Transcript/Nia’s Arrival

**Narrator:** The African country Ian and Andy decided to take Thomas to was the Eastern country of Kenya. There wasn’t much for them to see in terms of railway information, until they could see a small line and siding. There was a fuelling station nearby. So while Andy used the petrol pump to refill Larry’s tank, Ian went over to the line to take some pictures. Just then, he and Thomas could hear the sounds of an engine coming over. Ian flashed away, but suddenly, he heard an angry man yelling at him to stop from a lorry on the other side of the line.

**Ian:** “Well, looks like this is all we’re going to get here. But at least Thomas will be back home quicker.”

**Narrator:** Ian joined Andy to fill Larry up. While they were waiting, Thomas could see the engine parking her trucks into the siding. She was a rather small engine, with dusty black paint, and two cylinders on her boiler. It looked as if she had been in better shape long ago. He then saw the angry man storm out of his lorry and pointed at the poor little engine. Thomas couldn’t make out what he was saying, but it was clear that he was yelling at her severely. After shaking his fist at her in annoyance, he stomped back to his lorry and drove away. Thomas wondered if there was any way he could help.

**Thomas:** “Andy? Ian? Can you ask Larry to pull over to that engine please? It looks as if she needs cheering up.”

**Andy:** “Uh, sure, Thomas.”

**Thomas:** “Hello? Is it alright if I ask you your name?”

**Nia:** “Yes, my name is Nia. Can I help you with anything?”

**Thomas:** “Actually, I was wondering if I can help you. Is there something wrong?”

**Nia:** “You might not understand, but, if I’m being honest… I don’t like working on this railway.”

**Thomas:** “You don’t?”

**Nia:** “No. My controller is cruel. He never gives me any respect. He keeps yelling at me and is always cross, even if I hadn’t done anything wrong.”

**Thomas:** “Is your controller the man who was yelling at you just now?”

**Nia:** “Yes. All I did was deliver these fuel tankers to that fuelling station over there and on time too. But he keeps saying that I’m late. He must have a broken watch or something. And as punishment, he keeps ordering me to shunt more trucks in the yard or make more long, tiring deliveries.”

**Nia:** “He doesn’t even bother building me a new shed after my old one collapsed months ago. He keeps saying that he doesn’t have the budget to build a new one, but I think he does. He just doesn’t care. It’s no wonder this railway is on the verge of closing down. Everything is in such poor condition and he doesn’t even care about me. He just shouts at me for no good reason and he leaves me to sleep in the rain or surrounded by man-eating lions.”

**Narrator:** Thomas couldn’t believe what he had heard.

**Thomas:** “That’s… that’s completely uncalled for! Even my controller back home, whenever I do something wrong, even he isn’t that cruel.”

**Narrator:** Just then, the Angry Controller drove back again. He stepped out and slammed the door.

**The Angry Controller:** “Nia! What are you still doing here?! I told you to go back to the yard!”

**Nia:** “But, Sir, I didn’t get any sleep last night. I’m getting very tired from all this work!”

**The Angry Controller:** “Quiet! I don’t want any excuses for laziness! Now, get out of my sight, you useless engine!”

**Narrator:** Thomas could see that Nia was on the verge of tears. Being called a useless lazy engine, when she isn’t, offended her deeply. Thinking of no other options, he decided to stand up for her.

**Thomas:** “No! Nia is anything but a useless engine. She told me everything. The way you treat her, the fact you don’t respect her and refuse to give her a roof to sleep under.”

**The Angry Controller:** “What?!”

**Narrator:** Nia decided to pluck up courage too.

**Nia:** “He’s right, Sir! If it wasn’t for me and my deliveries, businesses would have ended by now. If it wasn’t for me, this lorry wouldn’t have had any fuel to carry this tank engine anywhere. But you don’t care! All you care about is money and never about me!”

**Thomas:** “And all of this is why Nia is going to leave this railway and come stay with me on the Island of Sodor!”

**Everyone except Thomas:** “What?!”

**Thomas:** “Yeah, you heard me. I’m taking Nia with me to a much better railway. A place where people are more welcome and friendly. Where they can give her plenty of jobs, a nice dry shed and more. Where there’s a controller that respects her, no matter what she does!”

**Nia:** “Really? Would you do that for me, Thomas?”

**Thomas:** “Of course. After what I heard about you, you deserve better.”

**Narrator:** Luckily, there was another flatbed trailer near the fuelling station. Andy and Ian coupled it up behind Thomas’ trailer and they managed to load Nia onto it.

