Chapter 10
Time slid slowly by. Dangersignal was now getting antsy and wanted to be back on the footplate, working with his human friends, shunting trucks and taking passengers. Rainbow Dash was eager as well, but after her time in hospital after damage to her wing, she has since learned to be patient.
As for the others, they were working hard. Goods and passenger trains ran to time, as well as them doing the nightly mail trains. Arrangements were made and things were set in motion for the race of a lifetime.
Soon, Dangersignal returned to working order and was given a real treat indeed. Standing at Baltimare Station were the two A3 pacifics. Flying Fox was on track 1, with a twelve coach Pullman train while The White Knight stood in front of a train of wagons.
Four humans were standing on the platform next to Flying Fox, chatting happily.
“Ready to stick it to that fool?” one asked.
“End that Beeching Rip-off’s lies and dirty games?” another asked. “Certainly!”
Two humans climbed into Flying Fox’s cab and moved the train off. The other two called over to Jordon, who told him where to take the wagons and find a turntable. The engine soon returned, running backwards.
Jordon flagged Rainbow Dash and Dangersignal over.
“Climb in!” he called. “Dragonstorm and Alistair are waiting with the other engine and it’s crew.”
The trio climbed into the cab. Dangersignal took up position on the tender to make sure the engine didn’t come off the rails. With careful handling of the driver, The White Knight backed onto the coaches. Dangersignal jumped down, coupled the coaches and joined the brake pipes.
The coaches were being filled with the other ponies, who had come to visit Dangersignal during his time out of service. While all that was being attended to, Dr. EconoAxe came up.
“Ready to lose?” he sneered.
“That’ll be the day,” Dangersignal retorted shortly. “Get your balloon ready.”
Dr. EconoAxe sniffed and trotted away. Dangersignal looked back as the last door slammed. Rainbow Dash was riding inside the cab, to act as a look out for signals. The referee and guard’s whistles screamed and the flags dropped. The two engines gave a united blast and started off. The balloon was having a little trouble, but that didn’t stop them.
Soon, the two engines had the twelve coach train moving along at twenty eight miles an hour. The firemen shoveled for dear life and the drivers were playing tunes with the regulators and sanding gears. The train surged on, now passing thirty eight miles an hour, and soon they plunged into the tunnel leading into Equestria Canterlot station at fifty eight miles an hour.
The train rocketed through the station at seventy nine miles an hour. The drivers gave a special code on the whistle and soon the train was attacking the climb to the Crystal Empire at ninety miles an hour. The balloon was no where to be seen, and soon the train passed “Crystal Empire Outer Distant” signal, which was “On”.
“Slow off!” Dangersignal called. “Outer Distant is “ON”.”
The driver eased off and they passed the inner distant at sixty two miles an hour. They continued to slow the train and it coasted into the station, where the referee was startled. The balloon still hadn’t arrived and the train set off again, with Flying Fox pulling it from the other end.
The downhill journey was nothing. The engines coasted along, passing the balloon as it made it’s way to the Crystal Empire. Dangersignal just chuckled and the train rolled onwards towards Ponyville, where the goods train was waiting.
The passenger train blasted out of the tunnel and coasted slowly to the passenger platform. In the goods platform was a Robinson 02 2-8-0 tender engine and a Gresley P2 2-8-2. Coupled behind the Robinson 02 was an LMS 20T goods brake, a china clay hood, china clay slurry tanker, tar tanker, well wagon, lowmac, cattle wagon, single vent van, BR 20T mineral wagon, bogie bolster flatbed, Dogfish ballast hopper. A GNR 20T Eight wheel brake van was coupled to the other end of the train, with the P2 coupled to the brake van.
As the train came to a stop; Dangersignal, Dragonstorm, Rainbow Dash, Jordon and Alistair climbed into the Robinson 02’s cab. Jaisson, Keyth, Darryn and Dylan climbed into the P2’s cab. The guard gave the signal and the train rolled away. The goods train was only doing forty-five miles per hour, but making good time.
