HENRIETTA AND THE NAUGHTY COAL TRUCK

Loosely inspired from "Busy Going Backwards" by Britt Allcroft, David Mitton and David Maidment

Adapted by Zack Wanzer and Rachel Ravens

On Sodor, it's not just the engines who work their wheels off, but road vehicles too. Poor Algy found this out the hard way when he was trying to make up for lost time, and tried to avoid a pothole, but his wheel landed right into it.

"Bother!" cried the blue bus as a hissing noise shortly followed. Unfortunately for Algy, he had come to a stop near Bulgy's field, where the double-decker bus-turned-hen house glared at him.

"Hmph! What good is a bus if he can't even fight for the revolution?" he snorted.

"It's not my fault I landed in a pothole; the road was slippery!" he retorted. "And the engines work alongside the roadways, not against them."

Algy's driver went to call for Butch and another bus to take the passengers on. As he waited, Algy could hear the hens' clucking; it sounded like taunting to him.

"Oh, be quiet, you feathery things," grunted Bulgy, and Algy couldn't help but give a slight chuckle.

It wasn't long before Butch and Bertie arrived.

"Just as well I'm not too busy on the Ffarquhar branch at the moment," said Bertie. "I can handle both your passengers and mine until you're back on your wheels, Algy."

"Thanks, Bertie," smiled Algy. "I just hope this doesn't take too long; just a popped tire is all. Easily replaced."

"Who are you changing passengers with?" asked Bertie.

"Oliver. He's just down at the next station," replied the blue bus.

Bertie quickly set off while Butch towed Algy back to the garage.

Meanwhile, at Haultraugh, Oliver and Old Slow Coach had received word about Algy's mishap.

"Oh dear!" the Western engine gasped. "I hope he gets better soon."

"It's just a flat tire," Old Slow Coach assured. "Not six flat tyres like Henry from a few years ago, so Duck says. I still can't fully comprehend how that happened."

"Nor can I," agreed Oliver. "That's not something that happens very often to us engines, coaches or trucks."

"Then you two are lucky," came Bertie's voice as he rolled into the road beside the station.

"Hello, Bertie," greeted Oliver and Old Slow Coach.

"How are you doing today?" asked Old Slow Coach. "Any news?"

"Pretty good, and I do have some news, actually," smiled the red bus. "Did you know that Mrs. Kyndley's daughter is getting married in a couple of weeks?"

"She is?" gasped Oliver. "That's wonderful news, Bertie! Give her and her future husband our congratulations."

"I will," said Bertie. "Sophia and Jack look so happy together. It seems love is in the air."

"I wouldn't say it's just between those two," said Old Slow Coach.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Bertie.

Before Old Slow Coach could reply, Douglas came rumbling past with a goods train, and Bertie saw both Oliver and Douglas' faces brighten up when they saw each other.

"I see," said Bertie quietly. "Have they told each other yet?"

"Not from what Toad mentioned," whispered Old Slow Coach. "They just need a little push; not the troublesome truck kind."

"I think I have an idea," said Bertie. "You keep going as you are; I've got to get these passengers down to the next few stations and then I'll be back on the Ffarquhar branch line."

The bus and engine departed, but Oliver was very confused.

"Did one of Sir Topham Hatt's grandchildren get a crush or something, Old Slow Coach?" asked Oliver.

Old Slow Coach just laughed, choosing not to answer that.

Later, Bertie was back at Ffarquhar, and he managed to find Toby and Henrietta there.

"Oliver and Douglas, eh?" said Toby. "Well, I can't say that I didn't see the signs."

"We're together, Toby; it's not hard to take notice," said Henrietta.

"And they haven't told one another," chuckled Toby. "If only we can somehow get them to understand they won't get anywhere unless they spit it out."

"Maybe there is," said Henrietta. "If I ride with Oliver for a train or two, I could try to convince him to get him and Douglas to talk it out."

"Are you sure about this?" asked Toby, sounding a bit unsure about Henrietta's idea.

"I'll be fine, Toby," assured Henrietta. "Besides, it's not the first time I've ridden with another engine."

"There is that," said Toby, "but even then, you were still on this branch line. We're talking about one that runs alongside the coast."

"That does sound lovely," smiled Henrietta. "I promise I'll be back before you know it, Toby."

Toby sighed. "Alright. Just be careful, and if Oliver does something wrong, he's not going to get away with it."

Sir Topham Hatt, though surprised by Henrietta's request, agreed to it, and Henrietta was put onto the Little Western the next day.

"Hello there, Henrietta," said Oliver as he was coupled up to her; Toad was coupled behind. "It's not often we see you down on the Little Western."

"Well, part of my reason for coming here was a change of pace," she explained. "I heard your branch line is beautiful."

"Oh, wait until you see it for real!" chuckled Oliver as they set off.

"Part of the reason, Miss Henrietta?" asked Toad. "Is something wrong? Did you and Mr. Toby get into an argument?"

