A/N: This is a rewrite of the Railway Series story Super Rescue from Book No.23 Enterprising Engines, one of the main books that introduced me into the Thomas and Friends franchise as a whole so it holds a special place in my heart. As such, this version of the story, adapted by Ryan and Fox, takes place in my TTTE headcannon so there are a few things that I have changed to fit it in.
I only own my OC's.
Alice, Maxwell, and 53136/Lincoln belong to WildNorWester on Deviantart.
Enjoy.
It was a busy day on the Island of Sodor. The engines were working hard bustling to and through. They loved feeling responsible, reliable and really useful. The recent visit of the famous LNER A3 Gresley Pacific, Flying Scotsman, the LMS Stanier Coronation, Duchess of Sutherland, and the addition of the Little Western Branch Line along the western coast of the island had greatly increased the railway's tourist ratings, as well as the fact that it also linked up with the Arlesdale Small Railway, which provided top quality ballast for the North Western, Skarloey and Culdee Fell Railway respectively.
People from all over the world flocked to the beaches for holiday as well as business people with many new contracts for the Fat Controller. The NWR's controller was sitting in his office going over some papers on his desk about finalising the contract for a new engine when the telephone suddenly rang. He picked it up and put it to his ear. "Good afternoon, Sir Topham Hatt speaking... er, ah Mr Fronts," he said, recognising the voice on the other end.
The person on the opposite end spoke and he frowned. "No, I certainly will not address you by your proper title." At that moment the butler came into the office. He opened his mouth to speak, but the Fat Controller put a hand over the mouthpiece. "Just hold on I'm on the phone," he said, before returning to the conversation. "Why not? Because peerages don't come on the back of cereal boxes," he replied to Mr Fronts.
"Look-a-l-look-look, I don't care how you got it, it's as fake as that thing on your head. I wanted to speak to you about those diesels I got from your region on trial," he answered. "You call those things the future of our network?" he said in disbelief, "I deplored what I saw-" The person on the other end spoke, cutting him off before he could continue. "Eh-w-wh-when you see three relatively new diesels being rescued by three of the very machines they're supposed to be replacing on the Mainland, it raises more than just a few questions!" he responded.
Once again Mr Fronts spoke to him with agitation. "I-I-I might well, yeah! Yeah, yeah, I might well be stuck in the past, but you can take that ruddy Spamcan back and put it with the rest of those misfits I've returned to you!" He slammed down the telephone and sat back in his chair with a sigh of frustration. "Honestly," he said to his butler. "That man's a pain in the rear end. Idiots like him think, steam is on it's last wheels."
A smile spread across his face. "Not on my railway it's not." Outside, Alice, who was waiting to depart with a passenger train, Maxwell, who was getting ready to take a slow goods to Ballahoo and Spitz, who was getting ready to shunt more trains, had heard the whole conversation. The three engines looked at each other. "An' don't we know it," said the J50 smiling. The C2 and Black 5 did the same in agreement.
Super Rescue
Written by the Rev. W. Awdry
Adapted by Ryan & Fox
Written and adapted by Jack the Hero of Steam
The era of steam was coming to an end on British Railways. Visiting diesels of varying types growled and sneered at the Fat Controller's Engines on the North Western Railway, who were still proudly flying the flag for "real" steam engines everywhere, and they were determined at all times to defend their position. Especially when troublemakers were wanton to rear their heads.
As can be imagined the engines of Sodor were deeply saddened at the loss of their fallen brethren. Whenever they took a train to Barrow-In-Furness it was always a diesel that took it on from there. And every time they did they were either sneered at, insulted or both. The diesels already on Sodor, BoCo, Daisy and Mavis, who had grown to like and respect the steamies they worked alongside, felt many times that they were out of place on the railway.
Whenever they brought the topic up however they were staunchly told otherwise and given looks of pity and sympathy by all. Unfortunately, the long arm of British Railways was still trying to persuade the Fat Controller to buy more of their locomotives. Despite preferring steam engines, he did find diesels useful and, after a lot of debate, he finally agreed to trial three of them to see how they would perform. I'm sorry to say that things went off badly right from the very start.
The three diesels that had been brought on trial surveyed the sheds at Tidmouth. "It's time, my dear 7101 and 56136," said the Class 46 "Peak", "that we took this scrapyard and made it into something useful." The engines were instantly offended by such an insulting remark, and shot several angry protests. "Excuse me!" said James. "You'll what!" snarled Duck. "You watch yer mouth bucko!" growled Marie.
