Thomas The Tank Engine And Friends (1984) s18e03 Episode Script

Flatbeds of Fear

(NARRATOR READING) It was a misty day on the Island of Sodor.
At Brendam Docks, Cranky was unloading a big shipment of building supplies.
(WHISTLING AND WAILING) What's that noise? Arrr! Ha-ha-arrr! That'll be the Flatbeds of Fear, Thomas.
The Flatbeds of Fear? What are they? Well, now me hearty, long, long ago, an old engine was puffing along the tracks pulling three flatbeds when suddenly his coupling snapped.
Ha-ha-arrr! And the flatbeds rolled away.
Now the flatbeds roll the rails a-whistling and a-wailing and looking for an engine to couple up to.
(LAUGHING) So, me hearty, beware the Flatbeds of Fear.
They might come rolling after you.
Ha-ha-ha.
Enough of your tall tales, Salty.
Thomas has work to do! - Off you go, Thomas.
- (WHISTLE BLOWING) NARRATOR: So Thomas was coupled up to the flatbeds.
And with a toot of his whistle, he was on his way.
Ha-harrr! Watch out for the Flatbeds of Fear, Thomas! Ha-ha-ha! You never know when they'll come rolling by! Ha-ha-arrr! (SHEEP BLEATING) Thomas clattered through the mist with the pipes on his flatbeds.
When suddenly, he heard the noise again.
- (WHISTLING AND WAILING) - What's that? Thomas looked around, but he couldn't see anything that could have made the mysterious sound.
Emily and Henry were at the shunting yard when Thomas arrived.
- Hello, Thomas! - I've just heard the Flatbeds of Fear.
The Flat who of what? The Flatbeds of Fear! Salty told me about them.
They roam the rails in search of an engine and they whistle and wail.
- That sounds spooky.
- It was! Oh, don't be such a pair of scaredy engines! There must be a perfectly sensible explanation.
- I hope so.
I really do.
- (WHISTLE BLOWING) NARRATOR: The next morning, Henry was sent to pick up the pipes from the shunting yard and take them to Vicarstown.
I don't want to hear the Flatbeds of Fear.
I don't want to hear the Flatbeds of Fear.
(COW MOOING) Oh, no! It's the Flatbeds of Fear.
(MOOING) NARRATOR: But it was just a cow in the field.
I don't want to hear the Flatbeds of Fear.
I don't want to hear the Flatbeds of Fear.
- (WHISTLE BLOWING) - Ahhh! It's the Flatbeds of Fear! NARRATOR: But it was just the station master blowing his whistle.
Henry finally made it to the shunting yard and picked up the pipes.
I don't want to hear the Flatbeds of Fear.
I don't want to hear the Flatbeds of Fear.
(WHISTLING AND WAILING) NARRATOR: Then Henry heard some whistling and some wailing.
Oh, no! That's not a cow in a field and it's not the guard's whistle.
It must be the Flatbeds of Fear! NARRATOR: Henry was much too scared to keep on puffing.
He slowed right down, so his driver took him onto a siding, thinking there was something wrong.
Henry stopped.
And he wouldn't budge! Emily had to be called to take the flatbeds to Vicarstown.
You are being very silly, Henry.
There really are no such things as the Flatbeds of Fear.
But there are! I heard them! Nonsense! What did you actually hear? HENRY: I heard a whistling and a wailing sound.
Just like Thomas said.
EMILY: Oh! Well, I still think there must be a sensible explanation.
(WAILING AND WHISTLING) NARRATOR: Then Emily heard something, too! What's that noise? Thomas, are you playing a trick on me? NARRATOR: But Emily couldn't see Thomas anywhere.
Henry, is that you? NARRATOR: There was no sign of Henry.
Emily puffed away as fast as she could.
But the whistling and wailing was right behind her.
Oh no, maybe there isn't a sensible explanation.
Maybe it really is the Flatbeds of Fear! NARRATOR: Emily puffed faster and faster, as she tried to get away from the Flatbeds of Fear.
Then there was trouble.
Emily took a turn too fast! The pipes came loose and rolled off the flatbeds.
Bubbling boilers! (SIGHS) At least I can't hear the Flatbeds of Fear any more.
They must have gone away after another engine.
NARRATOR: Rocky had to be called to help load the spilled pipes onto the flatbeds again.
(WHISTLE BLOWING) Meanwhile, Thomas was at the docks.
Have you got some more pipes ready for me, Cranky? Keep your funnel on, Thomas.
Nearly done.
(LAUGHS) There's a bit of a breeze whipping up, me hearties.
(WHISTLING AND WAILING) (GASPS) Oh, no! It's the Flatbeds of Fear! There are no Flatbeds of Fear! That's just the wind whistling through the pipes.
- THOMAS: Really? - Ah, you engines! Salty, you said the whistling and wailing was the Flatbeds of Fear! Arrr, that I did.
But it might just have been the wind.
You were teasing us all along.
Oh, (CHUCKLES) that's the way it is with us Dockside Diesels.
(CHUCKLING) NARRATOR: That night, Emily was late getting back to the sheds.
Oh, Thomas, you were right.
The Flatbeds of Fear are real! What do you mean? You're the one who was right.
There was a sensible explanation.
Really? But I heard the sound and it kept following me and What explanation? It was one of Salty's tall tales! That noise was just the wind blowing through the pipes.
Wind? Blowing through the pipes? Oh I, I see.
I knew it had to be something.
I wasn't really scared.
NARRATOR: But everyone knew that Emily really had been frightened.
And after that, nobody ever spoke about the Flatbeds of Fear again.
Except maybe Salty.
And to this day, the Flatbeds of Fear roll the Sodor rails, looking for an engine to couple up to.
- (LAUGHING) - EMILY: Oh, Salty, honestly.
(ALL LAUGHING)
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