Edward Tries His Best

**Edward Tries His Best** is the fifth episode of the first season.

## Plot

Edward is one of the oldest engines on the Fat Controller's railway, he is painted blue with the number "2" written on the sides of his tender, he has his own branch line which runs from Wellsworth to Brendam. However, unlike the other big engines, Edward likes pulling or shunting coaches and trucks, he often works as a back engine and if an engine was stuck on a hill, especially Gordon's Hill, Edward would push from behind, it makes him really useful, but due to his old age, he isn't as strong as a lot of engines, he's also had a chance to give up a lot, but once when his crank pin broken forcing him to remove his siderods, Edward still managed to get to the station on time. Also, once when he was taking the Duke and Duchess' luggage to their summer house, he beat Spencer in a race while taking the luggage, but Edward is still very happy to be a really useful engine.

One day, Edward was working on his branch line, he puffed into Wellsworth with some coaches. He was right on time. The passengers were pleased.

"Wow Edward, you're a very nice and gentle engine." one of the passengers said.

Edward was pleased to hear this. "Thank you." he said, politely.

Then he saw Geoffrey pulling into the station with some coaches. "Good morning, Edward." Geoffrey puffed.

"Good morning, Geoffrey." Edward replied back. "I am glad to have my own branch line. I mean... what do you think I would do if the Fat Controller never gave me one?" asked the blue K2.

"I don't know." Geoffrey said, thinking. "Perhaps, working on the Main Line with the big engines."

"Probably... yes." Edward puffed. "I might be old, but I'm still useful." the old blue engine chuckled. "Once when my crank pin broke," he told Geoffrey. "I carried on moving until I got to the big station with some enthusiasts."

Geoffrey was surprised. "Wow," he gasped. "That is brave Edward."

"I know." said Edward.

"When did this happen though?" Geoffrey asked.

Edward thought. "This happened back in 1966." he said.

"Not just that. Also, once, I was to take the Duke and Duchess' luggage to their summer house and I beat Spencer in a race." Edward steamed.

"A race?!" exclaimed Geoffrey. "You beat a speedy showoff, yet you're a very old and slow engine, no offense by the way."

Edward laughed. "Well, I'd say I'm slow myself." he admitted.

"Oh, right then." Geoffrey chuckled.

"Well not just that, but a long time ago, back when there was only me, Henry and Gordon on this railway. They were all bigger than me and they would tease me a lot, but since Henry refused to come out the tunnel and Gordon burst his safety valve and I was sent to pull the express for him, I couldn't do it on my own, so the Fat Controller let Henry how out of the tunnel to help me, they stopped teasing me and they now think I'm a really useful engine. Although, there can be times where Gordon starts being rude to me still, but mostly he's still my friend." Edward chuffed.

"Nice story." replied Geoffrey, then the guard blew his whistle and it was time for Geoffrey to go. "Sorry Edward, I have to go now, I'll see you later!" and Geoffrey was off in the distance.

"See you later, Geoffrey." said Edward, then Edward's guard blew his whistle and Edward puffed away.

Edward was pasting through the Wellsworth Vicarage Orchard and he saw Trevor the Traction Engine. "Good morning, Trevor." Edward kindly greeted.

"Morning, Edward." steamed Trevor. "Very busy this morning. The orchard is in quite a mess."

"How so...?" Edward asked.

"Well it has been peaceful in the orchard lately." he said. "But it looks like the animals have come and eaten half of the apples from the trees." Trevor puffed.

"That's happened before." Edward chuffed. "All the creatures are just resting in the trees now, not trying to eat anything. Do you still get worried?" Edward asked.

Trevor sighed. "Yes I can do." he steamed.

"Sorry Trevor, I can't stop to talk, I have passengers to deliver, I'll see you later." called Edward.

"See you later Edward." Trevor called.

After Edward had finished delivering his passengers, the Fat Controller called him to Wellsworth. "Ah, Edward," he said, "I would like you to help Stepney bring holidaymakers down from the Mainland, then I would like you to take scrap to the scrap yard on your branch line, then I would like you to go and take a goods train to Vicarstown." said the Fat Controller.

"Yes sir! Right away sir!" said Edward and he chuffed away. "That's a lot of work." Edward puffed.

Edward helped Stepney bring holidaymakers from the Mainland to Sodor, they were having a great time together.

"Lots of holidaymakers." Edward puffed.

"I know, Edward there's loads." commented Stepney.

After that. Edward went to the scrapyard. "See you, Stepney." he puffed.

"See you around!" whistled Stepney.

Soon, Edward picked up the scrap from the shunting yards and set off towards Crocks Scrap Yard, he arrived there and the scrap was soon unloaded. This was the scrapyard where Edward had saved Trevor from scrap. Reg is the crane who works there.