Others followed them up with deadly glares at the newcomers. "Oh, now, now, don't blow a stack or anything," the largest of the three diesels retorted, "the rest of the network has gone and done the deed... Good riddance to all of them..." "Now hang on there, 199," interjected the smallest of the diesels, a Class 35 "Hymek", "it's their railway after all." "He does have a point," added the third diesel, a Class 56. "Even other preservation railways have held their ground."
"No, no, no, no, not for long," tittered 199. "Don't get yourselves too comfortable in your sheds will you my dear... "steamies", heh, heh. Our controller says that you lot spoil our image." "Of course we do, hang it all, you big blue buzz-box!" snapped Duck. "We show what useless frauds you are! You call yourselves engines?! In my experience, and everyone else's, if anything happens, you care nothing for your train, you just sit there like a lemon and moan for a fitter! We bring it home, if only on one cylinder!"
"Too right!" added Will. "Edward brought a train back with no side rods once and Scapa nearly lost his firebox pulling a heavy train over Gordon's Hill." "I have no idea what you're talking about," 199 answered loftily. "You know perfectly well what he's talking about, you miserable oily creep!" Scapa snarled. "We steam engines are built to last. If one part of us wears out, it can easily be replaced. The only reason that you lot are taking over is because a bunch of political boneheads and the train wreck that's the Railway Board said they'd pull us out of the ruins. Ha! They only dragged us back down into them."
"Scapa's right. If you ask any of us we're quite agreed," put in James. "British Railways are losing the best thing that's ever happened to them!" "Hear, hear," agreed Marie. "Oh yes, I'm sure they'll regret getting rid of their "antique collection" later on," admitted 199. "But rest assured, nothing ever happens to us, we are reliable, and you are on your last wheels."
"Oh shut yer trap, ya horrible pile of overweight stinking junk on wheels," Marie hissed. "God, you're all the same you diesels, you're all talk and no go," grumbled James. "At least with us you can tell which end's which. With you lot, you can't tell whether you're talking out of your mouths or your backsides. The average railway enthusiast would probably take one look at you and go "OH GOD IT'S HIS ASS!" and send them all running!"
At that the engines all roared with laughter, Will, of course, howling the loudest at his brother's snide remark. "The Fat Controller knows far better than that thin git who looks after you!" sneered Duck. As expected, 199 was outraged! "How terribly rude," he said. "I was only just trying to start a conversation." "Well you started it, now shut your mouth and stop sprouting that nonsense!" 56136 growled to his associate. "You're in their shed on their own turf! Know your place 199, or you'll get into trouble," 7101 added.
Sadly for the two diesels, Duck, James, Scapa, Marie, Will and every other engine on the NWR, 199 thought that he already did.
Soon enough, the five visiting engines were put to work. BoCo and 7101 took turns with Henry and James on the Wild Nor' Wester while Gordon joined Duchess of Sutherland in heading special enthusiast trains from Knapford to Barrow. For a while, Flying Scotsman also worked with these enthusiast runs, but he and 199 sometimes found themselves hauling goods trains up and down the mainline. Both didn't mind the dirty and difficult work and the former, in fact, enjoyed the change from passenger duties.
7101 and 56136 kept their distance from the other engines, only approaching them to ask for help with certain tasks in which they were unfamiliar with. 199, on the other hand, was loud, obnoxious, and rather annoying, as he would talk of nothing but the supposed "superiority" of diesels over steam engines. However, 199 was wise, and made sure to word his boasting in a way that made it seem he didn't wish genocide on non-faceless steam engines, but everyone knew better, as that genocide was, sadly, a very grim reality on the British mainland.
Besides 199, the Sudrian engines got along rather well with the newcomers, especially with Scot, who proved to be quite popular with the engines, being polite and friendly despite his worldwide fame. This statement rang true with all the engines... except for a rather jealous Henry, mainly due to the A3 having two tenders even though it was for a valid reason. Duck however tricked him saying Henry could have nine tenders all to himself. Nine boiler sludge filled tenders.
He had felt a complete fool going through Knapford with them despite the cheers of nearly all the engines and railway staff. I say "nearly all" for Scapa had remained silent, but a very small smile could be seen on his face. Someone had called out to Henry that he should, "Have a good washout, Henry? That's right; you'll feel a different engine then." Henry hadn't been sure, but he would later swear that the voice had sounded a lot like Gordon's.
