Ian, Wilhelmina and the Mail Train

Ian, Wilhelmina and the Mail Train is an episode from Ian and Wilhelmina's Sodor Adventures.

## Plot

Late at night on the Island of Sodor, after all the other engines have gone to sleep in their sheds, an engine can still be heard in the distance carrying the Post Train. Thomas pulls one train while Percy pulls the other as the loads are too much for one engine to pull alone. Letters and parcels are unloaded from ships, and Ian, Wilhelmina and Dorothy load the mail into the trucks at both harbours before Thomas and Percy begin their journeys, travelling through the now silent stations making deliveries. Sometimes the light of a full moon on a clear night will light the way for them, or sometimes it will be so foggy that the tank engines and their pals cannot even see the stars, but lamps will always be out to guide them on their way. Regardless of the weather, the two tank engines are happy to be entrusted with such an important job.

One night, there is trouble; Percy is left waiting due to the ship from the mainland being delayed. However, Henry and Emily Elizabeth finally get the letters to him and the Post Train is filled. Percy, Ian and Wilhelmina try their best to make up for lost time, but were still very late and finishes his job after the sunrise. Percy does not mind this too much, appreciating the chance to see the island early in the morning with no one around... but they weren't alone long as Harold lands and teases Percy over how late he is with the post. Percy is too tired to explain to Harold what happened and he finally arrives back at the sheds just as Queen Ozma and Duck were getting ready to head out for the day, falling asleep as soon as he enters his shed.

Ian, Wilhelmina, Percy and his driver decide to set off earlier than usual that evening. However, at the station they find Thomas and Dorothy, who have some bad news: the man in charge of the post has made a complaint to the Fat Controller about Percy being so late. Although, Ian, Wilhelmina, Dorothy and the Fat Controller understands that it was not Percy's fault, the man would not listen. The friends decide to be extra quick that night when Harold lands telling them that the Post Train may be scrapped and the deliveries will be made by him instead. He boasts to the engines that air is quicker than rails before taking off. Both Thomas and Percy are indignant and proceed on their way.

That night, everything runs perfectly and both engines make very good time on all their deliveries. At a station, Dorothy, Thomas and his crew notice a man who had missed his train waiting cold and alone on the platform. Thomas' driver offers the man a ride if he does not mind being uncomfortable. The man is more than happy to accept.

The next day as Percy, Ian and Wilhelmina pull the afternoon passenger train, they spot Harold looking miserable in his airfield. Harold explains he has been grounded due to strong wind. The little green engine takes the chance to get his own back for the earlier teasing by telling the helicopter that rails work wonders. That evening, the Fat Controller meets Thomas and Percy and reads them a letter from the man who missed his train. He says that the man was very thankful to the two for their help and the Post Train is the pride of the line. And the Fat Controller rewards Ian, Dorothy and Wilhelmina with three Sodor Mail badges, thus promoting them to official mail helpers for Thomas and Percy. This makes both tank engines very happy indeed.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Ian Sweeney
* Dorothy
* Henry
* Wilhelmina
* Emily Elizabeth
* Percy
* Queen Ozma
* Duck
* Harold
* Sir Topham Hatt
* Jeremiah Jobling (*not named*)
* Bertie (*cameo*)
* Harold's Pilots (*cameo*)
* Big Mickey (*faceless; cameo*)

## Locations

* Tidmouth Sheds
* The Watermill
* Arlesburgh
* The Valley Bridge
* Knapford
	+ Knapford Harbour (*mentioned*)
* Brendam Docks
* Lower Suddery
* Tidmouth Hault
* Hawin Croka Canal
* Dryaw
* Wellsworth
* Tidmouth Beach
	+ The Lighthouse
* Toryreck

## Trivia

* This episode was based on the third series episode, "Thomas, Percy and the Post Train".
* The instrumental of said episode was pretty poor, because there weren't any clean ones.