Author's notes: Out of the Railway Series canon characterisations of Sir Handel, this one is my favourite. It's refreshing to see Sir Handel act a bit more mature for once. I can see Sir Handel step up to the plate and becoming an example to younger engines. Anyway, let's get into the story.

Sir Handel Comes Home

Narrator: A few days later, Pipsqueak, Mr. Holden and Sir Handel were given a great big welcome when they came home on Murdoch's goods train with Thunderlane. Pipsqueak and Mr Holden were in the guards van.

Murdoch: Here we are, Croven's Gate.

Sir Handel: Hey everyone!

Skarloey: Sir Handel, glad to have you home again.

Rheanes/Rusty: Welcome home.

Freddie: Thank goodness your back.

Peter Sam: We really missed you big brother.

Duke: Good to see you again Sir Handel.

Sir Handel: Thanks you guys.

Narrator: Miss Ravens and Sweetie Belle were so pleased to see Pipsqueak and Mr. Holden again, that they both ran over to each other and hugged each other warmly

Miss Ravens: Oh William!

Sweetie Belle: Oh Pipsqueak!

Miss Ravens/Sweetie Belle: We're so glad you and Sir Handel have come home.

Mr. Holden/ Pipsqueak: Believe us, it's good to be home.

Sir Handel: Same here guys.

Duncan/Scootaloo: Oh brother….

Mr. Thompson: Duncan!

Mr. Hoskins: Scootaloo!

Mr. Hoskins/ Mr. Thompson: SHUT UP!

Sir Handel: Can't wait to get onto rails again.

Thunderlane: It's a bit late for that I'm afraid.

Sir Handel: Oh! I really wanted to know what's happened here while we were gone.

Peter Sam: I got it! What if your truck is put into a siding next to us? That way, we can still exchange the news with each other.

Murdoch: Good idea Peter Sam. We'll do that.

Narrator: And so it was arranged. Murdoch stunted the truck into a siding close by so that Sir Handel could tell the others all about his adventures. Then Murdoch and Thunderlane left with the rest of the trucks.

Murdoch: See you tomorrow if we have time.

Thunderlane:Bye!

Everyone: See you later!

Sir Handel/Mr Holden/Pipsqueak: Thanks for the lift home!

Murdoch/Thunderlane: You're welcome!

Apple Bloom: So, did ya'll have fun guys?

Mr. Holden: Oh indeed we did.

Sir Handel: A real prince and princess came to see us. They rode in special train. Mr. Holden and Pipsqueak told us that they were given some books about us written by him, Miss Ravens and someone called the Thin Clergyman. I really didn't understand that.

Duke: I do! He and the Fat Clergymen were the ones who found me and they put me in book too, just like Miss Ravens and Mr. Holden did.

Pipsqueak: That's right! We all helped with the rescue too.

Duke: Correct again youngster.

Miss Ravens: Heh, I remember that day like yesterday.

Narrator: Peter Sam and Sweetie Belle were interested .

Peter Sam: So, did you get to pull the royal train?

Sir Handel: No, I didn't. I was spare engine. It poured with rain and I got soaked.

Pipsqueak: We did get to pull a special wedding train though.

Sir Handel: That's right and it was just lovely.

Babs Seed/Apple Bloom/Sweetie Belle/Miss Ravens: AWWW. How romantic….

Scootaloo/Duncan: Ugh not aga….

Mr. Hawkins: Duncan!

Mr. Roberts: Scootaloo!

Narrator: Scootaloo and Duncan kept their lips sealed after that. Mr. Holden continued from where they left off.

Mr. Holden: Well, we he had to get up real early in the morning to fetch the coaches.

Sir Handel: Heh. I never got up that early in the day before, not even on the Mid Sodor Railway from what I recall for memory. So, how was things over here then? Did I miss out on too much?

Narrator: Peter Sam, Sweetie Belle and Miss Ravens told them about their misadventures with the brambles. Sir Handel, Mr. Holden and Pipsqueak laughed.

Pipsqueak: Heheheh. Well, we had a similar adventure like that just before we came away. Care to do the honours Sir Handel?

Sir Handel: Why thank you Pipsqueak. Ahem.

(Flashback to Talyllyn Railway)

Sir Handel narrating : Well, it was a wet day and I really didn't want to go out, but Mr. Holden said we had too.