Unfortunately for the green Black Five, his problems had just begun.
The following day Henry, along with Adam, was heading back to Tidmouth backwards, puffing very slowly along the mainline together. Henry was very upset. "Ugh, my regulator would have to jam so soon after Duck fooled me with those wretched tenders," he groaned. "Now the others will laugh at me again." "Oh, give it a rest with your complaining, will ya!" scolded Adam.
"Good grief, it could've been a lot worse," the tank engine went on, "we could be stuck here all together! At least your reverser still works. I have to make do with unreliable brakes!" Henry sighed sadly. "I suppose so." Something in his left cylinder had started giving him no end of pain and he had been forced to stop before the platform at Kildane.
Luckily, Adam had been there, taking on coal and water while his crew checked over his brakes which had failed the reason of which they found when they discovered that the two on his left hand driving wheels had been bent out of place. The two engine crews decided it would be best for the two engines to travel to the nearest signal box as one consist, move to the slow line and from there make their way to the Steamworks.
"But whatever happens, don't let that vile diesel from the Other Railway see us limping back along the line like this. It'll be bad enough getting a ribbing from the others about our situation, but from him..." Henry trailed off in misery. Adam meanwhile remained respectfully silent, and for the fact that he would also get a funnelful from 199 about his condition as well.
Henry and Adam continued puffing on for a few more miles before stopping by a signal box and whistled for a road. There, opposite the box on the up-line, was Diesel 199 with a train of oil tankers. Henry and Adam grimaced. Oh no, the Black 5 thought sadly, we'll never hear the end of it now. It'll be "out-of-date" this, "out-of-use" that, and "ready-for-scrap" for the remainder of his stay. Ugh!
The diesel stood looking stony-faced, narrowing his eyes. And in spite of Henry and Adam's awkward predicament, he said nothing at all. The signalman in the box, however, had plenty to say. "Oh, thank goodness you're both 'ere! Henry, 'ere, can you and Adam take this "Spamcan" away for me please." "Eh? What on earth for?" Adam asked. "What's happened?" added Henry.
"Because the wretched thing's failed," explained the signalman, "the Kyndley Limited's behind and all 'e's done is wail for his fitter to come and see 'im! Completely useless, and he's the face of the modern Other Railway network's future. Heh!" "Useless?" exclaimed 199, finally finding his voice. "Spamcan?! I'll have you know, sir, that I provide-" "Stow it!" interrupted the signalman, "I've 'eard enough from you today! Anymore of your whinging and I'll take me tin-opener to you!"
The diesel subsided into silent sadness from such a ghastly threat, and after they'd changed tracks, Henry and Adam pulled the train clear of the points. 199 didn't bother to help at all, he just sulked behind. "Oh, helped by a pair of relics," moaned the diesel. "Oh the indignity, the indignity of it all!" Henry and Adam rolled their eyes and just ignored 199, they found the Peak's over-dramatic self-pitying to be great entertainment and soon felt much happier.
Meanwhile further back down the line Scapa pulled into Maron with what remained of a slow goods train he had brought with him from Tidmouth. He had been working hard to cover for BoCo and James while they helped with Gordon's jobs and his tubes were beginning to act up. He knew he needed new ones and was hoping that he could talk with the Fat Controller about having some fitted.
As he came into the station however he suddenly spotted the stationmaster waiting for him on the platform. Coming to a stop at the platform the man came hurrying up towards him and his crew as they alighted from his cab. "Oh, thank goodness that you're here, Scapa," he said, coming to a halt in front of the 7F.
"What's up?" the driver asked. "Him." The man pointed across to the sidings where they saw 56136 sitting in one of the sidings next to the station with a line of box vans behind him. "He's failed is what's happened. He tried to take them away before the brakes had been taken off and blew his fuses." Scapa stared for a moment. Then he chuckled heartily.
"That'll show the Other Railway what happens when they try to show how "modern" they are ha, ha, ha! But in all seriousness I'll take him on, where was he going?" Scapa asked. "Kellsthorpe Road," replied the stationmaster before the telephone in his office suddenly rang. "Excuse me," he said, and disappeared into the station building. As he did so, Scapa puffed over the points and shunted his own train into the siding.
Changing tracks, he coupled up the failed diesel and brought him and the vans into the platform. No sooner had he done this did the stationmaster come out again looking clearly agitated. "What's happened now?" Scapa's fireman asked. The stationmaster sighed. "I've just had word that another one of those new diesel's has failed further up the line near the Cronk signal box. Can you head up there and see what you can do please?"
