Sand Express

Sand Express is a magazine story.

Plot
One bright day, Gordon is pulling the Seaside Express full of passengers to the beach. When Gordon arrives at the beach, he sees lots of children playing in the sand. After a while, Gordon has to rush off to fetch even more passengers.

That night, a storm sweeps across the island. The next morning, Gordon rolls into the yard and sees branches and rubbish scattered all around. His driver then informs him that the Seaside Express has been cancelled for the day. Instead of holidaymakers, Gordon has to take workmen to the beach to help clear it up. As the clean-up began, Lorry 1 and 2 arrive with fresh sand for Terence to spread along the seafront. The sky turns blue again, but Gordon knows that it will be days until the beach is ready for the holidaymakers again.

Gordon decides to take the beach to the children. He fetches a flatbed and Harvey stacks railway sleepers around its edge. Harvey then uses his grabber to spread sand from Lorry 1 all of the flatbed to make a sandpit. The Fat Controller then phones Radio Sodor to tell everyone about it.

Gordon sets off along the mainline. He stops off at each station where lots of children are waiting. The children eagerly clamber onto the flatbed and they agree that it is just like being on the beach. The stationmaster even gives the children some ice-cream. Gordon vows to steam all over the island with his "Seaside Sand Express" until the beach is back open.

Characters

 * Gordon
 * Harvey (speaks in speech bubble only)
 * Sir Topham Hatt (does not speak)
 * Terence (does not speak)
 * Lorry 1 (does not speak)
 * Lorry 2 (does not speak)