Rolling Along!

"Trevor's found a Really Useful new friend!"

- Thomas

The Grocer's Engine is a magazine story.

Plot
While waiting at a level-crossing, Thomas hears a loud rumbling and sees smoke steaming from the top of a funnel in the road. He thinks it is Trevor, but is surprised to see a noisy steamroller working alongside an old loop-line. The next day, Thomas is excited to tell his friend about the steamroller, but instead finds Trevor looking sad at the Vicarage Orchard. Trevor informs him that rain has left the orchard muddy, preventing him from giving rides at the children's fête in the afternoon. Jem Cole and the Vicar try to lay a firm path for Trevor with bricks and stones, but pressing it into the earth would take too much time. Thomas then gets an idea to ask the steamroller's owner if they could help, with workmen soon arriving with the machine to press down the path. Thomas is happy to see that Trevor has made a new friend, with the steamroller even joining him at the fête to give extra rides.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Trevor
 * Jem Cole
 * The Vicar of Wellsworth
 * Sir Topham Hatt