Equestrian Railway Tales

by Sudrian Engineer

Apologies and Help

Edward and Gordon often went through the tunnel where Henry was shut up

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It seemed like a normal sunny day on Sodor, but upon further inspection, you might realise it wasn't. Matthew was in the cab of one of the numbered engines, groaning as the engine bragged and bragged. "So the green coward went and got himself shut up in a tunnel, did he?" 98426 sneered. "Ha! Well I say he got what he deserved."

Matthew was at his tipping point, sure he was mad at Henry, but not even the green engine deserved this. "SHUT UP NOW"

"Oh? Did I upset you? Hmph, please. Unlike your 'friend', you're FAR too softhearted to do anything about it."

"You’re right I am, but I'm not the one who just heard you and is walking towards you." Troy had heard everything as 98452 had just pulled into a station.

"So. Think ya can just say whatever ya want and get away with it do ya?" Troy said laying a hand on the pistol he always carried. An evil grin slowly spread over his face. "Heheheh. You more than anyone here should know just how fast word gets around the railway. We'd hate to come to work one morning to find you missing with naught but a few pieces to show you were ever there. So Ah'm going to say this One. Last. Time. Don't hurt my friends. Sorry to steal the spotlight there, Matt. It's back on you now." Matthew just rolled his eyes as he continued to drive the engine, glad none of the ponies had to deal with it. Later that day, he was with Gordon and Rainbow, Troy having wanted to work with Edward.

It had been a long month for Henry. After refusing to leave the tunnel for fear that the rain would spoil his paint, Sir Tophamm Hatt had the rails taken up and the tunnel walled off. Not that it had done Henry any good. He was cold, lonely, and dirt and soot from the tunnel roof had spoiled his paint anyway. In all honesty though, locking him in the tunnel was a kind act from Sir Topham. Henry isn't the best of steamers and the director could have used this as an excuse to scrap him, but he knew Henry could be useful, so temporarily locked in the tunnel it was. Edward and Gordon often past the tunnel, and when they did Edward would always say "Peep Peep. Hello!"

And Gordon would say "Poop Poop. Serves you right." Gordon always pulled the big Express, and was proud of being the only engine strong enough to pull it. Rainbow wasn't rude as she knew it wasn't right to tease Henry, and there was also the fact she didn't want to anger Matthew, who was often with her and Gordon when Troy worked with Edward.

Finally, she had had enough. As they approached the tunnel, she decided to speak up. "You shouldn't be treating Henry like that." She said.

Gordon huffed, "He deserves it and I am going to do it again," he said. But right as he was about to, there was a crack and steam hissed out everywhere. Gordon almost disappeared in a cloud of steam, and began going slower and slower. Matthew stopped the train just outside of Henry's tunnel. "What has happened to me? I feel so weak." Gordon groaned.

Matthew groaned, climbing down and stomping over to his face “You burst your safety valve, now you can't pull the train."

"Oh dear." said Gordon. "And we were going so nicely too. And look at Henry laughing at me!" Indeed Henry was laughing, but then he stopped and just watched.

Meanwhile, Sir Topham, who was on the train, climbed down and walked to the front. "Darn these big engines, always breaking down at the worst time, send for another engine at once," he demanded.

"Yes sir!" Said the guard, and went to do just that. While they were waiting, Gordon was uncoupled and run into a siding out of the way. Matthew, meanwhile, sighed and walked to the brick wall, climbing up and sitting on the top, he spoke to Henry.

"Hello old boy," he said, "I would like to apologize for my treatment of you that day, can we still be friends?"

"Of course." replied Henry. "Though I would like to come out and pull trains again."

"I know Henry, I know, I will see what I can do about getting you out soon." The man pats the engine's boiler before hopping off the wall and heading back to Rainbow and the bossy blue engine. ("HEY, I HEARD THAT!!" "I know you did Gordon, now no more fourth wall breaks until the author’s notes.") Meanwhile in the yard, Edward had been busy shunting again when the yard manager walked up.

"Somethin the matter?" Troy asked climbing down from the cab.

"You could say that." the manager replied.

"Is it Gordon again?"

"Yes, but this time he's burst a safety valve and can't pull the Express. Can you do it please?"

Troy turned to Edward. "What do ya think Old Iron?"

"I'll try my best." replied Edward. Troy nodded in agreement and climbed back into the cab. Fluttershy, who had taken a break for a few minutes was walking back when she say the pair getting ready to go.

"Uhm, Troy, Edward? Where are we going, I th-though our job was uhm, shunting?"

"It was, but now Gordon's broke down, and Edward's the only engine left to pull the Express. Should be interesting." Fluttershy was confused but climbed aboard nonetheless, ready to go with them to meet Gordon. As they steamed up to where Gordon was broken down, Gordon snorted.

"That's no use at all! Edward cant pull the train!"

"That's what you said when you got stuck on a hill too." Troy said. "Although it pains me to admit it, you might actually be right this time though. But, we won't know if we don't try! Let's go Edward."

Edward pushed and puffed and puffed and pushed and pushed and puffed and pushed and... well I think you get it by now, but anyways, he simply could not push the train, it was then Matthew had an idea.

"Why not let Henry help sir, he is dreadfully sorry."

"As a matter of fact I will Matthew." Sir Tophamm said. He turned to Henry. "Will you pull the train for us Henry?"

"Oh sir, please sir," Henry said, he was thankful Matthew had suggested it.

"Hey Dash, it would take too long to get AJ here, wanna be my firemare a bit longer," Matthew asked the prismatic-mained mare.

"Sure, let's go!" Rainbow replied.

The coal still in Henry's tender was usable but not the water, so it his tanks had to be emptied and water siphoned from Gordon's tank into his own. Once that was done, Matthew shoveled some coal and lit the fire. The wall was taken down and the tracks replaced, and Henry puffed out. His boiler was black, and he was covered in cobwebs.

