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Introduction1 words
Stepney Gets Lost1,407 words
A New Blue Engine1,570 words
Better Late than Never1,006 words
The Crovan's Gate Club2,393 words
Thomas, Percy, and the Coal1,024 words
Haunted Henry1,329 words
Thomas and the Rumours1,176 words
Peace and Quiet1,216 words
Double Teething Troubles1,299 words
Rheneas and the Rollercoaster1,321 words
Rusty and the Boulder1,449 words
The Fastest Red Engine on Sodor1,444 words
Cranky Bugs1,107 words
Henry Spots Trouble1,535 words
Thomas gets it Wrong1,195 words
The World's Strongest Engine1,239 words
Busy Going Backwards1,266 words
Percy's Chocolate Crunch1,227 words
Thomas and the Jet Engine1,180 words
The VIP1,708 words
The Old Bridge1,210 words
Bulgy Rides Again1,185 words
Lady and the Magic Lamp1,042 words
Drip Tank1,008 words
No Help at All1,685 words
The Other Number One1,085 words
Twin Trouble1,109 words
Thomas and the Wonky Whistle1,212 words
Gordon takes a Tumble1,206 words
Duncan the Humbug1,588 words
Signals Crossed1,200 words
Fish!1,242 words
Thomas' Christmas Party1,161 words
The Last Goodbye2,378 words
Credits249 words

Thomas and the Rumours

Thomas and Twilight love working the Ffarquhar branch line. The scenery along the way, and the people they meet, help to make it the loveliest part of the Island of Sodor- in Thomas' opinion, at least! Of course, the fact they provide a vital service along the line and connect otherwise isolated communities helps greatly, and many people in the towns along the way know Thomas as a personal friend.

One Friday morning, Thomas came to a stop at Hackenbeck station to pick up some children for school. Hackenbeck didn't have a secondary school, so the children went to the one in Knapford instead. Instead of looking happy, most of them looked miserable.

"What's wrong?" Thomas asked. "Why are you all so glum?"

"I thought schoolkids were usually happy on Fridays!" Twilight added.

One of the children, Twist, spoke up. "They've clothed our favourite playground in the town, and they've remothed the thandpit too! The counthil thay that the thand is too dirty to play in."

Pipsqueak perked up. "Twilight, I know you and Thomas are on good terms with Sir Toppham Hatt. Please, do help us!"

Thomas looked concerned. One thing he hated was his friends being sad. "Sir Toppham Hatt is very prominent on the island," he said, "and if we can get him to apply pressure, we'll have that sandpit open again in no time. I'll see what Twilight and I can do."

He set off once they had boarded, and sure enough, they passed the playground that sat next to the line. Upon it was a large notice that read PLAYGROUND CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

"That really is bad!" Twilight said. "If they have nowhere to play outside, they'll stay indoors all day and play games, or read fanfiction!"

Oh dear, it looks like Twilight is breaking the 4th wall too. META JOKES EQUALS NOT FUNNY!

Thomas dropped off Annie and Clarabel in the sidings after the children had gotten off. He then proceeded to Tidmouth sheds, where the other engines were being readied for service. He was just about to speak up about the children when suddenly Percy rushed in, looking glum. Pinkie looked glum too; her hair was hanging in long strands rather than curly and puffed up.

"What's the matter, Percy?" asked Gordon. "You look miserable."

"I see your powers of observation have not left you," James said, sarcastically.

"Sir Toppham Hatt said he's using Harold to show the island off to a special visitor, rather than using any of the engines!" Percy exclaimed.

"And if he goes about by helicopter, whoever will he get to visit Sugarcube Corner and try the triple chocolate fudge cake?" Pinkie added.

"Or Carousel Boutique?" Rarity added. "Oh, THIS IS TERRIBLE!"

The engines were equally shocked. "Disgraceful!" exclaimed Gordon.

"Disgusting!" put in James.

"Despicable!" finished Henry.