"'Ello Edward." said Reg.

"Good morning, Reg." Edward replied. "You seem to be having fun."

"Yes, I'm always, 'avin fun, with scrap of course." he said.

"I've delivered more scrap for you anyway." puffed Edward.

Reg couldn't wait to scrap. "Oh, thank you, Edward." said Reg. "Oh, I do love a bit of the old scrunch 'n' munch!"

Edward laughed. "That must be your common catchphrase." he puffed.

"Yes, well it is sort of." oiled Reg. "

"Sorry, Reg, but I can't stop to talk, the Fat Controller has sent me to take a goods train to Vicarstown." said Edward. "I'm busy today. "See you later!" Edward whistled as he chuffed out of the scrap yard.

"Bye, Edward!" called Reg.

As Edward puffed to the docks, he saw BoCo pulling a train of cattle trucks.

"Good morning, Edward." said the BR Class 28 diesel.

"Good morning, BoCo." replied Edward. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm taking a goods train to Vicarstown." Edward explained.

"Oh, that sounds like a great job." BoCo puffed. "Anyways, I'll see you later." he said.

"Bye, BoCo." Edward whistled as he chuffed to the docks.

Soon, Edward arrived at the docks to pick up the goods train. Cranky had loaded his train.

Edward whistled to greet him. "Good morning, Cranky." Edward chuffed.

"Morning Edward!" Cranky replied back.

"Is my train ready yet?" Edward asked. "Nearly!" Cranky said sharply.

"But can you please wait, you should know I'm just stuck up here lifting and loading these shipments off these barges all day and it gets quite boring doing the same thing over and over." the dockside crane complained.

Edward sighed. "I know," he said, "But I'm sure that one day, your wish will come true."

"It'll probably won't, I can tell you that!" Cranky retorted.

"Aside from that, I'll see you later." said Edward as he chuffed out of the docks.

"See you." Cranky murmured, feeling quite glum.

Edward was puffing happily through the countryside. It was very quiet.

"This is what I like best." Edward puffed to himself. "The peace and quiet..."

Then he heard Thomas' whistle, Thomas was taking trucks of hay to Farmer McColl's Farm. He whistled when he seen Edward.

"Good morning, Edward!" Thomas whistled. "You look bright and cheery."

"I am Thomas." steamed Edward. "I'm taking this train to Vicarstown." the K2 class engine told him.

"That sounds like a very important job." said Thomas.

"It is a very important job." said Edward. "But I'm never usually told to pull these trains." he puffed.

"I haven't really either," Thomas replied.

"Sorry, but I can't stop to talk now, I'm busy. See you, Thomas!" said Edward as he chuffed away in the distance. "I'll see *you* later Edward!" Thomas called cheekily.

Edward had puffed quite a long way, but he didn't want to give up like last time. He was running low on coal and a little bit on water.

"Oh, this train is starting to get heavy." Edward panted to himself. "I don't want to give up like I did last time." the K2 class moaned. Up ahead, Edward saw a red signal.

"Well, at least I can get some rest." Edward puffed to himself and he stopped and waited for the signal to turn green, he waited and waited, but the signal didn't change. Edward's driver was confused.

"There must be something wrong with that signal." he thought. Just then, the signalman ran out of the signalbox.

"I'm sorry." he said, "But the signal is broken, we're working to mend it. You'll have to go a different way." he said.

"Right!" said Edward's driver, "Come on Edward, we'll have to go a different way." So Edward backed to the junction and went down the other track, but now Edward was going a different way, it took him longer to get to Vicarstown, Edward was confused.

"I should be at Vicarstown by now." he thought. "But we aren't nowhere near there."

"We'll be there soon I hope, don't worry." encouraged his driver.

"Are you sure, Charlie." Edward asked, concerned.

"I'm sure." his driver replied.

Edward continued chuffing until he could get to Vicarstown, but as he puffed and panted, and strained. He suddenly heard a clanging noise.

"Huh! What was that?" Edward asked.

"I don't know." said his driver. "It might be our goods train." But it wasn't, then they heard the clanging again.

"I heard it again." Edward wheeshed.

"I can't seem to make up what's wrong." his driver said, confused.

"If it isn't the goods train, then what could it be...?" before Edward's driver could finish his sentence, more clanging was heard, and steam was blazing from Edward's wheels. Then with a clang and a bang. Edward grounded to a halt.

"Hey?" he thought. "Why have I stopped?"

Edward's driver inspected him all over and he worked out the problem.

"Edward, this is bad," he sighed. "Your valve gear has cracked."

"But how am I going to take this goods train to Vicarstown on time now?!" he exclaimed, worriedly.

