Thomas, Percy and the Post Train (magazine story)

"Hello, Lazywings. Are you too tired to fly today?" "The wind's too strong. I've been grounded." "You need rails. They work wonders, you know - always!"

- Percy and Harold

Thomas, Percy and the Post Train is a magazine story, illustrated using photographs from the television series.

Plot
At night, when the other engines are tucked away in their sheds, the faraway call of an engine's whistle and the sound of wheels turning can be heard; the sound of the post train. The trains are pulled by Thomas and Percy as the loads are too heavy for one engine to take by themselves.

One night, Percy is waiting at the junction. The main line train is late as the mail boat has been delayed. This means Percy has to make up the lost time. As he puffs along, the morning sun starts to rise. Percy is still very late.

As darkness falls, Thomas tells Percy that the man in charge of the post isn't happy and they will have to work faster tonight. Just then, Harold flies overhead and suggests that they might use him to take the mail as wings work wonders, always, though Thomas thinks this statement is rubbish. That night, everything goes like clockwork. They even have time to pick up a man who has missed his train.

The next afternoon, Percy passes the airfield and sees Harold. He asks if the helicopter is too tired to fly, but Harold replies that he's been grounded due to high winds. Percy cheekily tells him he needs rails as they work wonders, always.

Later on, the Fat Controller shows them a letter from the man who had missed his train. He thinks the engines are splendid and the Fat Controller says that the post train is the pride of the line.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Percy
 * Harold
 * Sir Topham Hatt

Trivia

 * This story is based on the third series episode of the same name.