Time Trouble!

"I can just imagine the Fat Controller's face if I'm late again!"

- Thomas

Time Trouble! is a magazine story.

Plot
Thomas has stopped for lunch at the station. Soon, it is two o'clock and Thomas is anxious to leave; he has been late once this week already and he can just imagine Sir Topham Hatt's face if he's late again! As Thomas puffs hurriedly through the countryside, he sees a group of nuisance ramblers strolling across a field. Much Thomas' annoyance, the ramblers have dropped litter all over the field and have even left the gate open. At the next red signal, Thomas' driver jumps down from the cab and runs across to the field. Sheep, who had been grazing in the field, had escaped through the open gate and the driver helps Farmer Collett round up the sheep before they cause a nasty accident. Soon, Thomas is running late when he sees a tree fallen on the line ahead. Thomas grinds to a halt as an emergency lorry clears the tree from the track. Shortly, Thomas arrives at the shopping centre where he notices an elderly lady has dropped her shopping. The driver kindly helps her pick up the shopping and instructs her to board the train for the return journey. Then, the Fat Controller arrives. He is very cross with Thomas for being late again, but the elderly lady tells him all about how Thomas' driver had helped her. Now, the Fat Controller cannot be cross with Thomas and just winks and tells him that sometimes even really useful engines can be late when they're giving someone a helping hand!

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Farmer Collett (does not speak)
 * Annie and Clarabel (cameos)
 * Daisy (cameo)

Goofs

 * The signal looks like a traffic light.