It was a few days after The Island of Sodor had rung in the new year and everyone was now busy and back at work. Oliver and Toad were making their way to Tidmouth Hault, where Sir Topham Hatt was going to make a big announcement.
Over the Christmas break, the controller of the railway had made plans to have the shed at Tidmouth Hault demolished. Duck, Donald and Douglas were sad when they heard that their home was going to be razed, but brightened up once they were informed that some new sheds were going to be constructed in its place.
Robert The Foreman showed The Little Westerners the plans he had drawn up. The new engine shed was going to have four tracks instead of three so Duck, Donald, Douglas and Oliver could live in it together. And next to it would be a two-road shed with tracks going through it for Toad and Old Slow Coach.
Robert: I really hope you lot enjoy your new sheds once they're constructed! Oh, at last; Emily has arrived with the workmen. We better head over to the station and greet them, Sir Topham!
Sir Topham Hatt: Yes indeed!
Robert pinned the blueprints onto a workbench and walked over to the station with Sir Topham Hatt. As they did so, The Little Westerners continued to look at the plans with interest.
Donald: Some very nicely designed pieces of work. I particularly like that our sheds will have doors now.
Douglas: Not to mention a turntable! That'll make things easier for me and you, Donnie.
Oliver: I'm just happy that we'll all be living together from now on. Honestly, this should've happened years ago!
Toad: Agreed, Mr. Oliver. Living at Callan was nice, but it often got lonely with us being stationed away from everyone else.
Duck: Well, you won't feel lonely when we all move into our new sheds, Toad. Speaking of which, do you or Oliver know who's going to live in your original sheds from now on?
Toad: I heard that The Slip Coaches will be occupying that three-road shed I used to stay in.
Oliver: As for who will be moving into my original shed? No idea.
Old Slow Coach: I don't mean to cut the conversation short, everyone. But seeing as Robert and Sir Topham Hatt are walking back here with those workmen, they probably want us to start attending to our duties now.
As indeed they did.
Over the next few days, The Little Westerners were kept very busy. They helped with demolishing the original sheds, they helped with hauling the rubble away and they transported Pack members, workers and materials to the site. Everything was going according to plan...for a while, anyway.
The excitement of getting new sheds certainly put more spin in their wheels, but helping out with the construction as well as carrying out their usual branch line duties made that spin dwindle rapidly as the days went by. They felt overworked and constantly ran behind schedule.
Other engines would be tasked with ensuring Duck's Branch Line still ran as it should, but it wasn't long before they started falling behind on their own work. To remedy this, Sir Topham Hatt started making arrangements for an engine that could help out on The Little Western at all times.
Sir Topham Hatt: Box full of the little engines I use on my map of Sodor? No, don't need that right now. Paint for the little engines I use on my map of Sodor? Nope; don't need that, either. My map of Sodor? Don't need that right now, either...
Andrew: Doesn't that map need updating, Sir Topham? I'm pretty sure you're missing a few places...
Sir Topham Hatt: I've been updating and adding onto the map whenever I've had some spare time, Andrew. These things take a while to complete and maybe if you were the controller of a railway, you'd understand that.
Andrew: Hey, I was just asking.
Sir Topham Hatt: And I was just clarifying. Oh, there it is! Could you please hand me that black book over there, Andrew? There should be a phone number to an engine workshop or two inside it.
Andrew handed Sir Topham Hatt the book, taking another glimpse at the map as he did so.
Andrew: Huh. So that's how the engines enter Brendam Docks from either side…
A few days later, Oliver and Toad were taking one of the final two consists of rubble-filled cars to Whiff's Waste Dump. They were then scheduled to come back and get the second line of cars, but before setting off, they were pleasantly surprised to hear that another engine had done so for them a few hours earlier.
They were pleased to have a decreased workload, but when they got to the Waste Dump, Oliver and Toad saw someone whose workload had only increased. Scruff was rushing back and forth across the Dump, moving empty cars towards the cranes and garbage crushers and angrily biffing full cars into sidings.