The crews repeated their actions as they approached Appleloosa. The wagons clattered about, but the two engines and their crews were working extra hard to keep control. Braking carefully, the train drew into the goods platform at Appleloosa, where the guard checked the wagons, then gave the whistle. The crews blasted the engine’s whistles and the heavy train jerked away.
The journey back was much easier and when they returned, they saw that Dr. EconoAxe was standing, looking flustered. Dangersignal jumped down from the cab of the 02 and walked over.
“Well?” he asked.
“I guess you win!” he snarled. “You also made me look bad!”
“That was your ego that did that,” Dangersignal said. “I only fueled it by making you a bet I knew you couldn’t win.”
Dr. EconoAxe gawked in speechless rage. He turned and stormed off the platform. The others began to laugh and soon everyone else joined in. Dangersignal turned and looked at Jordon.
“You thinking what I’m thinking?” he asked the human.
“You know it,” the human replied.
Rainbow Dash watched as the crews moved the passenger train onto the front of the goods train. Dangersignal got everyone’s attention.
“Ladies, Gentlemen, Fillies and Gentlecolts, please gather at the town square stage in three and a half and hours,” the dark red Alicorn said. “We have a planned surprise for you.”
Everyone was confused, but went about their business. The two trains were taken up to the Baltimare yards, where the trucks and coaches were shunted clear. Once the tender engines were cleaned up, Dangersignal went and fired up the pannier tank. Once sufficient steam was raised, he advanced the regulator and shunted about the yards, getting a coach, goods van and brake van coupled together.
Once that was done, everyone climbed into the coach while Alistair climbed into the cab to take up firing duties. Now that all the torture was over, the two could work the engine with a gentle hoof and a softer eye on the gauges. The train rumbled into Ponyville and while the towns ponies were busily chatting, the humans set up their surprise.
The tests were carried out and they ran over some songs, making sure they had the right ones picked out. Dangersignal looked at his girlfriend and smiled.
“Care to take the first song with me?” he asked.
Her eyes widened. It had been her dream to sing with her boyfriend for years and to have him ask was certainly a treat.
“Yes,” Rainbow Dash squeaked excitedly. “Oh yes I would!”
Dangersignal smiled, then turned to the humans.
“We’ll sing “Oh Mr. Porter!”,” Dangersignal said. “A Dancehall song.”
Rainbow Dash nodded. Jordon placed two stands in front of them and they looked at the lyrics. The humans began tuning up their instruments and the group ran through the song several times, with the Pegasus and Alicorn on the lyrics sheet, then several times with them off, to make sure it was memorized.
Once the preparations were complete, the ponies gathered for the celebrations. The group got everything cleaned away and on the count of three, Dragonstorm opened the curtains. The group stood, smiling and prepared for anything.
“Today,” Dragonstorm said. “We celebrate the success of Equestrian Railways, a much better version of British Railways, where we run efficient services and make sure our passengers are pleased with the services we have to offer.”
Cheers followed this statement. Once they died down, Dragonstorm continued.
“But we’re not just celebrating with parties and treats, but with songs about railways that our human companions know.”
Again, cheers went up and when it died down, Dangersignal took over.
“Alright. Ladies, Gentlemen, Fillies, Gentlecolts, Princes and Princesses, we present the first of many songs-Oh, Mr. Porter!” he said.
The audience stood as the band began to play. Soon, Rainbow Dash and Dangersignal began to sing.
Rainbow Dash and Dangersignal,
“Lately I just spent a week with my old Aunt Brown,
Came up to see the wond'rous sights of famous London Town.
Just a week I had of it, all round the place we'd roam,
Wasn't I sorry on the day I had to go back home?
Worried about with packing, I arrived late at the station,
Dropped my hat-box in the mud, the things all fell about,
Got my ticket, said 'good-bye', "Right away!" the guard did cry,
But I found the train was wrong, And shouted out:
Oh! Mister Porter, what shall I do?
I want to go to Birmingham
And they're taking me on to Crewe.
Send me back to London as quickly as you can,
Oh! Mister Porter, what a silly girl I am.
The porter would not stop the train, but laughed and said "You must
Keep your hair on, Mary Ann, and mind that you don't bust!"
Some old gentleman inside declared that it was hard,
Said, "Look out of the window, Miss, and try and call the guard."