**The Angry Controller:** “Nia! Don’t you dare! What about this railway?! What about my business?!”

**Nia:** “I’m sorry, Sir, but my mind is made up. I’m going away to a much better life. Oh, and another thing - get your watch mended. It must be broken.”

**Narrator:** And with that snarky burn, the lorry drove away with the two tank engines in tow.

**The Angry Controller:** “Nia? NIAAAAAAAA!”

**Narrator:** A few miles later, Larry stopped for Ian to use a telephone. He had the number to the Fat Controller’s phone in his office, so he rang him to tell him their sudden plans.

**The Fat Controller:** “Hello? Ah, Ian, how are you all getting on? Yes, what is it? You’re bringing an engine to Sodor? To stay?! Oh? Oooh. I see. I understand. In that case, go right ahead. We’ll give her a warm welcome when you get back. See you on the Mainland. Goodbye.”

**Ian:** “It’s been agreed! You're going with Thomas to Sodor, Nia.”

**Nia:** “Really? Oh, thank you so much. And thank you, Thomas, for helping me.”

**Narrator:** It was early night when Larry towed the engines to Mombasa docks. Luckily, there was enough room on the ship for Larry, Thomas and Nia. A few days later, they all arrived back in Southampton Docks. The Fat Controller was there waiting for them. He asked Samson to take him there and to bring a breakdown crane. Soon, the ship’s hatch lowered open and out drove Larry the lorry and his two smiling loads.

**The Fat Controller:** “Thomas. Welcome back. I’m so glad you’re safe and sound. And you must be the African engine I’ve heard about.”

**Nia:** “Yes, Sir, I am, Sir. My name is Nia, Sir.”

**Narrator:** After detaching the chains from the engines’ wheels, Samson lowered Thomas onto the tracks again. His driver and fireman had come in the breakdown coach. While they were building Thomas’ fire, Samson lifted Nia to the tracks. But they soon found out that Nia’s wheels were too small in length for the tracks. It turns out Nia’s railway in Kenya was a narrow gauge line.

**Nia:** “Oh, no!"

**The Fat Controller:** “Don’t worry, Nia. We can take you to the Steamworks and refit your undercarriage with some standard gauge wheels. In the meantime, let’s go home.”

**Narrator:** Nia was transported to Sodor by Samson, on the crane’s flatbed truck, while Thomas was free to use his wheels for the first time in months. They puffed for many miles, until they could see the famous Vicarstown Bridge. At the station, the second they saw a speck of blue up ahead, engines whistled and people cheered. Thomas was surprised. A large crowd of people and engines had come to welcome him back and to welcome Nia too.

**Samson:** “Everyone has really missed you. They’re all glad you’re back.”

**Narrator:** Thomas beamed from buffer to buffer.

**Thomas:** “Hello, everyone. Thank you so much.”

**Narrator:** Then, he could see Rebecca was at the front of the crowd.

**Thomas:** “Rebecca! How did you do on my branch line?”

**Rebecca:** “Weeeelllll, there have been a few ups and downs, a bit of a landslide here and there, but I’ve had a lot of fun. Annie and Clarabel had been great company.”

**Narrator:** The Fat Controller then stepped out of Samson’s coach, onto the platform. The stationmaster gave him a megaphone and he called to give everyone’s attention.

**The Fat Controller:** “Today is a very special day. Not only because our very own Thomas has returned from seeing the world, but because we have a new engine joining our family, Nia! Nia comes from a railway in Kenya, Africa, but her controller over there treated her rudely and disrespectfully. And so, Thomas, through the kindness of his heart, had decided to let her come and stay here with us on Sodor. And hopefully, she will work very hard and in return, we can give her the respect she deserves. Three cheers for Thomas and Nia.”

**Everyone:** “Hip hip hurrah! Hip hip hurrah! Hip hip hurrah!”

**Narrator:** In the next few days, at the Steamworks, not only did Nia receive her new standard gauge wheels, some buffers and a wider running board, but the Fat Controller had agreed to give her a new coat of paint.

**Nia:** “Can I have… orange please? It is my favourite colour, not dull, old black.”

**Victor:** “Of course. Anything for you, my friend.”

**Narrator:** A few days later, Thomas and the Fat Controller arrived to see the new Nia. She puffed out of the Steamworks excitedly, with her new orange paint with yellow stripes, her name on her side tanks and the number 50 on her cab.

**Thomas:** “Wow Nia, you look amazing.”

**The Fat Controller:** “Simply wonderful.”

**Narrator:** Nia smiled more than she ever had before. She couldn’t have felt happier.

**Nia:** “Thank you so much, Sir and you too, Thomas. I feel on top of the world.”