Scruff: I'm not in the mood today, you grungy lot. Just stay where I put you and shut up!
Oliver: Erm...hello, Scruff. I have some cars of rubble for you to shunt.
Scruff rolled his eyes and groaned as he stopped to take on water.
Scruff: Oh, great...
Toad: What's the matter, Mr. Scruff? I thought you liked shunting.
Scruff: I do, Toad. Sorry; it's just that another engine brought in some rubble earlier today. And afterwards, he offered to help me arrange his cars in the sidings. And since Whiff was and still is out collecting garbage, I accepted his help...like a fool.
Toad: Like a fool?
Scruff: Well, I wouldn't be all puffed out trying to get all of this work done on my own if he actually helped me, now would I? He broke down shunting one car of rubble! One! Some help he was! And after he was fixed, he just sped out of here without saying a word to anyone. And if he did say anything, I wasn't able to hear it over these clanking noises he started making!
Oliver: Oh dear. Well, if you want, Scruff, I can help you with all this shunting.
Scruff: Could you really? Oh, thanks, Oliver.
Oliver parked Toad in a siding and proceeded to help Scruff with his shunting. It was dusty, dirty work that took a long time, but the boxy green engine was very grateful for the help.
After Oliver had finished, he and Toad hurried to The Warehouse and picked up a train of building supplies. After collecting them, they made their way back to Tidmouth Hault. But their journey briefly ended as they were passing through Henry's Forest. Oliver saw a guard waving a red flag near The Tall Pine Tree and stopped upon seeing her.
Oliver: What's the matter, ma'am?
The guard pointed towards a stranded engine and his consist.
Guard: This engine broke down and we need help getting him and his train over to Tidmouth Hault.
Toad: Huh, what a coincidence: Mr. Oliver and I were just heading over there ourselves. We'd be happy to help!
The guard climbed back into her brake van and Oliver puffed alongside the broken-down engine: a tank engine that neither he nor Toad had ever seen before. He had four wheels, was painted dark gray with red lining and his face showed such discomfort and frustration.
Oliver: Hello there. Is something the matter?
Gray Engine: Yes. My firebars collapsed as I was pulling these cement cars and now I've lost all of my fire. Ugh, why did I ever think that today was going to be different from any other day? First I break down shunting a car of rubble into a siding and now this!
Oliver: So it was you who took some of my cars of rubble and it was you that broke down helping Scruff!
The gray engine just looked down at his buffers and said nothing.
Toad: Never mind that, Mr. Oliver. Let's just help this engine and his train over to Tidmouth Hault.
The gray engine put on a brave smile as the arrangements were made. Oliver was switched onto his line, he reversed his train towards the gray engine and the guard coupled him up to Toad. With a great heave, Oliver got both trains moving once again. To his relief, the job got easier as the gray engine's crew did what they could to rebuild his fire.
Oliver: Sorry if I sounded upset earlier. I didn't think I would be meeting you this soon and in this way. Erm, you are the engine Sir Topham Hatt got to help out on The Little Western for the time being, right?
Gray Engine: Yep, that's me. And no need to apologize; I'm more than used to this sort of thing happening.
Oliver: More than used to breaking down or more than used to hearing others sound like they're upset with you?
Gray Engine: Yes.
Oliver: Hmm. Anyway, I think proper introductions are in order. My name's Oliver.
Toad: And my name is Toad! What's your name, potential new friend?
Gray Engine: Barry. I named myself after the scrapyard I used to shunt cars at. Odd choice, I know, but I always thought Barry had a nice ring to it. That and I wasn't going to accept the identity that the owner of the engine workshop I later went to gave me...even if I was the one that insisted all the engines there got some kind of identity in the first place…
Oliver: Wait, really?
Barry: Oh, yes! He'd always leave the naming and numbering processes to those that came to buy an engine. He never bothered doing it himself and this upset me and the other workshop engines. So I'd ask the owner on their behalf if he'd change his mind on the matter, which then gave them the courage to start asking him themselves...but to no avail. He preferred giving us nicknames based on our designs, whistle sounds, liveries, that sort of thing. Us engines knew any name and number he'd give us would most likely change once we were purchased, but we also thought having them beforehand helped to give us an identity and some individuality, if you know what I mean.
