Part 9: Support and Confidence

Previous Part: Part 8: Fightin' Them Back

Next Part: Part 10: Trap At the Garbage Dump

Thomas the Trackmaster Movie Part 9: Confidence

Sir Topham Hatt returns to Sodor when he hears of trouble on his line. Thomas gets confidence from the others that he's a really useful engine - even Spencer.

Characters: (in order of appearance)
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Howard Andrews
 * Lady Hatt
 * Thomas
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Stanley
 * Lady
 * Edward
 * Oliver
 * Rosie
 * Neville
 * Spencer
 * Gordon
 * Henry
 * James
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Bertie
 * Diesel
 * Duck
 * Daisy
 * Donald and Douglas
 * Emily
 * Molly
 * Eagle
 * Danni

Transcript
Narrator: Meanwhile, over in England, the sun was now starting to set. In a large office in King’s Cross Station, Sir Topham Hatt was sat at a table, feeling rather bored. His friend, Howard Andrews, was stood up, droning on and on about how he couldn’t persuade his engines to do their work. Sir Topham Hatt wasn’t really listening much, and just looking around the office, which had a desk with a few railway books and a telephone. The desk was in front of the far wall, which displayed a map of the region. A window the on the wall on the right showed the bustling platforms of the station. Next to the door entering the office, a hat stand stood, holding Sir Topham's top hat.

Sir Topham Hatt: {annoyed} I’ve already told you, you need to shut your steam engines in their shed.

Mr. Andrews: But, Sir Topham, my diesel engines keep breaking down.

Sir Topham Hatt: Well, then, you need to tell the steam engines that you need them.

Mr. Andrews: But they refuse. They won’t do what I say.

Sir Topham Hatt: {sighing} Well, I’ve tried explaining to you several times, but you won’t take my advice. So I don’t see the point in me trying to help you.

Mr. Andrews: No, Sir Topham! I really need you. I can’t work without you! Please!

Sir Topham Hatt: {hesitant} Okay, but you really need to tell your steam engines that you need them.

Mr. Andrews: But how can I? They won’t do what I say!

Sir Topham Hatt: You’re the controller of the railway. They should do what they’re told.

Mr. Andrews: I keep telling them that! But they don’t seem to care. They think-

Narrator: But before Mr. Andrews could continue, he was interrupted by the telephone which started ringing. He walked to his desk and picked up the receiver on the third ring, his hand trembling.

Mr. Andrews: Hello, King’s Cross Station. {Pauses for response, then takes the receiver from his ear and turns to Sir Topham Hatt.} It’s your wife.

{Sir Topham Hatt stands up, walks to Mr. Andrews, takes the receiver and holds to his ear, while Mr. Andrews sits at the table.}

Sir Topham Hatt: Hello, dear, how are you?

Lady Hatt: I’m fine Topham, but there’s something you should know, it's an emergency.

Sir Topham Hatt: What is it?

Lady Hatt: Your friend, Gerald, was involved in a serious car accident. He’s in hospital, unconscious.

Sir Topham Hatt: Never?! Is he okay?

Lady Hatt: I’ve spoken to the people at the hospital. He has a nasty wound on his head, but he will live. There’s something else too you should know. I’ve received a lot of telephone calls from the people working on the railway. There’s a lot of damage everywhere; destroyed sheds, walls, and even engines having lots of accidents.

Sir Topham Hatt: What’s causing it all?

Lady Hatt: No one knows. But I think you’d better come back to Sodor. I’ve telephoned Dryaw airfield, and they are going to send Harold to collect you from London airport.

Sir Topham Hatt: Okay, dear, I’ll be ready. See you later. {Puts down telephone.} Sorry, Howard, I’ve got to go.

Mr. Andrews: Go?! Where?

Sir Topham Hatt: Strange accidents are happening on my railway. I must investigate and stop it if I can.

Mr. Andrews: No! What about the problems on my railway! I need-

Sir Topham Hatt: I'm sorry, Howard,. You have your own problems on your railway – but I have mine too, which is a lot more serious than yours. I must go. Goodbye.

Narrator: Sir Topham Hatt disappeared out of the door to the office, but not before seizing his top hat off the hat stand and putting it on his head as he left. {cut to Steamworks} Back on Sodor, Thomas, Percy, Toby, Stanley and Lady arrived at the Steamworks. Edward, Oliver, Rosie, Neville and Spencer (who was derailed outside Knapford Station) were chatting, when they looked up in surprise to see them back with Lady.

Thomas: Hey, guys.

{The other engines are staring at Lady in silence, stunned looks on their faces.}

Edward: Thomas, this is who you went for to help us - Lady?

Lady: Yes, Edward. It's good to see you again, too.

Oliver: Thomas! Lady is the engine Diesel 10 is after! Did you forget?!

Thomas: No-oo...

Spencer: {crossly} So much for being so sure that you could find help to stop Diesel 10, Thomas! If he sees Lady, he'll destroy her within two seconds. You're just adding coal to the fire, Thomas!

Rosie: Or adding fuel to the fuel tank, since Diesel 10's a diesel.

Spencer: I really thought that you just might be able to help us Thomas! But you've let us all down, and now all the steam engines are doomed! Still, that's what happens when you send a silly little tank engine to try to save Sodor.

Lady: No, Spencer! You're wrong! Thomas won't let us down! He was so determined to save the railway! That's why he came all the way to find me! I may the engine who Diesel 10 badly wants to destroy, but that won't stop me from trying. And I don't think I'll fail either, because I have the really useful engine, who will do whatever it takes to save Sodor, by my side.

Percy: Remember what you taught everybody on Sodor,

Thomas: little engines can do big things!

Thomas: I do remember... but-

Stanley: You're so determined to prove that point that we're fighting Alfred and Diesel 10. And in all determination, you can!

{Thomas, We Love You plays.}

{song ends}

Thomas: {growing confidence} You're right!

Lady: And if you proved it several times, I believe you'll prove it again! Same I know that tonight, you'll stop Diesel 10! I believe in you, Thomas! {to others} We all believe in him, do we?

Oliver: {smiles} You may not be Great-Western like me and Duck, Thomas, but I know you'll show that big diesel what steam engines can do better.

Rosie: Yeah, I don't think size matters. You may be a small tank engine, Thomas, but you have a big heart.

Neville: You're a lot stronger than you look, Thomas. That's all the strength you need.

Edward: Do this for us, Thomas. Go ahead and show Diesel 10 that a bigger heart always defeats bigger size and strength!

Spencer: {not impressed still} Pah! You'd all say that because you're smaller than me! But I know otherwise, because like I said I'm a big silver engine who knows everything!

Thomas: Then be prepared to discover that you really don't know everything, Spencer! But don’t worry. Tonight, you’ll learn that little engines can do big things. I'll do my best to stop Diesel 10 and Alfred. But if I fail, I want to tell everybody on Sodor they are all good friends. Even you Spencer - but please don't brag about me if I fail.

Narrator: Thomas, Percy, Toby, Stanley and Lady left to find Diesel 10.

Edward: Such brave young engines, they will not let us down tonight!

Oliver, Rosie and Neville: No they won't!

Narrator: Spencer said nothing. He was in fact very worried about Thomas, fearing his journey to find Diesel 10 would be his last. But he didn't feel dignified to admit his concern to the other engines.