*chapter 4*
at the blue mountain quarry once again the little engines were hard at work. the snow never stopped the little engines. they pulled and shunted trucks into place. owen and merrick lifted and loaded. and the sounds of pistons pumping echoed everywhere. the quarry had never been so busy.
'there's nothing like working hard' said skarloey.
'my pistons are pumping' said rheneas.
'i have never felt so busy' said sir handel.
'what we need is another diesel around here' said rusty.
'not another one haven't we got enough diesels as it is' said duncan.
'running around the quarry is great fun' said luke.
'going down next stop ground floor still awake merrick' said owen.
'of course i'm still awake i have never been so busy' said merrick.
just then luke blew his whistle. suddenly everything started to shake. all the engines stopped what they were doing.
'what's happening' said sir handel.
'so much for having a good day' said rusty.
'luke what did you do' said duncan.
'before you even ask it was not me' said luke.
suddenly snow started coming down.
'swingin' hooks' said merrick.
'what the devil' said owen.
'take cover everybody it's an avalanche' said skarloey.
all of the little engines puffed away from the danger. but the snow didn't land on the bottom it landed on the top floor instead.
'freeze my engine that was a close one' said rusty.
then there was even more trouble. they all heard a whistle.
'oh no it's peter sam' said skarloey.
'that's not all skarloey he's heading for the snow drift' said owen.
'quick sound the alarms' said rusty.
the alarms sounded. peter sam could hear them but he didn't know what was wrong.
'what's going on now it better not be another rock slide' said peter sam.
as peter sam entered the quarry he could see the snow drift blocking the tracks.
'fizzling fireboxes i have got to stop' said peter sam.
peter sam slammed on his brakes. but it was no use. his wheels slipped on the ice.
'STOP PETER SAM STOP!' cried the engines.
'oh no helllllp i can't' cried peter sam.
peter sam crashed into the snow and bounced off the tracks. he was now dangling over the quarry cliffs. peter sam hardly dared puff. the other engines were shocked.
'HELP ME PLEASE!' cried peter sam.
'what are we going to do' said sir handel.
'who are we going to call' said luke.
'i know we need to call the sodor search and rescue centre' said skarloey.
and with that his driver ran to a phone booth. at the sodor search and rescue centre the alarms sounded off.
'now what is it' said belle.
'what have you got for us rocky' said flynn.
'it's from the blue mountain quarry peter sam has come off the rails and is in danger of falling off a cliff' said rocky.
'we can't rescue him if he's on a cliff' said belle.
'don't worry belle i know someone who can harold it's time to fly' said flynn.
'don't worry chaps i am on my way' said harold.
and with that harold flew away to save.
'go harold' said belle.
'make us proud harold' said flynn.
meanwhile back at the quarry peter sam was still dangling.
'CAN SOMEONE JUST GET ME DOWN ALREADY!' said peter sam.
'we can't laddie' said duncan.
'don't worry peter sam help is on it's way' said rusty.
'just hold on' said skarloey.
'i can't hold on i am going to fall' said peter sam.
'with a big splat' said sir handel.
'SIR HANDEL!' said the other engines.
'what it was just a joke' said sir handel.
just then there was the sound of buzzing. then harold buzzed in.
'it's harold' said rusty.
'he's come to save the day' said luke.
'go harold' said rheneas.
harold flew over to peter sam.
'don't worry peter sam chap i'll have you back on the rails in no time' said harold.
'just hurry up will you' said peter sam.
'okay chap keep your funnel on' said harold.
peter sam's driver and fireman put harold's safety bars underneath peter sam's buffer beams. then they put their thumbs up to give harold permission to start lifting.
'hold on tight chap' said harold.
'i would do if i had hands' said peter sam.
and with a groan and a splutter harold lifted peter sam off the cliff. peter sam screamed as he looked down.
'don't worry peter sam I've got you' said harold.
'i bet you have' called peter sam.
'hold on then we are going down' said harold.
harold started going down. at last peter sam was back on the ground and back on the rails. the little engines tooted and cheered. and so did the workers. peter sam was happy to be on the ground again.
'that was the most terrifying experience of my life' said peter sam.
'never mind peter sam at least your safe now' said skarloey.
'i guess so thanks harold' said peter sam.
'think nothing of it chaps glad to be of service to you' said harold.
'you saved the day again harold' said owen.
'you are the hero of the skies' said merrick.
'and a real credit' said skarloey.
'i have to agree with you there skarloey' said a voice.
it was the thin controller.
'hello sir what brings you here' said skarloey.
