Authors notes: Decided to give Simmors a little bit of a role and Fluttershy do double duties on him and Edward. He may not be much of a character in the actual books, but he sure is one in our series.

Dear Rachel.

I cannot stress how thankful I am to you, Pinkie Pie, Twilight, Fluttershy Edward, Thomas and our new friend Percy for helping me, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack out of that awful back log we had in 1937. I mean seriously, Gordon and Henry had the terrible feud about being copy cats of each Since 1930 to 1931, then we had to subdue the problem by repainting Henry back to green in 1932. Gordon had to make a trip to crewe back in 1933 not only because his stupid Greseley tender couldn't fit on our turntables at Tidmouth and we had to give him a Fowler so he can fit. Then we also had to get rid of that ruddy gresley valve gear that kept jamming (sigh). But seriously, who'd ever thought that all those big engines would rebel against us. Thanks to you, Simmors, Fluttershy, Edward, Percy, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle and Thomas, things have now settled down. Thank you so much. Anyway, here's what happened.

Your friend, William James Holden, 1938.

Henry And The Elephant

Narrator: Henry and Gordon were lonely when Thomas left the yards to run his branchline. They missed him very much. They had more work to do, they couldn't wait in the shed until it was time and find the coaches at the platform. They had to fetch them themselves.

Applejack: Come on Henry. We have no time today!

Henry: (Groaning) Fine! We're going.

(Puffs out of the sheds into the yards)

Applejack: And quit your boiler achin.

Rainbow Dash: You too Gordon. Shake a 've just been overhauled to run faster.

Gordon: Ah, put a piece of coal in it will yah! I'm going, I'm going!

(Puff out of the shed into the yards)

Rainbow Dash: Hey! Don't you snap at me Gordon.

Gordon: (Groan) Alright… just don't get your feathers in a knot.

Narrator: Edward often did odd jobs with Fluttershy and so did James and Simmors with Rarity. Edward and Simmors found it to be relaxing as did James for a while. But soon, James began to grumble too.

Fluttershy: That's the way Edward you're doing great Edward.

Edward: Oh thank you Fluttershy. I couldn't have done this without you or William and Rachel.

Fluttershy: (Giggle)

Rarity: Come along James darling. We've got shunting to do.

James: Oh for Yorkshire's sake! Shunting again!?

Rarity: Look, I don't like it as much as you do James, but the work has to be done.

James: Oh Blimey! Fine! Lets just get this horrid lot shunted and out of the way.

Simmors: Calm down brother. It's not that bad.

James: Easy for you to say. (Puffs off with Rarity.)

Edward: He'll learn Simmors. I'm sure of it.

Simmors: I hope so. It is a little quiet without Rarity working with me like she did before James arrived.

Fluttershy: I could work with you for a bit.

Simmors: But what about Edward?

Fluttershy: I'll fly backwards and forwards between you.

Simmors: Gee, thanks Fluttershy. That's very kind of you.

Fluttershy: (Giggle)

Narrator: The fat controller had kindly gave Gordon and Henry new coats of paint. Gordon naturally chose blue, and Henry chose green to stop people confusing him for Gordon. But, they still grumbled as they clanked about the yard.

Henry: We get no rest!

Gordon: We get no rest!

James: We get no rest!

Narrator: But the ponies and coaches just laughed.

Coaches: Your lazy and slack!

Applejack: Your lazy and slack Henry!

Rainbow dash: Your lazy and slack Gordon!

Rarity: You're lazy and slack James!

Coach 1: I wonder if Annie and Clarabel are fairing better with Thomas on the branchline.

Coach 2: Or those other coaches with Edward and Simmors.

Narrator: All together, the engines were causing the Fat Controller a great deal of trouble. That was until a circus came. The engines soon forgot to be cross. They all wanted to shunt the colorful coaches and trucks. Gordon, Henry, and Rainbow Dash were dreadfully jealous of James and Rarity when the fat Controller told them to pull the train when the circus went away, but Rainbow Dash managed to calm down a bit.

James: Oh boy. This is the best day ever. We're going up in the world Rarity.

Rarity: Well I must say this, is quite an honour to be pulling a very popular show train.

James: Later guys. See you tomorrow.

Narrator: And they puffed away.

Gordon: (Groans) Why did it have to be James?

Henry: That's not fair.

Rainbow Dash/Applejack: Oh, put a piece of coal in it you 2.

Simmors: We should be happy for them my friends.

Fluttershy: Simmors is right. It isn't right to get jealous.

Narrator: Eventually, the engines soon forgot about the animals as they had more work to do long after James and Rarity returned from London with the circus train. One morning, the Fat Controller told Henry to take some workmen to blocked tunnel at Ballahoo.

Henry: (Groaning) Oh why is it always me and that ruddy tunnel.

William: Oh come on Henry! You know as well as I do that we need to clear the up line. We can't have up trains running on to the down line. It would be dangerous.

Henry: Hmph. It's only a tunnel.

Applejack: Oh put an apple in it. Come on Henry. Sir Topham Hatt's orders.

Henry: (Sigh) I guess.

Narrator: And he grumbled away to find two trucks and the workmen and their tools.

Henry: (Grumbling) Pushing trucks! Pushing trucks!

