One spring morning, Toby greets his friends at Tidmouth Sheds. The Fat Controller is giving the engines their orders for today, but, while all the others get important jobs, Toby must go back to his shed at Arlesdale End to wait; his only job is to collect workmen and deliver them to Great Waterton in the afternoon. Toby is very disappointed that waiting in the shed is not a special at all.

Once back at Arlesdale End, Toby thinks that his friends have been given specials because they have found