Constructing Friends

The yards at the harbour were having some warehouses built to store trucks and goods. Due to the project, shunting engines were required. Rhydyn, the met tank was brought down from the Big Station to shunt the yards. To add many insults to the injury of being removed from his beloved commuter trains, trucks were coming in, every which way from Sunday. The trucks constantly sang rudely at him and caused hold ups, with diesels from the Other Railway acting rude and demanding their trains three days ago, six hours earlier and with smart looking trucks.

"I can't do the work of six engines," he grunted.

His driver comforted him and managed to soothe him.

"Hopefully, the Fat Controller will send another engine to help us," He said.

Rhydyn was hopeful. Meanwhile, the Fat Controller was calling scrap yards, engine repair facilities, and even tourist railways. He was nearly ready to throw in the towel when he received a call from a couple of railway workshops. They had two tank engines that were in need of a new home, once the agreements were made, he left for the docks.

When he arrived, he saw poor Rhydyn blowing steam everywhere and red in the face. BoCo, who had brought in a train of china clay, was shunting the tank engine out of the way.

"He's blown his left cylinder and his safety valve," BoCo told the Fat Controller once he moved Rhydyn into a siding. "Anyway, that's what his driver says."

The Fat Controller ordered BoCo to take the tank engine to the works and return. Once that was done, the Fat Controller told BoCo that he was to go to an engine works at Eastleigh, there were several tank engines in need of a new home.

When the Fat Controller returned to his office, he called on Miss Jenny Packard, who could use some small engines to take her machines to any work site. BoCo was on his way while the Fat Controller was on the phone and when he arrived at Eastleigh, he saw some panniers waiting for him, as well as a goods train. Once turned around on the Industrial turntable, he was coupled up, and was off.

The train was running smoothly and he soon reached Vicarstown, where some trucks were due to be dropped off. Paxton removed the brakevan and the trucks that were due and shunted them away. While Den and Dart raced around the Dieselworks and marshalling yards collecting the trucks that were to go to Tidmouth, the Vicarstown Stationmaster came over to BoCo.

"Control called and told me that your train is ten minutes late," he said, "you best make up for lost time."

BoCo's driver looked at his great-great grandfather's old pocket watch, which was broken due to its age.

"Glory me, we are," he gasped and opened BoCo's throttle. The Metero Diesel shot forward, the tank engines and trucks rattling behind. Den had the trucks and brake van arranged and he brought them to the platform just as the late running train came in.

"Chase down BoCo, I will call Crovan's Gate works," the stationmaster said.

Den took off, and the Signalman called Crovan's Gate. The signalman there set the signals to Danger. BoCo's driver wasn't paying attention to anything as they thundered through the double track tunnel next to Henry's tunnel and roared onwards towards Crovan's Gate.

As they drew to the Platform, BoCo saw the signal at danger and by the time his driver saw it and threw on the brakes, it was too late. BoCo screamed through the station and swerved off the line and into a muddy field after being caught up by trap points. The trucks and tank engines forced poor BoCo deeper into the muddy field he crashed. The long line of tank engines and trucks couldn't go anywhere and due to the build up of momentum, the entire train of tank engines and trucks came off the rails.

Den came up a few minutes later with the rest of the train. It took some time, but Derek arrived with the breakdown train, Rocky and the Fat Controller.

"What happened here?" the Fat Controller demanded, while men set to work cleaning up the mess.

"The stationmaster at Vicarstown told BoCo he was running late," Den said, "The late running train came in and I was sent to bring the tail of BoCo's train, and the stationmaster called the stationmaster here."

"Also, I was worried about being late," said his driver, who was climbing out of the rear cab, "and I wasn't paying attention to the signals."

The Fat Controller sighed. The fast lines were closed due to the incident, which meant all trains had to take the slow line via Ballahoo. It would cause some delays but that couldn't be helped.

The men worked all through the night. It took some doing to right the trucks and get their goods loaded and see them off to the Big Station. Hank was assisted up by Norman. Hank had to run backwards and Norman was to be his tender's eyes and warning system. Once they got to the works station, Norman was removed and Hank buffered up to the trucks.

Once the large American engine had moved them away, The men set to work righting the derailed tank engines and getting them into the works.

Once Norman shunted the tank engines into the workshops, he returned to assist the men in getting BoCo on the tracks.

The large diesel was stuck fast and all efforts, even with Norman helping out, were proving futile. Norman wasn't strong enough to pull the large diesel onto the rails. Soon though, Murdoch arrived with some flatbeds of sleepers. A shunter uncoupled Murdoch from the trucks and switched him over to where BoCo was and once a length of chain was attached between the two of them, Murdoch heaved. It was a hard and long process, but they soon had BoCo on solid rails and Murdoch took him to the Dieselworks where Den told Murdoch to shunt him into the workshops.

"Thank you Murdoch," BoCo said.

"Don't mention it," Murdoch said. "We're a team on this Railway."

BoCo sighed and went to sleep. Den invited Murdoch to stay in the sheds near the workshops. Murdoch accepted the invitation and once the crew dropped his fire, Den helped move Murdoch into the sheds.

Den was concerned though and once Murdoch was asleep, he rolled into the Dieselworks and found Diesel 10 resting in the sheds at the back of the works. Den told him of the workload at the harbour and how overworked the engines were.

"I don't care. Let those tea kettles do the work themselves," he snorted.

"This is what being a Fat Controller's Engine constitutes? Being a selfish jerk? I must be going soft in the diesel motor. I'm sorry Diesel 10, but I refuse to shunt here until you acknowledge that 'Fatty' gave you the chance of being useful," Den hissed crossly and rolled out of the shed and out of the workshop and banged some trucks together to take to Crovan's Gate.

Diesel 10 scoffed and drifted off to sleep. However, Den's words still played on his mind and he slept uneasily. The next morning, the Fat Controller arrived at the Dieselworks.

"Norman, Paxton, Sidney, Dodge, and Splatter, I need you to help out at the harbour yards," he said.

"Yes sir," the shunters said.

Then the Fat Controller turned to Diesel 10.

"I am going to need you to help Hank and Neville with Supply trains. Den and Dart will look after the Dieselworks."

Diesel 10 groaned after the Fat Controller left. He really didn't want to work with steam engines, but he had no choice. The warship trundled grudgingly away to collect a large goods train. Hank was waiting to move off with another heavy train for the harbour.

"This is a welcome change to see another real splendid main line engine help out," Hank said.

This made Diesel 10 feel just a bit better. However, what Diesel 10 or the other engines didn't know was that many diesels from the Other Railway would be coming on trial and trouble would be coming with them. But that's another story.