Edward the Blue Engine

"People say I'm old-fashioned, but I don't care. The Fat Controller says I'm a Useful Engine."

- Edward talking to Trevor

Edward the Blue Engine is the ninth book of the Railway Series.

Foreword
Dear Friends,

I think most of you are fond of Edward. His Driver and Fireman, Charlie Sand and Sidney Hever, are fond of him, too. They were very pleased when they knew I was giving Edward a book all to himself.

Edward is old, and some of the other engines were rude about the clanking noise he made as he did his work.

They aren't rude now! These stories tell you why.

The Author

Cows
Edward is pulling cattle trucks when some disgruntled cows run into the train and break a coupling. Edward does not realise until he gets home, causing Gordon and Henry to laugh at him. Gordon is pulling the express the next day when he is stopped by a cow on the Viaduct. Henry, both crews and the passengers try to move her, but to no avail. Henry's guard goes for help and a porter leads the cow's calf to the bridge to lure her away. Edward soon finds out and makes fun of the big engines.

Bertie's Chase
Thomas is late but Edward starts anyway. Bertie arrives with Thomas' passengers just as he leaves - Thomas' fireman was ill - and, seeing he has left, chases him to Crosby, but misses him there too. Bertie's driver and the stationmaster make a plan, and they finally catch up with him at Wellsworth, where Bertie explains the whole story to Edward. Edward apologises and leaves.

Saved from Scrap
Edward meets a traction engine named Trevor who is due to be scrapped next week. Edward decides to find a home for Trevor, and when he sees the Vicar, he persuades him to buy Trevor. The Vicar goes to the scrapyard, and, after seeing Trevor prove his worthfulness, buys him, and Trevor goes to live in the Vicarage Orchard.

Old Iron
Edward is late. James gets cross and calls him "old iron". The next day, James' driver is ill, and while his fireman gets a "relief", two boys wander into the cab and start James. Edward chases after him and after a long chase, an inspector manages to hook James with a length of rope, and James' fireman checks his speed. The Fat Controller sends Edward to the Works, the boys are caught by the police, and disciplined, and James' driver recovers in hospital.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Toby
 * Bertie
 * Trevor
 * The Fat Controller
 * The Vicar of Wellsworth
 * Jem Cole
 * The Naughty Boys
 * Percy (not seen)

Locations

 * Hawin Russagh
 * Knapford
 * Crosby Tunnel
 * Crosby
 * Wellsworth
 * Crocks Scrap Yard
 * Wellsworth Vicarage Orchard
 * Maron
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Wellsworth Hospital (possible mention)

Trivia

 * Bertie's numberplate is "CRD 54". This is a reference to the artist and the year of publication.
 * In the third illustration of "Saved from Scrap", there is a shop with the sign above the canopy reading "C.R.DA.", referring to the artist.
 * Cows is based on two events. One, in South Africa, involved a herd of elephants charging and breaking a train on 28 November 1952, and the other involved a herd of cows blocking the line and leaving three passenger trains stranded for an hour and a half on Boxing Day, 1952.
 * Bertie's Chase is based on an event which occurred in Ireland.
 * Saved from Scrap is inspired by a traction engine owned by the Vicar of Magdalen, East Anglia, England.
 * Old Iron is based on an event which occurred where a runaway train in Alton, Illinois was rescued with a lasso.
 * This was the first book to be narrated by Willie Rushton. He would later re-narrate Four Little Engines and Percy the Small Engine.

Goofs

 * In the third and fourth illustrations of "Cows!", Gordon is missing his steampipes.
 * The text says that the last seven cattle trucks were left behind while the illustration shows six cattle trucks and the brake van. Similarly, the coupling is said to have broken between the thirteenth and fourteenth trucks, but the picture shows that it was between the fourteenth and fifteenth trucks.
 * In "Old Iron", the text says that James and Edward arrive at the station side by side, but James is pictured as being coupled in front of Edward.
 * In the third and fifth illustrations of "Bertie's Chase", the bridge is shown to be before Crosby Station, but in maps of Sodor, it is shown to be after the station of Crosby.
 * In the first illustration of "Old Iron", Suddery Junction is seen on the wrong side of the station.