is over I'm taking it off."

"Wouldn't be cold if you took it off before you got home?"

"You know what I meant, Pipp."

As they stood below the tree after starting with the carols, there was darkness. The nearby buildings had turned their lights off, and the street lights were also switched off. They waited in anticipation for the special event.

The only lights were from candles people were holding, as would have been the case before gas light became a thing. The clock drew closer and closer to midnight.

"Where is everybody?" Zipp asked.

Suddenly, there was whistling from nearby, and Ray and Alexandra suddenly rattled in. The lights came on, and the people gathered cheered.

Lord and Lady Haven appeared a few moments later, having changed into Victorian fashions. "Apologies for the delay!" Lord Haven called. "We had a bit of an issue to deal with!"

Lady Haven spoke next as she reached the podium. "Thank you for joining us tonight, on this most festive and special of evenings," she said. "And now, I would like to introduce our special guest!"

The two girls looked over to the station and gasped. "Is that who I think it is?" asked Pipp.

Zipp looked dumbstruck. "There's no way..."

To be continued...