Management

**Management** is the third episode of the third season of the Stories of Sodor and the thirty-eighth episode overall.

Management/Transcript

## Plot

A business lives or dies by the strength and temperament of its managers. Despite not being entirely perfect, both Mr. Star and Mr. Zorro were men of character who did what it took to keep their companies afloat. Basil Corbett arrived on Sodor in 1934, serving under Mr. Star as his financial director; He always negotiating favourable terms with clients and ensured that they paid up on time. However, he was usually slow to authorise expenses. Not long after Burke and Blair's inspection, it was revealed that Corbett had proposed selling off Toby. Despite the disdain he received, he remained at his job and succeeded Mr. Star after he was killed. The railways were still operating under the control of the British government so Corbett didn't have much input in managing the Nor'Easters. When Sodor became a joint railway, a new board of directors was established that was made up of officials from both the Nor'Easters and the Midis, which did include Corbett, who resumed his career as financial director and Mr. Zorro was acting as Controller. However, the two constantly argued over the issue of money. While Edward doesn't know how Corbett managed to hold onto his position for so long nor why Mr. Zorro named him acting controller after he resigned. Though Corbett was only the acting controller and the board had yet to choose a new one. Soon, the engines found out another potential candidate for the job: Giles Freeman.

A week after Mr. Zorro resigned, James, Rosie and Peter are talking at Fort Sudrian. James remarks, "Looks like we're stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea." Peter agrees, mentioning that he'll go to the Mainland if Freeman were to take over. Peter explains to Rosie about Freeman, their public relations officer. James tells her that since Freeman joined the board, there were numerous press leaks, making them lose several contracts to various bus and lorry companies. Despite this, Freeman has been allowed to stay on the board apparently making people blind to the obvious facts. After joking about the banana vans James had brought in, Rosie tells him he could be more cagey with them. Presently, Rosie goes off to attend to a ship which has arrived. James happily departs.

A short while later, at Maron, a signalman and the stationmaster, named Gus, are talking. The latter says it's his anniversary with his wife and her parents are coming over for dinner, saying he will cop it if he's a moment late getting home. Gus also tells the signalman a moment is 90 seconds. It was a medieval unit of measurement, which he heard from James. The signalman suddenly realises he forgot to raise the danger signal. James was approaching the station, but by the time he had seen the obstruction in his path, it was too late and he was involved in a serious crash.

Later, Mickey had arrived at the scene and helped to clear up the mess as well as loading James onto flatbeds to be taken to the works. Mickey tells James his crew have suffered several serious injuries. Presently, Joey comes up alongside after finishing interviewing eye witnesses. The signalman who forgot to raise the danger signal is facing severe charges of negligence and will most likely get fired. Joey then tells James that one of his trucks claims James was speeding. James claims he wasn't or is uncertain, as he wasn't paying attention. James apologises, though Joey won't pass judgement until the investigation is done as several individuals look to be responsible; Joey then brings up the engine who left the trucks behind, which is revealed to be Henry, who is arguing with Douglas until Toby tells them about James' accident.

After the investigation was finished, several individuals were found to be responsible for the accident. The workmen at Barrow-in-Furness for not repairing the coupling on the defective truck, Henry for failing to notice the breakaway happen, the signalman got charged with severe negligence after losing his job, and James was also at fault after it was revealed he had been speeding. A huge fine was issued against the railway and the finances were severely crippled. Corbett had no choice but to cut costs, resulting in numerous trains being cancelled, only hurting the railway's reputation further. The road transport companies of Sodor cleaned up, taking on the contracts the engines couldn't do.

