Thomas is a little blue tank engine. He has two coaches called Annie and Clarabel. Sir Topham Hatt thinks Thomas is really usefull.
One day Thomas saw a bus in the station yard. "Hello, I'm Bertie," said the bus. "Let's have a race." Thomas won. Hurray!
Henry the green engine is proud of his paint. Once when it rained, he went into a tunnel and wouldn't come out. So they left him there. Sir Topham Hatt had a wall built in front of him.
Gordon the big engine said "poop, poop" to Henry as he passed him in the tunnel. Then one day Gordon broke down. Workmen knocked down wall and Henry pulled Gordon's coaches home. Hurray!
Percy is a saddle-tank engine. He likes taking children to the sea. On the way home it began to rain. Percy got stuck in a flood and his fire went out. The children were cold and hungry, but Harold the Helicopter brought them a picnic. Hurray!
-from the childrens books
The Railway Series and tv show
Shining Time Station by Rev. W. Awdry.