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The Big Station was just as busy as usual. Passengers and porters bustled around the platforms, and engines with their trains hurried this way and that.
Thomas scurried backwards and forwards, bringing coaches to the bigger engines ready to take them out on long journeys, and then rushing to another platform to take the empty coaches away from a train that had just come in.
He pulled a line of coaches to platform 1, and sizzled impatiently as Gordon backed down huffily in front.
Hwooshing self-importantly, the big engine buffered up smoothly to the lead coach, and Thomas looked reflexively down at his own coupling.
Good, the Big Station would not be losing its pilot today.
The next few minutes passed quickly.
The passengers got in, men hustled and shouted, the porters banged the doors, and with a quick motion the guard blew his whistle and waved his green flag.
This was answered by a resounding blast from Gordon’s own whistle, and with smoke and steam billowing grandly, the train began to slowly move out from the station.
Thomas started to push. The weight of the coaches pressed against his front buffers at first, but as Gordon grew more into his stride the slack became lesser and lesser, and Thomas was already being left behind as they approached the station throat.
For a moment the stumpy tank engine felt at ease rolling smoothly over points and flying along the rails towards the open line.
He wished he could go on, but the signal box came into view all too soon.
His driver shut off steam and gently applied the brakes, and Thomas gave a disappointed sigh as he stopped just before the signals.
Gordon and his train were already speeding ahead, and were soon far in the distance, and growing smaller and smaller.
Thomas watched them enviously.
Then another train rolled passed in the opposite direction, and a curt ‘Peep’ from the engine’s whistle ordered him to follow.
Thomas pouted, and gave a bitter hiss as he started slowly back towards the station.
As he did so, he took one more wistful glance out towards the mainline. How he wished he could go out and see it.
He didn’t know how soon his chance would come.
……
Thomas the Tank Engine usually worked at the big station. But he always wanted to go out and see the world.
After taking Edward’s trucks, he had nearly had an accident going down Gordon’s Hill.
The Fat Controller had given him another chance, and he was now working at Edward’s Station.
He worked hard, busily puffing backwards and forwards around the station and goods yard, and with Edward’s help, he kept the place in good order.
Sometimes, he would also help push the big engine’s trains up the hill where Gordon had once stuck.
It was hard work, and he was still eager to leave the yards, but he knew now he wasn’t as clever as he had thought, and he wanted to learn all about trucks so he could be a Really Useful Engine .
One afternoon, Thomas was shunting as usual, when Henry came puffing into the yard with a long goods train.
The trucks clanked and banged behind him, and Henry wheezed as he brought the train to a stop.
“ Peep pip peep! ” He whistled tiredly, “Help me up the hill please!”
Thomas whistled in reply, and buffered up behind the heavy train. The guard blew his whistle, and the two engines charged at the hill.
As they gained speed, Thomas grew excited. It felt good to be out on the open line, if only for a short while.
His excitement was tempered however, once they reached the foot of the hill. Quickly, the weight on Thomas’ buffers grew, and he could hear Henry panting breathlessly out in front.
Thick black smoke poured out from both engine’s funnels, while the trucks creaked and giggled between them.
With much puffing and hissing of steam, they reached the top at last, and Thomas slowed to a stop while Henry hurried off down the line.
“Peep! Peep!” whistled Henry, “Thank you! Goodbye!”
“Peep! Peep! ” answered Thomas, and he watched the train until it was out of sight.
Thomas now stood at the top of the hill. As he waited for permission to go back down, he gazed out over the landscape below.
The Island of Sodor was laid out before him, with rolling hills covered in pleasant green farmland, and quaint little villages.
In the distance, the evening sun reflected off the sea, the last rays of daylight sparkling off the deep blue waters.
Thomas took in the picturesque scene, and sighed.
“ This is beautiful ” he whispered to himself.
The big station was far from ugly, its grand arched roof was awe inspiring in its own right. But it was a different kind of grandeur, one that made you feel small in its shadow.
Here, away from the busting yards, and the always crowded platforms, Thomas felt a deep reassurance swelling in his boiler. It was as though the whole world were welcoming him to go forth and make his place in it.
The signal dropped, and with one last marveling glance at the view, Thomas coasted back down to Edward’s Station.
……
That night, with the moon overhead, the yard was silent. There were few trains at this hour. The station would stand empty until the morning.
Thomas sat alone in the old brick engine shed. But he wasn’t alone for long.
He heard a short cheerful whistle, and Edward rolled calmly into the berth beside him.
The old engine gave a warm smile. “Hello Thomas” he puffed happily as he rolled to a stop, “Everything went well today?”
“Your station’s still in one piece if that’s what you mean” answered Thomas.
Edward chucked. “I would’ve seen if it wasn’t. Besides, I trust you with the trucks. You’ve learned a lot since you got here”.
