//------------------------------//
// Goods to Trottingham  
// Story: War driven by steam 
// by MadModellerExtraordinair 
//------------------------------//

The two ponies finished dealing with 'Starswirl' at around 2 o'clock, and after a brief lunch of tea and hay bacon butties they meandered to the goods yard. The Manehattan goods yard was huge potentially only rivalled by triangle town which accepted goods for Canterlot and stood alongside the station and like it, it was shared by the Eastern Equestrian & Crystal Empire railway, the yard was split down the centre  one side for the Trottingham & Manehattan railway and one for the Eastern Equestrian & Crystal Empire railway and were separated by three exchange sidings and a large runaround loop that could hold a 12 carriage train.

Arriving at the yard Grease cap and Anvil were greeted by a forepony who introduced himself as Screw link, "I eard what happened to you two," he said "Stiffs shouted somein ard from what a porter said,"

"Word travels fast I suppose,"was the answer Grease cap gave "anyway what you got for us"

"Some steel loaded flat wagons for Trottingham here's the paperwork" said screw link as he fished out a sheet of paper, he hoofed it to Anvil.

"The Royal guard workshops what would they want with a train of steel the stuffs in abundance in the city," he quizzical asked. "Also what am I firing?"

"Search me gov stuffs probably classified," the forepony said "on the other hoof though, you two are in charge of one of the dragon classes, 414 I think she's already in steam so I'd better take you to er" he beckoned and led the two engine stallions through the yard. In front of them was a handsome eight wheeled heavy freight locomotive simmering contentedly in the sun, "there you are gov'nor train is booked in to leave at quarter past so five minutes to go best get in and get the train to the release line I've had her checked and lubricated so no worry to do that," the engine ponies thanked the forepony and he trotted off, Anvil swung himself into the cab and Grease cap went to operate the ground frame and set the points to the release line before climbing back into the cab with anvil. He released the brakes and notched open the regulator, the train began to roll forward loose couplings clanking as the slack was pulled out. Coasting through the yard they arrived at the release line a quick toot on the whistle alerted the signal pony and she let the train from the sidings and onto the main line in five minutes they had picked up speed and were riding through a cutting in the city outskirts and were then out on to horse shoe bridge that carried the tracks over the channel.

Once from the city Grease cap opened the regulator more and Anvil threw in some coal, as the coastline sped by and the engine made its rhythmic chuff Grease cap relaxed and began to question their load.

"Anvil why do you think the guard want slabs of steel, imported into Trottingham, to me it makes no  sense?" 

The Belsh pony put a shovel more on the fire and mulled over the question then replied slowly "likely to make sense to them, we're seeing this from an outsiders perspective they'll have their reasons, granted I have heard various rumours varying from the absurd to the sensible,

"Fair enough," was the drivers reply," Hoofington is coming up prepare for the climb," Anvil simply nodded. 

The train rattled through Hoofington and onwards to Seaward Shoals it was plain sailing and the loco tackled the grade easily as they neared Trottingham the sun was beginning to lower in the sky,  making the city ever visible as light from factories and various mills spilt forth, slowing the train as it  reached a red signal the click of points and the clunk of a signal arm let them on their way again but this time diverted off of the main line and on to an industrial branch leading alongside a wide canal basin. Clattering along at 10 mph on a lamplit tramway was a slow process but they soon reached an ornate gate at the edge of the Royal workshops. A guard mounted the steps.
"Name and business?" He stated imposingly.

"Grease cap and Anvil, Trottingham and Manehattan railway engine stallions, here to deliver a train of steel" said Grease cap handing the guard the paper work.

"Seems to be in order," he mused, "ok bring the train in,"the guard turned around and began to wind a crank opening the plate steel gate he then waved the train through. Despite it bearing on five O'clock the work shops were a hive of activity ponies hauling carts scurried around, guards patrolled perimeters of buildings and a pair of boxy tram locos shunted wagons of supplies to the various warehouses and shops. Grease cap and Anvil felt quite like giants in their huge engine.

Halting it on the exchange loop they were instructed by another guard to decouple the locomotive which they did and akin to a well oiled mechanism the pair of tram engines began to dissemble the train dispatching half of the wagons to the warehouses and workshops to be unloaded. It was here that a Pegasus pony raped on the cab side she had a brown coat a yellow mane tied in a bun and introduced herself as Sargent Wellington Rivet the acting commander of the workshops,"thanks for the delivery," she said "we've been waiting for this lot for a bit now," Anvil raised an eyebrow

"How so" the firepony questioned "we only picked it up from Manehattan yard about 3 hours ago,"

"Sorry I could have phrased that better," was the reply from Wellington Rivet "your not late it's just that my staff have been eager to start work,"

"Ah," said Grease cap while Anvil nodded. "If I may so ask why do you need steel imported into a city making tons of the stuff regularly,"
"No real harm I suppose we are planning to release our work to the public next month if all is successful," she paused and began excitedly "boilers is what we want it for this steel is magically reinforced, we had it enchanted at Canterlot. our idea is to use it for smaller boilers but with higher pressures, we have already used some successfully and we want to test other applications, Hopefully this tech of ours will become Equestria wide.". Anvil spoke again 

"So if I understand it correctly one day we could have a tiny 0-4-0 making as much pressure as the locomotive we're standing in,"

"Exactly !" Wellington Rivet almost shouted, clearly this was her forte, "hmm" she pondered "tell you what I'll show you what we have already made," 

She jumped down from the cab and beckoned for the two to follow her, the two earth ponies looked at one another and shrugged before following the mare into the workshops.