Thomas and Friends: The Retold Adventures

by The Blue EM2

Old Faithful

If you journey up into the hills of Sodor, you shall find a little railway that runs up into the hills, past a lake and over a waterfall, and through forests with hot air and wonderful vistas. This line is called the Skarloey Railway, and it is run by three engines and their drivers, although only two of them go out on the line with any regularity. It is a treasure of the island, and nobody imagines how their island would be without it.

Since we last met them, Sir Handel had been repainted into the red and blue livery of the Skarloey Railway, and had been permitted to pull trains again after several day's confinement for poor behaviour. This was his test run, and although the staff of the railway, including Mr Percival, had forgiven Sir Handel, the coaches still had not, and were looking for any excuse to pay him out for his rough running a few days earlier. They were awkward and rude irrespective of whatever Sir Handel or Gallus did, and that was try to be kind to them.

Partway along the line, the railway runs parallel to a farmer's field, where there is normally a fence to prevent the livestock that belongs to the farmers breaking through and running across the line. I say normally, because today the fence had been broken by sheep, who were now milling about on the track and blocking the rails.

Sir Handel tried to stop, with Gallus applying his brakes, but the coaches were having none of it. "He's pushed us! Let's pay him out!" they screeched, and they all clanged together. Sir Handel crashed into the first sheep and was derailed. Luckily, nobody was hurt, but Sir Handel was damaged. Gallus hopped off to inspect the damage.

"That's torn it," he said. "Come on, old boy, let's get you back to the shed."

When they got him back to the shed, the extent of the damage became clear. His front bufferbeam was dented, and the cylinders were out of alignment. This would take a lot of work to rectify.

"No more work for you for a while," Gallus said sadly. "Sorry Sir Handel, I genuine thought that those coaches had changed."

"This means we have no engine," Sir Handel said sadly. "And who is going to pull the train for the special visitors?"

Just then, Mr Percival arrived, and Gallus informed him of what had happened.

"Most regrettable," he said. "We must find another engine at once. But Peter Sam is working higher up the line, so we can't use him."

"What about me sir?" asked a familiar Welsh voice. Mr Percival looked over to see Skarloey looking at him.

"You, Skarloey?" Mr Percival asked. "You haven't run in years! Are you sure you can do it still?"

Ocellus put her rag down, and walked over to him. "The way it seems, sir," she said, "is that we either use Skarloey to run the last train, or we cancel the train and disappoint a lot of people. Skarloey can do it. With a little bit of grease and oil, he can do it. I know it."

Mr Percival nodded. "Very well. But I want you to go with him, Ocellus, and the moment anything goes wrong I'm getting a bus up there. Understood?"

Ocellus nodded. Before long, they had a splendid fire going, and Skarloey rolled out of the yard, his brasswork gleaming, and Ocellus standing proudly at the controls as the engine moved to the station, where the coaches had been left from the previous train. They looked very sorry, and braced themselves for a verbal scolding from Skarloey. And that they got.

"Whatever would Rheneas have thought?" he asked, as he backed down. "I'm ashamed of each and every one of you. Agnes, Ruth, Jemima, Lucy, Beatrice, you should all know better than to bump an engine off the rails."

"But that Sir Handel-"

"I don't care about your Sir Handel!" Skarloey snapped, as Ocellus coupled them up. "You might have hurt your passengers. If you had hurt your passengers, they would have said it was a bad railway. And what would have happened then?"

The coaches quivered in the manner a school pupil being told off would. "W-were sorry Skarloey," they whimpered pathetically, their former confidence gone completely.

The guard blew his whistle, and away the train went. The journey was nice and smooth. Ocellus found she had to do remarkably little whilst driving Skarloey, as the little engine knew all the stations and stiles, crossings and footpaths like no other engine did. He knew exactly where to stop, and what all the stopping distances were for all the various stops on the line. The sun shone and the rails were dry, and Skarloey hadn't felt this happy in years, as many of his old friends turned out to see him pass by, though they were obviously much older than they had been back in the day.

"This is a lovely day," he said happily.

"I agree!" Ocellus smiled. "I'm so glad I took this job."

As they continued up the line, the rails grew steep, and the line got harder and harder to climb. Skarloey began to feel short of steam, but he kept on going regardless. "It'll be better downhill," he said quietly to himself, as he could just roll on the way back. Not only that, but he could rest his cylinders and running gear at the station at the end of the line. But the rails were old and poorly maintained, and his springs hadn't been changed in a long time. There was suddenly a loud bang, crashing noises, and metal flew everywhere. The train ground to a halt as Skarloey suddenly pitched to one side. Ocellus scrambled out to see what had caused the damage. Several of the springs had come free, and the damage was pretty bad.

"I feel all crooked," Skarloey said sadly.

"The springs have gone," Ocellus replied. "There's no way I can repair this here. I'll call the bus and-"

"No!" Skarloey interrupted. "Anything but a bus. I can get them back, and I will."

