Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends Into the Thigh-Verse

Faulty Signals

Douglas waited. However, nothing changed. He had been taking a slow goods down Edward's line, but had been stopped by a signal, which was set at danger. He found he had been stuck there for a while.
"Och! Come on!" Douglas whistled! "Hurry up! I need to be on me way!"
But nothing happened. At last, Trevor arrived.
"Sorry Douglas!" Trevor said. "The signalman said the signal's damaged, you'll have to wait!"
Douglas sighed!
"Och! Yer joking!"
"'Fraid not!" Trevor replied. "I'm sorry."
Douglas looked sadly down at his buffers.
"Och, I was running so well too! I'm sure Afton's nae going to be too pleased!" At last, the signal was mended, and Donald chuffed away!

He reached Edward's station, where a very delayed Afton was waiting!
"You're late!" Afton barked!
"I know!" Douglas replied. "The signal near the docks was faulty! It had to be mended!"
"Had it fallen over or somin'!?" Afton said. Douglas raised an eyebrow.
"What? No, why?"
"See, you should have just asked the signalman if you could procide!" Afton sniffed! "If the line is clear, it should be perfectly alright!"
"It's nae that simple." Douglas reasoned. "Signals are complicated things! There could be all manner of complications! It'd be dangerous to pass them!"
"Well. I am smarter than you." Afton replied, bluntly. "I think I know what I'm talking about. After all, you are only a grubby goods engine!"
"GRUBBY!?" Spluttered Douglas! "WHATS THAT SUPPOSED TE MEAN!?!"
"Oh, look at the time!" Afton said! "I must be off! You did make me late after all!"
And Afton scampered away! Douglas was furious!

He complained to the other engines later that night.
"I wouldn't take him too seriously." Duck said. "He isn't a particularly bright engine."
"Aye, I know." Douglas replied. "But he acts like he knows everything about anything. I hope he comes down a peg or two soon."
"I get that." Duck eased. "But how would that happen?"
"Och, I'm nae too sure." He said. "Something's bound to happen! This island is great to engines with good character!"
"And karma's a bitch to the rude ones." Duck replied. Duck didn't say another word. And went to sleep. Leaving Douglas, feeling unsure.

Weeks passed, and the subject dropped. Until one morning, Afton was pulling a goods train. An unrelated incident a few days prior had put him on goods trains. And Afton, was cross. This meant, he wasn't paying as much attention as he should have. A little cat was having a nice walk. She had been out for a while and was feeling a little tired. She looked around, for anywhere she could sleep. She noticed a tall object, with what appeared to be a small platform up the top.
"Perfect." She thought, and she climbed the old structure. The cat had climbed onto an old signal. The wood began to give way! Then Afton arrived! He noticed the signal change to green, before it all of a sudden, began to tip!
"WHAT ON EARTH!?" Afton cried! The signal fell against Afton's boiler! Shattering on impact! Afton's crew brought the train to a stop right by the signal box. Afton's crew inspected their engine. The unhurt, but bewildered cat clung to Afton's boiler.
"Looks like the signal did some pretty intense damage to ya, old boy!" Said his driver. "I'm sorry lad. You aren't going anywhere."
Afton gumbeled. The signalman called for help, and Donald and Douglas arrived. Douglas took on the trucks and Donald took on the atlantic engine, and cat.
"SHMOGGONS!" Snapped Donald's stoker! "What did I tell you about doing such dangerous things around the railway line!?"
Donald and Afton looked at one another for a moment.
"Had it fallen over or somin'!?" Repeated Donald, relaying what Douglas had told him a few weeks earlier. Afton had no idea what he meant, so Donald dropped it.

The Fat Controller also spoke to Afton. He knew the accident had not been Afton's fault, and ordered all signals along the railway to be replaced and repaired. Afton now never talks about signals. He's learnt his lesson, and now stays respectfully silent, whenever they're brought up. Douglas doesn't remember the incident. But Donald does. And Donald get's never ending joy in teasing Afton about it!