Railways must always be ready to adapt to any weather conditions, no matter how suddenly they arrive. In autumn, the usual threat is from leaves. In winter, it used to be snow, but increasingly the main problem is rain. In spring, all sorts of things crop up, such as animals that don't understand the concept of level crossings or fences.
But this spring, well... things were 'hotting up', if you know what I mean. Porter and Izzy certainly knew this one well, as they were currently fighting a fire. A hosepipe had been attached to Porter's tanks, and Izzy was directing the jet at a lineside fire.
"Why are there so many fires?" Izzy said, as she held the jet on the blaze.
"It's all this dry weather we've been having," Porter replied. "There's been no rain for ages, and it's unusually warm for this time of year. Combine that with sparks and ash from our chimneys and there's lots of fires."
"Yikes. Hopefully the diesels won't have this much trouble."
After a few minutes, the fire was put out, and the duo began on their way up to Newham. But just as they reached the points at Penwithers Junction, they began rolling up and down like a ship on choppy waves.
"HeEy!" Izzy said. "ThIs MaKeS mY vOiCe SoUnD sIlLy!"
"Never mind your silly voice!" Porter replied. "The track has warped in the heat! It's not safe to run on this line!"
"We probably need to tell the maintenance crew at Truro and get it fixed!" Izzy said. "I'll get down there right away!"
"But what about our trucks?"
Down at Falmouth, Argyle was overlooking the yards, trying to see if anybody could find his supplies. The weather was taking its toll on him. Sweat was dripping off his forehead and collecting in his beard, and his clothing didn't help.
"If this weather gets any worse my clothes will go see through," he complained, as he wandered into town in search of a drink. "Hopefully somewhere's serving something cold."
As he stumbled on his way, he passed Sunny's stand. "Hey Sunny. Coping with the heat?"
"I think so," Sunny replied. "I set up in some shade today, and left my hoodie at home. Shorts and a white shirt also worked. Why don't you try the same dad?"
Argyle thought for a moment. "That's not a bad idea, actually. And maybe have a milkshake whilst I'm at it. How's the new machine working for you?"
"Excellently," Sunny smiled. "It runs very well, and the customers seem to like it. They seem to be especially taken with the blue flavour."
"How much does one cost?"
"Dad, I don't really feel I can charge you, seeing as... well..."
"Just because I'm your father doesn't mean I get preferential treatment."
Sunny nodded. "£3.50."
"That's reasonable."
After having gotten changed and headed back to the yard, Argyle was feeling a lot better- although he could have done without fogged up glasses. As he looked into the yard, he could see Rebecca being backed onto a ballast train. The new quarry down near his home was certainly producing plenty of ballast for the local railway lines, and not only that was keeping people employed.
"Hello Rebecca!" he called. "Where's that lot going?"
"Ballast going to Truro Yard. From there to where I don't know," Rebecca replied. "Should be an easy run."
"For you, maybe," Hitch said, having stuck his head out of the cab in the meantime. "But this is heavier than most loads I've worked."
"This is light compared to what used to be shifted out of Meldon Quarry back in the day."
Just then, the light changed. "Gotta go!" Hitch called, and with that the train set off for the mainline.
Argyle stroked his beard. "Mainline, eh? Maybe a bit of trainspotting is in order."
Rebecca soon discovered that the ballast trucks she was working were rather more tempramental than most.
"Pull back, me hearties! Pull back!" shouted one.
There was a tremendous jerk on the couplings as this happened.
"What's going on?" Hitch said, as he tried to make adjustments.
"These trucks are up to tricks," Rebecca sighed. "I'll need to make some changes to their attitude."
As they reached the first drop, Hitch applied the brakes. It was then he had a brainwave as they began to descend. "I know! Back in the old days, my parents found a very effective way to keep animals in line was with music. Maybe we could try something similar?"
"And Salty taught me a new song only yesterday! Here we go!" Rebecca seemed to be in exceptionally fine voice. "Now then, you trucks seem very lively. Fancy a sea shanty?"
"Yes! Yes!" the trucks replied.
"Oh Santiana gained the day!" Rebecca called.
"Away Santianna!" the trucks replied.
"Now pull the yan up the west they say!" Rebecca called.
"Along the plains of Mexico!" the trucks replied.
"Now the chorus!" Hitch called.
"Well heave her up and away we'll go/
Away Santiana!
Heave her up and away we'll go/
Along the plains of Mexico!"
This seemed to work. The trucks stopped bumping the duo, and the singing helped to keep the movement of the train in line.
Rebecca rattled down the final hill towards Truro. "Almost there, and nothing went wrong!" she said.
Unfortunately, she was wrong. She hit the section of bumpy track that had warped in the heat, and bounced back and forth as she rattled over it.
"Hey! What is this? I didn't sign up for a rollercoaster!" Hitch said.
Rebecca managed to stay on the rails, but the trucks behind her were not so lucky. Several of them bounced up and down and sent their cargo of gravel flying through the air. Several others derailed and fell onto their side, spilling their cargoes over the main line from Penzance.
The worst was yet to come. Sparks from Rebecca's chimney ignited dry vegetation nearby, causing a fire.
Argyle had taken up position to do some spotting when he had witnessed the entire accident. His immediate response was to get on the phone.
"Operator here, how can I help you?"
"Connect me to the fire brigade, and pronto!" Argyle replied.
"Understood sir, transferring you now."
There was some brief beeping, before the dial tone ended and the call connected. "Truro Fire Brigade, what seems to be the issue?"
"A large fire has just broken out near Truro station, where the line from Falmouth joins. You may also need some rescue vehicles, as there's a derailed train nearby,"
"Understood sir. Dispatching appliances now."
Rebecca and Hitch had already gotten to work moving the undamaged stock away from the fire, and the fire brigade were on scene within a few minutes. Before long, the fire was out, and cranes were busy lifting the damaged stock back onto the rails.
"Sorry about causing the accident," Rebecca said to a firefighter.
"You're not to blame," the firefighter replied. "It's this heatwave we're having. The track over there always buckles and bends in this weather, and we have to respond to a lot of fires in this weather."
"Now," said a railway worker, "if only there was a way to cool the track down. We can't spray it with water as that will cause the metal to warp. The solution is ensuring it doesn't get hot in future."
Suddenly, something Sunny had mentioned returned to Argyle. "Why not paint the track white?" he suggested. "That way, the track heats up slower."
"What a good idea!" said the firefighter.
Once the rails were replaced, they were coated with white paint to reflect the heat. Safe to say, they don't get as hot anymore!