Toad: I do know what you mean, Mr. Barry. It's just a shame that man insisted on giving you and those other engines nicknames and nothing else.
Barry: Yeah; it got annoying really quickly. And whenever he wouldn't call me Barry, I refused to do the odd jobs I was assigned. It made him very cross, but I didn't care. I did care that he still insisted on giving me and my friends nicknames, though. But thankfully, that all came to a stop.
Toad: Oh? How did that happen?
Barry: Ok, so we'd often be loaned to other railways whenever a job came up and we were the only engines available. One day, the owner assigned "the big maroon engine at the end of the shed" to pull some coaches. Well, as it turns out, there was a big maroon engine at either end of the shed, but the owner didn't specify or point at which end and which engine he was talking about. And since they lacked names and numbers, confusion and bickering started between the two.
Oliver: Uh, oh…
Barry: The two engines bickered all the way to the station where the coaches were waiting. Then, it happened: both of them rushed towards the coaches at the same time in the hopes of moving them away from the other engine. But all they succeeded in doing was derailing themselves! I think they also jammed some points, if I remember correctly? Anyway, it took ages to rerail them and after that, the owner was forced to properly name or number any engine that came into his workshop so something like this didn't happen again.
Toad: Huh. Sounds like you and your friends all got what you wanted then!
Barry: We did, but...that's when my troubles started. On the day I was to receive my number, me and the other engines were busy boasting to the owner about how our idea would've prevented the accident from happening. And I was so busy laughing and boasting that I didn't watch where I was going and ended up crashing through the back wall of the engine shed!
Oliver: Ouch. Crashing through the back of sheds is never fun...
Barry: You can say that again! Thankfully I wasn't damaged too badly, but as I was being fixed, the owner started yelling and really let everyone know how he felt about me. He yelled at me for pestering him with my idea and getting the other engines to do the same. He yelled at me for damaging the shed. He still yelled and ranted as he took the time to paint the number 13 onto my saddle tank. And I've hated that blasted number ever since!
Toad looked at one side of Barry's saddle tank and then at the other. Sure enough, a number '13' painted in red inside a yellow square was present on either side.
Toad: What's wrong with having the number thirteen, Mr. Barry?
Barry: Don't you know? The number thirteen is bad luck! I was given the number just for that reason and afterwards, I had all sorts of issues: my parts would rattle, making steam took ages; even shunting and pulling trains became a challenge! But the owner didn't care. He'd tell me to stop complaining because my friends now had the names and numbers that they wanted for ages. And since I was the one that helped them gain the courage to speak up on the matter, it seemed suitable that I joined them in having a number along with having a new identity: the unlucky engine...
Toad: Oh, dear. That's quite the story, Mr. Barry. I am sorry that you had to go through all that.
Oliver: As am I. But at least you no longer have to deal with that horrid man, right?
Barry: No, but I also don't see a future on Sodor, either. Goodness knows where I'm going to end up after this job is finished.
Oliver: Well, no matter where you end up after this, there's always time for a fresh start and to make things better for yourself. Once we deliver our consists, I'll show you just what I mean!
After delivering their trains to Tidmouth Hault, Oliver took Barry to the Steamworks so he could receive a new set of firebars. But even after the workmen had finished putting them into place, the gray tank engine still felt crestfallen.
Kevin: There you go, Barry! It took a while to remove your old firebars because they were all rusted and brittle, but you officially have a new set!
Victor: How do you feel now, my friend?
Barry wasn't sure what to say at first, but as the workmen lit a new fire, the warmth slowly spreading through his boiler not only brightened his firebox, but also his spirits.
Barry: Wow, I...I haven't had a fire burn this nicely in ages, Victor. Thank you so much.
