Thomas And Friends: The North Western Engines Series One

Too Strict For Oliver

If you ever got the chance to visit The Island Of Sodor you would most likely come across the seaside branch line running from Tidmouth Station to Arlesburgh Harbour. This branch line is nicknamed The Little Western after Duck and Oliver both being great western.
One day Samson was bringing a goods train from the Mainland.
As usual, his brakevan Bradford was trying to be in control over the behaviour of the heavy trucks.
"Oh, do please be quiet Bradford!" Pleaded Samson, "I'm going to get a headache!"
"No can do Samson! A brakevan is not a brakevan if they do not keep authority over their engine's rolling stock! Now! Keep those pistons pumping!" Bradford retorted.
If Bradford wasn't so busy distracting the industrial tank engine, Samson would have noticed Oliver in Vicarstown Yards with a goods train for The Little Western! "WOAH! WOAH! WOAH! WATCH OUT BOYO!" Barked Bradford!
"What are you on ab.... OH NO!" Samson gasped.
He bashed into Oliver's brakevan, Toad, knocking them both and a couple trucks from both trains off the line!
"Ouch!" Groaned Samson.
"Are you alright back there Toad?!" Called Oliver.
"Yes, I'm fine Mr Oliver, I've been better Sir, but it could be worse." Toad replied.
Samson suddenly tipped over from leaning to the side onto the ballast.
"Oh give me a break!" He groaned.
"I would Mr Samson Sir but mine aren't much use off the rails Mr Sir." Toad blushed.
"I'll go for a crane." Oliver sighed and steamed away to do so.
"I told you to stop Samson and you just carried on! You need to keep a better lookout lad! Railway regulations clearly state that engines must keep their eyes on the line and not get distracted!" Bradford scolded.
Samson tried to hide himself with his steam.
"MY EYES!" cried Diesel as Samson accidentally blew steam in his face!
Samson couldn't help but laugh at this.
Oliver arrived after a few hours with Rocky and both engine and brakevan where loaded onto flatbeds to be taken to the Steamworks.
"Sorry about this Toad, you too Oliver." blushed Samson.
"Ah well!" Smiled Oliver, "Forgive and forget I always say!"
"Very true Mr Oliver Sir." Toad grinned.
"By the way Samson, why didn't you see us ahead?" Oliver enquired.
Samson frowned.
"Someone was distracting me!" He groaned looking back at Bradford as he ranted to himself about 'disobedient young engines.'
"I'm sure he's not that bad!" Smirked Oliver.
"Oh trust me! He is that bad! Always ranting about rules and regulations!" Samson scoffed.
"Well, since I'm without a brakevan for the time being due to your, erm, distractions why don't I work with Bradford for a while?" Oliver suggested.
"Be my guest, you'll most likely beg for Toad back before the day ends!" Samson chuckled. Edward soon arrived to take him and Toad to the Steamworks.
Oliver was now alone with the brakevan.
"Alright Bradford let's get to work!" He smiled and buffered up.
"Alright youngster! Get to it now HOT! HOT! HOT! MOVE IT! MOVE IT!" Bradford replied.
"Yes Sir." Oliver replied cheekily.
"Don't give me attitude lad!" Bradford scolded.
Oliver just rolled his eyes.
He whistled and started up.
"WOAH! WOAH! WOAH! STOP RIGHT THERE!" Ordered Bradford.
"What's wrong?!" Oliver gasped.
"No engines should whistle whilst stationary! It could cause a signalman to set points wrong!" Bradford grunted.
"Do you see a signalbox!" Oliver snorted.
The two were soon underway with their goods train. Sudenly, Bradford barked another order!
"Slow down boyo! You are going two miles per hour over the speed limit!" You might derail on the bend ahead!"
"Awdry give me strength!" Muttered Oliver crossly as he obliged.
Bradford still wasn't satisfied.
"Speed up! You are going five miles per hour too slow! You could miss a road or be hit by a faster engine!" Called the bossy van.
Oliver was quickly loosing patience!
They soon arrived at Gordon's Hill.
Oliver tried to get a run up but Bradford kept holding back.
"No speeding on my watch boyo!" He ordered.
This resulted in Oliver getting stuck half way up.
"Oh for The love of Godred!" He raged.
Luckily Paxton was soon able to help Oliver up the hill.
"Thanks Paxton!" Oliver called gratefully.
"My pleasure!" Replied the diesel shunter.
Oliver soon pulled into Wellsworth where he had to collect a few extra trucks. Bradford was soon barking more orders.
"Oh no you don't! The crates in those trucks are fourteen centimetres too high! You must unload some before you may proceed!"
"That's it! I can't take this any longer! Im going on without you!" Oliver snapped as he felt absolutely livid with the strict brakevan., "How Samson can cope with you I have no clue! But I most certainly can't! Oliver shunted the stunned van into a siding and stormed off!
"GET BACK HERE NOW OLIVER! OLIVER!" yelled Bradford before sulking. "Why can't anybody appreciate that I'm trying to keep engines safe?" He sobbed.
"Maybe, you are sometimes too hard on them." Suggested Edward who had seen everything. "I know you're doing it for the right reasons Bradford, but please understand that not everyone agrees with you if you order them to do things, maybe you should try suggest things to improve on or give engines a nudge in the right direction," Edward smiled wisely.
Bradford said nothing but Edward knew exactly what he was thinking.
Meanwhile, Oliver was still fuming along. He was so cross he kept bumping the trucks who grew crosser and crosser.
"He's insufferable! Let's show him!" They grumbled.
As Oliver approached the shunting yards, the trucks bemped him hard! "Hey! Stop that!" He ordered.
"What's that? Bump harder? Okay if you insist!" Cackled the trucks. They gave him a fearful bump knocking his crew off the footplate!
"Alright boys! Now's our chance! Bump him as hard as you can!" Cried the truck nearest Oliver.
They bumped him again knocking his front wheels off the line and they hit the points causing him to tip over as his trucks piled up around him, laughing all the while.
"Goodness Oliver!" Cried Stanley, "are you alright?"
"I think so, I've really done it now!" Oliver coughed.
Just then The Fat Controller arrived, he wasn't very happy with...
"Oliver! Why on earth didn't you have a brakevan!" He scolded.
"I'm sorry Sir, I had to use Bradford because Samson accidentally derailed Toad at Vicarstown Yards but he was being so strict with rules and regulations the whole journey I ended up leaving him at Wellsworth. I now understand, that he was just looking out for me and that I do need a brakevan." Oliver sighed.
"I see," said The Fat Controller thoughtfully, "While I don't agree with engines leaving their brakevans behind I understand why you did, I'll be sure to have a word with Bradford when I see him."
"Yes Sir, could you also tell him I'm sorry for being so cross with him."
"Why don't you tell him yourself?" Samson asked as he rolled in good as new with Toad and Bradford.
"Oh hello Bradford, I'm very sorry for getting so cross with you, it wasn't very professional of me," Oliver sighed.
"No, I'm the one who should be sorry Oliver, I shouldn't have been so hard on you." Bradford blushed.
"Friends?"
"Friends!"
Oliver agreed that he shouldn't let the others trying to help get under his paintwork and Bradford is more mindful on how to get his opinions accross.
THE END