"If you're sure," Ocellus replied, and got back into the cab, releasing the brakes and gently backing Skarloey back down the line.

At Crovan's Gate station, James and Rarity were waiting with their train to convey the visitors to Vicarstown, where they would catch a ship back to the mainland. Rarity impatiently checked her watch. "Where are those two?" she asked. "We can't wait forever, you know!"

"I agree!" James said. "The later it gets, the tighter our path becomes. Should we go?"

Just then, a great loud clanging and puffing noise started up, and into the station came Skarloey, tilted upward at a 30 degree angle and red in the face from the effort of moving along. The narrow gauge engine looked about in astonishment.

"I've done it," he said, surprised.

"Bravo, Skarloey, bravo!" Rarity called. "There's an engine we can all relate to. If only we were all like him." The passengers scrambled onboard, and the train set off for the mainland.

Everybody came to congratulate the old engine. But he was still worried. "Old engines cannot pull trains like the young ones can," he said. "And I'm sorry I partly ruined your clothes Ocellus with the oil."

"But they can if they are mended properly, and that's what's going to happen to you," Ocellus smiled. "Besides, I can find another dress, but I can never find another Skarloey."

Author's Note:

I always found this to be one of the most touching stories in the Railway Series, even if the order they were adapted in the TV series made little to no sense. I hope you enjoyed them adapted in the correct order this time.

Comments

[Thomlight Sparkle 1]

This was a touching chapter.
I especially loved the ending you put on it.

"Besides, I can find another dress, but I can never find another Skarloey."

That line is such heart-warming and sweet. It really shows how caring Ocellus truly can be. And I'm very glad she was paired with Skarloey

[The Blue EM2]

10077743
The line is a reference to the ending of Misty Island Rescue. That line saved the film, in my opinion.

[Thomlight Sparkle 1]

10077764
It actually does, if one thinks about it. But if anything, while I did enjoy Misty Island Rescue, I wish they made an episode where Bash, Dash, and Ferdinand learned some better sense and allowed someone to fix the shake-shake bridge, and Ol' Wheezy

[The Blue EM2]

10077769
You've given me an idea...

[Thomlight Sparkle 1]

10077776
Another one? Man, I guess I'm being a true idea machine this month!

[The Blue EM2]

10077778
Well, I can confirm that, given the response to this story, there will be a sequel!

[Thomlight Sparkle 1]

10077781
I look forward to seeing it, and the other idea inspired by our conversation of Changelings, Xenomorphs, and Predators

[The Blue EM2]

10077784
It will be glorious.

[Even Evil Has Standards]

10075873
Naps. Stupid auto correct.

[The Blue EM2]

10078159
Ah. OK.

[Wessexbrony]

Percy's book coming up next.

[The Blue EM2]

10078570
It is.

Peepeepeep-tcheetcheetcheew!

Euughruuhght!

[JimmyHook19]

10078661
Heh, including yours truly X3

[The Blue EM2]

10078666
Who did you expect?

[JimmyHook19]

10078696
Gotcha. I knew that....

[The Blue EM2]

10078697
Peter Sam probably got very confused.

Besides, we all know what Silverstream's true love is;

cheshiremouldings.co.uk/media/2016/08/Clarity-Main-Shot-1.jpg

[JimmyHook19]

I say normally, because today the fence had been broken by sheep, who were now milling about on the track and blocking the rails.

First cows and now sheep. Whatever next? XD

[The Blue EM2]

10078742
Weasels?

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

Since we last met them, Sir Handel had been repainted into the red and blue livery of the Skarloey Railway, and had been permitted to pull trains again after several day's confinement for poor behaviour. This was his test run, and although the staff of the railway, including Mr Percival, had forgiven Sir Handel, the coaches still had not, and were looking for any excuse to pay him out for his rough running a few days earlier. They were awkward and rude irrespective of whatever Sir Handel or Gallus did, and that was try to be kind to them.

So if Sir Handel is red like Peter Sam and Skarloey, does that mean Duncan might too once he appears?

Sir Handel tried to stop, with Gallus applying his brakes, but the coaches were having none of it. "He's pushed us! Let's pay him out!" they screeched, and they all clanged together. Sir Handel crashed into the first sheep and was derailed. Luckily, nobody was hurt, but Sir Handel was damaged. Gallus hopped off to inspect the damage.

Oofity. I hope that sheep is ok though.

"I don't care about your Sir Handel!" Skarloey snapped, as Ocellus coupled them up. "You might have hurt your passengers. If you had hurt your passengers, they would have said it was a bad railway. And what would have happened then?"

I can only imagine the worse will come.

"But they can if they are mended properly, and that's what's going to happen to you," Ocellus smiled. "Besides, I can find another dress, but I can never find another Skarloey."

Certainly. Also, a dress is the last thing I don't think someone should wear when running a steam engine. Like ever.