Dear Disney,
It's nice to be back on the railway after a short while. A lot has been going on with the Fat Controller's engines over the past month, so I thought it was time to take a break and see how the Skarloey Railway was doing.
I've arrived just in time as Skarloey had just returned home after being mended and the owner has also brought two engines and few new workers as well, I've also learned of a great secret that the owner has told me.
But rather than spoiling the fun, here's a story to tell you all about their newest experience.
The Author
Trucks
It's been about a year since Skarloey went to the works to be mended. While he was away, the dwarfs and the railway were very busy as spring time was near, which meant the passengers were starting to visit the railway more daily now. Not only that, but pretty soon it would be 95 years when the Skarloey railway was first born along with Skarloey himself. The owner, the Thin Controller and the dwarfs were all getting ready for the big day to come in just a few weeks.
After Skarloey was away to be mended, Doc was the assistant manager of the railway helping out the Thin Controller whenever he can.
Meanwhile Peter Sam and Sir Handel had tons of work to do while Skarloey was away.
The owner was so proud of their work that he both gave them buffers and brought a new diesel engine named Rusty. Dopey volunteer to be Rusty's driver.
Sir Handel (Grumbling): Shunting trucks, shunting trucks!
Grumpy: Oh man up, will you? And stop bashing these trucks, or one of these days they'll get you real good.
? (Chuckling): Now I see why you choose to be with Sir Handel. You two make a pair.
Grumpy turned and saw Gordon and Tramp by the works.
Grumpy: Hmph! Well at least I know he won't go hiding gems on me. What are you doing here anyway? Don't you and your engine usually pull the express?
Tramp: Well let's just say a certain show off lost something important to him and now he has to get a new one.
Gordon said nothing and looked the other away feeling embarrassed.
Tramp: So what's been going on here?
Grumpy: Nothing much, just trying to get old sourpuss here to do his work. We're supposed to take some slate trucks to the incline tomorrow. We're also getting ready for the railway's and Skarloey's 95th birthday coming soon.
Tramp: 95! WOW! I didn't realized he was that old.
Grump: Yep. Hard to believe, but he's really come along way since he first worked on this railway. Actually his brother Rheneas will 95 next year as well. We're trying to see if we can mend him in time for his birthday.
Tramp: So it's just Sir Handel and Peter Sam that's doing to work now?
Grumpy: Well no. We actually just bought a new engine. A diesel named Rusty.
Tramp: A diesel?
Grumpy: That's right. He may seem new, but he is a hard worker. He's with Mr. Hugh mending some broken tracks. It's a surprise for Skarloey.
Tramp: Never met a diesel before. I wonder what they're like. By the way, are you guys handing out invitation for the party? I know my wife would like to visit Skarloey again once he's back.
Grumpy: Well, tell you what. We don't have too much to shunt at the moment. Let's go to the Thin Controller's office and see if he can make reservations for you and your family for the party.
Gordon just looked at Sir Handel's situation and laughed.
Sir Handel: Shut up! My controller and driver makes me shunt. It's not like I actually want to shunt trucks. They even make me take these trucks to the quarry as well. I'm highly sprung, and I suffer dreadfully because of this!
Gordon: Yeah, I get you. It seems that our controllers and helpers don't always understand our feelings. Now, if you pretended to be ill, you couldn't shunt trucks or take them anywhere, now can you?
Sir Handel just grinned at Gordon's plan and he tried it next morning.
Sir Handel: I don't feel well.
Doc: Well we don't have too much time for an examination. Peter Sam, could you take Sir Handel's trucks while you pull your passenger train?
Peter Sam: Sure thing, Doc.
Rusty: I'll help with the rest, sir.
Dopey gave Doc a thumbs up.
Doc: Thanks you two. Just leave the coaches at the top station, Peter Sam and Rusty will collect them later while you take the trucks to the quarry.
Peter Sam: Yes, sir.
And with that, Peter Sam and Rusty were set to work.
Grumpy: Well I guess I'll help out at the mine, while you check on Sir Handel.
Doc: Good idea. See you later.
As everyone left to do their work, Sir Handel just snickered to himself, but no one noticed. They were all too busy.
Peter Sam didn't mind the extra work. He left his coaches at the top station and trundle cheerfully through the woods. The trucks chatted behind him in an agitated way, but he paid no attention. It might have been better, if he had.
Slates usually comes from quarries high up in the hills. They travel up and down on a steep railway called an incline. It's so steep, that engines are not allowed to climb up or down the hill at all.
So what the engines had to do was to push an empty truck at the bottom of the hill. Then the driver or fireman would hitch the empty trucks with a rope, while a workman would hitch another rope for the loaded trucks at the top. Then by their weight, the loaded trucks would run down the incline pulling up empty ones and the workmen would load the empty trucks full of slate and do the process over and over again.
There are strong brakes at the winding house so that the trucks don't run down too fast. The ropes are also very strong too, but in spite of this, trucks sometimes play dangerous tricks and there have been accidents in the inclines before, but today's accident was going to be a messy one.
Peter Sam pushed some empty trucks at a siding, where his fireman hitch them to a rope at the bottom of the incline. Then on another siding he pull back two loaded slate trucks that were already at the bottom, then with the loaded trucks in front of him, he stood and waited for the rest.
Now Peter Sam never really bumps trucks, unless their misbehaving, so the trucks don't mind Peter Sam at all. However, when it came to Sir Handel the trucks hated him, because he would bump very signal time, even if they were good. So they would usually play tricks on him and try to get him at the incline, but they never had the chance. The loaded trucks at the top hill, looked down at Peter Sam, but they thought he was Sir Handel and they smirked.
Trucks (Thinking): Perfect.
The workman lowered the rope and the trucks began to move.
Trucks: Faster, faster!
Soon they gather speed when they were half way down.
Trucks: Scratch him, scratch him!
Empty Trucks: No, no, no! It's Peter Sam, it's Peter Sam!
But it was no use, the rope snapped and the trucks were racing down the hill. Peter Sam saw what had happened and shut his eyes, while Happy and his fireman crouch in his cab.
CRASH!
The trucks bumped the other trucks so hard that Peter Sam shot backwards on his own. Some of the slates hit the water pipes and water came pouring down at Peter Sam.
Peter Sam was soak from funnel to cab and he gave a weak whistle, but he was relieved when he heard Rusty responding to him.
Rusty: Bust my buffers! What a mess!
Dopey waved over to Peter Sam's crew, who waved back knowing they were okay. The workmen and Rusty soon pulled Peter Sam away from the water and the trucks.
Peter Sam was battered. His funnel was cracked and his boiler was dented but he was glad that Happy and his fireman were unhurt.
They thanked Rusty and his crew and Peter Sam limped slowly home, while Rusty and Dopey stayed and helped clear the wreckage.
Sir Handel: I'm sorry about your accident Peter Sam. I always stand well back. Trucks don't like me you see.
Peter Sam: Why didn't you warn me?
Sir Handel: I didn't think.
Doc: You never do! So you thought you can just pass your work to someone else just because you hate your work, eh!?
Grumpy: This is the lowest thing you've ever done!
Thin Controller: Well you can start thinking now, while you do Peter Sam's work as well as your own and the dwarfs. This will teach to pretend that you were ill!
Sir Handel did start thinking. He thought about thin controllers. He thought about dwarfs and he thought about Gordon. He wanted to give Gordon a piece of his mind.
