The Twelfth Engine - Part 3
All three of the blue engines were still at the works being mended, so the inspectors had to change a few things on the lines they would've run on. Thomas' branch line manage to cope without it's main engine, and Douglas, who was going to work on the mainline after bank-holiday, was kept on Edward's branch line to do the blue engine's duties. As for the mainline itself, since no other engine could be able to pull the express, with permission by the Fat Controller who was still in London looking for an engine, they had loaned a diesel engine from the mainland to pull the express. He was a BR class 55 and only had a number, the engines couldn't properly remember it but his number began with 55, and that was what he was called, because Eagle didn't bother saying his full number and the other mainline engines heard it and it stuck with the class 55.
Henry said to me it reminded him of two engines back when the railway was beginning and what I've heard of him, I couldn't agree more. 55 was a pompous and rude, one of those stereotypical diesels who wanted to degrade steam engines no matter what. And would cause countless arguments in the night. The engines were glad when he would leave the sheds. One morning, 55 had made the engines very cross, Oliver spend the night at the sheds and 55 had heard about his 'escape'. I would leave it there myself but it was one of the worse arguments with James being brutal as possible and Bear ordering him to shut up.
The hydraulic diesel was being fuelled up nearby, when Oliver pulled up alongside with already picking up his coaches. "Thanks for trying to shut up 55," he said.
Bear grinned. "Don't worry about it," he said, "happy to help!"
Just then, the inspector arrived. "I've been sent a letter from Sir Charles Hatt," he said, "he has found an engine."
"Oh," said Oliver curiously, "what class is it?"
"I don't know," replied the inspector, "all I know that it's actually in London in storage and an engine is needing to go there with the Wild Nor' Wester today."
"Today?" exclaimed Bear, "but who'll take it?"
"You will Bear," replied the inspector, "controller's orders."
"M-Me? But why?"
"You're the fastest diesel on the island," said the inspector, "and BoCo is needed here, I'm sorry, but Sir Charles Hatt did specifically asked you to go."
He left, leaving Bear quite perplexed, Oliver smiled encouragingly. "Go on Bear," he said, "you can do it, "the Fat Controller chose you specifically to go to London."
Bear knew orders from the Fat Controller means that he would have to do it with no other options unless the stout gentleman said so. So he revved his engine and growled away towards the station.
55 was fuming when he saw Bear backing down onto his coaches.
"Don't know why they have a dirty diesel pull coaches for the highest class," he said snootily, "it's uneconomical."
"I don't think you understand what 'uneconomical' means," Bear replied crossly, "besides I need to go to London, you don't, that is all."
55 said no more, as Bear headed out of the station towards Barrow-In-Furness.
He rattled down the line, making quick progress. He stopped at the works station and then carried on to Barrow, he was quickly refuelled with a tanker sitting next to him on the platform with either Splatter or Dodge.
He rolled out of the station and headed towards new, foreign territory. He hadn't gone Barrow ever since joining the railway and was a little nervous, his driver reassured him as he went past the station buildings and travelled through the British countryside. A sense of nostalgia came flooding into him, but he wasn't all too frilled by it. He stopped at a few stations along the way. Stopping at Manchester first, travel another few miles until reaching the city of Leicester, then finally stopping at Nottingham, the last stop until St. Pancreas. Bear then remembered the time Gordon told him he wanted to go to King's Cross to prove an engine wrong about the station being changed, but then realised he had gone to St. Pancreas and had a long talk with the Fat Controller about it with the engine who tricked Gordon into thinking they demolished King's Cross and replaced it for St. Pancreas.
Bear could't exactly remember the name Gordon kept saying, something beginning with 'r'. He'd have to ask Gordon when he gets back. At last the guard blew his whistle, and Bear, tooting his horn, pulled the train out of the station and towards London.
He finally saw London up ahead, and smiled, he was beginning to feel tired from running down the English lines and was glad to have a proper rest. He arrived at London, later than the usual service, but still felt satisfied. A shunter came to take his coaches, and the hydraulic diesel set off to be refuelled, he would take the returning express service tomorrow with the new engine the Fat Controller had brought.
He came into one of the yards in London and glanced around. "Thank goodness I wasn't directed off the wrong line," he muttered, suddenly, he heard a toot of the horn and heard a purring diesel come towards him. A very dirty diesel came idling up alongside the hydraulic diesel.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't D7101."
Bear was shocked to see the diesel become someone he recognised all too well. "D199," he murmured, "what are you doing here."
"Got sent here to do goods work a year ago," scoffed the diesel.
"H-How did you recognise me?"
"Heard about your little appearance in that little book... well I saw some of it," said D199, "and guess what! I was in it too! I'm a disgrace now!"
"Sorry," shrugged Bear (if he could shrug at all), "but you did that to yourself really."
"I didn't chose to be called Spamcan."
Bear tried not smirk when he heard that. "People really call you that now?"
