Axel Takes Charge

Axel Takes Charge is a Thomas and Friends episode idea thought up by BiggestThomasFan.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * Murdoch
 * Hank
 * Axel
 * Shane
 * Bear
 * Rocky
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * James (cameo; seen at Knapford Station)
 * Percy (cameo; seen at Knapford Station)
 * Spencer (cameo; seen passing Axel before the red engine meets Thomas)
 * Wendy the Light Blue Tender Engine (cameo; seen at the yards when Axel arrives)
 * BoCo (cameo; seen at the yards when Axel arrives)
 * Derek (cameo; seen at the yards when Axel arrives)
 * Skarloey (cameo; seen at steamworks)
 * Victor (cameo; seen at the steamworks)
 * Kevin (cameo; seen at the steamworks)

UK and AUS

 * Mark Moraghan as the Narrator
 * John Hasler as Thomas
 * Keith Wickham as Henry, Gordon and Sir Topham Hatt
 * Rufus Jones as Murdoch
 * Christopher Ragland as Hank
 * Rob Rackstraw as Axel
 * Matthew Richardson as Shane
 * Steven Kynman as Bear
 * Matt Wilkinson as Rocky

US

 * Mark Moraghan as the Narrator
 * Joseph May as Thomas
 * Kerry Shale as Henry and Gordon
 * Rufus Jones as Murdoch
 * Christopher Ragland as Hank
 * Rob Rackstraw as Axel
 * Matthew Richardson as Shane
 * Steven Kynman as Bear
 * William Hope as Rocky
 * Keith Wickham as Sir Topham Hatt

Transcript
Narrator: Shane had broken down, and had to go to the steamworks for repairs.

Shane: Sir, who's going to look after my trains while I'm being repaired?

Sir Topham Hatt: Don't worry, Shane. I've re-arranged Murdoch, Hank and Bear's schedules so they can look after your work. I'll also be bringing in another engine to help keep my railway running smoothly.

Shane: Okay, sir.

Narrator: The new engine was a red engine from Belguim. He was streamlined and very fast.

Axel: I'm here!

Sir Topham Hatt: Right on time! Engines, this is Axel. He'll be helping out while Shane is being repaired. If his performance is very good, he will join the railway. So please make him feel welcomed. Axel, I believe either Murdoch, Hank or Bear could use some help with an extra job right now. They'll let you know what they need help with.

Axel: Thank you, sir.

Murdoch: Welcome to the railway, Axel. I'm Murdoch.

Hank: I'm Hank.

Bear: And my name is Bear, like the animal.

Axel: Nice to meet you all. Is there anything I can do right now?

Murdoch: Well, I need to take Shane's passenger train in about five minutes. If you could take my morning goods train to Vicarstown, that would save us some time.

Axel: Right! I'll get started right away.

Narrator: So Axel went to the shunting yard to pick up the goods train. And soon, he was on his way to Vicarstown. As he puffed along, he met more engines.

Axel: Hi there. The name's Axel. I'm helping out on the railway.

Thomas: Nice to meet you. My name's Thomas. Are you filling in for someone?

Axel: Well, an engine named Shane broke down. So Murdoch is taking his train while I take Murdoch's train.

Thomas: I see.

Axel: (Seeing they're coming to Gordon's Hill) Race you up the hill!

Thomas: You on!

(Thomas and Axel race up the hill, and Axel makes it to the top first)

Thomas: Wow! You're very fast, Axel!

Axel: Just built for speed.

Narrator: Over the next few days, Axel proved himself to be a hard working engine. The other engines were very impressed.

Henry: Wow, Axel! You've managed to get your work done early. You're amazing!

Axel: That's all thanks to my speed.

Gordon: Even I don't get my work done early all the time and I was built for speed too.

Axel: That's one of the good things about being a streamlined engine.

Narrator: But I'm afraid to say that Axel let the praise go to his smokebox.

Axel: You know, Henry says I'm amazing, and he's right. I've a shiny coat of paint, I'm very fast and lots of people have wanted to see me.

Murdoch: Careful what you say, Axel. I've heard stories of engines on this railway that have talked like that, and soon got into trouble.

Axel: Well, I'm not like those other engines, am I?

(Axel puffs away)

Axel: Hank, why don't you let me take your coaches today? I'm sure passengers would love it if I was taking them.