Victor: It's no problem at all. Now then, I've heard about this unlucky streak of yours and how it's done nothing but make you feel upset and frustrated. But hopefully, you're now one wheelturn closer to being rid of them forever.
Barry: Hopefully…
Just then, Oliver came back from filling up on coal from the nearby hopper.
Oliver: Hello, Barry! I take it that you have new firebars now?
Barry: Sure do, Oliver! I even got a new coat of paint as well! If only every railway had a repair yard as good as the Steamworks.
Oliver: Victor, Kevin and the workmen here are masters at what they do. Now then, what do you say about going back to Duck's Branch Line and assisting with building those new sheds at last? It might even be something else to help take your mind off you-know-what!
Barry: Ah, yes; right! Of course.
And with that, Barry and Oliver left the Steamworks and made their way back to Tidmouth Hault.
When they returned, Oliver introduced Barry to the other Little Westerners, all of whom gave him a warm welcome. They were also aware of Barry's unlucky streak, but they decided it was best to not bring it up and to focus on their work.
Even so, Barry was very careful and did his best to not break down or cause any unlucky mishap as he helped to further the progress of the new sheds' build. With his help, the work was approaching its end ahead of schedule and no one had run into any trouble aside from the occasional coupling snap, case of boiler ache or a delay due to a faulty signal.
Donald: And even then, those are just small mishaps that could happen to anyone!
Barry: You're right, Donald. In fact, I've never known my unlucky streak to affect those around me or something like a turntable or a signal or whatever. It would only affect me...and I've been fine all the time we've been working together!
Douglas: So...is it safe to say that your unlucky streak is gone, Barry?
Barry: I suppose so, Douglas!
Old Slow Coach: Maybe you didn't have an unlucky streak to begin with! It was all probably just a bad feeling in your smokebox!
Barry, Old Slow Coach and The Scottish Twins cheered in delight. But little did they know that all of their celebrating would end up being very ill-timed...
At last, after many weeks of hard work, the new sheds were finally built! And while they still needed to be painted and the turntable still needed to be installed, Sir Topham Hatt was so pleased with Barry's work that he allowed him to do other jobs around the island.
Sir Topham Hatt: Everyone has been telling me that your work here has been praiseworthy and that any unlucky event that happened was only a slight inconvenience. I think allowing you to help more of my engines would be a very fitting reward. What do you say, Barry?
Barry: Oh, yes, sir; thank you, sir!
Duck: In that case, you can take these empty coaches to Great Waterton while I get the new turntable.
Barry: Ok then, Duck.
So Duck shunted the coaches behind Barry and he was coupled up.
Barry: See you soon, everyone! I won't let you down!
But that was easier said than done. The journey started well as Barry and Duck traveled along the line. Once they passed through Wellsworth, Duck puffed onto the tracks that led to Brendam Docks while Barry continued straight ahead towards Great Waterton, where things slowly and literally took a turn for the worst...
First, Barry was switched off The Main Line and onto The Loop Line that started after Maron. He was still going the right way, but being diverted onto this line made him very late indeed.
Barry: Ah, well. Being diverted onto the wrong line could happen to any engine. It's just one of those small mishaps like the ones Donald was talking about. I'll be fine from now on, I'm sure!
But Barry was wrong. More mishaps occurred as the day went on.
One of Barry's siderods came loose when he delivered a new sign to Ted's Garage. He burst his safety valve while taking Tom Tipper's van from the Garage to The Mail Depot near Kellsthorpe Road Station.
He even snapped his own coupling when he was taking Mr. Fergus Duncan back to Arlesburgh West after he returned from his trip to The Mainland!
Barry: Bother! I was doing so well with avoiding being unlucky! This day can't possibly get any worse.
But it could. And it did. More engines and people were becoming aware of Barry and his mishaps. Some found great joy in teasing him while others called him a hindrance and demanded that he get out of their way.
Feeling defeated, Barry sadly returned to Tidmouth Hault. Not even the sight of Harvey helping the workers install the new turntable cheered him up. Nor did the test runs that were being carried out to make sure it was working properly.
