Tales from the rails

Rhys the Determined Engine

It was a dark foggy night on the Drabton & Deltic Railway. Rhys was delivering the mail with Walter who was fast asleep. The Flying Kipper passed by. The engine gave a ghostly whistle as it passed by. Rhys had given up on trying to figure out who the hidden engine was. He was stopped at Lickey Station to drop off and pick up mail. The vans were filled with new mail and the train set off down the line again. He was quite tired and almost fell asleep. But he fortunately didn't, as Emma shoveled coal into his fire and Rhys opened the regulator a bit more. He pushed on down the line, hurrying off to the next station. When he got back that night, his friends were all at the sheds asleep. Rhys was put into his berth where a photo of him and Sally stood on a desk he had. Along with a photo of him in his LBSCR Black with Red stripes. And another photo of him and Dan. His night cap was put on his funnel and he fell asleep. The next morning, Rhys awoke to Sally on the turntable. "Happy two year anniversary Rhys!" She said as she was turned around. "Happy anniversary Sally." He said as he yawned, his cap was removed and his fire was lit. "Wanna go to the seaside tonight for a date night?" He asked. "Certainly!" Sally said as she rolled off to get to work. He was planning to propose to her that night, so he wanted everything to be perfect. The day was going to be cold and rainy, so his crew had set up his cab with some movable tarps on the windows. He then set off to collect his coaches.

That day, he was going to take a big train of tourists to the Iron Mines, the coaches were packed with passengers! But he was ready, the guard's whistle blew, Rhys whistled a "PEEP PEP PEEP!" And he started off down the line with his coaches. The train hurried down the line, rounding a bend and flying down the line. He rushed through Lickey Station and charged at the incline. He thundered upwards, rounded a bend, and crested the top of the hill. They rounded another bend and coasted down the incline, hurrying down and flying over The Grand Gap, he whistled a, "Peep Pop!" To Talyllyn as he raced over him. The engine pressed on, Rhys flew past another station. Then he began to slow down, he had to be careful as to not go down the wrong line. It was going to be his first time going down the Iron Mines Branch. He saw the line to Blue Harbour and the line to Blake's Forest. Then he went through the cut, over an overpass above a highway, and then he saw it, the switch to the Iron Mines. He went down the line and stopped at the station where DD and Marie were waiting with some empty and clean trucks and a few brake vans. DD, engine number 25, is the namesake of DD, grandson of the owner of the railway. He's a very kind engine and was excited to be having guest. Marie, a tiny cheeky tank engine, designed for the foothills and areas not so safe for DD to go through, was excited too. Everyone got in the train and set off for the Iron Mines. DD, Mia, and Night Owl were ecstatic about their guests and showed them around the whole day. "This is the incline!" Night Owl said as he pushed some small trucks to the base, some of the visitors were watching. "I bring the empty trucks here, and then full trucks come down from the other end!" "Can we go up in those?" Asked a man. "If the manager says it's okay." Night Owl said, and the visitors went to go ask the manager who allowed them one ride up. So the trucks were cleaned quickly and the visitors got onboard the trucks. Then the lead truck was hooked up to the winch and they began to move up, some loaded trucks started coming down as the trucks with passengers were coming up. However, the winch was having trouble with both loaded trains, and it began to make some funny sounds! Then one of the ropes began to strain, it was the iron trucks and they were about to fly down the line! Night Owl gave out a loud warning whistle and everyone cleared the line. The trucks loaded with raw irons paper from their cable and flew down the line! Night Owl caught them, and the visitors clapped as the ride began a descent. Night Owl blushed as people clapped for him. Meanwhile, Mia and DD were demonstrating the Iron Mines hoppers and foothills. Mia showed off herself going into the foothills as DD bumped trucks around, having fun with their demonstrations. But soon, the time came when they had to leave. They all boarded the train and set off for the station.

When the passengers were at the station, they got out of the trucks. When that happened, the weather changed. The wind blew stronger and the clouds began to change and rain began to pour. The coaches began to shiver in the cold. Rhys soon set off, he was at the other end of the train. He pulled them out as far as he could and got around them to get in front again. He reversed back onto the mainline and pulled forwards, he was off for Pleasenvillie Station to use the Loop. He hurried down the line, the rain and wind were blowing him back. Thunder clapped in the distance. Rhys pushed on, his wheels slipping on the rails from time to time. But he made it to the station and used the loop, and waited under the station for a bit. The train soon set off again, but Rhys felt something was wrong with him, something with his wheels. But he brushed it off. He charged down the line. As he went past a station, it happened! There was a shrieking crack and a scream! Rhys' side rods snapped and flown straight through his tanks and cab. He was in excruciating pain, and he screeched to a halt. The coaches, passengers, and crew were all worried. There was nothing that could be done besides inspect the damage. "The pin that holds your side rods together rusted away, and that's what sent your side rod flying." Said Rhys as he stood up, he had grabbed the two side rods and put them in the cab. Emma came up from Rhys' undercarriage. "One of your pistons busted too." She added. "Now you're half your normal pulling power." "We should call some buses." Said the guard. "No! I can make it back to Levi, please let me try!" Rhys protested. The crew looked at each other. They discussed what to do. "He would make the news." Rhys said "And it would show the bus company who's boss on this island." Added Emma. "Alright, we're giving you one chance, and then we're getting the bus company." Said Emma as the two hopped into the cab and the guard ran back to the brake coach. Rhys sanded the rails and then began to start moving. His wheels slipped and his piston pushed hard, and he began to move! "Go on Rhys, you can do it!" Cheered his coaches, Rhys began to breathe heavily, and the passengers cheered! "Go on Rhys, go on!" They called out from the coaches windows. Rhys charged over The Grand Gap, passing Tatum with a whistle. Rhys saw the Lickey Incline up ahead and charged with all his might. His coaches helped push him up, the passengers were rocking around. But they didn't care, they were having the time of their lives! Rhys crested the top and rounded a bend, he saw the descent. He began to coast down the line, and he flew through the station, Thunder clapped again, and suddenly, the weather cleared as the sun set. "I'm going to be late!" He said, and he pressed on.

Eddy was at the station, he was told to be on standby for an engine to be coming in. Rhys whistled loudly and Eddy looked ahead, Rhys puffed into view and the coaches, crew, and passengers cheered him on, and Eddy was astonished to see the damage! Rhys' tanks were dripping a little and his side was ruined. The tank engine pulled into the station, uncoupled from the passengers, and buffered up to Eddy. "Eddy, I need you to take me to the beach by Drenk Castle!" He said hurriedly, Eddy was hesitant but agreed. When he arrived at the castle, it was calm, and Eddy left him next to Sally. "Sorry I'm a little late." He chuckled. "That's alright, I heard from Tatum that you were going to be late. I just thought that it would have been because of signals, not, uh, this." She said, looking at his side. "Yeah, stuff happened, but I'm here." The two watched the waves crashing down onto the shore, and that's when Rhys' driver grabbed a big box out of the engine's cab. He set it down in front of Sally. "What's this?" She asked. "AHEM!" Rhys coughed, and he began to speak. "Sally, you and I have been together for two years now, and I think it's about time we get more serious. Sally, will you marry me?" Rhys, the driver, opened the box to show a ring made to clamp around one of Sally's buffers. She was shocked, and then she began to cry tears of joy. "Yes! Yes!" She yelled happily through her tears. Rhys was ecstatic, the sun set and Sally took Rhys to the works. Then she stayed with him. The two feel asleep as Rhys got work done on him.