Special Brakes

**Special Brakes** is the sixteenth episode of the first season.

## Plot

It was a hot sunny day on the Island of Sodor and a rather exhausting one too. The Tea Room Station on the Skarloey Railway was crowded with thirsty passengers and the Refreshment Lady was as busy as ever, so were the engines who were rushed off their wheels as they felt like their work, they often stopped to take on water at the water towers to cool them down, but it didn't make them feel any better. One day, Peter Sam was working at the Blue Mountain Quarry.

"There you go Peter Sam," said Luke, "your trucks are ready."

"Thank you, Luke." said Peter Sam, but when he started to move, he suddenly stopped. "Huh, what happened?" asked Peter Sam. His driver looked at his brakes.

"Your brakes have malfunctioned." he said.

"Oh bother." groaned Peter Sam. "Who is going to take me to the steamworks then?"

"I will!" whistled Luke.

"Thank you Luke." said Peter Sam, and Luke pulled Peter Sam to the steamworks.

Soon, they reached the steamworks. Victor was there. "Hello there, my friend." he said. "What's up with you?"

"My brakes are jammed." Peter Sam exclaimed.

"Then you've come to the right place, my friend. Come on then, let's fix you." Victor whistled, and the workmen got ready to check on Peter Sam's brakes. After a while, they fitted some special brakes on him, they looked very shiny and modern.

"Thanks Victor." whistled Peter Sam.

"Now you're ready to go Peter Sam." said Victor, and Peter Sam chuffed happily out of the steamworks.

That evening, Peter Sam puffed into the sheds. The other engines couldn't believe their eyes when they saw Peter Sam's sleek shiny brakes. "What are they?" asked Sir Handel curiously.

"My special brakes!" announced Peter Sam. "Don't they look so smooth?"

"Special brakes!" exclaimed Duncan. "Pah, first a special funnel and now special brakes? What's next?" he complained.

"OK Duncan, there's no need to be cross." puffed Rheneas. "Peter Sam's brakes were broken when he was working at the quarry."

"Huh!" snorted Duncan, but remained in silent after that. "Good. No more complaining." huffed Rusty.

"You can say that again?" muttered Rheneas.

The next morning, Peter Sam woke up only to find Duncan still complaining. "It's not fair!" he grumbled.

"Just stop it Duncan, we hear this every morning!" grumbled Rusty. "What are you complaining about now?"

"Grrr, Peter Sam's special brakes." Duncan scowled.

"You're still going on about that?" Rheneas exclaimed.

"Well, he had a special funnel, and now, he has some special brakes." Duncan complained, but the engines just left the sheds to work, and so did Duncan.

Peter Sam was coupled up to a passenger train and he puffed away. He chuffed through Rheneas station to pick up some passengers. And then he set off. He puffed through the countryside. He sighed "It's very hot." he said with sweat pouring down his face. "I must stop for a drink." and then he reached a water tower and stopped to fill up. "That's nice." Peter Sam sighed, he was enjoying his nice drink.

"We must get going now Peter Sam," said his driver, "or we'll be late for Geoffrey's train at Crovan's Gate."

"Okay." replied Peter Sam. Soon his water tank was full and they set off. They were approaching a level crossing.

"Okay Peter Sam, we'd better stop." said his driver.

"Okay." said Peter Sam, but when he applied his brakes. He wouldn't stop. "Hey, what's going on?" he thought. "Why won't my brakes stop?"

"I think they're jammed." said his driver. Then Peter Sam saw a lorry driving across the crossing. The lorry driver saw that Peter Sam was heading this way and he couldn't stop, so he drove away as fast as he could out of the way. But it was too late, Peter Sam crashed through the crossing gate and a piece of the gate made him slide off the track and into a pile of grass. Luckily, his crew jumped clear and the passengers weren't hurt. But Peter Sam was now stuck in the middle of the road. Cars and lorries tooted their horns angrily.

"What's this train doing on the road?!" a man shouted crossly.

"Now we can't get to our destinations!" added a woman.

Peter Sam was sad, but he then scowled. "Stupid brakes!"

Soon, Rusty arrived with the breakdown crane. "Are you alright Peter Sam?" asked the little diesel.

"It's these brakes!" Peter Sam explained. "They were the reason how I fell off the tracks.

"I see." muttered Rusty. Soon, Peter Sam was put back onto the tracks and he set off towards the station.

Meanwhile at Crovan's Gate, Geoffrey was waiting. "Where is he?" he thought, "I've been waiting half an hour." Peter Sam was racing down the line as fast as he could.

"Must get to the station! Must get to the station!" he panted. He raced through Skarloey station. He was almost at Crovan's Gate. At last, tired but triumph, he puffed into the station.

"What took you so long?" asked Geoffrey. Peter Sam was so tired that he could barely respond. "My \*pant\* brakes \*pant\* caused me to \*pant\* crash." he explained.

"Okay then, now I must take these passengers to Vicarstown station so Connor can take them to the Mainland." wheeshed Geoffrey. "Bye Peter Sam." he said as he chuffed away.

"Bye Geoffrey." replied Peter Sam exhaustedly.

Soon, Peter Sam arrived at the steamworks. Victor was there with his fixed brakes. "Your brakes are fixed now Peter Sam." he said. "You don't have to worry anymore with those new ones."

"Thanks Victor." said Peter Sam. He was glad to have his brakes back.

That night, Peter Sam puffed back into the shed. "So did you like your new brakes?" asked Sir Handel.

"I did at first. But they caused me to crash at a level crossing." said Peter Sam.

"And how long did it take you to arrive at Crovan's Gate?" asked Rheneas.

"About an hour." said Peter Sam.

"Really?!" said Sir Handel shockingly.

"Yes." sighed Peter Sam. Sir Handel remained in silent. The other engines just grinned at each other. Even Duncan stayed in silent, and because of this. There were no more complaints. Peter Sam was very glad to have his old brakes back again, he would never have problems with them again.

## Characters

* Geoffrey
* Rheneas
* Sir Handel
* Peter Sam
* Duncan
* Victor
* Luke
* Rusty
* Skarloey (*does not speak*)
* The Refreshment Lady (*does not speak*)
* Freddie (*cameo*)
* Kevin (*cameo*)
* Owen (*cameo*)
* Merrick (*cameo*)
* Connor (*mentioned*)

## Locations

* Sodor Castle
* Tea Room Station
* Blue Mountain Quarry
* Sodor Steamworks
* Skarloey Railway Engine Sheds
* Rheneas (station)
* Crovan's Gate
* Skarloey (station)
* Vicarstown (*mentioned*)

## Trivia

* References to the fourth season episode *Special Funnel* are made.