The Afternoon Tea Express (magazine story)

"The visitors will have to wait a long time for their tea if Stephen is doing the job!"

- Spencer

The Afternoon Tea Express is a magazine story illustrated using images from the CGI television series.

Plot
One day, the Earl asks Stephen to do a special job. He instructs the old engine to collect scones from the bakery and cream from the dairy for the castle's afternoon teas. Spencer scoffs and says that the passengers will have a long wait for Stephen to pick everything up. Stephen is determined to prove Spencer wrong.

Stephen collects the scones and the cream and heads back towards the castle. He thinks he is going very fast, but soon he hears a voice behind him telling him to hurry up. The voice belongs to Gordon who is becoming more and more impatient. He approaches Stephen and pushes him. With Gordon pushing from behind, Stephen is soon going faster than he has ever gone before. Stephen feels cross with Gordon until he reaches the castle and the Earl congratulates him for his quick journey. Stephen does not tell the Earl about Gordon's push.

After that, whenever Stephen picks up the scones and the cream, he asks another engine for a push. As a result, Stephen always gets the scones and cream to the castle on time.

One day, Stephen has a special delivery of jam and cannot find any engine to give him a push. Stephen has no choice but to tell Spencer what he had been doing and asks him for a push. Spencer pushes Stephen much faster than any other engine. Stephen is going so fast that he is unable to stop and he crashes into the buffers at the castle. Jam splatters everywhere and Stephen feels terrible.

Stephen has an idea to put things right. He tells his passengers to hop aboard while he goes to get more jam. This way, the passengers can enjoy tea and a tour at the same time. The passengers have a great time.

Characters

 * Gordon
 * Spencer
 * Stephen
 * Sir Robert Norramby
 * Thomas
 * Emily
 * Annie
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Lady Hatt
 * One of Dowager Hatt's Friends

Trivia

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

Goofs

 * In the image which shows Stephen asking Spencer for a push, he is not pulling jam, but is pulling passengers. In the final image, the image shows Stephen pulling a train of jam, when he should be pulling passengers.