T'was a very busy and crowded day, on the Wales & Borders Railway. Previously on the railway, we've now learnt that Renny doesn't like having a lot of these new modern coaches, he hates them in fact, but he was in for a huge surprise. Holiday Season had arrived again, and that meant there'd some very important people visiting South Wales, Barry & Halton were instructed to take the early morning Express Passenger service from Cardiff Central to Pen-y-Bont, Powys in Mid Wales, then to Llandudno Junction in North Wales, Aberystwyth in West Wales and back to Cardiff Central in South Wales. "Come on, hurry up!" Tim grumbled angrily, as they were 5 mins late, "We haven't got all day" there were clearly too many people to squeeze into 3 Mk1 coaches so they had 4 other coaches coupled behind, and Class A4 4464 Bittern was waiting in his shed at Crewe Carriage Sidings waiting for a job opportunity, so Mr Griffiths, the railway director, had decided to pick him to help with the Express, with the permission of Jeremy Hosking, Locomotive Services Ltd's owner, Barry was delighted to have a little extra power on this run, considering it took 4464 40 mins to arrive from Crewe CS, Bittern ran in front of Flying Scotsman, their wheels slipped on the rails at the start, then after about 3 secs of wheel-slips, the 2 snorting Gresley locomotives left the station bound for Pen-y-Bont in Powys (Mid Wales).
When they both arrived back at Cardiff, Renny's mood immediately changed, he was as happy as ever, the sound and smell of the 2 locos really made him happy, well he does love trains, then when he saw what was waiting in the carriage siding at Canton he was as mad as a giant. Soon, a chuffing sound could be heard, it was 8572, he was taking what was on the carriage siding, it was a brand-new First Class Travel Mk2a coach, the first of its kind to be produced, Renny was fuming, he was just starting to puff away when, "Renny, the Guard!!" Mr Griffiths shouted over the loudspeaker "Where do you think you're going? You've got a First Class carriage to take out on another Heart of Wales service" "Oh that bloody controller and his bloody coaches" Renny mumbled, "Watch your language, Renny, there's kids about on the platform, and trainspotters" Ieuan said, he was helping to dispatch trains at Cardiff, as the min dispatcher, Nathaniel Owens, was taken ill the evening before, "Ok" replied Renny "I apologise for those words, it won't happen again, now let's get this pointless train out of sight". Same as before, Renny had 4 coaches coupled behind him, 3 standard class Mk1s and the brand new First Class Mk2a, Renny, along with Barry and Halton, coupled up in front, their wheels slipped, and the 2 exhausted locomotives left the station. They were enjoying the sights of Wales, there were tons of sheep, "Ewww, I think I'm going to be ill" Renny declared, "Why?" asked Tim, he was working with Renny on this service, "Firstly, i saw a dead bird on the track, and the smell of the paint on the First Class coach is revolting" he replied, "You're right, now that you mention it, I can smell it, too" Tim replied back, "we won't be taking this coach out again" the 2 guards said in unison.
When they arrived back, they went to Alfie's Garage to get their firebox cleaned out of their loco, whilst 60103 was being cleaned out, they to Mr Griffiths' office, "That First Class coach smells of lead, it's revolting" the 2 said together, "Oh my, I might rethink about having a Mk2 coach, there will a few changes happening to that coach if it will enter service on here again" Griffiths announced from his office window, the problem was soon solved, and Renny was as happy as ever, he now understands that Mr Griffiths does care about him, and loves the Express being run in the original coaches not some modern fangled nonsense, the Heart of Wales Express was branded as a Premier Express, the crew smiled from ear to ear, he was over the moon, well not literally, but you know what I mean.
NEXT STORY COMING UP SOON!!
YOU ARE READING
The Wales & Borders Railway
Short StoryBased on Thomas & Friends, but is in wales with different characters, engines and vehicles still talk, but don't have faces
