Tales from the rails

The Famous Eight

Dan had been in the works for some time, he got a new boiler fitted along with stronger tubes. Meanwhile, his friends took share of his trains. "Come along you three, we have work to do." Said Rhys as he buffered up to them. He had to take a train from a school to a park, and he loved the idea of it, a peaceful ridded through the countryside. Though, the train would be louder than he thought. As he went to pick up the passengers, some kids wandered into his cab. "Wow! This is so cool!" Said a girl, "Yeah, I want to drive trains when I'm older!" Yelled a boy, "Alright kids, into the coaches!" "We're not trains, we're engines." Said Rhys to himself. He went along with no trouble, but at the station everyone but one girl had left the train. Rhys saw her as he began to run around the train. Rhys stopped and looked in, "Hello there! What are you doing in this by yourself?" The girl looked spooked, and she then took a moment to show Rhys the paper. He then noticed the books that were around her, "Rev. W Awdry! I've heard of him!" "You have?" Asked the girl. "Why yes, he is quite famous after all, writing about my brother and all his friends." Rhys said proudly. "Who's your brother?" She asked, Rhys smiled widely, "Why, Thomas The Tank Engine!" Then the teacher came running into the carriage, "Sara! What are you doing in here?! You scared us all." She said. Sara looked spooked herself, she stuttered as she tried to fine the words when Rhys jumped in. "Ahem, ma'am, but this dear has been here because of me, I asked her to read me a story from one of those books." The teacher looked started as she didn't even see the engine sitting there. "Oh, uh, well then, continue on. Sara," The teacher, and Rhys stayed there for a few minutes as Sara read the book, Three Railway engine.

"Well done Sara!" Said Rhys when she shut the book. Suddenly, a car door shut behind them. It was JD, and he walked over to Rhys. "Rhys, can I speak with you for a few minutes?" Rhys looked puzzled, "um, sure." "Dan said something a while back, saying something about 'Eight Famous Engines', have any idea what he was talking about?" Rhys thought for a moment, and then he remembered. "Oh, yeah, Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends! That's who they are!" Rhys exclaimed. "Well then, I would wish to invite them over, and for that, I need that blasted postage." Then an idea struck him, he turned to Rhys.

"You ready for this Rhys?" Asked his driver, Rhys fitted his engine with fresh lamps. The post train was about to set out. "Ready as I'll ever be." He replied. The cool crisp winter air whistle by strongly. The scent of fish fill the air, a whistle shrieked through the air, and another train rolled away. The engine was invisible in the winter night. "Wonder who that is," asked Emma, Rhys' Firewoman. "Well come along Rhys, we got a guard to talk to." She said as she walked off to the brake van. A few minutes later, the crew returned to the engine. "Alright Rhys, let's go!" Said his driver. The guard blew his whistle, Rhys then blew his. The train set off. The vans on this train were CCT vans with axles. Rhys charged down the line. He had to stop at the major junctions and the last station. Blue vans were to be left at stations along the way, red vans had to be dropped off at the final station. They were making good time, and they were coming up on the last station. Rhys thundered down the line. "Come on old boy, you got this!" Called his driver. They passed a sign, "Welcome to Hetton." Rhys smirked as he began to slow as the station loomed into view. 

They stopped at the platform, and they noticed some fish vans fly by, almost looking like there was no engine pulling them. The three were spooked as the mystery train thundered by. "W-What was that?" Asked Rhys' driver. "An engine for sure, look at this." The guard said right behind the crew, scaring them. Emma jumped into Rhys' arms as the guard showed them a photo. A tank engine whose face was covered in a shadow. The paint job was tarped over and the number was barely visible as the engine was going too fast. But, they didn't care, they had gotten the train there and secured a new job.

"Hmm, what is this?" The man opened his letter addressed to him. "Dear Sir Charles Topham Hatt, I would like you to bring your eight famous engines to my railway. We will pay whatever amount you wish to come. In high regards, Sir David William V." The man chuckled, "Lady Hatt, how would you like to go on a trip?"