It was a few weeks later after the accident with on Gordon's hill. Nobody took much notice of it. Accidents happened a lot on railways. Only accidents with passenger trains get most of the attention, which oddly don't occur on our railway.
But soon, Donald returned from the works. He had been given a new coat of paint on his tender. Making him look odd because now his tender was shiny and almost new-looking, whilst himself looked like he had been under the coal shoot for ten minutes.
Gordon, Henry and James found it a little hilarious. But Donald didn't mind.
It was still autumn on the island near the end and beginning of December. The leafs had all disappeared, and frost took its place in the mornings.
We hated the cold, but were glad when their fires would be set alight and they would be warmed up by it.
They were expecting an increase of traffic too, Christmas coming around would mean passengers would try and get to their families and freight work would increase too.
But what we didn't expect was one morning, two weeks after the accident on the hill, the doors of the shed flung open and what we saw was a surprise.
Laying on the ground everywhere, was snow.
Snow droplets still came down from the skies and we all groaned in annoyance.
"This is splendid!" yelled James.
"Snow? At this time?" quizzed Henry.
"Disgraceful," murmured Gordon, annoyed.
I looked outside, surveying the yards. "By the looks of things," I said, "you'll have to put on your snowploughs."
"And why's that?" asked James.
"Because it snows much more harsher after Wellsworth," I told them, "so snow will cover the tracks."
"Poooh," scoffed Henry, "I never need my snowplough, never got stuck in snow and never will."
"Didn't you get trapped at Vicarstown last year though?"
"Shut it Duck!"
"Och, no need ta be rude," said Donald crossly.
"Why should you be in this conversation?" asked James, "you probably don't even know how to plough snow!"
"Actually," Douglas interjected, "Scotland gets a lot of snow. Much more harsher up there than down here I may say."
I looked over to Gordon. "Since Gordon is the leader," I said, making James and Henry glare daggers at me. "What would you say?"
Gordon glanced at me, then back at the Scottish twins. "I suggest," he said, "that we do our jobs, and the twins show how they plough the snow back in their homeland."
Henry and James thought of the idea themselves, and agreed to it. We all set to work after that. Donald and Douglas asked one of the inspectors on their plan. He agreed, and Donald and Douglas began to set their plan into action.
They first found a work's coach, with men with shovels and other tools to dig away ice and snow all huddled inside. They helped fitted two snowploughs in front of the engines. They were so high that they reached the tip of their own noses. Once done, both Donald and Douglas buffered up to the work's coach with them facing away from it each end.
They soon set off, the first two engines to go out that day. I was shunting Henry's coaches into the platform. Both of us were talking about the changes on British Railways and want effects it was making.
"I asked a BR Standard on how those diesels were back at their place," said Henry, "she said they were rude and horrible to them."
"What do they say?" I asked, whilst pulling the coaches past Henry and into the platform.
"Hmmm... I think they like to say that their fate is near and all sorts with them going to the scrapyards," said Henry.
"That sounds improbable," I scoffed, "with so many of us, how are British Railways going to get rid of us?"
"Believe me," replied Henry sadly, "railways have done it before..."
I came to a stop at the end of the platform. A thought then came to me to change the topic. "So have you seen Peter, Ava or Reginald recently?" I asked, "haven't seen them that much since Donald and Douglas have arrived."
"Apparently," said Henry, "Sodor Research has shut down for the winter season with supplies, they're keeping Ava at their headquarters until they need her again. I believe that Peter is needed in the midlands for the next few weeks. He said that an engine has been taken out of service over there for unknown reasons, but he says that he'll return when the engine returns. Reginald... I'm not so sure..."
I sighed, Reginald hadn't been the best engine he's been with. But he was a hard worker and loves to make the railway look good.
Just then, we heard to Scottish whistle. Then coming from behind the station, was Donald at the front, with a work's coach, then Douglas running at the back... tender first.
