Toby's Fundraiser

**Toby's Fundraiser** is the fourth story of the second set of *Between the Lines*. It was originally published on July 3rd, 2022.

## Plot

Thomas is taking children to school in Annie and Clarabel, and some of the kids are complaining about how school is boring. Annie and Clarabel insist it's important, and Thomas is to pick the children up later. However, when the time comes, the children mention the school could close down.

Thomas talks about this with the engines at Tidmouth Sheds. Edward suggests the Brandam school, but quickly shoots the idea down due to being impractical. James suggests for engines to be repainted for a best dressed engine pageant, but when Emily insists James himself get repainted, he insists he doesn't want to trade away his red paint. Henry rebukes that James was painted pink for a while, much to his embarrassment.

Regardless, Toby suggests his idea to Sir Topham Hatt, describing how Edward helped Trevor with the garden party several years ago. He agrees, and Victor and Kevin bring out some coloured paint for Toby to be repainted. Henrietta is very impressed with her engine, but though Toby doesn't think it suits him, he goes along with it anyway.

James later meets up with Toby and insults his new paintwork, but Toby suggests that others would pay more attention to him now. This makes James furious. Toby's plan was working nicely, as people took notice of him and Henrietta's banner. James' mood became even more foul as he complained to Thomas and Percy. James then crashed into paint wagons, and a child called him picasso on wheels. Toby and Henrietta joke about James' new appearance, saying it can't be him because he'd never trade his red paint for anything.

The fundraiser was a success and Toby got his regular colours back. James apologized to Toby for his rudeness, and he makes a joke about him being used for paintball practice (which everyone except James laughed at). James was touchy on paintwork for a while after that.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Edward
* Henry
* James
* Percy
* Toby
* Emily
* Victor
* Annie and Clarabel
* Henrietta
* Kevin
* Sir Charles Topham Hatt
* Mavis (mentioned)
* Trevor (mentioned)
* Charles Laxey/The Vicar of Wellsworth (mentioned)

## Voice Cast

* John Hasler as Thomas
* Keith Wickham as Edward and Henry
* Rob Rackstraw as James and Toby
* Nigel Pilkington as Percy
* Teresa Gallagher as Emily, Annie and Clarabel
* David Bedella as Victor
* Maggie Ollerenshaw as Henrietta
* Matt Wilkinson as Kevin
* Kerry Shale as Sir Charles Topham Hatt

## Trivia

* Toby's fundraising livery was inspired from his Neon variant in the *Minis* merchandise range. James' paint-splattered look was also based upon his Neon variant.
* Only the characters from CGI era of the show speak.

## Continuity

* James not wanting to be decorated foreshadows *The Great Railway Show*, in which he did not get decorated for the Best Decorated Engine Parade.
* Henry mentions James was once painted pink, a nod to the story *Paint the Railway Pink*.
* Toby mentions the time Edward helped Trevor with the garden party, a nod to *Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party*.

## Links

* DeviantArt
* Fanfiction.Net (Chapter 4)