Concrete Decisions
It was the Summer holiday season on the Island of Sodor, and it was one of the busiest times of the year for passenger trains, with hundreds, some years nearly thousands, coming by train, boat and plane to visit the Island, when many more residents leaving to visit other areas. The engines were always moving about so much that sometimes it felt as if they would never stop, and they would spend nights baking silently in the sheds as they reflected on how sore their wheels were.
Usually the amount of goods work didn't change, simply with different things being delivered as the seasons changed. However, this year was the start of the biggest construction project to ever be done on the Island of Sodor. The Fat Controller was having multiple lines reopened, having two loops built, Thomas' branch line and the Electric Branch extended, along with extensions to the Skarloey and Arlesdale Railways, all topped off with a huge new branch line in the north that would finally connect it to the railways. It was going to cost a lot of money, but the project income was meant to be worth millions and thousands of jobs were being created through the construction and the eventual running of the railways and business around them.
But despite this, not everyone was happy about the changes.
"I am telling you, this whole bloody development is a huge waste of time!"
It was lunch time at Tidmouth Station, one of the busiest times and places to be during a Summer on Sodor. There were so many people crowding the platform that there was a danger of falling off the sides, and the collective heat was unbearable even for the engines. The café was overflowing and was selling out of stock fast, and the ticket office was simply a crowd of screaming people wanting to know what the delay was in their trains leaving.
The delay came from an issue with the construction. One of the current major sites was the northern most area of Duck's branch line, as not only was the Arlesdale Railway being extended, but a bridge was being built across the River Arle and all the surrounding area on both sides of the banks were being done up as well. This meant a lot of supplies were coming through Tidmouth on their way to the site. However, an hour earlier, a large truck carrying some supplies tipped over, its loads spilling across the tracks, and tow trucks and workers were still trying to clear the mess.
This left Duck and Gordon as two of the engines trapped. Donald was taking some supplies to Duck's branch while James was taking a passenger train. Duck's passenger train was being delayed, and Gordon was meant to be going to the sheds but needed to wait until things had been cleared. As the passengers swarmed around complaining, Duck and Gordon were left in each others company, and their discussion had turned to the development.
"What is wrong with it?" Gordon huffed. "Did they not have construction on that backwards railway of yours?" Duck was annoyed at the jibe at the Great Western Railway, but let it slide as he watched Stanley shunting trucks forwards to collect the supplies.
"It just all seems like too much work for not a lot of reason!" Duck complained. "I've been kept awake every night sense work started, with machines clanging and banging and beeping and drilling! There is rubble and supplies scattered all over my yard, and it is a simply embarrassing sight for all the tourists I am bringing in. And yes, we did have construction back on the Great Western, but it was far more organised than this!"
"Oh, what a load of nonsense!" Gordon said, rolling his eyes. "It is only a bit of rubble, get over yourself! It is not as if the Fat Controller has come and blown up your entire railway, and the bridge is being opened in a few weeks so things can't be that bad."
"You aren't there; you don't know what it is like!" Duck said irritably, annoyed that Gordon wasn't getting his point. "The Fat Controller could have at least consulted us first before marching in and messing up my line! It is a disgrace, and I must say that –,"
"While I am sure that this conversation can only get more riveting," Gordon said sarcastically, "I just heard the guard saying I have to shunt my own coaches. I'd sooner take freight, but at the moment I'd do anything to end this conversation." Duck's jaw dropped in surprise, and he remained utterly silent until a line was clear half an hour later, allowing him to leave, avoiding eye contact with Gordon as he sat in the siding.
The journey along Duck's branch line was always a beautiful one: most of the journey went past the ocean, with gorgeous views of the sparkling blue ocean and the wide sandy beaches. All of the houses were cottages that passengers enjoyed looking at, and there were many fields of green and tall trees nearby that helped make the journey one of the most pure and naturalistic branch lines on the Island, something Duck was extremely proud of.
However, as Duck took Alice and Mirabel back towards Arlesburgh Station, he couldn't help but feel ashamed. On the roads that ran near the railway, Duck could see lines of construction vehicles moving in the same direction as him, followed closely behind by lorries, vans and frighteningly large vehicles carrying various supplies from loads of bricks to huge metal pieces that would make up the bridge. Duck began to overtake some of them, and realised that no one would be able to see the view past them, making the tank engine feel terrible.
