Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends Into the Thigh-Verse

Low Hanging Fruit

One crisp spring evening, Derek was heading home, with a goods train from the works. He was running to time, and the trucks were behaving well and Derek was feeling good. Derek soon reached Henry's Tunnel, he sounded a 'Hoot! Hoot!' of his horn, and rolled into the darkness! As he emerged from the other side however, he saw something on his path!
"What's that!?" He cried! Derek's driver went to look out the window, but before she could, there was an almighty CRASH! The window had shattered, and sprayed glass into the cab! Derek's crew quickly brought the train to a halt! And inspected the damage. As expected, something had hit the window, and had broken it. Luckily, the crew weren't hurt. They soon found the source of the problem.
"Id was a bloody apple!" Snapped Derek's second-woman! Hucking the very normal size apple at the lineside in frustration! "Id musd've been hanging doo low, and hid da window!"
"Bother." Grumbled Derek. "And we were going so nicely too!"
Derek's cab was cleaned out, and Derek cautiously set off for home, feeling rather rattled!

Once The Fat Controller heard of Derek's incident, he ordered speed restrictions to be put into place and for workmen to cut down trees that stood too close to the line!
"Disgraceful!" Grunted Gordon! "To put such restrictions into place because of a low hanging fruit indeed! Haven't you heard!?"
"It's for you, and your passengers safety!" Marsh snapped! "Think about if something fell onto one of your coaches! It could cause some serious damage!"
"It's a load of rubbish!" Grolton sneered. "It'd take more than a little fruit to stop me from being really useful!"
"Ye mean leik yeself?" Grumbled Donald.
"What do you mean!?" Grolton huffed defensively!
"You must admit.." David replied carefully. "You do have a tendency to... Oh, how do I say this.. Over exert yourself."
Grolton gave David a curious look.
"He means rattle yourself to bits!" Gordon and Donald burst out laughing! Grolton went red in the face!
"Well!.. I'll prove I don't need any bloody speed restriction!" He barked! "You'll see!"
"Just, don't push it." Cautioned David.

The next day, was market day! The Fat Controller came to see Grolton.
"Since the other engines are busy, do you mind taking the market trains for the day?" He asked. Grolton was very pleased!
"I'd be delighted sir!" He replied. The Fat Controller asked Grolton to take a van train of fruit to the market, and then come back for some cattle wagons. Grolton was delighted! He schemed all the way down the line!
"Easy boy!" cautioned his driver. "Slow down! You don't wanna rattle yourself to pieces!"
But Grolton didn't listen.
"I won't be subject to more bloody mockery!" He snapped! "I'll be there on time!"

There was a tree at the orchard, that stood very close to the line. During the night, Trevor and Jem Cole had worked hard to prop it up, to prevent it from shifting. They had heard all about Derek's accident, and knowing that that tree had been unstable, they decided not to risk it. However, as they were leaving, Trevor thought he heard cracking coming from the tree. He explained this to Cadwell and Terrence at the market.
"I'm worried." He said. "I don't want the tree to fall down, and block the line!"
"I'm sure we'll hear if it does!" Cadwell laughed, brushing Trevor off. "You're just being paranoid!"
Trevor couldn't shake the feeling. So, he asked Grolton, when he arrived.
"Did you notice anything about that tree? Right beside the track?" He asked.
"No." Replied Grolton. "I didn't hear a thing!"
"Oh.. Well, take care on your way back!" Trevor cautioned.
"Why?"
".... Because I think the tree might fall?"
"If you're trying to trap me into going at those blasted speed restrictions, than you can shove up your arse!" Grolton barked furiously! "I'm not as weak and feeble as everyone says I am! And I'll prove it!"
And he stormed away!
"What speed restrictions?"

As Grolton set off, the weather changed. Wind and rain pelted down! This had weakened the tree, and, coupled with everything, it finally gave way! The tree came crashing down onto the line! Donald was heading one way, with a train bound for the docks. Luckily, because of his low speeds, Donald was able to safely come to a stop. His crew looked over the tree carefully.
"Yep!" Said the guard, flopping against the buffer. "It's fallen."
"Jen..." The driver replied, carefully. "I love you, but like..."
"No shit." Interrupted the stoker.
"How should we get it cleared?" Donald asked. His driver shook his head.
"Not sure." He replied. "But we should warn the signalman."
And they did, but it was too late to stop Grolton! He rattled past the signal, just as it set to danger!
"Easy boy!" Wailed the stoker! "Not too fast!"
"I'm not weak or pathetic!" Grolton seethed! "I'm not the engine who constan-"
Suddenly, the tree appeared on the line ahead!
"STOP! STOP!" Grolton cried! His crew applied the brakes, but Grolton was going too fast! Grolton hit the tree, with enough force that it seemed to explode! Bits of the tree were hurled in all directions! Mostly showering Donald and his train! Grolton was tossed off the rails, and, in an almost comedic fashion, silence quickly fell.

Donald returned with the breakdown train, and The Fat Controller.
"Speed restrictions are no joke!" Thundered The Fat Controller! "When I announce that speed restrictions are in place, you are to follow them! Be lucky that you weren't carrying any passengers! Aside from the guard."
Grolton didn't reply. He only looked down at his buffers, which were badly twisted.
"What's my punishment, sir?" He mumbled out. The Fat Controller smiled.
"By the time you get to the works, Gordon should be getting ready to depart with the express.." He trailed off. "I'm sure he'll have something to say.."
Grolton went pale.
"Donald. Take Grolton here to the works."
"Yes sir!" Donald replied, he coupled up to the big orange tank engine, and puffed away. Clearly, Donald had something on his mind. Grolton knew what that was.

When they reached the works station, Gordon eyed the train.
"Well.." He said, slowly. "I knew you'd rattle yourself to bits, I just didn't think you meant in this way.."
And, with that. The floodgates came cracking open! Gordon and Donald burst out laughing! Making jokes about falling apart, trees and speed restrictions!
"Picking at low hanging fruit, much?" Groton seethed with gritted teeth! Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on whose side you're on, Grolton received no sympathy. Not even Hovris stuck up for him. To this day, Grolton is often teased about 'low hanging fruit'. It wasn't all bad though. The workmen worked hard for several weeks to strip away the trees that stood too close to the line! And I'm glad to say, that it wasn't uneventful! But that's another story!