The Little Engine!

The Little Engine! is a magazine story.

Plot
It is a very windy day and James is pulling a goods train. James is cross as the wind is pushing against him, making it hard to work. When he passes the church, James sees a strange figure spinning around on the top. His driver explains that it is a cockerel shaped weather vane that spins to show which way the wind is blowing. Back at the main station, James tells Henry, who is about to leave with passengers, about the wind blowing against him. Henry is upset and fears he will have to push himself very hard.

Sure enough, Henry's fireman has to shovel plenty of coal in to the fire to get him enough speed. As Henry approaches the church, a snap is heard and the weather vane tumbles off it's tower and is blown onto the tracks. Henry is unable to stop in time and runs right over the weather vane. Henry returns to see The Fat Controller talking to the Vicar. Henry apologises but The Fat Controller assures him it was not his fault. Engineers are soon tasked with building a new weather vane out of old metal and it is soon fitted to the church.

The next day is still windy but James is happy when he spies the Vicar's new weather vane, shaped just like a steam engine!

Characters

 * Henry
 * James
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Vicar of Wellsworth