A Truly HiT Era of Sodor

"Neville to the Rescue", 1968

After his talk with Hank, Neville had certainly changed for the better. He opened up more with Murdoch and Molly and the two became his strongest advocates.  The other engines paid no mind to it. After all it was another set of buffers which meant less work for them. All except Henry.

"I refuse to believe that runt can handle my trains!" he exclaimed one night.

"Oh not this again." Edward groaned.

"I'm sorry but can you blame me? Just look at him!"

Edward looked over at the Q1 dozing peacefully in the sun.

"He's just a small little 0-6-0 and can apparently pull just as much as me!" huffed Henry. 

Edward just rolled his eyes and sighed. He's known Henry long enough to know that once he starts there's no stopping him. And that was true. Henry went on every chance he got. Except of course when Neville's advocates were in earshot.

One day as Henry was resting he overheard Molly and Rosie talking nearby.

"So how's the newbie doing?"

"Oh Neville, he's getting on well. Still not very talkative but we're working on it."

"I haven't seen him too much but I must say it seems like he gives old Henry a run for his money!"

Henry winced at the words. He had worked his hardest all his life to gain the respect he deserved and wasn't going to let some little 0-6-0 take that all away. He quickly began scheming a plan to show everybody who truly was the strongest.

The next morning as Henry's crew began preparing his fire Henry's plan went underway.

"There's been a change in schedule. Neville burst his safety valve so we must take his train to the works as well as our own."

The driver and fireman were rather confused but didn't want to go against the Fat Controller's timetable so they quickly took off into the yard.

As Henry finished shunting Neville's train on to his own Rosie pulled alongside.

"Um Henry? What are you doing?"

  "Taking a train, what does it look like?"

"Well it looks to me you're taking Neville's goods with you."

"What? There was a change in schedule. Now run along little Rosebud. I have something to prove."

"Rosebud!" Rosie scoffed.

And before she could get another word out Henry set off. Very very slowly.

"What would Henry have to prove?"

Henry steamed down the mainline. His face grew red and puffs were coarse.

"Right," he wheezed. "This may not have been the brightest idea."

Henry had only passed Crosby when his driver began to grow worried.

"Oh I'm not likin' this." she mumbled under her breath.

"I think it's bout time we stop. He's eating through his coal faster than ever." the fireman grumbled. "We're probably going to have to make a stop at Killdane at this rate."

"Right." replied the driver and she went to shut off steam.

However she wouldn't have to as with a mighty crack and weesh, Henry soon slows to a stop just beyond an overlaying signal box.. Steam hissed from all angles and Henry coughed and wheezed.

"Now you've done it! Pushed too hard and damaged yerself." exclaimed the driver. "Now we'll have to go for help."

"No we won't look!" yelled the fireman.

Henry looked up and to his horror Neville rolled alongside.

"Oh dear Henry what happened? Are you alright?"

"I've been better." he replied weakly. "What are you doing here?"

"R-Rosie told me you took both my and your goods. I appreciate the help but you left in such a have that Rosie hadn't the time to couple the fuel for the Refinery to the back of my lot. P-Plus I thought you may need an extra set of buffers for the hill. I doubt uh- Sbeve is his name?- would be able to handle such a long train even with the railway's strongest engine."

Henry, now remembering the hill, realized how stupid his plan was. His face quickly shifted into a sickly one as he began coughing a storm.

"I tried proving something and it bit me in the tender. Please Neville can you fetch me some help?"

Neville eyed the defeated engine and the mighty train in tow.

"I don't know if I can just leave you here too long. You'd be blocking the express and we can't have that.. I think I may be able to get us to Wellsworth."

Neville whistled to the signal man who set the points accordingly and Neville buffered up to Henry. Henry rolled his eyes.

"He won't be able to do this," he thought to himself. "Now the Fat Controller will have two broken engines to deal with."

The guard's whistle blew and Neville pulled with all his might. The coupling strained and after several seconds, to Henry's shock, the massive train began to move. Neville winced and heaved triumphantly as he pulled the mighty train down the mainline. Passing engines couldn't believe the sight! Neville let off an exhausted cloud of smoke as he pulled into Edward's Station.

It wasn't long before Bear pulled alongside with none other than the Fat Controller in his cab.

"I got a call from the Yard Manager at the Big Station saying Henry had taken two trains at once. I didn't want to believe one of my oldest engines would be so foolish to disrupt my time table but I stand corrected."

"I'm sorry Sir..." Henry replied weakly.

Sir Topham Hatt turned towards Neville.

"I am however very proud of you, Neville. I know you must be tired but do you think you could finish deliveries and get Henry to the works? Bear here will help you the rest of the way."

"O-Of course Sir! T-Thank you Sir!"

Bear moved in front and coupled to Neville.

"Well well well Henry! Looks like you're the one in need of saving now!" laughed Bear.

Henry just groaned while Neville raised a confused brow.

"H-Has this sorta t-thing happened before?" 

"You mean you don't know the tale of Henry's super rescue? Well, do I have a story to tell you!"

The three engines set off as the guards whistle blew with all, except Henry, chatting like old friends.