Storm

**Storm** is the eighteenth episode of the fourth season of the Stories of Sodor and the sixty-eighth episode overall.

Storm/Transcript

## Plot

Once Dr. Beeching left Sodor, he went to Barrow-in-Furness, where he threatened the axe to a third of the workers in the yard and station, resulting in all the workers going on strike. However, the shipping and ferry industries could easily cover the work for the railway. In the meantime, the engines of Sodor carried out maintenance and delivered rolling stock due to be scrapped under the Beeching axe.

At Elsbridge, Toby tells Thomas and Percy to bring in the works train from Wellsworth. Thomas and Percy see Arthur pass by with a long line of vans, and they greet him, even though he was worried about the storm. The back of his train breaks off. Thomas offers to help him as Arthur tells them about the rumour Paul had told him about Johnny Cuba. He thanks them for their help as Percy goes off to deliver oil for the new rock crushers at their quarry.

At Barrow, under heavy storm clouds, a man waits impatiently outside the station when he hears Johnny Cuba's whistle and he soon arrives with the supply train he had hijacked. The man tells him that with the strike ending in a few hours, he will have to take the train to Sodor, to Johnny's fury. The man tells him to take the train to the now closed Fort Sudrian and wait for a ship to arrive. After stating his concerns, Johnny decides to go along as he sets off for the fort. On the way, Joey sees him approaching and prepares to identify him, but Johnny deliberately smashes him out of the way. He soon is stopped again by a red signal, as the lift bridge is up. As if on its own, the lift bridge comes down and Johnny arrives on the Island. He then sets the points to Fort Sudrian, apparently on his own. Nearby, Arthur is approaching the fort and meets up with Johnny. Arthur keeps quiet after Johnny makes several threats before he orders him to go get coal.

At the Killdane Scrapyard, Eric talks to Henry about how Molly told him that Ten Cents and Drollan have brought in the *Princess Alice* to Elsbridge Harbour, as the ship had been damaged at sea and all her passengers need to be transported. As Henry goes off to turn around, Eric notices something suspicious about the siding where coal is stored.

It turns out Arthur had stolen two coal trucks from that siding for Johnny, and he begs him to let him carry out his orders. Johnny Cuba finally agrees, but wants him back later.

Arthur had been late taking the train to the scrapyard and was scolded by Sir Topham Hatt, he couldn't defend himself. Soon, the storm of torrential rain and gale forces struck Sodor, making the relocation of the passengers of the *Princess Alice* much more difficult and dangerous. To make matters worse, a landslide blocked Ballahoo Tunnel which trapped most of the main line passenger traffic at Knapford. All engines from the accessible branch lines were called in to help. Thomas and Percy were busy with helping the passengers and could now finally get to moving the works train near Wellsworth, which they can only move at a snail's pace because of how heavy the train is. Thomas calls to Arthur for help, as he is passing by with a passenger train. Arthur is obliged to help as he owes them one. He kindly helps Thomas and Percy, but hopes Sir Topham does not find out.

Arthur meets up with Diesel, who says how he’s supposed to have been through twenty minutes earlier. Arthur tries to explain, but is cut off when they hear Edward's whistle. Diesel tells him four engines are taking a massive train up Gordon's Hill. Arthur dashes off to the rescue. Edward, Henry, Toby and Eric are getting the train up the hill. All seems lost when they stop and roll down the hill. They desperately need another engine. Arthur readily darts in and helps the engines get the train over the hill.

Later, Arthur has taken his passenger train to Vicarstown. Arthur then goes outside of Sodor to check on the line between Vicarstown and Barrow, as the strike had ended. There, he finds Joey derailed. Joey tells Arthur about Johnny Cuba. From Arthur's reaction at the mention of his name, Joey correctly guesses that Arthur has helped Johnny, and tells him about their elaborate plan to catch Johnny Cuba, including that he stole a supply train of replica weapons. After telling Joey about Johnny's location, he tells Arthur to go to Barrow to raise the alarm and while the RIU gets ready, he can be with Johnny before they arrive. Arthur is hesitant to do so, but Joey talks him into it.

Once again, Arthur meets up with Johnny Cuba, as ordered. Arthur senses something amiss as Johnny was able to turn around when the turntable was disabled, loaded up the coal without equipment, and lacks a crew. Just as Johnny is about to give more dirty work, Edward shows up and upon meeting him, says Johnny shall be taken to the authorities. Arthur tells Johnny that the weapons he has are replicas, just as sirens blare in the distance. Johnny sets the points and tries to escape, but Arthur finally plucks up the courage to stand up to him, and prevents him from escaping by blocking him and he derails. Johnny gets what he deserves and is held by the authorities, who give official thanks to Arthur, restoring his image and relationship with Sir Topham Hatt.

The authorities take Johnny Cuba to Rail Gate, where he gave out all criminal contacts he had, starting with the Irish terrorists. Afterwards, he completely disappeared. To this day, no one knows what happened to him; he was either sent to a backwater heritage railway in Australia or was given the final firing. After his capture, the full scope of his crimes were made public. This made many people wonder how Johnny was able to do all of this, although some of his accomplices testified that there was something supernatural about him.

Now that Barrow-in-Furness was back in working order, the passengers from the *Princess Alice* could be brought to the Mainland. Many of the passengers would return later on as tourists. The strike was mostly futile as those targeted for being laid off were still there, although they were able to rally for better redundancy payments. The storm was gone by dusk. It took a few days to clean up the mess left by the storm and life soon returned to normal… at least for the next few months.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Edward
* Henry
* Percy
* Toby
* Eric
* Diesel
* Arthur
* Joey
* Johnny Cuba
* Terence
* Peckett *(does not speak)*
* The Fat Controller *(does not speak)*
* Gordon *(cameo)*
* James *(cameo)*
* Donald *(cameo)*
* Reginald *(cameo)*
* Emily *(cameo)*
* Samantha *(cameo)*
* Geoffrey *(cameo)*
* Molly *(cameo)*
* Samson *(cameo)*
* Whiff *(cameo)*
* Neil *(cameo)*
* Mickey *(cameo)*
* Sheffield *(cameo)*
* Lenny *(cameo)*
* Daisy *(cameo)*
* Derek *(cameo)*
* D199 *(cameo)*
* Unnamed Police Engines *(cameos)*
* Ten Cents *(mentioned)*
* Drollan *(mentioned)*

## Trivia

* This episode is adapted from the Tugs episode, High Winds.
* The Irish terrorists Johnny Cuba was working with were possible part of the Irish Republican Army, or the IRA for short.
* Not counting the episodes from The Stories of War mini series, this is one of three episodes where one of the characters would use strong language. The other two being Fallout and Trial.