Spamcan gritted his teeth. "Don't you dare mock me... Bear," he said venomously, "you failed on that day too, you were only chosen cause you were a failed class."
"Rubbish," scoffed Bear defensively, "my class is still in working order to this day and you know it, I do believe their time will come but until then, you just keep your mouth shut."
Spamcan growled furiously. "Well... why are you hear then?" he asked.
"None of your business," said Bear crossly, and he fumed off, leaving Spamcan to watch him go with a glaring sneer planted on his face.
Bear was soon notified that he'll be heading off to King's Cross. "We'll be leaving there with the express tomorrow lad," stated his driver, and apparently there's a surprise in the yards over there."
Bear was curious by that, but said nothing as he moved off to the yards near King's Cross. It was a little complicated getting there, but he finally found where he was heading and as his driver was at his back cab he finally arrived at the yards safely.
And there, standing in one of the sidings, with workmen standing around it, was a steam, tender engine the Fat Controller had promised. It was sizzling nicely where it stood, it had a rather unusual square cab, with four big driving wheels and it cylinder had plunged into the middle of it's footplate. An early BR crest was painted on her tender and the cab showed it's number reading: 62886.
The shape it had was too iconic for Bear to not know what she was now. "You're an Atlantic engine," he grinned broadly, "one of some to only have one gender in their class."
The Atlantic engine smiled at Bear, even though, Bear saw it to be a little fake. "Yes I am," she affirmed, "I'm an Great Northern C1."
"Oh, so you're from one of the railways before they were merged into the LNER," said Bear, trying to get her into a conversation."
"Yes... indeed I am," said the Atlantic engine.
Just then, they heard a man rushing up to them both. Bear sighed with relief as a man with a top hat came hurrying up to him. He put his hands on his knees and panted for breath. It took an awkwardly long while until reposed himself and looked proudly at Bear with his cheeks still flush in the early evening sun. "Glad you were able to make it Bear," he beamed, "and I see you've met Alice, our newest addition to our fleet!"
"Yes I have sir," replied Bear, "she's perfect for the mainline in my opinion, Atlantic engines can hold their own against Doncaster pacifics."
"Indeed they can," beamed the Fat Controller, he then turned to see Alice wheeshing steam nicely, "I found her in London by a few people who were able to give me documents on engines and she was being stored in a shed nearby here, she was brought by a preservation society but they couldn't hold enough money and were only able to get her out and about only a few times and had to do an overhaul last year to her, the manager has stated she would be most likely be in top condition and suggest we give her a few tests before running trains on Sodor."
He then turned back to Bear, "this is where you come in."
"Me sir?"
"You'll be her back engine for the return train to Tidmouth," he said grandly, "you'll be helping her when she runs her test to Sodor."
"So... I will help when she breaks down or something?"
"Not entirely," chuckled the Fat Controller, "you'll be helping a bit in a few stages of the journey, but when she does break down we'll need you to mmhmm... growl to life."
He then tipped his hat, and walked away. Bear sighed, he was expecting a double-header, but he knew that Alice needed to be tested and this would be her only chance with Gordon out of action for the time-being.
Alice looked apologetically at the hydraulic diesel, but Bear dismissed her sympathy. "It's fine," he said, "at least I will have a much easier trip!"
"I hope I won't be an entire nuisance for you if I break down," sighed Alice hopefully, "I've only steamed occasionally you know and I've only ran along rails on my twice since I've been preserved."
"Ahhh, don't worry about it," reassured Bear, "besides... it's not the first time I've had to take a failed engine and it's passenger train the rest of the way." He trailed off remembering his first days of being a North Western engine.
"Sir Topham Hatt has been ever so kind," continued Alice sweetly, "he's promised me many things, such as long distance runs, with fast passenger services on your mainline, he was very stressed for two days when I was being inspected, then being steamed up and tested. He was practically jumping for joy when it was successful."
Bear smiled kindly. "I'm sure you'll do fine," he said nicely.
Alice smiled back at Bear. "Thank you," she said.
Bear rolled away, leaving the new engine to continue to be wheesh steam in her siding. The hydraulic diesel backed into a shed later that evening, a diesel from that shed would be taking the returning express and would return to London with the train so that he and Alice could take it back to Sodor again.
But there next to him, was Spamcan. He sneered at Bear as he growled into the shed. "Thought you would be gone," he said.
"I thought you would be pleasant by now," said Bear fiercely, "now shut up and stop pestering me."
"Oh, but I know about that steam engine," said Spamcan, "a friendly diesel told me if you're asking, guess your controller is still stubborn about that railway."
Bear was surprised and cross. "Our controller is a very nice man," he stated, "he gave me a second chance because I tried, you didn't because you moaned for a fitter and proved the steam engine's that they were much more worthy of running the railway than you are."
Spamcan was furious, he said no more, but when Bear began to go to sleep, he could sense that what he said would have his old acquaintance trying to pay him out. And I'm sorry to say he was right...