"A chance to see if it's that rolling slag heap 199 and never let him hear the end of it?" asked Scapa before chuckling. Heh, heh you've got yourself a deal." He glanced back at 56136. "Come on you. If you want to hold on to any potential shred of dignity that you have left, now is the time to do it." 56136 looked down at his buffers before looking back up at Scapa. "Yes," he said at last. "We can't allow the line to be blocked."
Hearing that answer was all Scapa wanted and he puffed out of the station pulling the Class 56 along behind him as he headed down the mainline to try and make the best of the situation that had been described to him. As he did so, 7101 suddenly rushed past in the same direction with a passenger train. "Well, he's in a hurry and no mistake," the driver said. "Hmm, perhaps a little too much," said Scapa.
"What do you mean?" his driver asked. "Didn't you hear the noise he was making? Something's wrong with him and I have an inkling as to what it might be," the 7F replied as they passed through the platform Cronk and eventually Kildane. Scapa could feel the creaking and groaning of his joints and pipes as he puffed on. "Come on, Scapa," he said to himself. "You can do this." Though he hoped he wouldn't have to go much further before being able to have a rest.
"Hey, hey, Spamcan, look," chuckled Henry. "There's one of those little pals of yours." 7101 pulled the Kyndley Limited that day. He rushed past with a growl and a roar, but was too busy to notice 199's awkward situation. He was having troubles of his own. His coaches seemed to be getting heavier. He roared loudly and pulled hard, but it did no good. Henry, Adam and 199 watched interestedly as the Kyndley Limited slowed to a grinding halt about half-a-mile from the signal box.
"Goodness me," sighed Henry with sarcastic sympathy, "two diesels out for the count in one day. Whoever would've thought it?" "Heh, heh, heh! Neither of them clearly," added Adam with a chuckle. "It's like an 'orrible nightmare come true," said the signalman in agreement, "for the Other Railway that is." "Hmm... we'd better go and see what happened to that one," quizzed Henry's driver, and he and Adam's fireman walked along the ballast towards the static passenger train, but not before they told their fellow railwaymen to move Henry and Adam's reversers back into neutral, restoring the green and red engines' autonomous abilities.
What had happened was this: 7101's ejector had failed, meaning that air had leaked into the train's brakes and put them on hard! 7101's brakes were already "leaking on" while he passed Henry, Adam and 199. As such he had, as already mentioned, struggled on for half a mile before being brought to standstill, growling furiously, unable to move a wheel, though no amount of the former was going to move the now wheel-locked coaches.
The driver and fireman, after hearing this from 7101's driver, soon returned with the bad news and began to explain the situation to the rest of the bemused onlookers. "Well," sighed the driver, "that certainly tells it. His ejector's gone, there's no chance that he'll be able to move those coaches on his own at any rate," he said grimly.
"I can't have two trains blocking the mainline!" gawked the signalman incredulously. He then turned to Henry and Adam who had been listening to conversation with interest. "You'll have to shift him, No. 3 and No. 2. You two are the only reliable things we have left on section!" "Ohh, well, well, well," Henry's driver said in amusement, leaning on his engines' buffer. "Did you hear what the signalman said, Henry and Adam old boys?"
Henry and Adam laughed together. "And I thought they'd be laughing and sneering at us, and now the joke's on them! Ha, ha, ha, ha!" Adam's driver, however, began to have his doubts. "Hmm, *tsk*, yeah," he said, leaning an elbow on Adam's side plate while looking a bit nonplussed. "Moving two dead diesels and they're trains though," he pondered. "That's no joke for a pair of failed engines. Do you think you'll both manage it?" he asked.
Both engines thought for a moment, and then smiled. "Hmm... well, we'll give it a jolly good try at any rate," said Henry. "Too right," agreed Adam. "Anyway, 7101's better than that old Spamcan we've got behind us. From what we've heard, he did try and shut him up last night." "I'd thank you to stop with this "Spamcan" claptrap," said 199, speaking up for the first time since being threatened into silence by the signalman and trying to assert himself. "I'm always-"
"Talking out of your exhaust as usual, NOW CAN IT BEFORE I MAKE YOU!" roared a thunderous voice and they all looked to see Scapa puff up alongside them with, to their surprise, a somewhat embarrassed looking 56136 behind him with a mixed goods train. "Blimey," said Adam, "what happened to him." The 7F snorted. "Short circuited his fuses trying to move this lot out of the sidings at Maron while they're brakes were still pinned down," he explained.
