The Wrong Van is a magazine story.
Plot
One day, Thomas finds the main station crowded with people he has never seen before and deduces they are holidaymakers. The Fat Controller informs Thomas that they will be traveling to the end of the branch line to go camping and that a van will be attached to Thomas' train due to the large amount of luggage. Percy has been sent out to find one and The Fat Controller suggests Thomas should look for one as well.
While Thomas is away, Percy arrives with a van and the luggage is loaded inside. The passengers climb into Annie and Clarabel and wait for Thomas. Thomas - unaware of the loaded van waiting to be coupled - has a different van coupled to Clarabel. Thomas goes back to the front of the train and asks if everything is ready. The Fat Controller responds that it is, believing Thomas is pulling Percy's van.
At the end of the line, the guard opens the van and is surprised to find nothing inside. The Fat Controller is informed, and he and Thomas realise what had happened. The passengers learn about the situation too and find it rather funny. They tell the Fat Controller that they enjoyed the ride so much that they would be perfectly content going back with Thomas to fetch the correct van. So Thomas does just that and the passengers once again have enjoyable journeys to the station and back.
Characters
- Thomas
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Percy (does not speak)
- Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
Goofs
- In the second illustration, part of Thomas' running board is coloured blue.
- The vans change colour between the illustrations.
- In the sixth illustration, Annie's eyes are not painted in white.
