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- "There are certain engines that are suitable for certain jobs. And other engines that are not!"
- ― Emily
Dowager Hatt's Busy Day is a magazine story illustrated using images from the television series. Originally published in an unknown year, it was re-published in 2025 as part of the "Classic Thomas Story Collection" series with slight alterations to the images and text.
Plot[]
It is another morning at Tidmouth Sheds and the engines are ready for another busy day. All of a sudden, they hear an almighty sneeze. It's the Fat Controller who has a very nasty cold. Just then, Dowager Hatt pulls up in a car looking cross. She tells the Fat Controller that he shouldn't have come work and that she will run the railway while he recovers. Dowager Hatt starts ordering the engines around and changing their usual jobs. She sends Thomas to Brendam to collect her new Hatt and gives his branch line duties to Emily. This worries Emily because she is meant to be taking scrap to the scrapyard.
At Knapford, Dowager Hatt tells Gordon to take Emily's scrap train and gives Percy the job of pulling the express. It's not long before Dowager Hatt's changes are causing confusion and delay all over the Island of Sodor. The lines are blocked with engines carrying hats, balloons and even elephants for Dowager Hatt. Meanwhile, Percy isn't strong enough to pull the express up Gordon's Hill and he is exhausted.
Emily sets off to find Dowager Hatt and tells her how the Fat Controller runs his railway. She explains that there are certain engines suitable for certain jobs and others that are not. Dowager Hatt doesn't know how to fix the mess, but Emily does.
By working together, Emily and Dowager Hatt soon have the engines back doing their proper jobs - just in time for Sir Topham Hatt's return. The controller is delighted to see his railway running smoothly and a little surprised. Dowager Hatt says it is all thanks to Emily and that makes the emerald engine feel very useful indeed.
Characters[]
- Emily
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Dowager Hatt
- Thomas (not seen)
- Gordon (does not speak)
- Henry (cameo)
- James (cameo)
- Toby (cameo)
- Donald and Douglas (cameos)
- Diesel (cameo)
- Paxton (cameo)
- Den (cameo)
- Percy (mentioned)
Locations[]
Trivia[]
- This story is based on the twenty-first series episode of the same name.
- When republished in 2025, all references to the Fat Controller are changed to Sir Topham Hatt in accordance with Mattel's latest guidelines.
Gallery[]
