Lucky Landing!

“I know this area like the back of my boiler!”

― Toby

Lucky Landing! is a magazine story.

Plot[]

While working on his outlying quarry line, Toby sometimes feels that he is missing all the excitement of the busy main line. He tells Henrietta that - just for once - he wants a real adventure.

While waiting at a signal, Toby spots a yellow aeroplane fly by. He whistles a friendly hello to it. When Toby steams on his way, he is surprised to see the aeroplane coming back. This time, it circles above Toby as if it is looking for something.

The next moment, the plane dives towards Toby and the pilot waves frantically. Toby thinks the pilot is in trouble and needs help. The driver thinks he probably needs to land the plane quickly, but the quarry land is scattered with dangerous rocks. Toby has an idea; he knows the area better than anyone. His driver beckons to the plane and luckily the pilot understands and follows the little tram engine.

Toby pulls up sharply near an empty field. His driver climbs on the cab roof and points to the field. Toby dares not look as the plane descends lower and lower towards the ground. At last, the plane lands with a bump, but safely and rolls along the field until it stops. Toby and his driver are relieved to see the pilot appear. The pilot explains that he was very low on fuel and barely had two minutes flying time left. Without Toby's help, the pilot knows he would never have found a safe landing place in time. Toby then takes the pilot to the nearest airfield to fetch some fuel.

When the Fat Controller hears about Toby's adventure, the little steam tram is summoned to the main station to be praised in front of the other engines. They all wish they could have such exciting adventures, too. Toby tells them that they should come and work on the quarry line like he does.