Henry watched with a puzzled and a bit bemused look as they both puffed off, already ploughing through bits of snow.
"Well they definitely look like they've come from the highlands," Henry jokes. I just smirked at the green engine.
*
Donald and Douglas did splendidly along the mainline. They cleared up the snow with ease, but sometimes they would get stuck and have to pull each other out, get the workmen to dig some away and charge once more.
They soon finished one part of the mainline when reaching Vicarstown. It was still early in the morning, but they saw an engine on the platform with the rush hour train, readying himself to take the way up to Tidmouth.
"We'd better fill up Dougie!" called Donald to his twin, "otherwise we'll get stuck in tha snow!"
"Aye!" agreed Douglas, "I agreed with ya there."
They soon filled up, were checked over and went back up the mainline. Douglas led the way down the line, by then the engine pulling the rush hour train had long gone down the line Donald and Douglas had cleared.
Both carried on back down the line. They soon reached Kellsthorpe Road and soon entered Henry's Forest. Donald and Douglas had seen the scenery of the forest and had come to the conclusion that that part of the line is the worse with snow.
Henry's Forest was only small patch of trees near Kellsthorpe Road. But in 1931, the council were low on wood and decided to plant trees in the woodland to expand. It eventually became Henry's Forest, after Henry mostly helped with bringing the trees there.
Most of the trees were placed around a tall, steep hill which had small little paths for hikers to walk around. But it could easily build up snow and could be dangerous by loudest of sounds making the snow fall down and onto the line, which it hung over. A bend blocked the view of the engines when going past the face of the hill, only a few yards before it. Engines warn each other to be extra careful around this part of the line too, but Donald and Douglas were too busy clearing the line to notice.
"I think Henry was supposed to com' past us anytime soon!" called Douglas, a metallic sound coming from his voice with the snowplough covering his mouth.
"Aye he was!" called back Donald, who also had that metallic sound.
"Let's be careful," said Douglas, has they rounded a bend, "Henry could be-OCH STOP DONAL'!"
"What?"
"STOP!!"
Douglas applied his brakes, but Donald didn't apply his in time and push Douglas forward, right into a gigantic pile of snow in front of him. Douglas went through it a few yards, only to stop, with the rest of his visible face barely seen now. His funnel, dangerously having snow go into it.
"Dougie? Dougie!" called Donald, he only heard muffled sounds with the snow. "Och, I must get him out."
Donald began to pull his stuck twin out of the snow. Douglas eventually came out of the snow, his eyes and brow expressed his frustration all too well.
"What was that for?" exclaimed Douglas to his twin.
"Awe, your welcome with pulling ya out of tha snow!" Donald responded.
"Pooooh," grunted Douglas, "I told ya ta stop! But what did ya doo? Ya blooming push me forward!"
"You pulled me!" snapped Donald.
"Didne."
"Did too."
"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"PEEEEEEEEEP PEEEEEEEEP!!!!"
The peeping of a whistle echoed across the forest. Donald and Douglas immediately stopped fighting and dashed their glances towards the hill, and saw that nothing had moved. In fact, it looked like it lost snow to them.
"I think Donal'," Douglas began, "that this snow, got down here."
"Ya think?" said Donald sarcastically, still a little angry with his twin.
Douglas ignored this. "But who do ya think that whistle belonged too?"
"It sounded familiar ya me," replied Douglas' driver.
The whistle came again and Donald and Douglas, now fully focused on the whistle figured who it was.
"Goodness! It's Henry!"
It was Henry, he was wedged deep with the snow. He looked like he had tried to push the snow away with how far he had gotten from the beginning of the snow drift. He also had a train of passengers behind him, who leaned out of the window and shouted and waved to the workmen who climbed over or ran round the snow drift.
"Don't fash yourself Henry! We'll get you out in no time!"
