Thomas and Friends Fanfiction Series 4

Heavy Shunter Engines

There are many engines who claim to be the strongest on Sodor. There is Gordon who always boasts that he is the only engine who is strong enough to pull the Express. Then there is Henry who can pull more than twenty trucks at once with ease.

(Gordon passes Thomas with Annie and Clarabel. Henry passes James.)

But there are some engines who are much smaller than Gordon and Henry who think they are the strongest, such as the Narrow Gauge engines.

All day, every day, the little engines are shunting and hauling heavy trucks filled with slate slabs and rocks. They heave and pull all day long and never feel tired.

(Mighty Mac can be seen pulling ten trucks' worth of slate.)

One day, the Thin Controller sent Peter Sam and Sir Handel to work together at the Blue Mountain Quarry with Rheneas and Skarloey.

"Oh, good." said Peter Sam excitedly. "Now I can do what I do best."

"What is that?" asked Sir Handel.

"Show off how strong I am. Pull as many trucks of slate as possible!" replied his friend.

"Ho, ho, what makes you think you're the stronger engine out of us four?" asked Sir Handel.

"Simple." smiled Peter Sam. "My special funnel helps me puff along with the greatest of ease. It makes me stronger than I ever was before I had it fitted."

Sir Handel laughed. "You and your special funnel." he teased.

Soon, the two engines reached the Blue Mountain Quarry.

(Owen, Duke and Luke can be seen there.)

Rheneas was there shunting heavy trucks onto the loading platform to fill the trucks on the ground level so they could be taken to Brendam Docks and to Ulfstead Castle.

Skarloey was taking his trucks of stone and slate to the Castle, whilst Rheneas continued to shunt the trucks into place.

Peter Sam couldn't wait to join in with Rheneas' shunting onto the loading platform, whilst Sir Handel to the slate and stone to the gravel crusher.

"Hello, Rheneas." he whistled excitedly.

"Hello, Peter Sam." called Rheneas. "You just missed me shunting five trucks at once."

"Is that all?" teased Peter Sam. "I can take six trucks at once across Blondin Bridge and have no trouble at all."

"I once took more trucks than that across the bridge and it was falling down." snorted Rheneas.

"But those trucks were empty." chuckled Peter Sam.

"No, they weren't! They were full and you know it!"

"But I can do it fast, strong and Safely!" said Peter Sam competitively. "You badly scratched your paintwork when you did it! I do things safely!"

"I may have had an accident and got some scratches, but I was able to avoid crashing and I was strong enough to control my trucks. I am a much stronger engine than you, Peter Sam." snapped Rheneas.

"Sounds like a challenge to me, Rheneas." said Peter Sam confidently. "I bet I can bring more trucks down from the upper terrace than you did that day."

"I can do that too." said Rheneas. "First one to shunt the same amount of trucks down to the ground level safely will be the strongest shunter on the Thin Controller's Railway!"

Peter Sam agreed and the challenge was set.

Rheneas and Peter Sam soon reached the upper terrace, and were shunting their trucks into lines on their side-long tracks.

"I took ten trucks on the day I had that incident on the bridge." said Rheneas.

"So that means we each take eleven this time." replied Peter Sam.

Sir Handel could see that the two engines were being too competitive.

Soon, Rheneas and Peter Sam were coupled up to their eleven trucks and were ready to make their down to the ground level of the Quarry.

"See you at the bottom, assuming you have the strength to start with this many trucks." teased Peter Sam.

"I'll easily manage." scoffed Rheneas. "I just feel sorry for you and your special funnel that I'm going to prove you that I am strongest."

"Ready!"

"Steady!"

"GO!"

The two engines started down the terraces and towards Blondin Bridge. The trucks were heavy and they struggled for some time, until they reached the slope towards the bridge. Rheneas knew he would have to apply his brakes with such a heavy load of slate. He slowed down, but Peter Sam saw his chance and overtook him.

"I am stronger, I am faster, and I am going to win this challenge!" he whistled triumphantly.

"Slow down, Peter Sam! You're going too fast!" shouted Rheneas.

But it was too late. Peter Sam went down the slope and across the bridge, but he couldn't slow down. His brakes were useless against the heavy trucks, and he could hardly control his speed enough to fully use his strength to keep the trucks under control.

"HEEEELP!" he cried.

Then he plunged down the mine tunnel and down towards the ground level, and he saw to his horror that Skarloey was back and just around the bend.

Peter Sam knew he had to do his best to slow down. He slammed his brakes on harder, and shut his eyes. He used all his strength and he took the bend...and his front wheel broke off and he shuddered to a stop.

Luckily, nobody was hurt, and the trucks were still on the rails.

Rheneas came down.

"Are you okay?" called Sir Handel.

"Yes. Just about." panted Peter Sam.

"Well done, Peter Sam!" Rheneas suddenly called. "You used your strength to force yourself to derail and save Skarloey from getting biffed badly!"

Peter Sam smiled.

"I'm sorry I teased you."

"And I'm sorry that I got carried away with the challenge and got as competitive as you did." said Rheneas.

Rheneas and Peter Sam agreed that they were both strong, but in a dangerous place like a quarry, safety must always come first above strength.

(The End!)