"Oohh, I'm stiff. I'm stiff!" he groaned.

A few, immature minded, people, mostly Troy, laughed at his phrasing. Then Sir Topham spoke to the green engine. "Go find a turntable, and have a short run to ease your joints.”

When Henry came back, he was feeling much better. It was decided that he would be in the front.

"Ready green guy?" Matthew asked happily.

"Yes, I am indeed." Henry replied.

He then pulled the whistle chain, signalling Edward and Henry's throttles to be pulled at the same time. There was an answering whistle from the back of the train as the two engines set off.

"Pull hard! Pull hard!" called Edward.

"We'll do it, We'll do it," Henry replied, eagerly.

"Pull hard, We'll do it, Pull hard, We'll do it, Pull hard, We'll do it," the two engines said together. The train started off slowly at first, but soon began to pick up speed.
"We’ve done it together! We've done it together! We've done it together!" the two engines cheered.

"WELL DONE HENRY AND EDWARD, WELL DONE!!!" was the shout from the two drivers, meanwhile, Sir Topham was leaning out the window to congratulate the pair. Unfortunately, he forgot to take the wind into account and his hat was blown off into a field where a goat had it for tea. At the station at the end of the line, the pair stopped and passengers disembarked and gave their thanks.

"Reckon we might better go back and get Gordon. Ah don’t much fancy havin to drive to such an outta the way place to replace a safety valve." Troy said.

"Well done Henry. I think you've earned yourself a new coat of paint." said the controller. "How does blue with red stripes sound?"

"Oh yes please sir, then I will be just like Edward!”

The two engines set off for home, collecting Gordon along the way. When they got back to the shed, Troy grabbed his tools and was able to replace the burst safety valve with little trouble and a lot of ribbing Gordon. While he was working, Twilight and Spike had decided to come for a visit.

"Hello Troy. Fluttershy tells me you all had quite a day?” Twilight said.

"Grr, get IN there you little! Yeah, it was, interesting." Troy replied. "To be honest, while it's amusin to see Big Bossy get his ego pricked, Ah am very glad Ah'm off tomorrow. This here is probably gonna take all afternoon and half the night."

"Maybe I can help?" Twilight asked.

Spike grinned as he looked at Troy working on Gordon, "Can I help too? My small claws may be able to reach into places better."

"Sure! Any help would be appreciated. Spike, can ya hand me that 5/8 socket outta the toolbox?"

"Uhm, what’s a 5/8 socket? I don't know much about tools."

Troy just stared at them with a deadpan look on his face before grinning. "Well then, guess yer jus gonna hafta learn, huh? Tell ya what, Ah don't much like how mah trucks been runnin lately an it's about time for a tune up anyway. Ah can teach ya about tools and how to work on a motor while Ah'm at it."

"Sure, sounds like LOTS of fun, oh, if Twilight is ok with it."

"Well, Twi? What do ya say?"

She thought for a moment, weighing her options and spoke, "Ok, but I want to supervise."

Troy's grin turned almost evil at that. "In my shop, there are no supervisors. Looks like you get ta learn too! Hope you don’t giving those wings a workout Twi.”

“What do you mean?” she asked nervously.

“Hahaha. Twi, mah truck is big enough that AH have to sit on the fender to work on it, and you're like half mah size. Eh, doesn't matter either way, still gotta get this da-” He stopped himself as he caught sight of Spike standing in the cab. ‘Like Ah didn’t have enough trouble not cussin around Matthew’ Troy thought to himself as he cleared his throat. “This valve in before Ah can do anything. So first thing's first. Spike, this here is a socket." He pulled the socket of his ratchet and presented it. "Ah need you to find the one that says 5/8 on the side, alright?"

Spike nodded and set to work, Twilight learning as she watched.

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"Wasn't Henry pleased when he had his new coat. He is very proud of it, as all good engines are--but he doesn't mind the rain now, because he knows that the best way to keep his paint nice is not to run into tunnels, but to ask his driver to rub him down when the day's work is over"

Author's Note:

Troy and Matthew walked onto the stage, smiling at you, the audience, and Troy spoke. "Why hello and welcome back to where we discuss what you just read and try to squeeze out one last joke! That's right, folks. You've reached the Author's Note! Matthew, my good man, what do we have for the fine folk that are bothering to read this?"

"Well we just have some information to share, firstly, WE JUST FINISHED THE THREE RAILWAY ENGINE!!! Pinkie is preparing for us later but for now, we got this note, right?" As Matthew shouted, a banner appeared that was a sign of congratulations.

"Aye, it feels nice to have finally finished a book. And for those who might be wondering, the next chapter will introduce everyone's favorite little six-wheeler."

A picture of said engine was projected behind them, Matthew speaking: "Yes, but it won't be Thomas and Gordon, first we have to have that cheeky little train arrive on the island and meet everyone."

"And guess what? We'll finally be visiting Equestria at some point in this book! Look forward to it! And not only that, but Spike will be much more involved going forward. The little man needs more love if ya ask me."

"Oh yes, speaking of him, for those who didn't watch Molt Down yet...
WATCH IT ASAP"

"I believe that's it from me. Matt, you got anything else?"

“Nope, I got nothing, BYE EVERYONE!” The pair waved as theu faded away.

Comments

[SonicStreak5344]

When's the next chapter coming I want to see it now!!!!

[Sudrian Engineer]

8966563
Give us time...

[SonicStreak5344]

8966566
Ok.

[Nova Blaze]

8966563
So far the pattern is about one a month. My fault mostly, work doesn't leave much time to write.

[SonicStreak5344]

8966885
Ok. I'm working on a Thomas story too, but it's still being thought out.