Hank: No, thank you, Axel. I'm fine right now.

Axel: But I'm a very important engine. I might be the most important engine on the island.

Hank: No engine is the most important. And anyway, don't you have another job to do?

Axel: Yes, yes. I'll get right on it.

(Axel arriving at Vicarstown)

Axel: Here's the Amazing Axel! Look at that, Bear! Ten minutes early!

Bear: Axel, you really shouldn't try to be the best engine, or whatever game you're playing. You're just going to get into trouble.

Axel! Nonsense! I know what I'm doing. I finished my work early most of the time on my old railway. Gotta go now. See ya.

Bear: Oh.

Narrator: That evening, all Bear, Hank and Murdoch could talk about was Axel.

Bear: He's really starting to be arrogant.

Murdoch: And cocky.

Hank: And just annoying. But he'll learn his lesson, eventually.

Bear: I hope you're right, Hank.

Murdoch: So do I.

Narrator: The next day, Axel was getting ready for his first job of the day. He had to take some trucks to Killdane Station.

Axel: Today, I'll show those three engines how they can deliver goods trains better. (Murdoch, Hank and Bear arrive) Oh! There they are.

Bear: Axel, we really have to talk to you.

Axel: That's great, because I need to tell you three something. I'm going to tell you how you can deliver goods a lot better than you have in the past. You have to race along the line at fast you as can. Maybe you can go as fast as me if you try.

Hank: You need to stop it, Axel! You're not better than us.

Murdoch: What Hank really means is that no engine is perfect, but we're all special in our own way. You have speed, which is good.

Bear: But just because we're not fast doesn't mean you're better.

Axel: I guess we'll have to see. I must get going.

Bear: We tried.

Murdoch: Either he learns today or never.

Narrator: Later, Axel had picked up his trucks, and was heading up the main line.

Axel: Oh! There's Murdoch. I'm going to challenge him to a race. (Races up alongside Murdoch) Race to the top of the hill that's coming up!

Murdoch: Axel!

Axel: You're not racing, so I'm going to win! (Axel races up to the top of Gordon's Hill) I win! I win!

Narrator: But when Axel started to go down the other side, he realized that he was going much too fast to be safe.

Axel: Oh no! I need to slow down! (Axel brakes hard) No, no, no! (Axel and some of his trucks derail at a bend) Ow!

Murdoch: Axel! What happened?

Axel: I was going too fast, and I derailed.

Murdoch: I'll go get help, Axel. Stay there.

Axel: That's all I can do.

Murdoch: Oh! Right.

Narrator: Murdoch stopped at the nearest signal box, and told the signalman about Axel. The signalman phoned for help. And Hank was asked to take Rocky to lift Axel back onto the rails.

Rocky: Hello. You must be the new engine, Axel. My name is Rocky, and I'll lift you back onto the rails.

Axel: Thanks, Rocky. And thank you, Hank.

Bear: I've come to take your trucks, Axel.

Axel: Thank you, Bear.

Murdoch: And I'll take you to the steamworks.

Axel: Thank you, Murdoch. I owe all three of you an apology. I was just too delighted by the praise everyone was giving me. So, I'm sorry.

Hank: I forgive you, Axel.

Bear: Me two.

Murdoch: Me three.

Narrator: Sir Topham Hatt was at the steamworks when Murdoch and Axel arrived.

Sir Topham Hatt: Axel, I thought I'd let you know that Shane is repaired and will return to work.

Axel: Yes, sir.

Sir Topham Hatt: However, despite your accident today, I was impressed by your performance in the past couple days. So I've decided that you shall join my railway, as long as you can learn from your mistakes.

Axel: That's great, sir! Thank you! And I can learn from my mistake. I promise I will never show off again in future.

Sir Topham Hatt: Good!

Narrator: Not much damage was done to Axel, so his repairs were done by evening. He puffed into the Vicarstown Sheds with Hank, Shane, Murdoch and Bear.

Axel: Hello, all! Guess what? I'm going to be joining the railway. Sir Topham Hatt decided to keep me since he was impressed by my performance in the last few days. And I promised him I wouldn't show off again in future.

Shane: That's great, mate!

Bear: I'm glad you're going to be part of our railway, Axel.

Hank: We all are.

Murdoch: And we're glad you've learned your lesson, and won't show off again.

Axel: As you said, Murdoch, we're all special in our own way.