Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends Into the Thigh-Verse

Do it All Dudley

If there is one thing most engines can agree on, is their distaste for playing relief engine. It's a dull job, and is often just an engine sitting around, waiting to be summoned. However, Dudley loves the job!
"It's always worth it if I can see someone smile." Dudley explained. "No matter how long I'm sat around."
However, some other engines didn't quite believe this. One night, a very ill looking Fabian came shuffling into the shed.
"Goodness!" Dudley cried. "Are you alright?"
"What do you think!?" Fabian barked! "I've been worked to the frames these past few days! And let me guess, you've been sat around all day!?"
"Well, no, not exactly." Dudley replied. "I wasn't relief today, I was-"
"Ya just lazy!" Interrupted Fabian. "Sat around for as long as possible! Wait until you get out and do some real work!"
"Och, leave the lad alone!" Donald quickly went to Dudley's defense. "Ye'd crack ye wee cylinder if ye even treeid te doo the werk young Dudley does!"
"Pooh!" Fabian snorted. "What rubbish! You're just lazy!"
"Ignore him." Soothed his crew. "Fabian's just tired. Looks like he's been up for weeks!"
"Well, I hope he's alright." Dudley replied. "That could lead to trouble."
And indeed, it did.

The next morning, as the engines were setting out for work, Fabian came hooting and wheeshing past!
"Glad to see you out of the shed!" Fabian teased! "Do it all Dudley!"
"Tosser." His stoker raised an angry fist. The driver tried to sooth the ongoing argument, when the shed master hurried over.
"Donald's broken down at Edward's station." She explained. "You'll need to bring he and his train to the works station."
"Really trying to beat the lazy allegations eh?" His guard chuckled. Dudley smiled.
"No trouble!" He replied.

It wasn't long before Dudley reached Edward's station. Donald was at the platform, his safety valve hissing steam like a geyser!
"It's been acting up for days now." Donald's driver explained. "We can mend it, but only with the right tools."
"Then we should get you guys there." Dudley's driver smiled sweetly. As Dudley was being buffered up, there was a loud whistle! At last, Fabian rattled through! His puffs were weak and horse!
"Do it all Dudley!?" Fabian laughed, struggling to find his breath. He kept laughing until he was out of sight.
"What was that about?" Donald's driver raised an eyebrow.
"That was trouble." Dudley's stoker smirked. "Trouble for Fabian, just you wait and see."
Noire was right, a few moments later, the large shape of Fabain's guard came hobbling along the ballast!
"Fabian's stuck on the hill!" She panted. "Do you mind giving him a push?"
"No trouble!" Dudley smiled. "Anything to help another engine!"
His crew were concerned.
"Are you sure you can manage?" His driver asked.
"Aye." Added Donald. "Pushin two engines up Gerdon's hill canni'e be seme jooke!"
"I'll give it a good go!" Dudley replied. "Besides, it'll shut old Fabian up!"

Fabian was sat on the hill, hissing steam impatiently.
"Come on! Come on!" He snapped! "Where's Alan!?"
Alan was away on Edward's line, just so we're clear. His crew waited and waited. At last, the sound of deep puffing and the clatter of trucks filled the area, as Dudley puffed in! Fabian scoffed as he saw the big red engine!
"Pooh! Dudley indeed!?" He huffed! "No use at all, we'll be stuck here for days!"
"Just watch me." Dudley replied. Dudley and Donald's crews sanded the rails, then, when everything was ready, Dudley gave a long blast of his whistle!
"PEEP! PEEP! I'm ready!"
"Peep, peep." Replied Fabian unenthusiastically. "So am I-"
All of a sudden, Fabian was forced forwards! He didn't even get time to spin his wheels! As Dudley pushed the whole train up the hill! His puffs were deep, and bellowing, the sound was deafening! At last, Fabian managed to get a grip of the rails, as he and his coaches sailed across! Dudley eased off, brimming with pride!
"Phew!" Dudley huffed. "That was hard work!"

That night, when Fabain returned, he spoke kindly to Dudley.
"I'm sorry I was so rude." He admitted. "You aren't lazy at all, you're a real credit to us all."
"Ahh well." Dudley smiled. "At least you made it home in time."
"You know, maybe 'Do it All Dudley' isn't such an insult after all!" Fabian's driver laughed. "As we've learnt, Dudley really can do it all!"
But Dudley didn't hear them, he had already drifted off to sleep.