Thomas and the Country Race

Thomas and the Country Race is a magazine story.

Plot
There is great excitment one day on the Island of Sodor. A big cross country race is being held in Elsbridge. Thomas and Gordon watch as posters are pasted at the station and both wish they could compete. Gordon is sure he would beat Thomas anyway.

Throughout the week, Thomas sees many competitors training near his branch line. The Fat Controller then receives a phone call from a director of a mainland television studio who asks if he can film the race via the railway. The director explains that the cameraman will stand on the engine's cab and film the race as the engine steadily moves along. Since Elsbridge is on Thomas' branch line, he is chosen to be the one to take the cameraman.

On the day of the race, all is going well until, close to the finish line, Gordon pulls up next to Thomas and challenges him to their own little race. Thomas is so excited that he ends up knocking the camerman on his back and the camera points upwards to the sky. The cameraman tries calling for Thomas to stop but Thomas does not stop until the finish line. Once there, The Fat Controller crossly explains the trouble Thomas and Gordon had caused. Thomas and Gordon apologise and are glad to find out there are also cameras filming the race from on the ground.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Gordon
 * Sir Topham Hatt