bbll22's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends
Stories
In Search of Neil
In the long history of the Island of Sodor, many engines have come and gone. With those that have come and gone, their whereabouts is known, but for some, it is never known, it is almost as if they no longer exist. This is definitely true of Neil, a small green engine who was around on Sodor even before Skarloey. One moment, he was there, the next moment, he wasn't. This made Skarloey sad as the engine that had made him feel welcome on Sodor was no longer there. So, one morning when Mr. Percival visited Skarloey at the sheds, Skarloey told Mr. Percival about Neil, he listened intently, and then Skarloey said.
"Why don't we go find him?" Mr. Percival looked shocked at this.
"Well Skarloey, I'll have to think about it" he then replied.
"Please, Sir" pleaded Skarloey, but Mr. Percival didn't respond. Instead, he got on his bike, and rode off to his office. When he got there, he telephoned the Fat Controller and proposed the idea of a search for Neil.
"How about it then Sir Topham?"
"Good idea" he replied "But to make it even better, let's make it so that everyone on the whole island searches for him" Mr. Percival agreed, and so that was that, the next day would be when the search would begin, the search for Neil.
Morning rose, and all engines, vehicles and people on Sodor got ready to put all their regular duties on hold, and prepared the search for Neil. Harold the Helicopter would be up in the skies over Sodor looking for any abandoned areas of the Island that may hold Neil. On track, even the Diesels were helping in on the search, well almost all of them, Daisy and Diesel 10 couldn't care for a steam engine they hadn't heard of. This feeling was shared with many engines on Sodor, Smudger especially felt this way, so much so that he decided to return to the Other Railway where Bob the Diesel was. When he got there, Smudger told Bob about the search for Neil. Bob could only reply with.
"Neil, eh? I know where he is...but I'm not telling you!"
Elsewhere, the search for Neil was well and truly underway. Skarloey was so happy that his idea was going ahead. All he wanted to do was find Neil and make friends with him again, that was it. Mr. Percival and the fat Controller fully understood this. So did Rheneas, Skarloey's best friend on the Island of Sodor.
"We'll find him, Skarloey" said Rheneas in a reassuring tone
"We have to find him!" replied Skarloey. "He shouldn't be forgotten about"
"I agree" said Duke as he pulled up beside Skarloey and Rheneas. "I was forgotten about, and then I was found. The same will happen with Neil. I assure you Skarloey." he then continued. Skarloey smiled, this made him feel happy, but this happiness would be short-lived as the search was called off. A land-slide had occurred and it took Hank with it. He'd been badly damaged and the Fat Controller didn't think he should be on Sodor anymore, so he agreed for him to leave permanently. This blighted any hope of finding Neil.
A few days later, the search resumed and everyone was in high spirits, even with Hank's serious accident. Skarloey was happy now and with Duke's help, he reached areas of their railway that had been untouched for, many years. Along the way, they encountered the Old Warrior, Bertrum, who soon helped with their search, but like everyone else's search, there was still no sign of Neil. Skarloey did start to seriously wonder if Neil was around now. He even wondered if he'd been scrapped, but the Fat Controller reassured Skarloey that this wouldn't have happened. The search would continue, but hope was now starting to fade...
The moon now shone over Sodor and a search team arrived at the old, abandoned Boulder quarry where Boulder looked down on them with its emotionless stare. Butch, Edward, Peter Sam and Thumper looked round the surrounding area, but again, there was no luck. Then, all of a sudden, a voice boomed across the quarry.
"Stop! Stop your search! Leave now!" Everyone was shocked at this.
"What was that?" questioned Butch
"I don't know" replied Edward. "But I think we should leave" They then did. No-one was sure of who the voice belonged to, but they guessed it was Boulder's. They were even more certain of this when they saw Boulder smiling as they left. Yet again, the Boulder quarry would be left in silence.
The next morning, everyone woke up to once again carry their search on for Neil. A lot of the engines and vehicles were now losing their patience. Miss Jenny was struggling to keep up morale among the Pack and the Fat Controller had to seriously think about how much effect the search was having on everyone. Once again, he had to consider whether the search should be called off, but then he thought about Skarloey. If the search was called off, Skarloey would be sad, and he didn't want that. Meanwhile, Skarloey was on his way to a derelict mine for which June had told him about. Mr. Percival soon learnt of this, as did the Fat Controller. Lady Hatt offered to take them to the mine, and she did. When they arrived, they saw Skarloey entering the mine shaft. The Fat Controller and Mr. Percival soon followed him while Lady Hatt watched on from the outside. With lanterns at hand, Mr. Percival, the Fat Controller and Skarloey saw that the mine shaft didn't have much life left in it. The wood supports were rotten and the odd rock fell from its place. Then all of a sudden, a wood support broke, and then another, and another. No-one knew ho to react, it happened all too quickly. Then, the major support broke, and then it was too late. The mine shaft collapsed.