Arriving in Arlesburgh was not better. Duck began to slow down after they passed a large red sign warning "ALL ENGINES MUST SLOW DOWN – CONSTRUCTION WORK IN THE AREA." Every few metres there would some sort of machine working on the roads to improve them, whilst more machines would go past to be nearer to the site of the bridge. Duck passed another sign showing an artist's version of the green cantilever structure and stating it would be opening soon. It's construction had been going on for several weeks now, but it wasn't until all the roadwork and updates to the stations began that Duck began to get annoyed.
Look at my beautiful railway, he thought, staring around at several diggers in disgust. I have worked so hard to keep it running smoothly, and it all gets thrown away in favour of a silly bridge and a few more tracks in the north. It is a disgrace, simply a –
"LOOK OUT!" Duck's driver suddenly yelled, and Duck felt his wheels come to a grinding halt as his whistle sounded. He hadn't noticed what was in front of him due to his thoughts, but was surprised to see a bulldozer had reversed onto the tracks: if Duck hadn't already been going slow, there could have been a serious accident.
"Sorry about that!" The bulldozer said in a deep voice as his driver waved in apology from the cab. However, Duck didn't accept it and glared at the machine as it rattled back to its spot. Duck's driver let out a sigh of relief and wiped his forehead with his hat.
"Jeez, that could have ended a lot worse!" He said as Duck began once more. "Good thing we stopped in time!"
"Good thing indeed," Duck muttered to himself, glaring at every machine as they passed it by and thinking of the accident that could have been.
The sheds at Arlesburgh that night only had three engines inside: Duck in the middle, with Oliver and Molly on either side. Molly had been helping out on the line for a year now, helping to take trucks along the Main Line and occasionally passenger trains, but she still was a bit quiet and nervous around the engines and preferred to simmer quietly in the corner and not speak up. Usually the engines were quiet over Summer, too hot and tired to have anything to say, but tonight was different.
"It was only a few metres from my buffers," Duck said, recounting the story for about the fifth time, "and it all could have ended terribly if I hadn't stopped in time! Not only are these machines a nuisance that is destroying our lovely line, but now they are simply dangerous!" His words rang throughout the shed and Duck looked around expectedly for the others to join his cause, but only found silence. "I think if we all tell the Fat Controller how much we dislike this development," Duck continued, not put off at all, "than maybe he might reconsider things."
"He must have already spent millions and the job is well underway," Oliver said to Duck's right. "I highly doubt he will cancel things if we tell him to." Duck was a bit thrown by this, but thought it best to carry on.
"I think the Fat Controller might," he said. "I have been very loyal and hard working over all my years, firstly at the pilot engine for Tidmouth and than running this line, so I think he'll take my opinion into consideration."
"There isn't much wrong with this development," Oliver said calmly, though Duck was shocked to hear his friend say this. "Apparently we are going to get a new engine soon to help with all the extra work and there'll be more new engines once everything gets underway, so I am looking forward to meeting them. And I do enjoy a bit of extra work."
"So you want the development to go ahead?" Duck said in shock. Oliver looked across at his friend, tension building up between, and with an almost reluctant expression he gave a little nod.
"I am sorry if this has upset you Duck, but it is just where I stand," Oliver said, trying to sound more firm. "I think it could be quite interesting and beneficial."
"I'm not hurt by it at all," Duck said, almost scoffing slightly, but was rather shocked and frustrated that his best friend wasn't backing him. "What about you Molly, what do you think?" Molly was stunned to be put on the spot and began to stutter.
"Umm…. I am not sure yet," she said, knowing it was a feeble answer but was rather shaken by being suddenly drawn in, and it seemed that Oliver was getting annoyed by it.
"Don't just interrogate us and try and make us agree with you," he said sternly, drawing Duck's attention back towards him. "Some of us are going to dislike the development and some of us are going to support it, and others probably just don't care, and there is nothing wrong with that!"
"I didn't say there was," Duck snapped back. "Why don't we just put this whole matter to rest for the night?" Oliver and Molly were only too willing to agree, but as they all fell silent once more, the tension between Duck and the others was as heavy as the heat in the air, the two best friends now seemingly enemies.
Duck had to leave early next morning to take a train, and remained silent during the whole fire lighting process. He was still annoyed that Oliver wasn't going to back him and ignored his fellow tank engine, wondered why on earth he was happy with it.
