(whimsical music)
(upbeat music)
- [George] Duncan would
not stop grumbling.
He grumbled that he
wasn't polished enough.
He grumbled that
he was overworked.
Most of all, he grumbled
about the passengers.
"I'm ashamed of you,
Duncan," said Skarloey.
"Thank goodness Rheneas
is coming home soon,
"perhaps he'll teach you some
sense before it's too late."
"What has Rheneas
to do with me?"
"Rheneas saved our
railway," replied Skarloey.
"Please, tell us about
it," said Peter Sam.
"Well," began Skarloey, "it
was before you came here.
"things were bad.
"Rheneas and I had to
keep the trains running
"or our railway
would have to close."
(sad woodwind music)
"How awful," murmured Peter Sam.
"I tried hard,"
continued Skarloey,
"but my old wheels ached.
"Rheneas understood. 'It's
my turn now', he'd tell me.
"He was often short of steam,
"but he always struggled to a
station and then rested there.
"'I mustn't stop between
stations,' he'd say.
"'The passengers
wouldn't like it.'"
"Hmph," huffed Duncan.
He had stopped on a viaduct
and hadn't cared at all.
"Passengers," continued
Skarloey, "get cross
"if you stop at
the wrong places.
"Rheneas stopped at
the wrong place once,
"and this is what happened."
(flute music)
"One wet and windy afternoon
when the rails were damp,
"Rheneas was traveling
home with a full train.
"There were even
passengers in the caboose.
(foreboding music)
"It wasn't a
comfortable ride at all.
"Rheneas's wheels kept slipping,
and it was a steep climb.
"At last, his wheels
gripped the rails again.
"'The worst is over,' he
thought, 'now we're away.'
"But they weren't.
"'Ah, I've gotta
cramp!' He groaned.
"And Rheneas stopped on the
loneliest part of the line.
"His driver examined
him carefully.
"'Your valve gear has jammed.
"'We need to reach
the next station.
"'Do you think you can
still get us there?'
"'I'll try,' replied Rheneas.
"Rheneas did his best.
"'If I fail,' he
thought to himself,
"'the passengers will be cross
and the railway will close.'
"Everything blurred.
"He was really too tired to
make another turn of his wheels,
"but he did.
"And another.
(exciting music)
"Finally, tired but triumphant,
Rheneas reached the station.
"'I'm here at last!' he wheezed.
"'Thank you for getting us
home!' said the passengers.
"'We'll tell all our friends
what a fine railway this is.'
"His driver was delighted.
"'You're a gallant little
engine,' he said to Rheneas.
"'When you're rested,
we'll mend you,
"'so you'll be
ready for tomorrow.'
"and," smiled Skarloey,
"Rheneas always was
ready for tomorrow."
"Thanks for telling us about
him," whispered Duncan.
"I was wrong.
"Passengers are
important after all."
The next day, Rheneas came home.
All the engines were
there to greet him.
Edward pushed his
truck to the siding,
where he was lifted
onto his rails.
This was the signal for
a chorus of whistles
from engines large and small.
Everyone was happy, and Rheneas
was the happiest of all.
"You know," he
whispered to Skarloey,
"this helps a little
engine to feel
"that at last he has
really come home."
(upbeat music)
04x14 - Gallant Old Engine
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British series Based on The Railway Series books that follows the adventures of Thomas, an anthropomorphised blue steam locomotive on the fictional North Western Railway on the Island of Sodor, and several other friends Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, and Toby.
British series Based on The Railway Series books that follows the adventures of Thomas, an anthropomorphised blue steam locomotive on the fictional North Western Railway on the Island of Sodor, and several other friends Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, and Toby.