Thomas and Friends: Revenge of the Scrap-Yard Diesels

Thomas and Friends: Revenge of the Scrap-Yard Diesels is a special released in September 2017. It is a three-ninety-nine minute special.

Plot
This tale starts as any other day for the engines on the Island of Sodor. Today is an especially exciting day; a new engine is arriving by sea! All the engines hurry to finish their jobs and race to the docks to welcome him. After being unloaded by Cranky, the new engine introduces himself as Remus. The other engines, while waiting for Sir Topham Hat to arrive, decide to meet-and-greet with Remus. Sir Topham Hat, who arrives during these introductions, tells Thomas and Percy to give Remus the full tour of Sodor. They agree and set off with Remus by their side.

First, Thomas and Percy take Remus to the Sodor Steamworks, where Kevin is causing chaos as usual. Then, he’s taken to the Sodor Search and Rescue Center, where three other new engines are introduced: Jack, a spry little tank engine; Bill, a hard working crane engine; and Kudos, a white front loader/breakdown vehicle. Along the way to their final destination, Remus met several other new friends, such as Edward and James (who become his best friends), Charlie and Bertie, Spencer and Rocky, and even devious Diesel, who Thomas and Percy claim is “evil and untrustworthy”. Finally, Thomas and Percy take Remus to a newly-introduced building, the Sodor Delivery Company, where packages and parcels from around the world are distributed all over the island. There they meet Mach, a clumsy red and white delivery van, who accidentally knocks a few crates over. Thomas and Remus say good night to Remus and head away to Tidmoth Sheds, where Sir Topham Hat is issuing jobs for the next day. He speaks to Thomas first, ordering him to finish his tour with Remus, and then to the other engines – “A surprise will be arriving at the docks by tea time, so don’t be late to welcome it.”

The next day, Thomas takes Remus to see Misty Island, where he meets Bash, Dash, and Ferdinand and has fun all day. On the Island of Sodor, it’s a different story. Three new diesel engines have just arrived at the docks: Davenport, a Class 07 0-6-0 Dock Shunter; Scrounge, a Class 08 Diesel-Electric Shunter; and Maverick, a Class 42 Warship with a retractable claw. They call themselves the Scrap-Yard diesels, and Sir Topham Hat explains that they’re here to work at another newly-introduced building, the Sodor Smelters Yard. Here, all operations are controlled by Dennis. Percy leaves the docks early to tell Thomas of the newcomers’ arrival. Thomas and Remus are at Whiff’s Waste Dump, talking to Whiff and Scruff, when they receive the news. Thomas isn’t sure of what to do, but Remus says that all will be well if they give these new diesels a chance. Thomas and Percy reluctantly agree, worrying about what might happen next.

Remus is right—Davenport, Scrounge, and Maverick have kept to their word and barely roll outside of the Smelters Yards, but the engines are keeping an eye out for the first sign of trouble. The Sodor diesels, however, have grown fond of the Scrap-Yard Diesels and soon become friends with them. Later that night at Tidmoth Sheds, the other engines bring Thomas up-to-speed on the newcomers. Salty rolls by and hears the engines talking about Davenport, Scrounge, and Maverick. He says “That reminds me of a story!” and begins to tell of a powerful engine named Hugo. The engines listen so intently to Salty’s story that they do not notice Davenport rolling by and secretly stopping to listen to the story, too. Salty continues:

“It was a long, long time ago… Hugo used to work on the mainland, pulling heavy trains of cargo in and out of them big stations. He was a big and strange engine, with ‘is ten wheel drive and a big box sittn’ atop ‘is boiler. Argh and he soon became famous when he snatches himself a group of diesels better known as the Scrap-Yard Diesels! Then, he reports them to the stationmaster, where he sends them diesels away to change thar behaviors. As a reward, Hugo was sent away to ‘is homeland of Star Island to work on the railways there. Argh, alas, but when it arrived at Star Island, the islanders reported back to the mainland docks that the ship had been badly damaged by what might have been rocks… and Hugo was no where to be found! Oh yes, this strange mystery of missing engine has not been solves yet but, there is a rumor. It is said that before the ship reached Star Island, it crashed up against another island, leaving Hugo behind.”

