Dustin Comes in First is a Sodor Story Collection book, released with a Wooden Railway set of the same name and in a special book pack.
Plot
A big blizzard has hit the Island of Sodor and even with their snowploughs the engines on the railway find it difficult to plough the snow, so Sir Topham Hatt calls in Dustin, a snow removal engine. Dustin does well clearing the snow, but after the snow melts, he is not needed. He decides to wait in his shed until he is needed again.
In the summer, everyone is already preparing for the Fall Festival, which includes a railway race to raise money for charity. Thomas decides to try to get Dustin to pitch in. He tells him that a tanker of sugar has derailed at the ice cream factory and asks him to clear the mess. However, the grains of sugar get jammed in his fan and he ends up getting extremely sticky. Discouraged, Dustin returns to his shed.
A few weeks later, Thomas is asked by Sir Topham Hatt to shunt trucks filled with apples from the Vicarage Orchard to the cider mill in preparation for the Fall Festival. Thomas asks Dustin to help him, but Dustin is unsure; as he does not have front buffers, he finds it difficult to push the trucks. He bumps the first truck, but accidentally crushes the load with his fan. He is extremely upset with himself and decides that he does not want to participate in the charity race. Dustin returns to his shed and does not intend to come out until winter.
That night, a storm occurs, blowing down debris all over the island. The route for the charity race is covered in tree branches, meaning that the line has to be cleared before the race can happen.
The next morning, Thomas arrives at Dustin's shed and tells him that the tracks need to be cleared for the race. Dustin clears the tracks from the start to the finish line, but stops just short of the finish line. Sir Topham Hatt tells him to keep going, so he crosses the finish line. Dustin is then given the first place trophy for both clearing the tracks and finishing the race first.
Characters
- Thomas
- Henry
- Dustin
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Percy (does not speak)
- The Mayor of Sodor (does not speak)
- Edward (cameo)
- Gordon (cameo)
- James (cameo)
- Toby (cameo)
- Emily (cameo)
- Spencer (cameo)
- Hiro (cameo)
- Connor (cameo)
- Caitlin (cameo)
- Henrietta (cameo)
- Cranky (cameo)
- Lady Hatt (cameo)
- Dowager Hatt (cameo)
- Sodor Brass Band (cameo)
- Mr. Percival (cameo)
- Farmer McColl (cameo)
- The Ginger-haired Boy (cameo)
- The Blond-haired Boy (cameo)
- The Bird Watcher (cameo)
- The Photographer (cameo)
- Dowager Hatt's Friends (cameo)
- Two Schoolboys (cameo)
- The Great Composer (cameo)
- The Lady with the Big Hat (cameo)
- The Female Puppet Show Entertainer (cameo)
- The Great Railway Show Judge (cameo)
Locations
- Tidmouth Sheds
- The Windmill
- The Watermill
- Maithwaite
- Knapford
- Sir Topham Hatt's Office
- Sodor Ice Cream Factory
- Brendam Docks
- Sodor Shipping Company
- Maron
- McColl Farm
- Wellsworth Vicarage Orchard
- Dustin's Shed
Trivia
- Maron is depicted as it appears in the first series with straight platforms.
Goofs
- Some of the human characters at the finish line are duplicated.
- The red lining on Thomas' bunker is missing in some illustrations.