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Branch Line Engines
Author Wilbert Awdry
Illustrator John T. Kenney
Publication date 1961-Present
Published by Edmund Ward
Egmont Publishing
Publication Order
Preceded by
The Twin Engines
Followed by
Gallant Old Engine

BranchLine Engines is the sixteenth book of the Railway Series.

Foreword[]

Dear Friends,

We never have a dull moment on our Branch Line. Thomas was silly and got into trouble, so a Diesel Rail-car called Daisy came. She caused trouble, but has now promised to be good, so The Fat Controller has kindly given her another chance.

Meanwhile, Toby chased a bull, Percy got into a predicament and...

But you must read the stories for yourselves.

The Author

Stories[]

Thomas Comes to Breakfast[]

One day, Thomas told Percy and Toby that he didn't need his driver after misunderstanding a joke he made. He discovered his mistake when a careless cleaner fiddled with his controls in the cab. The blue tank engine couldn't wheesh and couldn't stop; he just kept rolling along. He crashed into the stationmaster's house in Ffarquhar and the stationmaster was very cross. His wife was furious because Thomas had ruined the family breakfast and slammed the door so hard that the broken plaster from the ceiling fell on Thomas. After workmen laid temporary rails over the garden, Donald and Douglas pulled him out of the wreckage and back onto the tracks.

The Fat Controller was cross with Thomas and sent him straight to Crovans Gate to be mended, while he conducts a manhunt for the cleaner who created the crash on his own. In the meantime, a Diesel railcar is brought on.

Daisy[]

With the cleaner presumably fired for the crash, Thomas is at Crovans Gate to be mended. Daisy arrives to help Percy and Toby with the passenger work. Behind The Fat Controller's back, she feels she knows her place already, claiming the Ffarquhar Sheds were "smelly" plus insulting Annie and Clarabel with Henrietta for being "rubbish", resulting in them being removed from the carriage shed. At the station, she slithers in and lures the passengers onto her, but a standoff erupts when she finds she has to take a milk van with her to the dairy. After the standoff ends with the passengers complaining about the delay, Daisy has a very good time travelling on her own swerves.

Bulls Eyes[]

Daisy discards Toby for his cowcatchers and sideplates, saying that they aren't the right thing to save animals from being hurt. The Diesel Rail-car says to "toot and look them in the eye" to catch her attention, but this doesn't go well when Champion the bull unnerves Daisy when she tries to shoo him. She heads back to Dryaw after her driver, train conductor and a policeman fail to be of help. Toby comes to the rescue by wheeshing steam at Champion, forcing him back to the farmer and his men. Daisy is later taunted by some boys with sweets called "Bulls Eyes" and she gets huffy about it.

Percy's Predicament[]

The milk van is left behind by Daisy again and Percy feels cross that a female engine couldn't do what their controller says. Toby offers to take the milk and Percy to collect his stone trucks from Anopha Quarry as a change. But Percy gets uppish toward the trucks and they want revenge. A sign saying "ALL TRAINS TO STOP AND PIN DOWN BRAKES" is observed and Percy plans to stop. The Troublesome Trucks knowing their time is NOW push the small green engine down the hil, through the stone crossing and into another train of stone, smashing the Brakevan to pieces.

The Fat Controller was cross with Percy telling him he has put the Branch Line in an awkward predicament. He also has found out about Daisy's laziness saying, "MY ENGINES DO NOT TELL LIES" but also appreciates she is trying and grants her another chance. Thomas is brought back, Percy is to be mended and Daisy is firmly accepted as a member of a team.

Characters[]

Trivia[]

  • The second illustration of "Bull's Eyes" has Daisy's side having a British Railways logo of the "cycling lion".
  • Reverend Awdry told John T. Kenney that to make Thomas' accident go smoothly, he arranged it to fix the dip that was on Thomas' running plate.
  • This is the first book where James is neither seen nor mentioned since his debut.

Goofs[]

  • Donald and Douglas should receive their blue paint by now. They are still black coloured in all.
  • A nameplate is seen on Donald above his face. This was its only appearance.
  • The milk van is mysteriously coupled up to Daisy while she was arguing with the shunter, stationmaster and her crew.
  • Daisy has a British Railways logo in "Bulls Eyes", but not in "Daisy".
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