Didn't I, too, with all my might, I nearly balanced over,
But my old friend grasped my leg, and pulled me back again,
Nearly fainting with the fright, I sank into his arms, a sight,
Went into hysterics but I cried in vain:-
Oh! Mister Porter, what shall I do?
I want to go to Birmingham
And they're taking me on to Crewe.
Send me back to London as quickly as you can,
Oh! Mister Porter, what a silly girl I am.
On his clean old shirt front then I laid my trembling head,
"Do take it easy, rest awhile," the dear old chappie said.
"If you make a fuss of me and on me do not frown,
You shall have my mansion, dear, away in London town."
Wouldn't you think me silly if I said I could not like him?
Really he seemed a nice old boy, so I replied this way:
I will be your own for life, your imay doodleum little wife,
If you'll never tease me any more I say.
Oh! Mister Porter, what shall I do?
I want to go to Birmingham
And they're taking me on to Crewe.
Send me back to London as quickly as you can,
Oh! Mister Porter, what a silly girl I am.”
The two finished and the group cheered. Everyone was impressed. Rainbow Dash moved back and Dragonstorm took his place along side his brother.
“This next song needs some explaining,” Dragonstorm said, then turned to his brother.
“In 1963, in a place called England, a man known as Dr. Beeching began shutting down unprofitable stations and ripping up unprofitable branch lines. 2,363 stations and 5,00 miles of branch lines were ripped up. Many places are just shadows of their former selves. To remember these places, which no longer exist, we have a special song for that, which was sung originally by two people named Flanders and Swann,” Dangersignal said and turned to the group, raising his left hoof and making a slow motion. He then turned.
Dangersignal: Miller's Dale for Tideswell ...
Dragonstorm: Kirby Muxloe ...
Dangersignal: Mow Cop and Scholar Green ...
Dragonstorm: No more will I go to Blandford Forum and Mortehoe
On the slow train from Midsomer Norton and Mumby Road.
No churns, no porter, no cat on a seat
At Chorlton-cum-Hardy or Chester-le-Street.
We won't be meeting again
On the Slow Train.
Dangersignal: I'll travel no more from Littleton Badsey to Openshaw.
At Long Stanton I'll stand well clear of the doors no more.
No whitewashed pebbles, no Up and no Down
From Formby Four Crosses to Dunstable Town.
I won't be going again
On the Slow Train.
Dragonstorm: On the Main Line and the Goods Siding
The grass grows high
At Dog Dyke, Tumby Woodside
And Trouble House Halt.
Dangersignal: The Sleepers sleep at Audlem and Ambergate.
No passenger waits on Chittening platform or Cheslyn Hay.
No one departs, no one arrives
From Selby to Goole, from St Erth to St Ives.
They've all passed out of our lives
On the Slow Train, on the Slow Train.
Dragonstorm: Cockermouth for Buttermere ... on the Slow Train
Dangersignal: Armley Moor Arram ...
Dragonstorm: Pye Hill and Somercotes ... on the Slow Train,
Dangersignal: Windmill End.
The song ended and everyone stared. A song that was somber in a celebration? It was unheard of and could be considered by many to be wrong. Rainbow Dash stepped up and said that the song was an after thought, based on what Dangersignal saw during his time in England.
“Anyway, let’s continue with uplifting music,” she cheered.
The cheer was picked up and the party lasted another four hours. Afterwards, the humans, two Alicorns and Pegasus made their way back to the Baltimare Hotel after packing up all their equipment. Dangersignal and Rainbow Dash rode in the brake-van. They stayed in silence before Dangersignal spoke up.
“Will you…” he began. “Will you be there for me?”
“Always,” came the reply.
He smiled. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you for being prince charming,” she said.
The two made small talk all the way back. After shunting the wagon, coach and brake van away, and closing everything for the night, Dangersignal sat out on the quayside, looking towards the stars. Rainbow Dash joined him and the two curled up under the starlit skies. Watching them were two pale looking figures, standing under a lamp.
“We’ve raised them well,” one said.
“We have indeed,” another said.
The figures vanished into the darkness and a quiet happiness reigned over the sleeping ponies.