Thomas smiled at that. “That hill isn’t any trouble for me anymore either” he puffed with no small amount of pride, “I helped Henry up it earlier today”.
“And it seems you made it back down well enough” teased Edward.
Thomas huffed, but he said nothing in reply. Normally some cheeky remark of his own would be his response, but instead he just let his pout relax into a faint smile.
These sheds were different from those at the Big Station. There, everything was loud and busy all day and night. Thomas was more than capable of handling it, he even enjoyed poking at the big engines, and letting them know he had more than enough steam to keep up with their blustering.
But he had to admit that his new surroundings were nice. It was strange not being in the middle of the constant rush of the Big Station, but it felt good.
It felt right.
“Something troubling you?” asked Edward. The old engine gave a concerned look towards his friend.
Thomas looked up. “Oh no, nothings wrong” he said slowly, “In fact, my time here has been great”.
He paused for a moment. “I’ll miss this when I go back” he said at last, and he sighed heavily.
Edward’s smile dropped ever so slightly. “Oh” he said gently, “are you due back in Vicarstown soon?”
Thomas gave a weary puff in reply.
“I know I know, the Big Station is probably a mess without me there” sighed Thomas, “Those big engines can’t shunt to save their lives”.
Edward said nothing, he gave a knowing look, and with a light flick of steam, gestured for Thomas to go on.
“But I like working here” the tank engine puffed earnestly. “It’s so much nicer not having everyone order me about all the time. I even like helping trains up the hill. It’s hard work, but the view from the top is wonderful !”
Edward chuckled, and Thomas realized he was rambling.
He took a deep breath, then continued.
“At the Big Station there’s so much going on all the time ” he sighed, “I can’t help but feel a bit lost in it all sometimes. But here, it’s still work but it… it feels more like my own somehow”.
Edward thought for a moment.
“Tell me Thomas” he said suddenly, “Would you like me to start calling this your station now?”
Thomas was shocked, “N-no Edward, I... I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for you to think I want to replace you here, It’s-”
But Edward’s smile only grew.
“It’s ok” he soothed. Then he laughed. “What I mean is, would you like to stay here?”
Thomas perked up, “I… Yes I would!”
“And you wouldn’t grow bored of it and try to wander off down the line?”
“No, of course not!”
Edward raised an eyebrow. “ Really? ”
“Yes I…” Thomas hesitated. Towards the far end of the yard the light glow from a signal stared back at him. It was green, the open line stretching out beyond it.
He remembered the view from the hill.
“Well… Maybe I would want to go out sometimes ," he said reluctantly. “Though I guess It would just cause more trouble if I did”.
“Well maybe not,” said Edward.
Thomas raised an eyebrow.
“You have responsibilities that shouldn’t be forgotten,” explained Edward, “but that doesn’t mean you should stop wanting to see the world”.
He paused for a moment, then continued.
“My driver tells me a change can be as good as a rest. It seems to have done you a great deal of good. But I think what you need now is a place you can truly call your own. The world is big and exciting, but you can hardly take it all in without first knowing of home”.
Thomas stared at Edward. He looked puzzled. “What are you talking about Edward?” he asked, “I know where my home is, it’s the Big Station. It’s where my shed is, and it’s where I usually work”.
“True” said Edward, “But home should be somewhere you look forward to going back to”.
Thomas still looked a bit muddled, so Edward went on. “I’ll just ask plain and simple, do you want to go back to the Big Station?”
Thomas just blinked at him. He thought for a moment.
Then, with a heavy puff, he answered, “No, I don’t”.
The sheds grew silent for a moment, save for the low simmering of steam as Thomas, lost in thought, looked somberly down at his buffers.
Edward gave a reassuring smile. “Think of it this way” he said gently, “You now know that where you were is not where you want to return to. So then where do you want to go next?”
Thomas looked up. He thought for a moment longer. “I don’t know,” he said.
Edward chuckled, “I don’t think anyone ever does. Not really”. Then he added, “Knowing you though, you’ll find a way to get there soon enough”.
A small grin returned to Thomas’ face. “Wherever there is,” he said with a laugh.
The two engines looked out across the yard.
The moon sat high in the sky, and save for a few trucks snoring in some dimly lit siding, the night was peaceful and quiet.
“Why don’t we get some rest” Edward sighed. “You’ve more work tomorrow, and I’ll need to leave early for Vicarstown. We've got a new engine coming, and The Fat Director wants me there to greet them”.
Thomas gave a quiet murmur in agreement. He looked once more out towards the main line, and smiled.
“Goodnight Edward,” he said. Then with a tired yawn, he closed his eyes.
Edward smiled. He looked up at the night sky one more time, and soon he too was fast asleep.