Escape

One day, Mr Edward is talking to Mr Trevor when Mr Douglas steams past and scolds Mr Edward for talking instead of working. Mr Edward later meets Mr Douglas again and tells him that both he and Mr Trevor have a lot in common as they were both nearly scrapped, to Mr Douglas' horror. Mr Edward continues, explaining how Mr Trevor is now Really Useful, but thinks that the railway could use another steam engine, to which Mr Douglas agrees.

Later that night, Mr Douglas has taken a goods train to a faraway part of the Island where only the diesels work. He is shunting for his return journey when he hears a hiss of steam. He pauses, and hears the hiss again. A voice comes from nearby, asking if he belongs to the Fat Controller. The engine reveals himself as Mr Oliver, who has run away from being scrapped with his brake van Toad, but has run out of coal. Mr Douglas is still nervous at hearing the word "scrap," but then remembers Edward's story about Mr Trevor. Mr Douglas' crew work hard to rescue Mr Oliver and Toad. Douglas begins the journey by running tender-first of bringing the two to the Fat Controller's railway. Just before they clear the station, a foreman and his watchdog stops them. Douglas' driver explains that Mr Oliver and Toad belong to them, and although wary at first, the foreman lets them continue. It is daylight when they finally arrive. Mr Douglas' driver finds a place at the works for Mr Oliver, who thanks them all. The next day, Mr Douglas tells the engines all about Mr Oliver. They think Mr Douglas should tell the Fat Controller about him at once, just as he arrives. He explains that unless a steam engine is saved from scrap, there is little hope to find one. Luckily, the Fat Controller already knows about Mr Oliver and decides that he will work on Mr Duck's branch line.

Mr Oliver and Toad are restored, and painted in Great Western colours. The other engines laugh and call the branch line "The Little Western" at first, but it delights Mr Duck and Mr Oliver.