Applejack: Cheer up Henry. It's not that bad.

Henry: (PPFF) Say's you farm Girl.

William: Oh cry me a stinking river Henry and build me a narrow boat. Surely you can push two zippidy doodah trucks.

Henry: (Groan) Fine!

Narrator: Soon they stopped outside the tunnel mouth. They all tried to look through it but no day light shone from the other end.

Applejack: Hmm. I wonder what could be in there there Will.

William: Search me. I hope we can clear it out.

Narrator: The workmen grabbed their tools and went in. It was dark and quiet. But not for long.

?: ewaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Workmen: Oh my… LLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!RRRRRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNN FFFFFFFOOOOOORR IIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTT! HHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPP!

Narrator: Suddenly with a shout, they all ran out screaming like little girls and looking frightened… um, again, no offence to little girls that are reading this. Uh… back to the story.

Applejack: Oh good gravy! What's in there guys?

Workmen: (Panting frighten) W.w..ww.w. We went to the block…..And s.s.s. start to ddd dig. But it grunted… and moved.

Foreman: Oh rubbish!

Workmen: No it is not rubbish! It's big! And alive! And probably very cross! (beginning to cry like a sissy) And we're not going in there again and that is absolutely final!

Narrator: The foreman slapped his face in frustration.

Foreman: (Sigh) Fine you cowardly lot, I'll ride in a truck and Henry shall push it out.

Narrator: Henry wheeshed unhappily. He hated tunnels. He had been shut up in this particular tunnel once for being afraid of the rain, but this was worse. Something big and alive was inside.

Henry: I don't want go in.

William: Well neither do I Henry. But we must clear the up line.

Applejack: Come on Henry lets go. We'll just tackle this very slowly we'll be with you every wheel turn of the way.

Henry: Oh dear! Oh dear!

Narrator: William and Applejack took a deep breath.

William: Well, here goes nothing.

Narrator: William took hold of the regulator and ever so carefully eased Henry slowly into the darkness. It was pitch black inside. Henry slowly inched along the line.

Applejack: What's in this tunnel?

William: I can't tell. It's too dark to see. (chill of nervousness) I wonder if there really is something alive inside.

Applejack: Don't be so farfetched William.

William: But what if the workmen were right. If that's the case, we're in for a load of trouble.

Narrator: BUMP! With a loud clang and clashing of buffers. William quickly shut off steam and stopped the train. Then everything happened at once. One moment they were sitting still, next thing they were reversing all by themselves.

Henry: HELP! HELP! WE'RE GOING BACK! WE'RE GOING BACK!

William: GREAT SCOT!

Applejack: YAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! WHOA NELLY!

Narrator: Then coming out of the daylight came Henry, then the trucks. And last of all, pushing hard and very crossly, was a large elephant!

Applejack: Well I'll be an apples auntie, where'd that elephant come from?

Foreman: Well I never did! It's Henri! The elephant from the circus.

William: Well that solves that mystery Applejack.

Applejack: Sure does Will.

Narrator: William set the brakes hard on, a workmen telephoned for Henri's keeper and Fluttershy to calm the elephant down. The elephant came towards the men just as Fluttershy arrived just in time on Simmors with Rachel to sooth Herni's ruffled feelings.

Fluttershy: Il ya Henri, c'est bien, permettez-moi de prendre soin de votre blessure au pied, là vous allez tous mieux que c'est une bonne éléphant.

Narrator: And she put a bandage on Henri's brused foot. Soon the elephant began to calm down and licked Fluttershy lovingly.

Fluttershy: (Giggle)

William: Gee Fluttershy. I didn't know you could speak French. What did you tell him?

Fluttershy: I told him. "There there Henri, it's all right, let me just take care of your hurt foot. There you go. All better. That's a good elephant."

Applejack: Well I'll be. That's impressive Fluttershy.

Simmors: No kidding. That's a new one on me.

Rachel: Wow! I thought I was the only one of us who worked on this railway that could speak a bit of French.

Narrator: William, Rachel and the workmen gave Henri some sandwiches and cake, while Applejack brought Henri some apples. So he forgot he was cross and remembered he was hungry. Henri drank 3 buckets of water without stopping and was just about to drink another when Henry suddenly let off steam. The elephant jumped and Hooshed! Henri Squirted the water all over Henry by mistake. Poor Henry.

William: Hahahahaha! Looks like you you got an elephant bath.

Applejack: heheheheh! Oh Henry! Whatever next?

Rachel: Hahahaha! I'll have to take a note of this.

Simmors: Hehehehe! Oh dear. What a crack up.

Narrator: When the keeper of Henri came, the workmen piled into the trucks and they rode away laughing at their adventure. But Henry was furious.

Henry: An elephant pushed me! An elephant hooshed me!

Narrator: Henry was sulky all day and his coaches had a very unpleasant time, so much so that Simmors was called to take his train from the 1st station they stopped at. That night, Henry told Gordon and James about the elephant and I'm sorry to say that instead of laughing and telling him not to be so silly, they looked very sad.

Gordon: Oh you poor engine.

James: You have been badly treated.

Yep. Added myself, again. What do you think? Next is 'Tenders and Turntables'. Look out for that.