Okay so far we've had Mike, Bert and Frank get involved in the stories, now it's time for the newest member of the Arlesdale fleet; Jock. In my original own Railway Series stories, I wrote up a story about Jock getting stuck on the turntable, but while this story has a similar idea, how he gets stuck is different compared to that original story. Now Story 4 I hope will be about Rex or the Blister twins, only time will tell.

The Untold Sudrian Stories

Season 1-Episode 7-Jock Gets Stuck (1995)

With Frank at the works, this meant the railway's Maintenance diesels; Blister I and Blister II had to do his work as well as their own. They never minded the hard work, as long as they were being really useful.

A few nights after Frank went to the works, Blister II was at 'The Green' when a call came through from Control.

"Rex's Driver has just called in, and said the turntable at the last station was making groaning noises. Small Controller wants you to take some workmen there to check the table over."

"Roger that Control," said Blister II's Driver, "just as soon as Rex passes us."

They didn't have to wait too long as Rex passed just five minutes later with a full passenger train. Once he was out of sight, Blister II went back down the line with some workmen.

When they arrived at the station, the workmen went to work inspecting the turntable. Unlike the ones on the North Western Railway, the turntables on the Small Railway were manual powered tables, which meant that the crews would have to turn their engines themselves. They never minded that though as the engines were lighter than their standard gauge counterparts.

The workmen inspected the table all over, and moved it, but they couldn't hear any noises.

"Well I'm blown as to what's wrong," sighed one of them. "I don't see any problems, and it's not making any groaning sounds."

They tried it with Blister II on it, but heard no groaning sounds. They were confused. In the end, they left the station and turntable and went back to the yards.

The Small Controller was waiting when they arrived, "what seems to be the problem with the turntable?" he asked.

"We're not sure Sir," said the foreman. "We heard no groaning noises, and I can't for the life of me find any faults with the table itself. We'll of course check again tomorrow when the sun is out, just to be on the safe side."

"Very well," sighed the Small Controller. "Unless a problem is found, I may need to make other arrangements."

The Small Controller turned and went back to his office.

Blister II went back to the shed and told the other engines about the inspection. Rex looked confused, "it wasn't just my Driver that heard the groaning sounds, I could hear it too, plain as day."

"Well I heard nothing," said Blister II.

"I'll confess," added Mike, "that when I had to take the passenger train earlier today, I heard some groaning sounds coming from the turntable. Something's got to be wrong with it."

A sly grin came to Jock's face, "maybe the problem is because you two are too fat for the turntables."

"I beg your pardon?!" cried the two engines crossly.

"Oh come on you two, you're the only ones who have heard the groaning sounds while the rest of us are fine. Maybe you should consider staying off the tables for a while, otherwise you could break them."

Mike and Rex scowled at Jock. Bert sighed and looked up to the roof vents for the shed, "just another evening in our sheds."

The following morning, Jock's Driver arrived earlier than usual. He got the fire going, and woke Jock up quietly.

"Wake up old boy," he whispered, "the Small Controller wants you to pull a special train for visitors who came all the way from Scotland, just to see you."

"Oh that's wonderful, and it makes perfect sense too," he chuckled quietly. "After all, I am a fine example of modern steam locomotion, while the others are fat and old."

Mike overheard that remark and glared crossly at Jock.

"That will do Jock," his Driver cautioned. "The Small Controller wants you on your best behaviour today, understood?"

"Yes Driver, whatever you say."

Soon the fire was glowing nicely, and Jock puffed out of the sheds to collect his coaches. However, he couldn't help himself and teased the other engines, "first out of the shed, and best on the line!"

Rex opened his sleepy eyes, "who's making that awful noise?"

"Oh it's only Jock, being his usual self," snorted Mike. He sighed and went back to sleep.

Jock found the coaches in the yards, all shining with new coats of paint. He backed onto them and was coupled up. As he pulled over to the station, he watched as James arrived with the ballast wagons. Now the red engine was not fond of working with trucks, but it seemed that he was learning quite a bit about handling the ballast runs. He stopped under the chute, and his fireman uncoupled him from the trucks.

"Alright James, let's get you turned around and get ready for the return journey."

James was just about to puff out from under the chute, when a nearby workman waved for him to stop. He did so, but he was not happy.

"What's going on? I have to be turned around before my run back to the yards."

"Sorry," said the workman. "But the turntable is out of order. It's been acting up lately, so the Fat Contoller is sending workmen to repair it. Until then, you're gonna have to..."

"Go back tender first?!" James exclaimed. "No, I refuse to go backwards, Gordon and Henry would never let me hear the end of it."