"We've got a busy day today," Duck's driver said as he and the fireman climbed onboard his cab. "We are helping to move supplies today for the development, so let's just hope we don't run into anything today!" Duck's fireman laughed as well, but the pannier tank didn't find it amusing and scowled at Oliver as they left the sheds.
The supplies would be waiting at Tidmouth Station, so Duck was able to sail along the track at a slightly higher speed in the restricted zone as he didn't have a heavy train pushing him forwards. Duck preferred moving at his own pace on his own line, and it allowed him to mostly ignore the sights around him as the roads continued to get repaired and the stations had their touch ups done.
There was nothing wrong with our railway before, Duck thought to himself. I don't know what Oliver is thinking agreeing with this destruction of our line! He needs to see just how much of a hassle this project truly is!
Oliver was about to find this out, though Duck didn't know he was going to get involved.
Up ahead, a large section of road was being dug up. A lorry was trying to get passed to deliver a large supply of concrete that would be used to fill in around the supports new bridge. However, there was a hold up for some reason, something to do with a faulty machine, and the lorry driver was getting annoyed: he had to deliver the concrete on time or was in danger of losing his job. He had been here for nearly twenty minutes and was losing his patience.
"Screw this," the driver snarled, and he swung the steering wheel around and stepped on the accelerator. The lorry drove up onto the tracks, though he hadn't looked either way yet to see if any trains were coming, simply focusing on making it across. However, as soon as the driver got onto the rails, he saw Duck up ahead. The tank engine was stunned and whistled loudly, attracting his driver's attention.
"DAMNIT!" The lorry driver shouted, and he quickly tried to turn reverse across the other tracks. But as he tried to turn, the driver realised it was too late: Duck's brake has been applied, but he was still skidding forwards…
Duck had shut his eyes when he saw what was about to happen, and could only feel as he crashed into the back of the lorry. The loads burst over him, and he felt something of a strange texture cover his front and trickle down his sides. He finally came to a stop, and opened his eyes to survey the damage.
The driver had quickly scrambled to the passenger side and leapt out, meaning no one had been hurt except for Duck. He was covered in wood and had a car tyre mounted to the front of his buffers. This could easily be fixed, but Duck looked down in shock to see what was covering him as his crew ran over.
"Look at you: you're covered in concrete!" The fireman gasped. Duck looked down, and he could see the strange grey, porridge like substance he had seen being used in the various projects now covered his buffers, and it went along his sides and across his wheels. Duck tried to speak, but was stunned to find that he couldn't move his mouth…
Oh joy… Duck thought, wondering what the other engines would say when they saw this.
It was an hour before Oliver arrived at the scene of the accident on his way to Tidmouth, by which time Bear had already arrived with Rocky. The lorry had been taken away by a tow truck and the wreckage loaded on board. However, as Duck was lifted into the air, it became apparent to Oliver that the concrete hadn't all been cleared off him yet.
"Now Bear, this is truly a very fascinating statue, wherever did you find it?" Oliver asked cheekily as he came to a stop, Rocky's supports preventing him from going past. Bear and Rocky both chuckled, though Duck didn't seem to find it very amusing.
"I'm not sure where it came from, but I think it would make a lovely ornament in the Fat Controller's backyard," Bear replied, and Oliver let out a laugh and watched as Duck was lowered onto a flatbed. The concrete was a special mixture designed to dry quickly, and whilst everyone had been busy arranging the rescue operation, no one had thought to clear away the concrete off Duck.
Hard grey concrete now covered his front, from his buffers and stretching right across to his back wheels where he had driven through it. His wheels were stiff and wouldn't be able to move, and would have to go to the Works to have it properly cleaned. But the engines couldn't help laughing at one part of his predicament: a splatter of concrete covered Duck's mouth, preventing him from talking.
"Don't worry Duck, I'll keep your branch line in order while your at the Works," Oliver said with a wide smile. He normally would have felt sorry for his friend, but after Duck's attitude last night he was glad to spare a few laughs at his expense. Duck seemed to be trying to say something in reply, but no sound escaped the concrete. Oliver simply gave him a cheeky whistle and continued to laugh long after Duck had been taken to the Works – there was no denying the humour of a concrete splattered Duck.