Sir Handel and the Bridge

by LuigiG54

Sir Handel has a fear of heights ever since the incident back on the Mid Sodor Railway, but then trouble has began when a similar incident that has happened to Rheneas and Duncan before, has Peter Sam stuck on an old wooden bridge that is starting to collapse. Will Sir Handel faced his fear and rescue Peter Sam in time, or will Peter Sam fall to his doom?

Sir Handel is a hard working engine. When he first arrived on Sodor, he was a stubborn little engine who won't stop complaining about his work and he thinks that he knows best. But since he was sent to work at a stone quarry for many years, he came back with a much wiser attitude and never complained about his work again. This made the other engines feel proud of him, including Peter Sam and Duke. One day, Sir Handel was taking some empty trucks to the Blue Mountain quarry when he was crossing the old wooden bridge. Apparently a storm that happend days ago has damage the support beams, so engines must cross the bridge with caution while workmen arrived to fix the bridge. Sir Handel slowly and carefully cross the bridge, but he looked down and stopped. Sir Handel apparently had a fear of heights since back on his old railway, the Mid Sodor Railway, he almost fell off a cliff, but with the help from Duke who was struggling to hold on Sir Handel ,who he had a different name back then which was Falcon, manage to pull him back on the track with the help from the drivers, firemens, workmen, and the passengers who helped gave more water to Duke. Since then, Sir Handel was afraid of falling off the track. " Come on Sir Handel." said his driver " you'll mange." But Sir Handel was so afraid, that he chuffed backwards all the way back to the Transfer Yards. Some of the Narrow Gauge engines were surprise. " What happend Sir Handel." said Skarlory. " I don't know, one moment I was chuffing across the old wooden bridge and the next thing I know, I came back here." he said fearfully. " Oh dear I think I know." Peter Sam said worridly. " It's his fear of heights again, don't worry Sir Handel I'll take the trucks." And so Sir Handel was uncoupled from the empty trucks and Peter Sam took over. Then he chuffed away. Rheneas then spoke up, " This will cause some trouble for the Thin Controller."

And indeed he was later that day. " If you can't work like a really useful engine, then you'll have to shunt here in the transfer yards." He said sternly. Later that evening, Sir Handel was feeling sad. Peter Sam started to talk to him. " It's alright Sir Handel it's not your fault." " Yes it is Peter Sam, ever since that incident, I had a fear of falling off the tracks and never to be repaired again all thanks to my stubburness attitude back then." he said sadly almost coming down into tears. " But you've change Sir Handel since you came back from working all these years at the stone quarry with a much wiser attittude." Peter Sam said comfortly. " But it doesn't change the fact that I almost had a terrible accident and causing great trouble to the Thin Controller." " Don't worry about that Sir Handel, all that matters is that you are fine and you not in very deep trouble and if anything bad happens to you, you got me and Duke and all the other engines to help you." said Peter Sam in a caring voice. " Besides you've been like a brother to me for all these years and me and Granpuff cared about you like family." "He's right you know." said a voice which revealed to be Duke. " You two are like family to me and you have us to care for you so you don't have to be afraid of anything and if so, we'll help you get though with this." Sir Handel smiled. " Thanks you two you help me find ways to comfort me and you two are also like family to me." And soon the three engines said their good nights and went to sleep.

The next morning, Peter Sam was taking a goods train to the wharf while Sir Handel was shunting in the Transfer Yards with Duke. Peter Sam was chuffing along very well. Soon he made it to the old wooden bridge which was nearly finished. He started to cross the bridge when suddenly he stopped. His driver checked to see what was wrong. " Oh dear we forgot to take on more water back at the Transfer Yards." Then there was trouble. The bridge's support beams started to snapped. Peter Sam and his crew were surprise. " Oh my what was that." His driver looked down. The support beams are starting to brake." But that's impossible." The Fireman started to asked. " The support beams should be strong enough to hold an engine and its' train I wonder why is it braking." " I don't know." replied the diver. "But if we don't get Peter Sam and the train including ourselves off of this bridge, then we're doom." So Peter Sam's driver blowed his whistle to alert the guard. The guard looked out. " What's the matter." he shouted out. The driver shouted back. " Peter Sam is out of water and the bridge's support beams is starting to brake so please quickly get help." So the guard got out of the brake van, carefully cross the bridge back to safety, and quickly ran back to the Transfer Yards.

Meanwhile, Sir Handel and Duke were shunting some trucks back in the Transfer Yards. Then they saw the guard running towards them. The guard told the drivers and firemen about the trouble at the bridge. " Peter Sam has ran out of water and now he and his crew are stuck on the bridge and the bridge's support beams are starting to brake you must rescue them immediatly." " You'll go Sir Handel." Said Duke." Your faster then me." And so the guard went into Sir Handel's cab and they quickly chuffed to the bridge. Meanwhile, Peter Sam was getting scared, so was his crew. The bridge's support beams were slowly braking apart. Just then Sir Handel came from the other side. He can see that Peter Sam look scared and the bridge was starting to collapse. Sir Handel slowly started to chuffed towards him when looked down feeling scared and stopped. " I can't do it, I can't do it, I can't do it." He thought fearfully. Then he remembered what Peter Sam and Duke said. " They care for me." he thought " And he's like family to me." This thought was good enough to boast his courage. " I must do it for... my brother." he said confidently to himself. So he carefully chuffed across the bridge. The bridge was braking more and more, but Sir Handel continue on. Soon he made it to Peter Sam. He was coupled on to him and he carefully brought Peter Sam and the train to safety. Just in time as the bridge started to collapse. " Thank you Sir Handel." said Peter Sam in relieve. " No problem Peter Sam." replied Sir Handel. Soon Sir Handel brought Peter Sam to a water tower and then chuffed back to the transfer.

That evening, the other narrow gauge engines were in the sheds, when the Thin Controller came. " I heard about what happend today and you are a hero Sir Handel, you manage to conquered your fear and saved Peter Sam from a very nasty accident, well down and I just had a talk with the workmen and we found out that the bridge's support beams weren't properly in and was one of the workmen's fault and he is sorry for what he has done and tomarrow, he and the other workmen will properly fixed the bridge. ." he said . " I'm very proud of you Sir Handel, you have saved not only Peter Sam, but a family member." said Duke very proudly. " Yeah thanks again for rescuing me Sir Handel." Peter Sam said happliy." And you manage to faced your fears. " No problem Peter Sam and I've done it without Granpuff and my brother." replied Sir Handel happliy. " You're a hero Sir Handel." said Skarlory. " Three cheers for Sir Handel." said Ivo Hugh excitied. " Hip hip hooray." And soon the other engines started toot their whistles and Rusty honk his horn. Sir Handel was very proud of this. Now whenever Sir Handel come across a bridge or any other high places, he conferdently crosses it. He is now proud of facing his fears and he could've done with the help for Duke, his Granpuff, and Peter Sam, his brother.