They did just that. Some workmen began to dig Henry out of the snow, whilst others began to work on the biggest part of the snow drift, with putting salt on top and watch it melt away. Donald and Douglas also helped, with running back and forward, charging at the snow until their line was free. Soon enough, one line was cleared and Douglas being uncoupled from Donald and the works coach, pulled Henry and his train out of the remaining snow around them.
Soon after, Donald took the train on, and Douglas took the works coach filled with men home with Henry sulking behind.
"Thought ya were able ta take the snow on ya on withoot a snowplough, ay Henry?" joked Douglas, "never mind laddy, we all have first times, even when it wasn't your first time... well I hope."
Henry rolled his eyes and remained silent for the rest of the trip.
*
Donald soon returned to see the visiting engine new scolded severely by an inspector. It was reported that the visiting engine that had took the rush hour train before Donald and Douglas return to Tidmouth was the cause of the snow falling down the hill with him easily going past and Henry didn't. Donald figures that out but was curious about another thing, usually the Fat Controller did this, but today he was nowhere to be seen.
Donald didn't ask anyone about until they all returned that evening. Because of bad winter weather, control had ordered the line to be shut down. The visiting engine managed to leave with a return passenger before Henry could have a chance to talk to him, only glared daggers at him whilst passing him on the mainline with a slow goods.
"It's ridiculous," Henry complained as he entered the sheds, "he gets no punishment and leaves without even saying hello!"
"I don't think he'll very welcomed by you," said James, "you would try and scare him away!"
"Kind of did," replied Henry.
"Oh please," scoffed James with a slight chuckle.
"Oh please, he would only be scared by Henry with how he green he looks," joked Gordon, "it's suppose to be a white Christmas and with greenery about, anyone would think that Henry would be a supernatural force!"
James sniggered whilst Henry seethed silently.
Donald then decided to change the subject. "Has anyone seen the Fat Controller?" he asked, "I haven't seen him today!"
"The only inspectors say that he's gone to the mainline and won't be coming back for a while," I replied.
Percy, who was staying at the sheds, then spoke up. "But, why?" he said, "is because of Donald and Douglas?"
"I don't know," I pondered, "I could be away for anything!"
The Scottish twin engines looked at each other glumly. "If it aboot us though," said Douglas sadly, "he would try and make arrangements to send one of us away."
"It isn't fair," grumbled Gordon, "Donald and Douglas have been a credit to the railway. I don't know why the Fat Controller hasn't decided to keep both yet!"
All of us looked Gordon with raised eyebrows.
"I thought you found them to be 'troublesome'," said Henry.
"Views can change my dear Henry," said Gordon, "Donald and Douglas have proven their worth on the railway, even though they have caused... some mishaps."
Both twins looked at each other, and back at Gordon.
"A lot of nonsense with that special coach and that signal box too!" continued Gordon.
"And that brake van too," added James, "good riddance!"
"They were wonderful in the snow," put in Henry, "it just doesn't seem right, we need to make sure they both stay."
"But... how?" I asked.
All the engines in the shed pondered on the thought, some suggested plans or schemes but they didn't feel right. In the end, they just gave up and went unhappily to sleep.
*
"What you need is a deputation."
"A deputated?" repeated Percy.
"A deputation," Edward corrected.
Percy was helping Donald and Douglas clear the snow along the mainline the next day and had stopped at Edward's station where the blue engine was there himself. The small engine had told him about the problem with Donald and Douglas and Edward was going to let Percy down. After all, Donald and Douglas did help him with the workload last week and they were very kind and hard working.
"A deputation is when you explain to someone what's wrong, it is like a speech, in some way or another."
Percy thought on this, then beamed. "That's perfect!" he said, "I must tell the others, goodbye Edward!"
Percy rushed forward with snowplough at the front.
Edward chuckled as Percy rushed away.
*
Percy soon arrived back at the mainline sheds, sliding to a stop. "Guys! Guys!" he whistled frantically.
