Road and Rails

"Tracks are tops!"

- Thomas

Road and Rails is a magazine story illustrated using photographs from the television series.

Plot
One day, Thomas sees Bertie at a level crossing. He boasts that rails are better than roads which makes Bertie cross and he challenges the little tank engine to a race. Thomas agrees and says that the first to the main station will be the winner.

Thomas and Bertie set off. On one stretch of road, the bus and the little tank engine are level. Then, Bertie gets stuck behind slow Trevor. Thomas tells Bertie smugly that no-one is in front of him on the rails and he speeds off. However, Bertie knows a shortcut that will be much faster than going on the rails. Bertie turns a corner, climbs a hill and crosses a bridge over the railway.

As Thomas and Bertie near the station, they are both going at the same speed. They both brake hard and arrive at the station at the same time. Bertie is happy as he's proven that roads are just as fast as rails. Thomas agrees, providing that they know all the shortcuts.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Bertie
 * Trevor
 * Annie and Clarabel

Trivia

 * Although not directly based on any episode of the television series, all of the photographs are taken from the seventh series episode, Three Cheers for Thomas.