"I said I'd take him and the train on before helping him to the works. Guess it's a good thing I did too," he concluded, seeing 199 in silence behind Henry and spotting 7101 up ahead. "What's the sitrep?" "This one's failed," said Adam, glancing back at 199. "And as for the other, his ejector's failed and he can't move the coaches on his own without help." "He passed me a few miles back," replied Scapa. "Something was making a right noise inside his engine room, now I know what it was."
"Well let's get to it then," said Henry and the three engines quickly moved into action. Henry and Adam pulled 199 clear so that Scapa could shunt 56136's vans onto the tankers before moving clear to allow them to shunt the Class 46 back. Uncoupling from him and moving forward they allowed the Class 56 to be coupled up to his fellow locomotive before all three steam engines marshalled themselves in front.
199 groaned. "Helped by tin-kettles, I'll never hear the end of this," he moaned. "Oi! I told you to shut it!" snarled Scapa. Henry's driver laughed before patting the side of the green engine's cab. "Heh, heh, heh, heh! Come on then, you three," he said. "no point in wasting time arguing with him. Can't keep the passengers waiting much longer as it is, eh?"
Despite the situation Henry, Adam and Scapa all silently agreed. "Right. Here goes. GET MOV-ING YOU!" the green engine roared at 199. "MOVE!" shouted Adam and Scapa together. All three engines gave a hearty blast of their whistles and lurched forwards, hauling the sulky diesel into motion ready to start to the rescue! They buffered up gently to the Kyndley Limited and Adam's fireman connected his front brake pipe to the brake coach.
"Well, what'd you know," mused Henry's driver, "it's better than we thought you three old fellows. The front diesel, 7101, can keep pulling if we keep the brakes open for 'im. So the only weight we're actually carrying is 56136 and Spamcan's goods." All three engines let out a winded sigh. "Oh, thank goodness for that," gasped Henry and the others agreed.
At the head of the express, 7101 tooted his horn loudly. "Are you ready back there?" he called. "Yes we are!" Adam called back. Scapa chuckled and glanced back behind him. "Heh, heh. What about you, Spamcan?" he asked jokingly. "Don't... even... speak... to... me..." 199 growled back while 56136 mouthed a "yes" in silent response.
At the front, 7101 growled loudly and hauled the train forwards.
Adam, Henry and Scapa puffed gamely in the middle.
And 56136 and "Spamcan" and the box vans and oil tankers followed on meekly behind.
Once they were all moving at a steady pace, the long cavalcade all set out towards Kellsthorpe Road.
Duck was shunting in the yards at the station while Donald, RJ and Flying Scotsman waited patiently for the informed cavalcade to arrive. Soon, around the bend, came first 7101, then the coaches, Adam, Henry and Scapa, and finally 56136, 199 and their goods trains! The three engines cheered as the strange train pulled into the platform, while Henry shot a cheeky wink at an utterly speechless Duck while Adam and Scapa grinned, tired, but triumphant.
"Ah, brilliant, here they are," observed Flying Scotsman. "Good show you three!" called RJ. "Aye, well dun!" cheered Donald. "That'll show 'em who's in charge, eh, man! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!" "Well, 7101 did well too," panted Henry. "He saved a lot of weight and effort off our buffers." "Which is more than can be said for that wretched Spamcan we towed all the way here," added Adam.
As soon as the train came to a complete stop, however, the triumphant moment was almost marred by a swarm of angry passengers on the platform like aggravated bees, who were most upset about the horrendous delay. Luckily, before anything could get out of hand, the Fat Controller, who'd been on the Kyndley Limited unbeknownst to any of the engines, climbed onto a luggage trolley and addressed the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I do apologise profusely for the delay," he called. "There has been the result of technical faults with the three diesels that we have hired in from another region. However, I think that we can all take pride-" the passengers grumbling grew louder and the Fat Controller had to repeat himself to make sure he was heard.
"We can all take pride in the fact that Henry, Adam and Scapa, who've and who're currently all suffering from technical faults themselves, managed to get us here, safely, despite their own difficult circumstances!" The three engines beamed. "They have the maturity to understand that they can't solve problems just by dithering next to a signal box and begging for a fitter to come and mend them on the spot!" put in 7101.
