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SeanTheHedgehog Presents

Adventures of Thomas & Friends

Episode 34: North Western Railway Training Video

Narrated by Sean Bodine

A gentleman with brown hair, brown eyes, and Rayban glasses walks onto the screen in a dark blue suit.

Sean: Welcome aboard. If you're a new engine joining Sir Topham Hatt's North Western Railway, let me be the first to say Congratulations! You've just been selected to be a member of the United Kingdom's greatest, and most well known railway.
Thomas: Can I get a branchline?
Sean: No, no, you've got a lot to learn before you can galivant carefree on a busy rail line. And it really is busy. Notice the financial status on this graph.

A giraffe is then seen walking slowly as it eats leaves from a tree.

Sean: *Clears throat* Graph! You can see that the Northwestern Railway gains plenty of money with it's safe delivery of passengers, cargo, supplies, and mail. But it didn't get there overnight, because all of the trains stop running after 9. No, the story behind this thriving railroad began from one man's dedicated hard work, and sweat. But mostly, sweat.

Chapter 1

Narrator: From humble beginnings!

A black & white video clip from the late 20's is shown as Sir Topham Hatt walks through a library.

Narrator: You may think that Sir Topham Hatt immediately became a railway expert during childhood.

Sir Topham Hatt then grabs a book on railways, and places it in his jacket, along with 20 other books related on the topic.

Narrator: And you're right.

Sir Topham Hatt then walks away with his books in his jacket.

Narrator: During World War 2, Sir Topham Hatt gained depression, and 50 pounds from overeating, but he was able to break out of his slump, and move onto a happier life when he saw an island with no railway connecting Britain's mainland. He decided to change that after building hundreds of miles of track around Sodor. And with that, his railway began serving the Sudrians, and giving them a convenient way to travel into England, and vice versa.

The song stops as we hear a baby crying.

Narrator: Sounds like a lot of-
Stranger: Hoopla!!!
Narrator: Sounds like a lot of-
Stranger: Hoopla!!!
Narrator: Sounds like a lot of-
Stranger: Hoopla!!

The camera pans to a smartly dressed man holding bootlaces.

Stranger: Hoopla!! Hoopla!!
Narrator: *Throws a stone, and knocks out the stranger* Sounds like a lot of hoopla over a well maintained railway, right? Hehe, WRONG!!!

Chapter 2

Narrator: The North Western Railway Today.

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Narrator: A good railway always has enough engines, and rolling stock, to ensure that service continues without disruptions.
James: These 7 planks are the most common on our line, and sometimes the most troublesome.
Percy: These flatcars carry heavy loads that don't fit in boxcars, or other cars.
Duck: These are Percy's favorites. Mail cars, strictly for carrying parcels of mail.
Sir Topham Hatt: And let's not forget the most important car for people like you, and me. Coaches.
Narrator: All of this maybe difficult to keep up with, but once you get out there, in a few days, you'll memorize everything like the back of your cab. But a train cannot go anywhere without a locomotive, and a well maintained, and well mannered locomotive is where you come in. Thomas will set a good example on how to behave.
Thomas: *Goes cross-eyed as he is examined*
Narrator: Mm-hmm. Poised, confident, and a smile that says hello world, I'm ready to be really useful. But for every good engine, there are some that are, not so good.
Gordon: *Waiting in the platform with the express*
Narrator: Let's see, inattentive, impatient, a glazed look in the eyes. Look closely at the, "I really wish I weren't here right now." buffer. There's a name for engines like this, but we'll call him, Gordon.
Gordon: *Offended* I'm getting a new coat of paint after this, right Sir?
Sir Topham Hatt: Sorry, can't hear you!

Chapter 3.

Narrator: Training!
Thomas: Is this the part where I get my branchline?
Narrator: No. You can't run a branchline without understanding the phrase, POET.
Thomas: Poet?
Narrator: Once you understand POET, you'll manage that branchline with ease. But what does POET mean? It's actually a secret code. Listen closely. People, on board, every, train.
Thomas: Ah! Poet!
Narrator: Looks like the number 1 engine understands Poet now. Freight may make more money, but passengers are always highest in priority. You don't want to keep them waiting. There's someone going to the ticket window. I wonder what he wants.
Passenger: I'd like to buy-

The scene pauses as Sean asks a significant question.

Narrator: Do you think he's going to buy

A: A Sofa
B: A Haircut
or C: A Ticket For A Passenger Train

Passenger: One ticket for a passenger train please.
Narrator: And just like a poet, his words are a work of art! He wants to travel from Tidmouth to Ffarquhar, which means-
Thomas: BRANCHLINE!!!! *Excitedly runs towards his branchline*
Sean: *Places a derailer in front of Thomas, and watches him fall onto his side* Slow down Kyle Larson. We still have to cover.....
Narrator: Personal Hygiene.

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Narrator: Every good engine always keeps their appearance nice, and clean. Hard work is important, but keeping engines, and rolling stock clean is also paramount. You want to make sure the public knows you take pride in what you do.
Thomas: *Stops in the washdown*
Narrator: Be sure to tell the workmen to clean inside your cab as well.
Thomas: Got it.
Narrator: And don't forget to make your paint sparkle like gold.
Thomas: *Annoyed* Got it.
Narrator: Oh, and get that grease off your wheels, and side rods.
Thomas: Got it!!