"Oh, no, nothing like that, Toad," chuckled Henrietta. "But rather, a little red birdie told me about something between Oliver and Douglas."

Toad couldn't help but grin. "Ooh, I see where you're going with this, Miss Henrietta."

Henrietta did have a lovely time seeing all the sights of the branch line.

"That coastal air does feel nice," she smiled. As the trio were passing through, Douglas came on the other track with his goods train, whistling a friendly greeting to Oliver as he did so; Oliver likewise whistled back.

"Losh sakes!" Douglas gasped when he looked at the train. "Tis nae often Henrietta is oan th' branch line."

"Hello to you too, Douglas," the old tramway coach called.

The trio eventually got to the end of the branch line where Oliver had to pick up some trucks.

"Oliver," called Henrietta, "do you mind if I have a word with you before you find the trucks?"

"What did you want to talk to me about?" asked Oliver.

"Well, you and Douglas have been really close since you first met," Henrietta began.

"Of course we have," said Oliver. "I mean, he did save my life. And he managed to teach some trucks a lesson when I was teased thanks to that awful song, and… well… I guess our friendship grew from there." The Western tank engine felt his face growing hot, and not because of the weather.

"Are you sure you're just friends, Oliver?" asked Henrietta. "I mean, it's no secret what the relationship between Toby and I is."

"Oh… you'll only laugh if I tell the truth," sighed Oliver.

"I promise I won't."

Oliver looked over at Henrietta and sighed; she was not one who'd appreciate being lied to, he reckoned. "Okay… I am in love with Douglas. But I haven't told him that."

"I knew it," she said quietly. "Oliver, it's nothing to be ashamed about. We engines, coaches and whatnot may not express love in the same way as, say, Sir Topham and Lady Hatt do, but that doesn't make it any less significant for us."

"I know," replied the tank engine. "But I'm worried that Douglas may not feel the same way."

"You won't know unless you and Douglas talk about it," said Henrietta. "There's no rush; just take it one sleeper at a time."

Oliver smiled. "You've got a point. Thank you, Henrietta." he then went to go and get his trucks. Unfortunately, a few of them had overheard the conversation.

Among those trucks was an orange privately owned wagon by the name of Fred Pelhay. Ever since Scruffey's demise at the buffers of Oliver, Fred had taken up the mantle as ringleader of the troublesome trucks; he was the same truck responsible for Percy's breakaway and one of the trucks Oliver had shoved into the turntable well. Two other trucks, a teal truck named Rickety and a black truck named Old Bennett, were close followers of Fred Pelhay.

"So… Old Ollie has a thing for that Caledonian engine, eh?" said Fred. "Well, you know what they say, lads; losses do bring couples closer together."

"I see where you're going with this, boss," chuckled Rickety, and the plan spread around the yard, though they wisely kept their mouths shut when Oliver marshalled his train together.

"Okay, are you two secure back there, Henrietta and Toad?" called Oliver.

"All ready to go, Mr. Oliver!" the Great Western brake van confirmed.

"I'm good to go too," called Henrietta, and Oliver set off down the line.

The run was rather uneventful at first, save from a few surprised reactions from the engines to see Henrietta on Oliver's train. This was until Oliver reached Gordon's hill.

"Okay, lads," said Fred Pelhay quietly. "Don't forget what Oliver had done to your previous leader; he took away one of us, we'll take away that brake van of his. A life for a life."

"I wonder what the Skarloey engines will think of Henrietta on my train," Oliver said to himself. He snapped out his musings when he heard a crack near the top of the hill.

"Oliver, we have a problem!" cried Henrietta.

"Oh no!" cried Oliver, looking back. "Toad!"

"Mr. Oliver, Miss Henrietta!" Toad called in alarm. "Help!"

"We're coming!" Oliver started to reverse down the hill. "Ugh, where's a turntable when you need one?"

"I'll be your eyes for when we're going downhill," said Henrietta.

"Thank you," sighed Oliver, remembering his days of working with Isabel and Dulcie. "I just hope that Toad doesn't go very far!"

Unfortunately for Toad, he couldn't slow down because his guard had been thrown clear into some bushes.

"Hop on!" called Oliver when he and Henrietta picked him up. "We've got a brake van to rescue!"

"Thank you," he sighed when he climbed into Henrietta, where he was greeted by the concerned passengers.

Meanwhile, the trucks were still surging against Toad as hard as they could.

"On, on!" they cried. "Follow the leader!"

"Help! Save me!"

Suddenly, Toad could see James heading straight towards them with a slow goods train.

"Speeding down the line like a lightning flash, make way for James, hooray for James…" he was humming, before glancing upwards. "EEYOIKES!" Quickly, James applied his brakes to avoid crashing into the runaway Toad and the trucks, but thankfully, a quick-thinking shunter had switched the points… just in time!

"What in the Great Railway was that?!" Then James saw Oliver and Henrietta reversing down the line quickly.