"And that, Spamcan m'dear, isn't what real engines do when in doubt!" added 56136. "Oh that's right, rub salt in my wounds," moaned 199 miserably. "Fitter? FITTTTTTTEEEEEEER?!" "Adam, Henry and Scapa," the Fat Controller called over 199's wails. "Are all Enterprising Engines, and we're lucky to have them!" After hearing such a speech, a rapturous applause erupted for Adam, Henry and Scapa and their passengers took their photographs.
While the Fat Controller began rearranging the trains. "What should we do with Spamcan- Uh I mean 199, sir?" Henry asked the Fat Controller. "Donald and RJ can take him back to the Other Railway with the goods. 7101 can make way for Flying Scotsman instead." "Very good, sir," said Flying Scotsman. "Donald, RJ and I will give these two a valuable lesson on how trains should be handled! Ahh, this'll show our former controllers on the "Other" Railway," he said proudly.
"I'd rather see my fitter first," said 199 bluntly. "You'll see nothing but the back-end of my tender for the duration," ground out RJ. "So we suggest ye SHUT UP, and PUT UP!" ordered Donald. Duck pulled the still whining diesel and his train clear of the platform, allowing Donald and RJ to back down upon 199 and couple up. The Fat Controller watched as the Caledonian and Midland engines' pulled the sulking Class 46 away.
At last though the last few tankers and brake van of his train slowly faded into the distance. "If that's the future, well then I'm glad I'm stuck firmly in the past," he said with determination. Flying Scotsman lit a spark of frenzy among the passengers who clamoured around to take photographs. Had the guard not tactfully "shooed" them into the coaches, the train would have started later than ever!
Eventually, everything died down, and Adam, Henry, Scapa, 7101 and 56136 began making their way to the engine works at Crovan's Gate together. The three steam engines rolled along the line, pushing 7101 ahead of them and pulling 56136 behind them. "We do apologise for last night," ventured 7101. "We're not all like him, you know," added 56136.
"Oh, that's all right," soothed Henry. "You did get "Old Reliable" to shut up after all." "Which is a definite win in my book," agreed Scapa. "Hear, hear," choursed Adam. "Yeah, but we made fools of ourselves today too," put in 56136. At that Adam, Henry and Scapa all looked indignant. "Rubbish! A failed ejector might happen to any engine. Look at us for example: I lost my regulator today."
"My left side brakes are jammed open," said Adam. "And I'm overdue for maintenance," finished Scapa. "You three?!" "All failed?!" exclaimed 7101 and 56136. "And yet..." Their voices trailed away in admiration. "Well," said Henry. "Emergency you know. Trains must get through. We can't let the Fat Controller and the passengers down, can we?" "Uh-uh." "Absolutely not." 7101 and 56136 said nothing more. They had a lot to think about.
And what of 199? Well, they still say that the miserable diesel's voice carry's forth on the wind. As he moans for his fitter. "FITTER?! Where are you?! I'm stuck amongst these kettles! I don't belong in the kitchin of railways! I feel faint! I'm not fit for this! I think I've got steam in my exhaust. They say such horrible things! I was only trying to be their friend! Fitter? FITTTTTTTEEEEEEER?!" "You shut yer trap yer moanin' face git!" snarled Donald. "Upstart nuisance!" RJ grumbled.
The news of the event made headlines when it reached the press the next morning. Henry, Adam and Scapa were shown the front page of the Sodor Tribute. Steam Triumphant ran the headline, and underneath: Yesterday three engines of the famous North Western Railway committed a heroic rescue when they came to the aid of not just one but three failed trains, including the Kyndley Limited, all of which were hauled by diesel locomotives.
Once again the steam engine proves itself to be a veteran that has stood the test of time and as long as places like the Island of Sodor exist, it will always have a place in the history of both this country and around the world. All three engines received no end of congratulations from both their fellow engines, railway staff and visitors that came to the island.
"All in a day's work," Scapa said when a reporter came to interview them. "Besides, like Henry said, emergency you know. Trains must get through you know. And to quote my old commander Sergeant Crond, We can. We will. We did."
"Super Rescue" is based on a real event which happened at Waterloo in April 1967, as acknowledged by Awdry in the introduction, where he states that photographs depicting the incident sent by the mother of a boy named Richard were used as inspiration for at least two of the story's illustrations. As a result, this, and "The Little Old Engine", are the only books that admit that the stories and characters of The Railway Series are fictional.
- Taken from the Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends Wiki.