'i have come to congratulate harold of course he saved one of my engines and for that i am very grateful thank you harold you really are a really useful helicopter' said the thin controller.
harold smiled.
'thank you sir i better be off now can't hover around all day see you later chaps' said harold.
and he flew away. the thin controller turned to his engines.
'so who is going to tell me how this happened then' he said.
'don't look at me' said sir handel.
''aye don't look at me either'' said duncan.
all eyes turned to luke.
'hey i didn't whistle that loud' muttered luke.
'oh dear i need a holiday' said the thin controller. and everyone laughed.
duck the great western engine was taking trucks of ballast to the docks. he was making good time.
'the sooner i get to the docks the sooner i can go back for more ballast if cranky's not in a bad mood today that is' said duck.
and the great western engine continued his way. soon duck was approaching gordon's hill.
'oh dear not this hill again' said duck.
duck made a good run for it. the ballast trucks started to get very heavy. they tried to drag duck back but he wouldn't have it. duck huffed and pulled and pulled and huffed. his face was as red as james.
'must get to the docks must get to the docks' said duck.
at last duck reached the top. he was tired but triumphant.
'now that's how it was done on the great western railway!' said duck.
then there was trouble. suddenly there was a big bang coming from duck. his brakes had snapped and now he was a runaway. duck started to go faster and faster down the other side of the hill.
'oh dearie me this is not great western style at all' said duck.
duck reached the bottom and went flying around a bend. he nearly dived off the rails. but the worst was yet to come. oliver and toad the brake van were taking trucks of oil. suddenly oliver saw duck heading right for him.
'what the heck!' said oliver.
'is there a problem mr. oliver!' said toad.
'yes a serious one!' said oliver.
'oliver look out!' cried duck.
oliver shut his eyes. the signalman switched the points and duck went on to another track. oliver opened his eyes.
'that was too close to call' said oliver.
'was that mr. duck by any chance mr. oliver' said toad.
'yes it was toad and he nearly hit us i think he's in trouble' said oliver.
'so i see mr. oliver' said toad.
oliver stayed where he was. meanwhile donald and douglas the scottish twins were pulling a goods train. suddenly they saw duck heading right for them.
'aye what does duck think he's doing!' said douglas.
'aye good scott he's going to crash right into us!' said donald.
'watch out you two!' cried duck.
the twins shut their eyes waiting for the crash. another signalman switched the points and duck raced past. the twins opened their eyes.
'aye that was a close one eh donal' said douglas.
'aye you can say that again i hope duck is gonna be okay' said donald.
and with that the twins stayed where they were. meanwhile samson the proud engine was taking new flowers to ulfstead castle. suddenly he saw duck heading straight for him.
'duck what do you think you are doing i have a special delivery to make!' said samson.
'samson get out of the way i can't stop!' cried duck.
'huh i'm not going too' said samson.
but as duck got closer samson could see that he really couldn't stop and started to panic.
'on second thought i think moving would be a great idea!' said samson.
and he reversed back as fast as he could. duck was catching up.
'get out of the way samson get out of the way please!' said duck.
'i'm trying but its not very easy when i'm trying to keep my flowers in one piece!' said samson.
just then samson puffed into a siding and duck zoomed past.
'and next time tell me that your brakes are broken honestly engines today!' said samson.
and after that he stayed where he was. duck was still racing out of control on the line.
'oh me oh my i really want to stop now someone please HELLLLLP!' cried duck.
at the sodor search and rescue centre the alarm sounded again.
'now what is it' said belle.
'what's the situation now rocky' said flynn.
'duck's brakes have broken and now he is a runaway on the mainline' called rocky.
'i think you should have this one flynn' said belle.
'right away belle right race to the rescue' said flynn.
flynn turned on his siren and raced off. out on the mainline duck was still racing down the tracks.
'i don't like this anymore this is not great western at all!' said duck.
just then he heard sirens wailing. then flynn raced up beside him.
'flynn thank goodness your here' said duck.
'don't panic duck i'll stop you just hold on' said flynn.
'i am holding on' said duck.
'listen to me duck i'm going to roll in front of you and stop you' said flynn.
'please hurry' said duck.
flynn boldly changed tracks and was now in front of runaway duck.
'here goes nothing i better not get any dents from this' said flynn.
flynn slowed down until duck buffered up to the back of him. then flynn screeched his brakes on determined to stop duck. then there was trouble. percy was coming the other way pulling the mail.
'bust my buffers' said percy.