"This has to be a joke!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "There's no way Sir Toppham Hatt thinks that a helicopter is the best way to look around the island! At least we can keep running in high winds!"

"We shall have to keep an eye out," Rarity added. "We must do something, after all. But what must we do?"

The engines and their drivers all murmured to one another, but no plan was reached.

Later that day, Gordon was working the Gravy Train, the Friday luncheon service that ran from Tidmouth to Vicarstown and return. Suddenly, Harold buzzed over him, flying far too low to be safe.

"Watch it!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "You nearly clipped Gordon's cab!"

"That silly whirlybird thinks he can go faster than me," Gordon growled. "I'll show him. I'll show him indeed."

Later, Henry saw Harold, and was equally annoyed. "He's only doing that because he thinks he's more important than I am!" he said. "He, for one, cannot fly down tunnels! This isn't Mission Impossible!" And he vanished into a tunnel whilst Harold ominously hovered outside the tunnel portal.

Even later, Percy came to a stop at Ellsbridge passing loop whilst waiting for Toby to bring the goods down from Ffarquhar quarry. Harold was hovering nearby, over a field of sheep. Then, just as suddenly, he flew away into the distance.

"Ahh!" Percy said, "That's what Harold is up to!"

"Making giant cakes?" Pinkie asked. "His rotors would be amazing for mixing cupcake batter!"

"No, silly! Counting sheep!"

"Oh. I'm always silly!"

That evening, the engines and their drivers discussed the situation, and it did not bode well.

"Harold," said Gordon grimly, "is trying to replace us and run a fast helicopter service across the island."

"He divebombed us!" Rainbow Dash added.

"He doesn't need tunnels to go under hills, he just goes over them," Henry added.

"There's nothing to be worried about!" Percy said. "He's only counting sheep, after all."

"Do you really think that Sir Toppham Hatt would hire a helicopter to count sheep?" Rarity asked. "The waste of aviation fuel would be terrible!"

"He's counting how many engines he can replace!" Gordon said. "Tomorrow, he'll see how useful and fast we are."

Thomas wanted to mention the playground, but they had to solve the mystery of Harold first.

The next morning, Gordon was on a positioning move from Knapford to Crovan's Gate to collect some coaches that had just been refurbished. As they thundered along the line, Harold buzzed overhead ominously.

Rainbow Dash glanced up, and shook her fist at the helicopter. "Time to show that silly chopper what we can do!" she shouted. Unfortunately, she had not been reading the signals carefully, as Gordon suddenly lurched off the mainline and onto an old stub that led to a tunnel.

"This isn't the right way!" Gordon shouted. "Brakes! Brakes!"

Rainbow Dash slammed on the brakes and shut the regulator, but it was too little, too late. Gordon's driving wheels locked, and he skidded into the tunnel and collided with something. That something was blown out of the tunnel by the force of the impact, and lay everywhere.

Later on, Thomas pulled Gordon out with the aid of the breakdown train. Sir Toppham Hatt was there as well, and he was not happy as he lay into Rainbow Dash for about half an hour. Thomas had no clue he could shout so loudly. Shaken, he spoke up. "Will Gordon be scrapped sir?"

"What?" Sir Toppham Hatt asked, confused. "What gives you that impression?"

"We and the other drivers and engines," Twilight started, "have been seeing Harold all over the place, and think that Harold is here to replace us!"

Sir Toppham Hatt laughed. "Well, they're wrong. You shouldn't listen to rumours, either of you. The reason Harold was being used was to find a new location for the children's playground, as it was easier to do so up in the air."

"And," said the inspector, "this tunnel sand will be perfect for the playground. Found by accident and rumour, you might say."

Harold is still often hired from his base for aerial survey work, and the engines know now that Harold isn't spying on them. Indeed, he is being really useful.

Author's Note:

This episode is another strange one. Interestingly, it was based on an old magazine story (Rumours and Speculation from Issue 42, written by Andrew Brenner). Interestingly, Brenner would frequently refer back to old magazine stories during his time as the showrunner.

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