Mr. Holden: Come Sir Handel remember we're here to help Talyllyn out we don't want to disappoint the Talyllyn railway do we.

Pipsqueak: Yeah, we need to show them that we are willing to help them in any situation.

Sir Handel: Yes I suppose your right there. Alright, lets go.

Sir Handel narrating: Well, we collected our coaches and started off from Tywyn wharf station to Nant Gwernol. Luckily, the train wasn't very full and we got on alright even though it was raining.

(Sir Handel puffing through countryside.)

Sir Handel: Heheheh. Hey, this isn't bad at all.

Pipsqueak: Yeah, and this railway is very beautiful. Oh Sweetie Belle will love this place.

Mr. Holden: And so would Miss Ravens. Perhaps we can arrange for them to come up with one of the other engines.

Sir Handel narrating: So we got on very well until we stopped at Dolgoch station…

(Skarloey Railway present)

Narrator: Sir Handel paused dramatically.

Peter Sam/Sweetie Belle: (Excited) Go on! Then what happened?

Duke: Calm down young ones. Heh, carry on Sir Handel.

Sir Handel: Of course Granpuff.

(Flashback Talyllyn Railway)

Sir Handel narrator: Well, just beyond Dogloch, there was steep bit that curved. The rails were damp of course so our main goal was tackle the gradient.

Rheneas through flashback: Of course!

Sir Handel Narrating: Anyway, we had just set off, when all of a sudden, a tree which had broken from its roots seemed to have jumped out at me.

Sir Handel: MR. HOLDEN BRAKE PLEASE!

Mr. Holden: Great scot! BRAKE! BRAKE!

Sir Handel: No! No! No! No! No! (Hits tree ) OUCH! THAT HURT!

Sir Handel narrating: I tried to stop of course, but my wheels slipped on the damp rails and I ran smack into the tree. It hurt, I can tell you.

(Skarloey Railway present day)

Duke: Oh dear. It must have.

Narrator: And were there murmurs of sympathy from the others.

(Flashback, Talyllyn Railway )

Sir Handel narrator : Fortunately, I wasn't going too fast when I started and I stayed on the rails. But my funnel and smoke box got a bit dented but not too badly. The tree itself didn't exactly hit my eye, but Mr. Holden and Pipsqueak made such a fuss about it that next morning they put a bandage on the forehead section of my smokebox door and put a black patch over one eye. Everyone laughed and said I looked like a pirate.

Pipsqueak narrating: Heheheh and to keeps Sir Handel from feeling embarrassed, I got my old pirate costume from nightmare night on too.

Passengers: Hahahahaha! Look, it's a pirate engine

Sir Handel: Oh boy. Looks like my reputation has gon….

(Pipsqueak jumps out in pirate costume )

Pipsqueak: Ahoy mates! Pipsqueak the pirate at your service!

Mr. Holden: Heheheheh… That a boy Pipsqueak.

Sir Handel: Heh, thanks Pipsqueak. I owe you one.

Sir Handel narrating: We all had a good laugh about and then we got to pull something called an A.G.M which stands for Annual General Meetings. They even took a picture of me with one of my twin brothers Sir Haydn, and he's just like me and they put me in there magazine.

Pipsqueak through flashback: Indeed, Sir Handel is right. Sir Haydn came from the closed down Corris railway with Peter Sam's twin Edward Thomas, named after one of the general managers, and ironically, Sir Haydn is named after one of the previous owners as well called Sir Haydn Jones.

(End flashback)

Narrator: Sir Handel, Mr. Holden and Pipsqueak all sighed happily.

Sir Handel/Pipsqueak/Mr. Holden: Oh it was great fun.

Skarloey: Did you meet my twin Talyllyn?

Mr. Holden: He was in another part of the shed, but the other engines Douglas, Dolgoch, Sir Haydn, Edward Thomas and Midlander told me and Sir Handel that he's on the mend and will be back at work soon .

Narrator: Sir Handel closed his eyes remembering.

Sir Handel: He's lucky. He has a lovely railway. (Sigh) But all the same…

Sir Handel/Pipsqueak/Mr. Holden: It's good to be home.

Narrator: Duke smiled in the darkness.

Duke: I know what you mean…

Narrator: The little foals went back to Crovans Gate hotel with the Main 6 drivers and the engines went happily to sleep for the return of their good friend, Sir Handel.

Alright! Onto 'More About Thomas The Tank Engine'.