One night, two weeks after James' accident, Thomas, Eric, Edward, Donald and Gordon are at Brendam. Edward tells them that only three livestock contracts were renewed; Tidmouth, Ffarquhar and Ballahoo, which they are to start on by the end of the week. Eric then asks if James will be out of the works by then and Edward answers a certain no, as he knows that the workmen haven't started James' repairs. According to Mickey, the works hasn't received the payment for the job. Gordon then furiously rants about how tight Corbett is with money, only to stop short when he learns Corbett is within earshot. He ignores Gordon's apology and tells the engines that because of the situation with their finances, they need to manage their resources. As soon as their finances get better, Corbett promises to authorise payment to the works so they can repair James. Corbett then tells them that the delivery contract with Cunard Liners is coming up for renewal and is renegotiating its terms with the company. If they do get more money, the secured contracts are needed to hold them over until then. He assigns Thomas, Edward and Donald to the livestock trains. Corbett has assigned Diesel and Peckett to the China Clay deliveries in the meantime.

The next day, Diesel's fuses are fried and they need to be replaced, putting him out of action. Suddenly, Samantha arrives. She knows how to shunt but doesn't have much experience delivering trains over distance, but is confident in her ability and with Toby's advice. She also knows about signals, and then Diesel tells her about backing signals, which is when the red light on a signal blinks, which means an engine has to reverse to the nearest station. The chances of this happening are very rare, but it's something to learn about. Sam thanks Diesel and goes off to take her China Clay train to Wellsworth.

As it turns out, Diesel was pulling Sam's wheels. Backing signals have been used as a long-time joke on British Railways, played on inexperienced crews and engines. However, the unspoken rule about using it is to make the supposed signal's chances of happening very low. In that case, Diesel did do the right thing, as the blinking red light at a signal is very unlikely. Sam departed from the China Clay pits, maintained a brisk pace along the branch line and observed each passing signal. As she approached Suddery station, the wind began to pick up, making the signal at the station rattle and the semaphore arm quiver, which made it look like the red light was blinking. Sam noticed, braking hard and preparing to reverse, but the sudden reaction caused the trucks to bump into her and she derailed. The stationmaster reported and asked Sam why she had stopped so suddenly. Sam explained why and she became furious when the stationmaster told her she'd been pranked. All trains along the Brendam Branch were delayed or cancelled while Sam was being rescued. This only worsened the railway's public image, especially after the specific circumstances surrounding it were leaked to the press.

The day after Sam's derailment, a crowd of angry people are with Corbett and Freeman at Brendam. Freeman finally silences the crowd, telling them he can't apologise enough for the two recent accidents and that the dedication of its men and locomotives make up for the poor safety record. After Corbett answers a few more questions from the crowd, Freeman tells the crowd that they're welcoming free morning tea in the station. After the crowd goes inside, Corbett and Freeman discuss on how things are going before wishing each other luck in the race for being picked as the next controller.

The next day, at Knapford, Toby, Douglas, Gordon, Peter and Edward are at the sheds. The board meeting was at 1 o'clock and they have most likely made their decision. The engines discuss the possibilities about how things will be like if either Freeman or Corbett will become their controller. Presently, Thomas arrives feeling very optimistic as he knows that their new controller won't be Corbett and he was at Brendam when the decision was made. Toby thinks Thomas is joking, but he tells them he isn't and that neither Corbett or Freeman got the job. There was a surprise candidate and he got the job as controller. The engines ponder who the surprise candidate is, and since they wouldn't believe Thomas if he told them, he would show them. The engines were completely at a loss for words at that the man who emerged from Thomas' cab - Sir Topham Hatt!

## Characters

* Thomas
* Edward
* Henry
* Gordon
* James
* Toby
* Eric
* Donald and Douglas
* Diesel
* Peter
* Samantha
* Rosie
* Neil
* Mickey
* Joey
* Basil Corbert
* Giles Freeman
* Reginald *(referred as 'Reggie; does not speak)*
* Peckett *(does not speak)*
* Mr. Star *(does not speak)*
* Mr. Zorro *(does not speak)*
* Burke and Blair *(do not speak)*
* The Fat Controller *(does not speak)*
* Percy *(cameo)*
* Adam *(cameo)*
* Clive *(cameo)*
* Winston *(cameo)*
* Albert *(cameo)*
* Samson *(cameo)*
* The Horrid Lorries *(one lorry; cameo)*
* Mrs. Star *(cameo)*

## Trivia

* Events from Thomas and the Breakdown Train and Percy and the Signal take place.