'percy look out stop' said flynn.
percy slammed on his brakes. flynn put his brakes on even harder. duck shut his eyes. percy and flynn stopped just in time. percy's mail trucks bumped into him and parcels bounced and toppled over inside them. duck opened his eyes. flynn sighed proudly.
'thank you flynn you saved me' said duck.
'just doing my job duck' said flynn.
'bust my buffers duck are you alright' said percy.
'i'm fine percy but the same can't be said with your mail' said duck.
'that's okay i'm just glad we didn't crash' said percy.
'me too percy' said duck.
'well i for one am just happy that i didn't get any dents not like i'm being james or anything' said flynn.
and all three engines laughed. but flynn was just happy that he had saved the day again.
paxton the diesel was delivering blue quarry rock to brendam docks. owen had been having trouble with his winches and now paxton had to be quick to get to the docks.
'i must get to the docks with the quarry rock otherwise cranky will get very cross not to mention the fat controller' said paxton.
and the young diesel continued his way. then there was trouble. paxton didn't know that a puddle of oil was on the tracks. suddenly paxton saw it.
'where did that come from!' said paxton.
paxton slammed on his brakes. but it was too late. paxton hit the oil and it went all over his wheels. some of it went all over his face too.
'yuck this stuff is horrible!' said paxton.
then there was even more trouble. paxton tried to stop but he couldn't. the oil had made his wheels very slippery and sticky. paxton was out of control.
'oh no this isn't good help help i can't stop!' said paxton.
paxton skidded along. diesel was busy taking trucks of fuel when suddenly he saw paxton coming right for him.
'paxton what do you think your doing!' said diesel.
'diesel get out of the way i can't stop!' said paxton.
'uh oh' said diesel.
diesel raced back as fast as he could. he didn't stop until he raced into a siding. paxton shot past.
'what ever is paxton doing now' said diesel.
meanwhile derek was delivering trucks of bricks when suddenly he saw paxton coming his way.
'paxton what are you doing!' said derek.
'derek watch out i can't stop!' said paxton.
'oh my goodness i better get moving!' said derek.
derek reversed back as fast as his engine would let him. he didn't stop until he was in the safety of the siding. paxton slipped and slided past.
'why is it always the posh diesels that get into a fix' said derek.
paxton was still sliding along.
'oh my i wish something would stop me' said paxton.
just then paxton saw a big snowdrift on the tracks ahead.
'that's sure to stop me' said paxton.
but it didn't. paxton smashed into the snow and charged on through. he was covered in snow.
'oh no that didn't stop me at all and now i'm in a real mess!' said paxton.
paxton could see that he was getting closer to the docks.
'if i don't stop soon i'll cause a big crash help!' said paxton.
back at the rescue centre the alarms went off yet again.
'not another runaway train' said belle.
'what's the trouble rocky' said flynn.
'paxton's wheels are covered in oil and he can't stop and he is heading for brendam docks' called rocky.
'belle you should go this time' said flynn.
'don't worry flynn i'll save him off i go' said belle.
and she rang her big belle and dashed off. meanwhile out on the open track paxton was still skidding along.
'i don't like this anymore' said paxton.
just then he heard the sound of pistons pumping and a bell ringing. then belle raced up beside him.
'belle your here!' said paxton.
'of course i am don't worry paxton i'll stop you' said belle.
'please be quick' said paxton.
'paxton i am going to change tracks and then i'll try and slow you down' said belle.
belle changed tracks and was now in front of paxton. she slowed down until paxton was behind her. then she put on her brakes. paxton was worried. but belle was determined. but brendam docks was now just up ahead. at the docks salty and porter were still shunting. and cranky was still lifting and loading.
'it's very cold up here today' said cranky.
'maybe it's because of how grumpy you are' said porter.
'arrr me hearty shall i sing us a cheery tune' said salty.
'no thank you' cranky snorted.
just then they heard a whistle. then belle and paxton came racing into the docks.
'look out runaway coming through' said belle.
'hey look out down there' said cranky.
'shiver me axles there going to hit us' said salty.
'abandon dock yard' said porter.
'oh my i can't bear to look' said paxton.
belle put on her brakes even harder. she stopped in the nick of time. giving salty a slight bump. belle had done it.
'well done belle you did it' said paxton.
'arrr good show me hearty' said salty.
'i thought we were goners then' said porter.
'hello would someone mind telling me what's going on here!' said cranky.
'for your information cranky belle just saved my life' said paxton.
'so i can see' said cranky.
'by the way cranky i brought you some more stones' said paxton.
'oh paxton you shouldn't have' said cranky.
and everyone in the docks laughed. belle was just happy that she made it that way.