The engines are hushed by Salty’s story, but Davenport grows worried. He rushes back to the Sodor Smelters Yard and exclaims that the engines know about Hugo! He tells them what Salty has said, and soon, Maverick and Scrounge share Davenport’s worry. Maverick makes it clear to the others that they cannot allow the engines to find Hugo. The next day, Edward and James are at the Search and Rescue Center, telling Remus, Jack, Bill, and Kudos about Salty’s story. They are contemplating whether there is any truth behind Hugo’s existence when Davenport rolls by. He tells Edward and Jack that Sir Topham Hat requests them at the Sodor Dieselworks. This, however, is a trap—as they arrive, they are kidnapped into the Dieselworks by Davenport and Scrounge!

Over the next couple of days, the Scrap-Yard Diesels are wrecking havoc all over the island. They biff and bash freight cars off the tracks and push the other engines around, making them late for pick-ups at the Sodor Delivery Co., and cause confusion and delay. One day, Thomas and Percy are at SDC (Sodor Delivery Company) when Maverick rolls in. Suddenly, he swings his claw down over Thomas’ funnel and knocks over his and Percy’s loads! Packages and parcels were flung all over the place, blocking the tracks. Thomas decided that enough was enough; he pushed through the boxes to give chase to Maverick. They race through country-sides and rattle across bridges before finally arriving at the Sodor Smelters Yards. Thomas sees Maverick roll in when Thomas is stopped by the sound of a familiar steam whistle. Thomas pauses for a minute to think before following after Maverick.

The Smelters Yard is a terrifying sight; gears grinding, machinery creaking, and there is an eerie, red glow to the building. Thomas puffs forward a few feet and is then lifted high into the air by the Scrapper, a crane that would normally haul scrap metal over to the Incinerator! Soon, Thomas is face-to-face with Maverick, with Davenport and Scrounge just below. Maverick asks Thomas: “What are you doing here?”  Thomas replies with another question: “What are you three doing here? You’re causing all sorts of trouble for us, and I demand to know why!”  Maverick says that they know the Steamies know about Hugo, how he defeated them in the past. They do not want Hugo to be found, and here’s why: the Scrap-Yard Diesels plan to return to the mainland so they can wreck even more havoc without the annoyance of Hugo stopping them! Thomas is shocked, but then remembers one detail: Sir Topham Hat! Thomas proclaims that Sir Topham Hat would never allow them to go through with their plan, that he could surely stop them. The diesels have already thought of this – first, overthrow the “big, fat man” (quoted by Maverick), then control the docks! Then, Maverick tells the Scrapper to scrap Thomas! But before it can process this thought, the sliding doors burst inward to reveal James, Toby, and Whiff charging through! The diesels are very surprised by this sudden entry, and as the Scrapper, still carrying Thomas, spins around in confusion, the cable line snaps! Thomas flies through the air and lands on the flatbed that Whiff is pushing. Then all four engines puff and chuff away from the Smelters Yard, pulling Thomas with them and leaving the Scrap-Yard Diesels dazed.

That night, on the way back to Tidmoth Sheds, the engines pass Dennis, who appears to have been pushed off the tracks and into some bushes and left where no one could see him. Thomas asks: “What happened?” Dennis replies:

“Well, for starters, the diesels’ all nice-and-harmless attitude about things is just a cover-up! Them and their nasty behavior once got the best of them when they were caught by Hugo and – [Thomas says they already know Hugo’s story] Dennis replied: “Well, did ya’ know they were the ones to sabotage that ship? [Thomas says no, and Dennis continues] Well, they did, then started going from island to island, causing all sorts of trouble. Then, they came here and stated their plan – [Thomas says he knows of this plan and Toby asks what it was. Thomas says he would tell them later] – and that they kidnapped those engines, Edward and Jack, and keeping them as hostages! [Thomas and the other engines gasp at this new piece of information] They said all this the other night while I was on duty… that’s how I heard it. But when I backed up to tell Sir Topham Hat, I bumped into a spare wheel! The diesels heard it and chased me. When they caught up with me, they pushed me right off the tracks and threatened to return if I said a word of what I heard that night! That’s how I got to be here.”

The engines are shocked. Thomas thanks Dennis for telling them, saying that Bill will come and help him early in the morning. Then they huff off, talking about what they have just learned.

When they arrive at Tidmoth Sheds, Thomas tells the other engines about his chase with Maverick, the steam whistle, his experience at the Sodor Smelters Yards, and what Dennis told him. The engines decide that they must find Hugo before the Scrap-Yard Diesels can continue with their plan. The next day, all the engines search for Hugo, looking high and low, near and far. Then, Thomas, Remus, and Salty are at the docks when Salty suddenly remembers something about Hugo’s tale: he says that only one engine would know where Hugo is hidden, and that this mystery engine is his closest friend. Thomas and Remus think and think, and then Thomas figures it out: Hiro! He is the oldest engine on Sodor, so he must have at least heard of Hugo. As Thomas and Remus later find out, Hiro knows Hugo very well. He says they worked on the mainland railway side-by-side at one time. Then he gives them the one bit of information that they need to stop the Scrap-Yard Diesels in their tracks: Hugo is hidden somewhere on Misty Island!