"Sorry, James!" called Oliver. "We had a bit of a breakaway!"

"I can see that," gasped James. "Hey, what's Henrietta doing with you?"

"No time to explain," came the reply from the tramway coach.

The chase continued on, right through to Wellsworth station, where Henry and Edward were waiting with their passengers.

"…and that's when I had to help BoCo find the truck that Bill and Ben hid from him," Edward chuckled to Henry.

"I swear, you two are the only ones who can keep those tank engines in line," Henry laughed. "It's like you're their 'parents' in a way."

Edward felt a bit warm on his face at those words. "I… I guess we are. Engines tend to say that a lot."

Before Henry could say anything else, Toad and his trucks came through. He was then shortly followed by Oliver and Henrietta.

"Stop, you stupid trucks!" snapped Oliver. Thankfully, the trucks had lost the momentum from the hill, and the guard was able to act. He judged his moment, and managed to scramble from Henrietta to Toad, screwing the brakes on hard.

With the squeal of his brakes, Toad and the runaway trucks had managed to come to a gentle stop… just before they hit the level crossing.

"Stopped at last," sighed Toad with relief. The trucks groaned with disappointment at their fun being cut short.

"Toad, are you okay?" asked Oliver.

"Yes, Mr. Oliver," replied the brake van. "Just a bit shaken is all. I may have forward thinking views, but I wasn't expecting to go forwards. How can I? I'm not an engine."

"That was very lucky," called Edward. "Oh, I'd help you up the hill, Oliver, but I've got passengers to deliver."

"Same here," sighed Henry. Just then, Douglas arrived.

"Th' signalman called aboot a runaway train 'n' Ah wis in th' yaird," Douglas panted. "Is everything okay ower 'ere?"

"We are now, Mr. Douglas," Toad confirmed. "Thanks to Mr. Oliver and Miss Henrietta."

"That's a relief," sighed Douglas. "Dae ye need hulp up th' hill?"

"Yes please, Douglas," Oliver replied as he got recoupled to the train. Douglas, having learned from previous experiences, knew to go much more carefully up the hill when banking.

"Thare ye gang, Oliver," smiled Douglas when they successfully reached the top.

"Thanks, Douglas!" Oliver called as he coasted down the other side.

"Ah wonder wha th' ringleader o' this circus is," Douglas asked himself. The Scottish engine later got his answer, when it was his turn to load the empty trucks with ballast.

"I can't believe the plan to take out that brake van didn't work…" muttered Fred to the other trucks.

"Whit did ye say?!" snapped Douglas, looking fiercely at the orange truck.

When Sir Topham Hatt found out about what Fred Pelhay had done, he threw the book at the orange truck hard, but he didn't arrange for him to be scrapped…

"Is that what his new job is?" remarked Oliver when he heard about it from Douglas.

"Aye," replied the Scottish engine. "A disposal bin fur a waste dump oan th' mainland."

"That sounds like he's about to endure a fate worse than scrap," joked Oliver.

"Efter messing wi' Toad lik' that, he deserves it," said Douglas firmly.

"Thanks for finding out the truth, Douglas," smiled Oliver. "I'm sure Toad is as appreciative as I am."

Unknown to the duo, Duck, Old Slow Coach and Donald were watching from where they were about to leave with their trains.

"Oh, come on," groaned Duck. "What's it going to take for them to say it?"

"It's not as easy as it appears," soothed Old Slow Coach. "Just give them time."

"Ah suppose ye'r richt, Auld Slow Coach," said Donald. "C'moan, we'd better gang afore thay ken we're watchin'."

If the trio had to guess, something very dramatic would have to happen before Douglas and Oliver told each other how they felt. Just what… they had no idea.

And what about Old Bennett and Rickety? Well...

"I should be the new leader of the troublesome trucks!" snapped Rickety.

"Whoever heard of a truck with a ridiculous color?" retorted Old Bennett. "I should be the leader!"

"Maybe I should be the leader..." trailed the U.L.P. van. "Please? I think I have some ideas..."

THE END?

Author's Comments

"How could a story with Toby, Oliver, Henrietta, Bertie and Fred Pelhay even work out?" Well, episode twenty-two to Series 5 Redux answers exactly that, being very loosely adapted from Busy Going Backwards! As you can tell by the first sentence, it's also taken inspiration from a Wooden Railway value pack in the early 2000s that featured the exact same characters - it's quite the odd combination, to say the least. For those that don't know, Fred Pelhay is a Railway Series character that appeared in the first illustration of Toad Stands By as one of the trucks who mocked Oliver following his turntable incident. It was also quite interesting writing Henrietta away from Toby (with a good reason for it) and seeing how she interacts with characters from the Ffarquhar line. And yes, her being coupled up between Oliver and Toad was a bit of an homage to The Titfield Thunderbolt with a similar consist.

Upcoming stories:

- Happy Ever After

- Bye George!

- Duncan Gets Spooked

- Rusty and the Boulder