Thomas immediately gets covered in thousands of bubbles.

Narrator: Alright, let's see how you look.
Thomas: *Puffs out of the bubble shed*
Narrator: Haha, now that's sparkly. After making sure your appearance is tidy, it also helps to check your parts to see if they're in good running order. Your brakes are ready to stop you when your passengers need to get off. The whistle is ready to warn others not to be on the tracks during your approach. The throttle, and reverser can easily be adjusted to help you accelerate, or slow down.
Thomas: I think that's everything.
Narrator: Good. You are ready to start the day. Now let's see how Gordon prepares for his jobs.
Gordon: *Sleeping in Tidmouth Sheds*

Gordon immediately starts moving forward without his knowledge, and goes into a ditch.

Gordon: OOOOOOOOOOOSH!!!!!!!
Narrator: Remember, no engine wants to be a Gordon!

Interfacing The Controller

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Thomas: Hello Molly.
Molly: Hello Thomas.
Thomas: What are you doing today?
Molly: I'm taking empty 7 planks to the cement works. What are you doing?
Thomas: I'm going to talk to Sir Topham Hatt about something important.

Sir Topham Hatt is seen in Knapford Station signing papers.

Thomas: *Stops next to Sir Topham Hatt* Sir, may I get a raise?
Sir Topham Hatt: No.
Narrator: Good work Thomas!
Thomas: Can I get a branchline n-
Narrator: And now we go to the yards to watch an engine pick up his train.
Henry: *Backs into the yards*
Narrator: Gordon has to shunt Henry's train as a punishment for carelessly going into the ditch, so let's see what these two have to say.
Henry: *Scared* Who said that?!?
Narrator: Efficiency, and politeness are the keys to getting trains out of the yards, and towards their destinations on time.
Henry: *Backs up to Gordon* Gordon!! A ghost is talking to me!
Gordon: Do you want to work today, or are you going to waste time?
Henry: Duh! I'll take a duh! Duh......duuuuuuuuuuuuuuh
Gordon: COME ON!!! HURRY UP!!!
Henry: Duuuh!! What was that?!
Gordon: Henry, why don't you go be an idiot, elsewhere?!
Narrator: Ah, ah, ah Gordon. Remember what Sir Topham Hatt always says.
Sir Topham Hatt: *Turns into a puppet* The money is always right!
Henry: The ghost is right Gordon. You're a very naughty engine.
Gordon: Fine. Which train do you want me to collect for you?
Henry: I'll take the.......Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh
Gordon: *Gritting his teeth, and growling in anger*
Narrator: We'll get back to these two in a moment.

An alarm goes off: link

Narrator: Now we are going to examine what to do in a......EMERGENCY SITUATION!!!

Everything turns back to normal as Thomas waits at Vicarstown.

Song: link

Narrator: Like modern sportscars, steam engines are valuable, and expensive machines. They need lots of care, and attention to-
Diesel: *Shoots a cannon on a flatcar as he passes Thomas*
Narrator: What's this?!
Diesel: Haha!! I'm going to scrap all the steamies!!
Narrator: He's threatening to destroy you, and your friends! What are you going to do Thomas?!
Thomas: AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! *Runs away from Vicarstown, screaming in fear*
Sir Topham Hatt: Diesel!! Get rid of that dangerous weapon at once!
Diesel: No way! I'm using this to improve your railway, and replace all your steam engines with diesels!
Murdoch: *Goes over a switch, and knocks Diesel's cannon off the rails*
Diesel: I should have seen that coming.
Murdoch: *Pushing Diesel back towards the mainland*
Sir Topham Hatt: And don't come back!!
Murdoch: *Bumps Diesel, and makes him roll away at 60 miles an hour*
Diesel: AAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!
Thomas: *Running back to Vicarstown, still screaming in fear*

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Henry: Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh
Narrator: We're back in the yards, and it looks like Henry still cannot figure out what train to pull.
Gordon: *Bored, close to falling asleep*
Narrator: Psst! Gordon.
Gordon: Huh?
Narrator: Don't forget. POET.
Gordon: Henry, if I can make a suggestion, take a passenger train.
Henry: Great idea Gordon! One passenger train please.
Gordon: Great. And where will you take your passengers? DAP!!
Henry: Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh
Gordon: *Grows a neck out of his smokebox, and hits his head on the ground repeatedly*
Narrator: Hang in there Gordon. It's all part of the job. And if you do a good enough job, you'll get to run.......Your very own branchline!!!
Thomas: Yippeeee!!!!! *Happily runs on his branchline with Annie, and Clarabel*
Narrator: While not as big as the mainline, branch lines still play a vital role. Serving businesses, and communities, it allows many industries to get their products out to different areas where they can be put to use. It's also great for passenger operations, allowing people to travel to many locations as frequently as possible.
Thomas: *Pulling his coaches fast with a smile on his face*
Narrator: Yes, those branch lines sure play a vital role.

The End

This has been a SeanTheHedgehog Production from December 5, 2023.