Unfortunately, Davenport, Maverick, and Scrounge were close by when Hiro says this. They soon catch up with Thomas and Remus and it becomes a free-for-all to get to Misty Island! Along the way, a few other engines – Percy, James, Diesel, Norman, and Bill—join in the chase as well. Soon, Thomas is speeding down the Misty Island Tunnel with Maverick following close behind. When Thomas comes around to the Jobi forest, he speeds down a small, abandoned branch line where Maverick cannot follow. As soon as Thomas is sure that Maverick is gone, he follows the branch line until some bushes blocked the track. He pushes through them onto over-grown track where a big, broken engine greets his eyes: Hugo! After a hasty introduction, Thomas asks what happened after the ship crashed, and Hugo tells the rest of his tale:

“It was as if it were only yesterday… the waves crashing along the shore. I was washed aground and started puffing down the line, wondering where I was. Sooner or later, I came to a logging station with Jobi logs strewn all over the tracks. Seeing as there was no one else around, I felt compelled to clear the logs with the help of a wild, noisy log loader [Thomas explains the log loader’s name was Old’ Wheezy] and another crane that kept breaking down [Thomas explains its name being Hee-Haw]. Well, they certainly made the task at hand very difficult indeed! However, soon that was finished, and I wanted to explore the island a little more before my homeland started looking for me. I stumbled upon this branch line and followed it down. Suddenly, the tracks buckled under my weight – I am a very heavy engine, as you can see! While I waited for help, this Jobi tree crashed down on my water tank, and some birds – they are very annoying, by the way! – started a nest in the hole.”

Thomas is amazed by this extraordinary engine, but remembers what is going on around them and tells Hugo not to worry. He would go and get Bill, another breakdown crane, and some parts to temporarily repair the old branch line and Hugo himself. When he returns to Sodor, it was Steamies vs. Diesels: the steamies are trying to catch Davenport and Screws while the diesels are preventing this from happening. Thomas finds Bill to tell him that Hugo has been found. Bill is astonished by the news! Thomas says they need some things at the Sodor Steamworks, first. Victor is happy to help; soon Thomas and Bill are returning to Hugo. Once the tracks and Hugo are fixed, Bill and Thomas (using another breakdown crane) pull Hugo back onto the tracks, and then the three of them puff along the branch line to an opening back onto the main line.

Suddenly, Maverick, who was waiting for this moment in the hollow tree tunnel, appears. He chases the three engines all around Misty Island, screaming through valleys and roaring up hills. Then, Thomas has an idea; he leads everyone to the Shake-Shake Bridge. He whooshes on first, the bridge shaking and swaying. Then Bill and Hugo follow, the structure shuddering under Hugo’s weight. Then Maverick rolls on and suddenly the whole bridge jerks, cracks, and collapses, with Hugo barely making it over, sending Maverick splashing into the pit! Once back on Sodor, Hugo, being much faster than the Sodor engines, helped with the capture of Davenport and Scrounge, sending Davenport into the fenland, and Scrounge into flatbeds of milk cartons [with the help of Emily].

That day, all the engines are rounded up—along with Davenport and Screws—with Sir Topham Hat on Misty Island. He exclaims that they, the Scrap-Yard Diesels, have caused confusion and delay, and recaps the damage they have inflicted. He sends them back to the mainland to be kept under watchful eyes, and goes to see about Hugo’s being properly fixed. Percy and Remus are sent to the Dieselworks to collect Edward and Jack. Once Hugo comes out of the Steamworks looking like new, the engines and Sir Topham Hat throw a party at Knapford Station to welcome him officially to the Island of Sodor. Then, after Hugo is welcomed to the island, Ferdinand starting it off, all the engines say “That’s right!” at the same time and break out laughing!

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Emily
 * Toby
 * Cranky
 * Diesel
 * Iron 'Arry and Bert
 * Victor
 * Kevin
 * Spencer
 * Rocky
 * Charlie
 * Bertie
 * Diesel
 * Bash
 * Dash
 * Ferdinand
 * Dennis
 * Whiff
 * Scruff
 * Sidney
 * Salty
 * Hiro
 * Sir Topham Hatt