//------------------------------//
// Art is for Everybody 
// Story: Thomas and Friends: Race to the Edge 
// by The Blue EM2 
//------------------------------//

The situation had become serious, as could be clearly seen. This was because the main shed had gained a blackboard and several other boards, on which calculations and text had been added. Numbers and formulae marched across them like soldiers fighting mathematical battles against the certainties of reality. Seated in front of them were several figures, taking a closer look at the display.

"Can somebody explain what all these numbers mean?" Hitch asked. "This collection of symbols is, frankly, gibberish to me."

There was a brief pause. "We're trying to calculate the best possible performance line for the run." Argyle sighed. "This has thrown us down quite the challenge. Ten coaches down that line won't be easy."

Sunny spoke up. "It's complicated by the fact that there are no water troughs and no water towers along the line, as those were all removed in the 1960s. How are we supposed to get water to Rebecca when she needs it?"

"Not to mention light pacifics weren't fitted with water scoops anyway, as they were never far from a water tower on the Southern Region," Hitch pointed out.

Izzy looked exited. "I have an idea!"

"Go ahead, as we're fresh out of them here," Lord Haven said, who no matter what values he adjusted the formulae looked no closer to solving itself.

"How about we bring our coal and water with us?"

"Sorry?"

"How about we bring our coal and water with us?" Izzy repeated. "As you'll probably recall, I found an old MK1 NRA in the sidings, which had been left here a long time ago. This has a mixture of both seating and a luggage compartment which was meant to carry mail, parcels, and trolleys loaded with valuable things. What is we store our coal and water in there?"

"I remember seeing a railtour at Swanage using a similar trick," Lady Haven mused. "Of course! We can rig up a water pumping system from the carriage and pump it directly into the tender tank! Is there a shutter on the front?"

"Yes! We can run the pipe through that and connect it into the water system."

"That's gonna take a lot of work," Pipp said. "And where are we going to find all the coal we need?"

"We've got quite a bit in this shed," Zipp pointed out. "Why don't we just put it into bags and pop it into the coach? That way, we can take it out at booked stops and pour it into the tender as needed."

"So that means moving the coal into bags," Lady Haven said.

"Yes."

"By hand."

"Yes."

"With shovels."

"Yes. Your point being, mom?"

"Zipp, please do bear in mind none of us adults are getting any younger."

"We can do the heavy lifting!" Misty offered.

"Wait, what?" Pipp said. "No way. That stuff is really messy."

"Seeing as you got us into the mess it's only fair you muck in," Hitch replied. "If all is said and done, I suggest we get to work and cue the music."





The crew almost immediately got to work. The coach that Izzy had referred to had been shunted into position by Salty, and before long loading work was underway. Coal was being loaded into bags ready for transportation, each sack feeling as though it weighed forty tons. After some struggling, the coal was loaded in and placed against the walls.

"Phew, that stuff was heavy!" Sunny said, wiping her brow. "Good thing we didn't have far to carry it."

"Speak for yourself," Hitch said. "Pipp's still to move hers any considerable distance."

Pipp was straining with the heavy bag, dragging it along the floor. "Whoever... knew lumps of... rock... were so heavy?" she wheezed. "I... must be really... out of shape!"

Luckily for her, Misty came up alongside and picked it up as well. "Here you go," she said, with a smile. "Many hands make the lights work."

Eventually, the coal was loaded, and a forklift deposited a pair of large tanks into the carriage. "Have these been pressure tested?" Lady Haven asked.

"Indeed," Lord Haven replied. "I tested them in the garden a few days ago. They held all the water in the hydraulic test without leaking."

"That's a relief," Goldie noted, who had been using Harvey to help lift the carriage roof to the correct height (as bits of it needed replacing). "We wouldn't want to have to refill the refill tanks all the time, would we?"

Before long, the support compartment was packed to the brim with supplies. Tools, machinery, coal, water, and even a crafting bench (supplied by Izzy) was put in. The bench was put in just in case they needed to fabricate supplies and spare parts when on the move. Or even when stationary, as the bench would still work.

Then, it was time to crack out the heavy machinery. Lord Haven, who was a qualified welder amongst other things, started work on ensuring the coach panels were correctly secured and properly ready for use on such a carriage. He had to conduct several spot welds in several places, but otherwise the coach was in remarkably good condition considering it had sat out in the elements for years.

Finally, all that came was the paint. The collective scraped the paint off with tools, and then began to apply several shades of paint to protect the metal and ensure safety on the move.

"Come on, guys!" Hitch said, who had poured his back into it. "We gotta work, work, work! Got so much to do!"

"Hey, I don't mind the work, unlike some of us, because it means I get to work with you guys." Zipp's snark was not un-noticed.

Eventually, the carriage was fully restored to a rather interesting blue and red livery, which certainly made it stand out. "Looking good!" Goldie said, looking at the coach.

"If we work together, there's nothing we can do," Sunny noted. "Except invent nuclear fusion, perhaps, as I'm not a scientist."

"It's going to be one huge endurance test, this," Lord Haven noted. "Get some rest, all of us. We have a long day the day after tomorrow, and we need to figure out personnel allocations for the run."