Here's another adaptation requested by tate310!

It's also an adaptation of my favorite episode of the second season!


A Close Shave

Back Engine

Duck the Great Western Engine puffed sadly into Edward's Station.

"It's not fair!" he groaned in protest to the older engine, "Diesel has been framing me! And has made the Fat Controller and all the engines think I'm horrid!"

Edward smiled. "I know you aren't," he puffed compassionately, "And so does Sir Topham Hatt. You wait and see. Why don't you help me with these trucks in the meantime?"

With that, Edward puffed into the station shunting yards. Duck, now brightening up a little, trundled not too far behind. They arranged the tantrum-throwing trucks in a long, single row of 20. The goods train was of a mixed sort, with heavy hulking vans at the front, a few tankers sparsely placed in the middle, and the rest of the trail being composed of irritable, temperamental wagons.

Edward shunted the brakevan, a rather spiteful one, onto the last truck. Then he reversed over the points and made his way around to the front of the cavalcade. "Ready when you are!" he called cheerfully to Duck, who was reversing bunker-first onto the rear of the train. That way, when he was finished with his back engine duties, he could simply roll away in the forwards direction.

Duck felt his rear buffers connect with the brakevan, who grumbled in protest. Duck whistled in reply, "So am I!"

Edward whistled once more before setting off, leading the cavalcade out of Wellsworth and onto the Main Line.

They whistled to waving children as they passed the Suddery Crossing. Then, with fires burning fiercely, they charged at Gordon's Hill. The trucks were silly, heavy and noisy. Duck and Edward forced the foolish freight cars to physically cooperate. Both engines had to work hard, pushing and pulling all afternoon. At last they reached the top of the hill.

"Peep peep! Goodbye!" whistled Duck as his fireman uncoupled him. Edward had stopped just beyond the top of the hill, with the 20 trucks trailing behind him. Duck made his way down the curving tracks of the hill. Edward started to roll forward, when… CRACK!

The trucks guffawed with glee. "Oh no!" cried Edward. His driver shut off steam and applied the brakes, but they weren't able to stop until they made it down the other side, due to the gradient.

Edward blasted his whistle with all he was worth, though Duck never heard it.

Fortunately, the guard in the brakevan did.

The guard stumbled out of his cabin as the brakevan rocked with ever-increasing speed. Still dazed, he pulled his whistle to his mouth and blasted away as he groped around for the brake handle.

The Spiteful Brakevan felt his operator struggle to reach for the lever. "Guard on board!" he called to the trucks, "Knock him out!"

The trucks banged their buffers violently, and the guard was thrown clear into some bushes. He forced himself to his legs though, and sprinted after the runaway train. "I must warn them. I must," he thought desperately. He kept running and blowing his whistle in an attempt to warn the back engine of the incoming danger, but inevitably the trucks disappeared from his sight at the bottom of the hill.

The chase was on.