It was a cold, windy, late September morning on the Island of Sodor. The sky was darkened by a few clouds, and the rails were covered with orange and red leaves that had been blown off the trees by the line. That day, Emily had been tasked with taking the mid-morning local along the mainline to Barrow. As she was pulling into Wellsworth, she heard a loud BANG, preceded by what she could only assume to be Edward's "angry" voice.
"Now you two, what have I told you in the past about handling trains in this yard?"
"To watch out for the turntable…" Bill said apologetically.
As Emily stopped at the platform, she could see that the twins had managed to push some trucks into the turntable well in the yard, with China Clay dust covering the surrounding area.
"This is exactly why you aren't usually allowed beyond the dockyard," Edward said sternly.
"But you and Boco were busy, the train could have moved itself," Ben said quietly.
"And what about Derek? And don't say he's broken down again, we had that problem fixed years ago."
"Um, sorry to interrupt your lecture Edward, but am I right in saying you have to take these passengers down ye branchline now?" Emily said, looking over to the passengers on the platform where Edward's train should be.
"Oh god, sorry Emily. I got a bit… distracted," he said, glaring back at the twins. "You two go get the breakdown train, we'll finish our discussion later…"
"Wow Edward, I cannet say I've seen that side of ye before."
"Yes, well. I'm not fond of being that brash, but sometimes it's the only way to get Bill and Ben to listen. But with the way they handle trains, they might as well turn over all of the goods to the lorries."
"I wouldn't hold ye breath on that one, the Sodor Transport Ministry had approved the construction of a road bridge from Vicarstown to the Mainland."
"Well, I'm sure it won't have too much of an effect on us. Our rails reach most of the island, and most of the roads between towns are either deteriorating or just a dirt path."
"I sure hope yer right on that one, Edward…" Emily said, as she chuffed away from the station.
Unfortunately, that would not be the case. A few weeks later, the road bridge from Sodor to the Mainland had been completed, and with it, a new way for businesses to move their goods around. With this new roadway connection, Sodor Road Freight, one of the few road-based goods services on the island, had been getting a large boom in business. Most of the engines and railway staff brushed it off as nothing more than a small competitor, while others were genuinely concerned over whether or not they would lose their work.
One day, as Toby went up the tramroad to Ffarquhar Quarry, he saw two large lorries loaded with stone going back down the hill. When he reached the quarry, he noticed that lines of trucks had not been loaded. "Oh dear," Toby said,"surely those lorries couldn't have taken that much stone on their own." "I'm afraid they have," Mavis said, pulling up alongside him, "And there's another one being loaded now. But at least most of work is still for us."
"I suppose your right," muttered Toby, "well, for now at least."
The same story could have been told from most other parts of the island. Lorries taking industrial goods, crops for market, and, as would discovered next morning, fish.
In the early hours of the next morning, Henry made his run to the fishing harbour of Tidmouth. He had made this run hundreds of times, but today's train was noticeably shorter.
"Philip, is the Kipper ready yet? It seems as though you left some vans out of it."
"That's because I did," He responded in a voice less energetic than usual, "Those lorries over there are being used by some of the fishermen." He said, glancing over to nearby cargo platform. "Oh, really?" said Henry angrily, "Then I should give him a piece of my mind!" He then puffed over to the platform, backing down next to the lorries. "Mornin' to ya, Lads. A fine one, isn't it?" Henry said sarcastically.
One of the lorries spoke up, "Yeah, but it would be alot betta without a big green teapot blowing smoke, but I guess you won't be 'round much longa, ain't that right mate?"
"Yeah," replied the other lorry, "This fish is all for us now."
"Oh, I doubt that. You're not the first road-raiders who tried to take on our railway, and just like those before you, you probably won't last long." "We'll see about that," said one of the lorries, as they both drove off to deliver the fish.
About an hour later, as Henry was having fish transferred onto Peter Sam's train, he was discussing the new road services with the little engine.
"I know what you mean," said Peter Sam, "The lorries have started getting up to Blue Mountain Quarry, but the roads are so old, only one of them can get up at a time."
"Well, at least it's not a full takeover. But I sure do hope this does come to pass-"
Their conversation was cut short when the station master came onto the platform.
"Sorry Henry, you won't be moving for a little while. A stupid lorry crashed into a telephone pole, and it fell onto the line. All traffic is halted until Geoff and Harvey bring the breakdown train."
"Heh, at least Karma still works."
The accident that morning had been determined to be caused by ice on the road. And that lorry was most certainly not the last one to get their comeuppance. The lorries coming down from the Ffarquhar Quarry had hit a loose part of the road, causing their tires to puncture. All the engines found it very amusing how the very roads that the lorries had claimed was superior had been what caused them the most trouble of all. Sodor Road Freight never went out of business, but they made sure to keep away from the railways.