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The prototype cover used an illustration from Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines.Awdry (1911 - 1997), without whom none of Thomas' adventures would have been told." The book is dedicated to Wilbert Awdry and has the inscription, before the foreword, "In memory of the Rev.He unveils the Thin Clergyman's bust and proudly declares, "There will never be anything like the Fat Controller's Railway anywhere". At Tidmouth station, out of Pip and Emma's coaches steps Prince Charles. Soon Pip and Emma, who were stranded on the Mainland, are cleared as the first train to travel through the repaired tunnel. At Ffarquhar Sheds, Percy tells Toby that the Thin Clergyman is "broken" until Thomas explains what a bust actually is. Meanwhile however, all trains have to stop at Crovan's Gate whilst Bertie and his friends bring the passengers to and from the Mainland. He collects the bust safely and has just gone through Henry's Tunnel on his return journey when the tunnel collapses, cutting off Sodor from the Mainland. Henry and the Scottish Twins are sent to repair the tunnel. James is chosen to go and collect the bust of the Thin Clergyman from the Mainland. The engines are preparing to celebrate the centenary of the Thin Clergyman. Gordon is awarded the Queen's Fire Service Medal for his bravery. The fire engine soon arrives, but when the firemen find the fire is already out, they praise Gordon for his quick thinking. The driver and fireman quickly get to work and soon the fire is out. Then Gordon has a wonderful idea: the hose inside his cab can be used. Gordon's crew tries to put it out, but to no avail. A tractor's load of hay bales had caught fire and the fire has begun spreading to the grassy banks. Gordon is taking a stopping train on the main line when he sees a red glow from under a bridge. The foreman angrily splashes some red paint onto Douglas' nose, which the Fat Controller leaves on his nose as a reminder to be more careful in sidings. Douglas' driver applies the brakes, but nothing happens and Douglas crashes straight through the new buffers. Three days later, James collects the final ballast train, while Douglas slides into the siding where workmen are just finishing painting the new buffers. The other engines tease Donald and tell him he should go into skating championships, but the Fat Controller does not mind, as he knows Donald could not help it.
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Nobody is harmed, but the buffers are smashed to smithereens.
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Donald moves into a siding one day, but the rails are slippery with frost, and he finds himself brought to a stop by the buffers. Thomas is congratulated for his rescue by the Fat Controller and the other engines.ĭonald and Douglas are delivering ballast hoppers from the Arlesdale Railway to Tidmouth Yard for James, who is taking the trucks to a section of the mainline undergoing track maintenance. A few days later, they set the swan free. They place the swan in Thomas' cab and take it to the top station where a vet takes it to his surgery. After looking at it, Thomas' crew realise that it is a swan, which has broken a wing. He and his crew think that it is a newspaper, until Thomas sees a head and a long neck emerge from the bundle. One day, Thomas is leaving the station by the river, when he sees something white on the bridge ahead. Pip and Emma arrive at the big station one day and the Fat Controller tells Thomas and Gordon that they will be running the express service to London. What were they? Turn the pages to find out. The Fat Controller wanted to celebrate the occasion too, and quickly made his own plans. The Awdry family is delighted to be able to mark the centenary of the Thin Clergyman's birth with the publication of this book.