Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends: Into The Boob Verse.

Road Block

One morning, as Ralph neared the airport station, he saw a great deal of commotion on the road bridge ahead. His driver saw it all.

"Looks like Lars has broken down."

She giggled.

"Must've overheated!"

Ralph found the whole ordeal a right joke.

He soon found the sulking lorry at the big station. Ralph found it hard not to gloat.

"Was that you broken down on the bridge?"

He asked, knowing the answer. Lars snorted.

"I overheated..."

He replied.

"Oh you poor old thing!"

Ralph cooed, giving the lorry an overexaggerated look.

"Must be so hard being as old and brittle as you are! Only useful as a road block you've become! You'd never see me blocking the roads, what would this world come to!"

"You're older than I am!"

The lorry snapped back.

"Besides, my driver says..."

But it was fruitless, Ralph was already snorting away, leaving Lars seething!

The days passed, and the subject slowly faded from memory. Until one morning, Chattem was ill, the workmen fussed around him all night, but nothing worked.

"Seems we'll be shunting our own trains I'm afraid."

Douglas' driver joked. But he was right, all day, engines would be shuffled in and out of the yards to collect their trains. Ralph was furious as he backed into the yard.

"Shunting indeed!"

The old engine grumbled, shoving trucks crossly into sidings.

"Where are Thomas or Percy! Those smaller engines love messing around in yards!"

"They have a branch line to run!"

His stoker told him, crossing her arms.

"You don't! Just shut up and keep pushing!"

Ralph grumbled the whole time. He banged and bumped the trucks about, roughly getting them in line.

"Don't be too rough with them!"

His driver bellowed.

"Otherwise something might break!!"

But it did little good.

At last, the train was ready. Ralph jerked forwards, snorting sulkily away. What he hadn't noticed, was that one of the couplings was beginning to strain. Someone did notice however, they watched, as the old orange engine faded from view.

The trucks rode poorly, as Ralph passed signals and stations. They were growing impatient.

"Any more of this."

One snarled.

"And I'll fall apart."

"If he tries anything again."

Another one added.

"We should pay him out."

Just before the junction to Edward's branch line, sits a level crossing. It's a very high trafficked area, with both cars and engines passing over it frequently. Things on that part of the line must always run smoothly, or risk major delays.

Ralph was aware of this, he began picking up speed, ready to attack the hill. His crew were too busy trying to keep him under control, so hadn't noticed the problematic coupling either. As they neared the crossing, Ralph gave the train a firm bump!

"No tricks while we climb!"

He called. This had done it, the last few trucks finally broke free! Ralph was too cross to notice, and carried on. The trucks rolled for a few hundred yards, before crawling to a halt, right over the crossing! It didn't take long for cars, buses and lorries to start piling up.

Sadly, Ralph had made it beyond the hill, and was flagged down at the airport station by the station master.

"You've lost half your train!"

She called.

"No trains can move until the blockage is cleared."

Sheepishly, Ralph backed down the line. He was awfully embarrassed, and hoped no one had noticed. His hopes were dashed, as he heard gruff laughter, the shape of a familiar lorry met him, partly obstructed by the gates.

"Well, well well!"

Lars bellowed, trying in vain to keep his voice low.

"I thought I'd never see you blocking roads!?!"

Ralph didn't look towards him.

"It wasn't my fault."

He said, through gritted teeth.

"It was the trucks who broke free."

"Is that so?"

Ralph jumped, as, on the other side of the crossing, stood The Fat Controller. Ralph's heart sank, as the stout gentleman walked towards him.

"I saw how you treated those trucks before you left, and I am not shocked this happened. You have caused a great deal of confusion, and I am deeply disappointed in you."

The orange engine looked downcast.

"Yes sir, sorry sir."

He whimpered.

"We did warn you!"

His driver screamed! Crossing her arms in her usual silly way.

"But you didn't listen! We even warned The Fat Controller, but it seems you're so stuck in your own ways!"

The Fat Controller shook his head, and watched, as the trucks were coupled again, and the train slowly trudged away. The only sounds that came were from the honking cars and Lars' laughter.