"Well," his driver thought and thought, but couldn't think of an answer. Not until he finally found out.

"Edward," he said. "Remember that time where your crank pin broke and your siderods had to be removed?"

"Yes?!" Edward replied.

"You carried on moving until you got to the station and you were right on time." his driver said.

"I know that," Edward sighed. "But this seems much worst, I doubt I can carry on, even if my siderods were removed." the old K2 muttered.

"Let's just give it a try." his driver suggested.

"Uh... okay." Edward sighed.

So Edward puffed and chuffed with all his might, he struggled to move though, but he was starting to get the hang of it, wheel turn by wheel turn, Edward slowly started to move.

"I can do it! I can do it!" he strained. Edward didn't want to give up.

He panted exhaustedly. "I mustn't give up!" he steamed.

Then at last, Edward started to move.

"I'm doing it" he cheered to himself. He then moved more faster. "I've done it!" he cried.

"Well done Edward." his driver called. "Now don't think of stopping and let's take this train to Vicarstown, we're already late." he said sternly.

"Right!" Edward puffed. "We better go a little faster."

"Let's not be so much in a hurry." his driver commented. "Let's just go carefully."

"Yes, of course!" Edward puffed and he started slowly and carefully along the line.

It was very late now, but at last, Edward arrived at Vicarstown. Henry was already there, he had brought the passengers to the station and he had also brought the Fat Controller. Edward was worried, what would the Fat Controller say? But the Fat Controller wasn't cross, he was pleased.

"Edward, I am very proud of you," he said. "I heard that you cracked your valve gear, but you were still able to carry on puffing."

"Thank you sir." said Edward, feeling confident, but tired.

Henry was also pleased. "Well done Edward." he praised, "You tried you're best to get to Vicarstown even with a cracked valve gear. I don't think any engine has been able to do such a thing?" he said.

"You never know, Henry, there could be." Edward steamed.

"Right now, Edward," said the Fat Controller, "You must go to the Steamworks and get your valve gear mended. It may take a couple of days, but you'll be back in working order soon." he said.

"Yes sir. Right away sir!" said Edward and he chuffed away to the Steamworks.

After Edward's valve gear was mended, he returned to his branch line. As he was back at work, he saw Thomas, he was pleased with Edward.

"Well done, Edward." Thomas tooted. "You tried your best to take the train to Vicarstown and you were able to do it. Even with a broken valve gear." the blue E2 added.

"Thanks, Thomas." Edward wheeshed, and when he chuffed to Wellsworth, he saw Geoffrey, who was also pleased.

"Great work Edward," he steamed. "You did your best again, even after those many years you said that your crank pin broke."

Edward laughed. "I know, Geoffrey." he said.

"I think you should deserve a good nights rest tonight." the L&YR Class 28 engine said thoughtfully.

"I think you're right Geoffrey." Edward steamed. Then BoCo oiled in.

"The second time you have managed to finish a job even with a damaged part on you? That's amazing." BoCo chugged. "The first being the crank pin accident."

"I am old, anyhow." Edward puffed.

Edward was glad that he had been able to carry on puffing even with a cracked safety valve and that night, he had a good nights rest.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Edward
* Henry
* Stepney
* Geoffrey
* BoCo
* Trevor
* Cranky
* Reg
* The Fat Controller
* Gordon (*does not speak*)
* Donald (*cameo*)
* Annie and Clarabel (*cameo*)
* Bertie (*cameo*)
* Jem Cole (*cameo*)
* James (*stock footage cameo*)
* Duck (*stock footage cameo*)
* Spencer (*mentioned*)
* Farmer McColl (*mentioned*)
* The Duke and Duchess of Boxford (*mentioned*)

## Locations

* Wellsworth
* Brendam Docks
* Gordon's Hill
* Wellsworth Vicarage Orchard
* Crocks Scrap Yard
* Wellsworth Junction
* Vicarstown
* Henry's Tunnel (*mentioned*)
* Farmer McColl's Farm (*mentioned*)
* Sodor Steamworks (*mentioned*)

## Trivia

* Stock footage from Geoffrey's Real and Percy's Oil Spill is used.
* References to several episodes are made in the episode, these are:
	+ Reference to the Railway Series book *The Three Railway Engines* and the first season episode *Edward, Gordon and Henry* are made.
	+ Reference to the second season episodes *Edward's Exploit* and *Saved from Scrap* are made.
	+ A reference to the eighth season episode *Edward the Great* is made.
	+ Edward saying to Geoffrey that Gordon has been rude to him sometimes after the safety valve incident in *Edward, Gordon and Henry* is most likely a reference to either the sixth season episode *Edward the Very Useful Engine* or the eighteenth season episode *Old Reliable Edward*.