The New Coaches

"You are behaving as if it's your last day here!"

- Thomas to Annie and Clarabel

The New Coaches is a magazine story.

Plot
One morning, Annie and Clarabel overhear the Fat Controller talking to Thomas' driver on the station platform. They hear the words "Annie and Clarabel", "replacement" and "new coaches". It is rather heard for them to hear as Gordon is getting up steam and pulling away from the station. Annie frets that the Fat Controller thinks they are getting too old and is going to replace them. Clarabel begins to cry as she thinks about not working with Thomas ever again and maybe even being sent to the scrapyard. The two coaches feel very miserable as Thomas arrives and gets coupled up. Thomas says "good morning" to his coaches, but they do not reply. Thomas is concerned; his coaches are usually such a happy pair. Thomas asks Annie and Clarabel what is wrong and they tell Thomas what they overheard earlier. Thomas tells Annie and Clarabel that he will not have his coaches scrapped. Thomas whistles loudly and the Fat Controller arrives to see what the noise is. Thomas boldly tells the Fat Controller that he will not pull any carriages other than Annie and Clarabel. The Fat Controller is surprised. Thomas tells the Fat Controller what Annie and Clarabel overheard. The Fat Controller explains that he is only having their old seats replaced so that they will look like new coaches. Annie and Clarbael feel silly, but are very relieved that they will be staying with Thomas after all.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Gordon (mentioned)

Trivia

 * It is very likely that this story was written by Andrew Brenner.