"Too bad James, it's the Fat Controller's orders, not mine. Besides," continued the workman, "if you go onto the turntable, it could break down, then you'll be stuck there all day."

James gave in then and once he puffed out of the siding, he went to the other end of the train. He groaned as he was coupled on, going backwards.

Jock laughed as he saw James, "pity you don't work on our tracks James, cause we never have problems with our turntables. Well at least, I don't have problems."

"Oh be quiet Jock!" snapped James.

"You know, your controller should get you manual turntables, then you'll never have problems." Then he added as an insult, "but then again, maybe it's best he didn't, since you're all too fat for those tables."

James let off steam angerily. Before any words could break out, Blister I arrived with the first load of ballast from the mines, and Duck arrived with the passengers from Scotland. They climbed into the coaches and Jock puffed away, grinning the entire time.

"You got quite a mouth on you today don't you?" his Driver asked firmly. "One day, your words will come back to bite you in the buffers."

"Pah, that'll never happen to me. I've never broken down, or had any accidents since being built."

"You never know, it could happen."

Jock rolled his eyes and chuckled, he thought nothing bad could happen to him. He was soon to be proven wrong.

The train soon reached the end of the line, and after the visitors had their chance to photograph Jock, the driver took him over to the turntable. He slowed to a stop, and the Driver jumped out. As he began to push, there came a groaning noise.

"What is..." he began.

Suddenly, without warning, there was a crack and Jock's front end dipped down. He rolled a bit and bumped his buffer beam into the wall of the well. He stayed upright, but now he was slightly leaning to one side and wouldn't budge. His Driver tried numerous times, and even some of the visitors tried to help, but it was no use. Jock was stuck.

Jock's Driver picked up the radio telephone and called to Control.

"We've got a problem Control, Jock is stuck in the turntable and we can't get him out."

At first, Control couldn't believe what they were hearing, "could you repeat that again Driver?"

"Jock is stuck in the turntable and we can't move him," said the Driver.

"Well don't worry, Blister II is on his way out with the maintenance train. Surely he'll be able to help, don't go anywhere."

Jock rolled his eyes, "don't go anywhere Control says. How am I suppose to go anywhere when I'm stuck?" he groaned.

It was some time later before Blister II arrived, but he wasn't alone as Rex was called upon to take the passengers back to Alresburgh. He snickered as he looked at Jock's predicament, "and you said Mike and I were too heavy for the turntables Jock, looks like you're eating your own words now."

Jock said nothing. Rex was coupled up, and once everyone was on board, he puffed away.

As he left, the foreman found the problem, "one of the wheels for the turntable had snapped, that's why we can't turn the table or get Jock out. I don't know how we missed the cracks last night."

"Maybe because it was getting dark, and was hard to spot?" suggested a workman.

The foreman agreed with that. "I'll inform the Small Controller of this, and see if we can't help Jock out of the mess he's in."

Jock hoped that help would come soon before Mike and the other engines found out. However, rescuing him was the least of the Small Controller's worries. After all, there were lots of passengers coming to see the railway, and plenty of ballast needed to be delivered to the North Western Railway. "We'll get him out later tonight," came the reply over the radio.

Jock groaned, "oh come on, those passengers came to see me."

"Can't be helped boy," said his Driver. "These things happen from time to time. Besides, some time out of action might teach you a lesson or two for your teasing."

Jock glared at his Driver, "whose side are you on anyways?"

The Small Controller rearranged everything in no time. He asked the Blister twins and Bert to handle the ballast runs, while Rex and Mike took the passenger trains, but not in their usual way. They were coupled back to back with at least fifteen coaches in between them. It was awkward at first, but once the passengers caught onto the idea and started photographing them, the engines and their crews began to enjoy themselves.

It was nearly dark by the time Blister I arrived with the breakdown train, and with the aid of a breakdown lorry, they lifted Jock's tender out first, then Jock came out of the turntable well. His fire had already been put out, so Blister I had to take him away, while the workmen placed danger signs around the turntable.

At the yards, James and Mike were having a small conversation when Blister I arrived with Jock.

James smirked when he saw Jock, "turntables with motors may need repairs from time to time, but at least they don't break a wheel while turning."

"No indeed," agreed Mike with a grin. "But then again, you never had Jock on your turntable."

"Oh, and why's that Mike?"

"One reason, with how heavy he is, he'd be sure to break it."

And the two engines, along with their crews, laughed. Even Blister I had to laugh. Jock didn't, he just looked down to the ballast and thought the other engines had an odd sense of humor.