"Topham!" cried Lady Hatt. She quickly rushed over to the collapsed mine shaft, and stood there in silence. She didn't know what to do, she could only worry, and think about the worst...
As the mine shaft collapsed, a siren was activated and alerted local residents that something wrong had happened. Soon enough, help was on its way and workmen tried frantically to clear the rock. They got in and within no time Mr. Percival, the Fat Controller and Skarloey's driver and fireman were free. All four of them were taken to Hospital to be checked over while Molly came to the mine shaft to tow Skarloey out. As a result of the incident, once again, the search was called off. However, the Fat Controller and Mr. Percival promised it would resume in a couple of days after they left Hospital with only cuts and bruises. Skarloey's driver and fireman were lucky too, so lucky that they immediately returned to work with Skarloey.
The couple of days passed very quickly, and the search of Neil resumed once again. However, this time round, there were less trains, less vehicles and less people helping as normal duties had to resume. Skarloey didn't care however, he was just happy that the search was still on. Before he go out and search though, Mr. Percival visited him in his shed to tell him of some news.
"Skarloey, I've been informed this morning of a find during this morning's early search. They found a funnel, and that funnel belongs to Neil" Skarloey didn't know how to react, but then he replied with.
"If they've found his funnel, that can only mean he's here, Neil is here!" He then smiled with delight. Mr. Percival did so aswell, he then turned around and saw an engine on its way to the sheds. This engine wasn't expected at all as this engine was Bertrum.
"What are you doing here?" questioned Mr. Percival
"I'm here to help with the search. I have very good information on the location of where Neil is" replied Bertrum. Mr. Percival and Skarloey looked on with intrigue.
As Bertrum told Mr. Percival and Skarloey about the apparent whereabouts of Neil, the Fat Controller arrived. Silence then fell in the shed, but the Fat Controller didn't want that, he wanted to know of Neil's location too. So with that in mind, Bertrum carried on.
"There is an old shed out over the Valleys. Local signalmen have said they have heard a whistle, a deep whistle echoing over the valley. They also talk of a red tail-lamp that dominates the night sky"
"That's definitely Neil!" said the Fat Controller. Skarloey agreed. Then, just at that moment, Duke entered the sheds.
"He's on about the valley tale isn't he?" questioned Duke jokingly.
"Indeed" replied Mr. Percival "But more importantly, do any of us know how to get there?" he then asked.
"Well, I do" replied Duke triumphantly. "I've just been to the Other Railway and manged to get the directions off Bob the Diesel. We can go now!" he then added. Skarloey and the others smiled with delight. Soon after, they set off on what would hopefully lead them to Neil...
Bertrum, Duke, Mr. Percival, Skarloey and the Fat Controller were off into the distance and on their way to the valleys of Sodor. This journey would take a while to get there. It would take them through the night and onto the following morning, but if they found Neil at the end of it, it would be worth it. The strain on the engines wheels was immense. Duke was struggling with the long journey, but he carried on regardless. Bertrum was the one struggling the most though. His wheels were losing grip on the track and his driver and fireman had to constantly reassure him that he would make it to keep up morale. Skarloey wasn't doing well either, the fact he was taking a carriage aswell meant his workload increased, but the thought of seeing Neil again made him carry on. The hours flew by and only a quick break before Midnight let everyone relax. They then resumed as it wasn't long before morning broke, and then before they knew it, they were there. The shed was right infront of them...
The Fat Controller and Mr. Percival got out of the carriage and proceeded toward the shed. They didn't notice a lock on the door and the shed itself was reasonably new. These were good signs indeed. The Fat Controller then opened the door while the other looked on in anticipation. The door was now open, and there was no-one there. A collective sigh was heard. There was no Neil, the search had brought nothing. Then, all of a sudden, a whistle was heard, a deep whistle! Mr. Percival and the Fat Controller turned around and saw him, it was Neil!
"Hello everyone!" said Neil in his deep Scottish accent. Everyone was stunned, especially Skarloey. Neil just smiled and looked at those who had just searched for him.
Celebrations began as the Fat Controller telephoned home to inform Lady Hatt of the news. She jumped for joy and ran out of the Hatt house and declared the news. It soon spread, and everyone was happy indeed. It turned out that Neil had been working on his own at the mins, helping out the locals. They were sad to see him go, but they had two other small engines ready for work, but they were just being repaired. Their names were Jasper and Connie, and they were sad to see Neil go, but they understood that Mr. Percival's railway was Neil's real home. Neil said his goodbyes, and then got ready to leave.
When all of them returned home, there was a major celebration party to make Neil feel welcome again, and they did so with ease. Skarloey was happy to see his friend again, the friend that made him welcome on Sodor. He wanted to return the favour, and Neil accepted.
"It's good to see you back, Neil!" said Skarloey, who as full of emotion.
"It's good to be back!" said Neil, triumphantly.