Gordon, Henry and I were the only ones there and we saw Percy come a screeching halt.
"Calm down Percy," said Henry, "this isn't a play site."
Percy huffed. "I've got an idea to make sure Donald and Douglas both stay!" he peeped.
"What is it Percy?"
"A deputation!"
"A depuation..." pondered Gordon.
"It's when someone tells another person that something is wrong!" explained Percy.
"I think we know what a despetation is Percy," scoffed Henry.
"But... who's going to do it?" I asked.
"What do you mean?" replied Gordon.
"Percy said, we need to tell someone what's wrong," I said, "so who's going to tell the Fat Controller?"
All four of us sat in silence.
"I believe," said Gordon at last, "that Percy, will be our depourtation."
"M-ME?!" wailed Percy, "but why me?"
"You thought of the plan Percy," said Gordon, "it is only fair that you do it."
"It's easy Percy," added Henry, "just tell the Fat Controller when you next see him."
Percy wanted to persuade them he wasn't the right engine, but it was no use, Gordon and Henry were too stubborn to change their minds.
Percy puff away unhappily. I only gave an annoyed glance at Gordon and Henry.
*
"Hello Percy!"
The small engine made a startling biff to the the trucks behind which flew down the sidings. The Fat Controller looked on after them, returning to gazing at a pressured Percy.
"Oh yes ummm... h-hello sir, how are you s-sir?" squeaked Percy nervously.
"Hello Percy," repeated the Fat Controller, "I'm good thank you. Sorry for being so quick, but have you seen Don-"
"Oh sir, don't be mad at me!"
The Fat Controller stared at Percy. "Mad at you? Why?"
"The other engines, th-they made me a dep-depersation s-sir!!" exclaimed Percy.
The Fat Controller pondered. "Do you mean, deputation Percy?"
"Yes sir," replied the small engine, "it's about Donald and Douglas sir, they have been wonderful engines sir! The others say that you might send one of them away, but please don't sir, they wonderful engines sir, they're very hard working too an-and-"
The Fat Controller laughed, making Percy splutter in his awful speech.
"Don't worry Percy," he said, regaining himself, "I'll see what I can do."
Percy then watched him walk away. "Did I do good?" he asked a nearby truck.
"Ya were terrible," said the truck, "like my mam's tea."
*
We were all in the sheds the next day. Percy was still around, and we were just getting our fires ready. Then the Fat Controller arrived with two inspectors on each side of him.
He went up to the engines. "I had a deputation yesterday," he said. The engines all murmured quietly to each other, the Fat Controller looked over to the twin engines. "I believe," he continued, "that once you've taken your goods train, that you'll be needing a new coat of paint at the works. What would you like?"
The Scottish twin engines glanced at each other and back at the stout gentleman. "Blue sirr," replied Donald.
"Aye," agreed Douglas, "similar to paintwork on tha Caledonian railway."
"Do you mind light blue?" asked the Fat Controller.
"No sirr!"
"That's good to hear," smiled the Fat Controller, "and Donald, you don't mind being given the number nine?"
Donald was a bit surprised. "Och, I would be honoured sirr!"
They both paused with pursed lips.
"Does that mean, we're staying?"
The Fat Controller nodded with beaming smile on his lips. "It means-"
He was immediately cut off my the cheers and whistles from us all.
The Fat Controller held his ears whilst we echoed the sounds across the yards. He then began to walk back to his car.
"Aren't you going to tell them why you were on that trip in the first place?" asked one of the inspectors.
"I think you should," said the other, "after all, you did go and sort things out to the manager at number nine and ten's old shed. Putting your effort in to that should need some recognition."
A sigh came from the Fat Controller lips. "Maybe I will tell them if they ask me," I said, "but right now, I think I'll keep my mouth shut."
He opened the car and got back in, the inspectors followed suit. They rolled quietly away, whilst the engines continued to cheer and whistle.
The twins were here to stay.