Thomas and Friends Storytime.
The Tiger Train.
A podcast story for kids.
Starring Thomas, Yong Bao, Sandy and Carly.
Based on the Railway series by the Reverend W. Audrey.
Created by Britt Allcroft.
And read by me, Rachel Louise Miller.
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And now it's story time.
Over the hill and round the bend you'll find a large roundhouse called Tidmouth Sheds, where five little engines sleep soundly at night and wake in the morning as the sun shines its light.
They all have work to do and cargo to tow.
For this happy crew it's all engines go.
Today's story is all about being brave.
It's called The Tiger Train.
One day Thomas arrived at Brendam Docks to find Percy, Mia and Diesel talking to a very special visitor who had come all the way from China.
Can you guess who it is?
It was Yong Bao!
Yong Bao had brought fireworks for the big fireworks show that evening.
Percy looked at the big gold tiger painted on Yong Bao's side.
Yong Bao, will you tell us again how you earned your gold tiger?
Percy asked excitedly.
Yong Bao was a very brave engine, but he didn't like to show off.
It wasn't such a big deal, he said.
Oh, please tell us the story, cried the other engines.
Okay, okay, said Yong Bao.
It was for the time I rescued.
But Yong Bao had seen something.
Huh?
James, Annie and Clarabelle?
James, Annie and Clarabelle? said Percy, puzzled.
I thought you rescued an engine who was trapped in the snow.
Yong Bao was racing towards the rail crossing.
The gates were stuck open and Yong Bao could see that James, Annie and Clarabelle were about to crash into Gordon, who was speeding towards the crossing from the other direction.
Ah! shouted James as he saw Gordon and tried to stop.
Oh no! shouted Annie and Clarabelle.
Yong Bao quickly buffered up behind James and slammed on his brakes.
Screech!
Yong Bao, James, Annie and Clarabel stopped just before they reached the crossing.
Thank you, shouted Gordon as he raced past them.
Oh, phew, that was close.
Woo-hoo, cheered the other engines.
Everyone thought that Yong Bao had been very brave, but Thomas wished he had been the one to stop the crash to show Yong Bao how brave he was.
Later that day, Thomas and Yong Bao were at Cannonball Curve when they heard what sounded like an explosion in the distance.
''Yikes!'' shouted Thomas.
''That came from the old mine.
We'd better go and see what happened.''
Thomas and Yong Bao found Gordon at the entrance to the mine.
Gordon said there had been a rockfall.
Everyone was okay, but Sandy and Carly were still trapped inside the mine.
Thomas thought this was his chance to show Yong Bao how brave he was.
Don't worry, Gordon.
Yong Bao and I can rescue Sandy and Carly, Thomas said.
Thomas and Yong Bao raced into the mine.
Down, down, down they went.
It was dark and cold and scary, but they kept going.
The two engines came to an old wooden bridge across a deep cavern.
Thomas looked over the edge into the blackness at the bottom of the mine.
Thomas, are you okay?
Yong Bao asked.
Yeah, I'm not scared, said Thomas, trying his best to look brave.
You're not? replied Yong Bao.
I am.
Thomas was surprised.
If Yong Bao was scared, maybe it was okay for Thomas to be scared too.
I'm terrified, admitted Thomas.
I only said I wasn't so you'd think I was as brave as you.
Well, you have to be scared before you can be brave, Yong Bao smiled.
Courage is facing what scares you.
So Thomas and Yong Bao headed across the rickety old bridge.
But as they reached the other side creak groan clank, the bridge fell apart, sending the track they had just crossed crashing into the cavern below.
Come on, we need to keep going and find Sandy and Carly, said Yong Bao.
Let's do this, replied Thomas bravely.
The two engines continued further into the mine.
Then they heard shouts.
Help!
Help!
It was Sandy and Carly.
Thomas and Yong Bao soon came to a huge pile of rocks blocking the track.
Sandy and Carly were trapped on the other side.
Are you guys okay?
Thomas shouted.
We're totally fine.
Sandy called, really stuck and we could use your help.
No problemo, said Thomas.
If we work together, we'll get you out in no time.
You pull the rocks and we'll push.
So they pulled and they pushed and crash.
The rock wall crumbled and sandy and Carly were free.
Thank you, Thomas.
Thank you, young Bao, said Sandy and Carly.
But the rescue wasn't over yet.
They still had to fix the broken bridge so they could cross over the cavern and get out of the mine.
Back at the broken bridge, Thomas could see a pile of new tracks, but they were on the other side of the bridge.
Sandy and Carly, could we use those tracks to fix the bridge? he asked.
Sure, replied Sandy, but how are we going to get them?
Thomas had an idea.
I'll need your help, Yong Bao, and your hook, Carly.
So, with Carly's hook tied tightly around Thomas' cab, Yong Bao pushed Thomas towards the gap in the bridge.
Full steam ahead, shouted Thomas as he flew across the gap and landed on the other side of the cavern.
Now, with Carly on one side of the broken bridge and her hook on the other, they had created a zip wire across the gap with Carly's line.
Sandy grabbed onto the line and slid down the zip wire.
She shouted as she landed next to Thomas.
Sandy quickly collected the tracks and slid back along the zip wire.
Clickety-clack snap track.
Clickety-clack, snap, track!
Sandy and Carly sang as they used the track to fix the bridge.
Soon everyone had crossed the bridge and together they made their way safely out of the mine.
That evening at Cannonball Curve, Thomas Yong Bao, Sandy and Carly were waiting to watch the fireworks when Percy, Nia and Diesel arrived.
We heard what happened.
Are you guys okay? said Percy.
Good thing Yong Bao was with you, added Diesel.
Actually, I couldn't have done it without Thomas, said Yong Bao.
He was super brave.
Thomas smiled.
Well, yeah, but we helped each other be brave.
Just then, there was a bang and a whiz and a pop!
The engines gasped as they looked up.
Hundreds of red, yellow, pink, purple and blue sparkles flashed across the sky.
It was the most amazing firework display ever!
Young Bao had shown Thomas that to be brave, you've got to be scared too.
Because helping others and being true is exactly what brave engines do.
The End Thomas and Friends is a registered trademark of Galane Thomas Limited.