Bear woke up the next day, he gave a mighty yawn. His driver soon arrived and was just coming out of the sheds, when there was a sudden clank, and a curse from a diesel at the front. The hydraulic diesel gaped and his driver applied his brakes. He came to a stop and looked on at the set of points, in where a 'Peak' class diesel had derailed over. The diesel was cursing and moaning loudly whilst his driver told him to shut up with him off the line and on the points, Bear and another two diesels were trapped.
"Botheration!" cried Bear angrily, and his engine growled in agreement.
A few minutes had past, and Bear's driver came running back to him. "Bad news I'm afraid," he said gloomily, "the points have been damaged and need to be repaired before you go over them, I'm afraid we can't go back to London anytime soon I'm afraid lad."
Bear growled crossly, this was the last thing he needed, he knew that Alice couldn't be able to move without him unless another diesel does it, and he didn't want to spend anymore time with that Spamcan.
Something struck Bear in his mind and looked back along the track next to him. Sure enough, Spamcan was no where in sight. Bear growled even more loudly than ever, a nearby diesel's eyes widen and looked the other way nervously, hoping not to be verbally attacked by the hydraulic diesel. "I think I know the cause of this," Bear grumbled.
An hour later, the Fat Controller came to see Bear. The derailed diesel was being put back onto the rails and new equipment came to replace the damaged points. "Don't worry Bear," smiled the Fat Controller warmly, "it wasn't your fault, the sleepers must've collapsed under the diesel's weight. I will need to head back to Sodor right away and I prefer it if Alice comes along too with a replacement diesel. Thomas has been repaired now and Edward is near completion, but Gordon is still idle in the workshop and Alice is needed more than ever on the mainline with the diesel I loaned apparently getting worn out."
Bear sighed. "Yes sir, I understand sir."
The Fat Controller nodded and tipped his hat to Bear.
***
Bear remained in the shed for the entire day. He slept through most of it, but when he was awake, he felt very bored. He spoke to other two diesels who were also trapped by the points. They were pleasant, and their views on steam engines were unsure, but Bear understood why, most diesels had been taught by older diesels on how to treat steam engines wrongly. Bear gave them the best talking to about the engines on the North Western on how steam engines are brutal to each other. They're rude, sulky and selfish, but show compassion and kindness when they need to be.
"Sounds like a family to me," said one of the diesels.
Bear sniggered. "Yeah," he said, "they're kinda are."
It was morning when Bear was able to get out of the shed and was very pleased. He was quickly assigned a passenger service and he rushed out of London as quickly as he could. Of course, it took most of the day to get to Sodor alone. He was halfway there and the passenger service was going to end at Leicester, with him taking a goods train three-quarters of an hour later. But when he got to Leicester station, he saw the Wild Nor' Wester at the platform, with a diesel fuming at the front.
"55?" he said, as the hydraulic diesel growled past him.
"Yes it's me," replied 55 snootily,
"But... what are you doing here?" asked Bear, as he came to a stop, trying to stay close to the diesel as possible.
"I've been sent away of course," scoffed 55 crossly, "another diesel arrived at your main terminus with your new steam engine and your worth Sir Topham Hatt declared he would be put on trial! Let's just say the other engines were not pleased by this."
Bear pondered who it could be, then, as he finally left the station to shunt his coaches, an awful realisation came into his exhaust. "Oh god, please not be him," he murmured to himself, "anyone but him!"
He quickly got his goods train together and finally reached Barrow-In-Furness, where his train would carry on to Scotland. Splatter and Dodge were there in their little shed, they looked at Bear with confused expressions.
"Hey listen bud," said Splatter, "but you're late."
"Late?" quizzed Bear, "how?"
"Well... uhhhh...."
"Shut up Splatter," sneered Dodge, "otherwise the readers will think we're idiots."
"Readers?" Bear stared.
"..."
"..."
"Okay I'll just go."
"Yeah!" called Splatter triumphantly, "you better run!"
"You half-wit! He can beat us in a heartbeat!"
"But we don't half heartbeats!"
"FIGURE OF SPEECH MORON!!!"
Bear refuelled for one last time for getting home and headed light engine back to the big station, with 55 now gone, never to be seen again, who was this diesel engine who was now on trial. Bear was fearing the worse. He got to the yards, it was dark now and the moon was just behind the houses in Tidmouth. Bear went on the turntable to be turned and headed straight to the sheds. He tooted his horn one final time for the day's travels.
"Keep it down Grizzly Bear, you'll wake the residents up, we wouldn't want that now. Would we?"
Bear's engine sank, he backed into the shed, the others were there, Henry next to him, then James, and then Douglas and then it was Alice, but the diesel who was sitting at the other end of the shed was none other than Diesel 199. Spamcan.
Spamcan grinned a devious grin at Bear and Henry. "What's the troubled faces?" he all but said for the rest of the night.