Andrew: Ok...it's turning fine without an engine on it. Now let's test it with an engine on it. How about you, Barry? I think you could use some cheering up after...everything that's happened...
Barry was excited to be the first engine to use the new turntable! He puffed onto it, Andrew pulled the lever and the turntable began to rotate once again. But no sooner had it began its rotation than it made an unpleasant grinding noise before stopping altogether. Barry was now trapped with no way to get off it!
Andrew: Oops...I don't think that was meant to happen…
Workman: No indeed...
Barry: No indeed...I guess my unlucky streak can affect things like a turntable...bother!
Andrew and the workers wasted no time trying to fix the turntable. As this was happening, Emily puffed in with flatbeds of paint cans.
Emily: And here is the paint for the sheds and the turntable. Oh, hello there! Don't think I've ever seen you before.
Barry: That doesn't surprise me, considering I've barely left The Little Western before today. I'm Barry.
Emily: And I'm Emily. Yeah, I've heard about some new engine helping out with building these new sheds, but I never thought I'd meet him for myself. Good work, Barry.
Barry: Thanks, Emily. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if Sir Topham Hatt decides to send me away because of my unlucky streak and all of the jinxed things that happen to me.
Barry told Emily about some of the unlucky things that had happened to him; both on and off Sodor.
Barry: I'm telling you; it's because of my number 13. It's an unlucky number and things have been going wrong for me ever since I received it. Literally what else could be the cause?
Emily: At least you have a number. I've been on Sodor for years and I still don't have one, even after Nia gave Sir Topham Hatt the idea to assign numbers to the engines that don't have one yet. But I wouldn't be surprised if he forgot about that by now...
Barry: Well, if he does end up going through with those plans, you're welcome to have my number 13, Emily. I'd like to do something that actually helps someone before I inevitably leave Sodor.
Emily scoffed as she shunted her flatbeds of paint into a siding.
Emily: Stop talking like that, Barry! I've heard from The Little Westerners that you were a big help finishing their new sheds. If you weren't here, they'd still be rushed off their wheels trying to get this job done.
Barry: Well...yes, that is true.
Emily: And I wouldn't have known about this unlucky streak of yours if I hadn't heard you or the others talk about it. I don't think any of that good luck/bad luck nonsense is real, but even if it was, you haven't let it stop you, right?
Barry: Well...no.
Emily: Exactly. I know engines that haven't broken down in ages that make a fuss over the smallest inconveniences. But from what I've heard, you've continued to power through your work despite everything you've been through. And that's something to be proud of.
Barry: Heh...yeah, it is, isn't it? Thanks, Emily. I really needed to hear that.
Emily: All the same, if you still want to get rid of your number, that's more than ok with me. And I think anyone else would also support you in that decision.
Later, Douglas brought Jerome and Judy so they could lift Barry off the turntable. He was elated about being freed and after thanking the cranes for their help, he asked the workmen if they could paint over his number.
Workman: We'd be happy to, Barry...if we had any dark gray paint...which we don't…
Barry: Oh...wait; I saw Captain Joe giving the bollards and ships at Alresburgh Harbor new coats of paint a couple of days ago. We could go and ask him if he has any paint in my color!
Andrew: Good idea, Barry!
So Andrew went with Barry to Alresburgh Harbor to see if Captain Joe had any dark gray paint to spare. He didn't, but he did have black and white paint, which he mixed until he made Barry's gray. He then started preparing the undercoat paint while Andrew prepared to scrape off Barry's number '13'. But before he could scrape off any amount of paint, he, Barry and Captain Joe heard an extraordinary noise!
Barry: That sounds like a guard's whistle...but we haven't a guard!
Andrew: We don't, but that runaway sure does!
Everyone looked. Ten fully loaded stone cars from Ffarquhar Quarry had broken away from Ryan on Harwick Hill and shot past Captain Joe, Andrew and Barry at a frightening speed! The brake van's brakes had come on with a groan half a mile back, but they were useless against loaded, surging cars!
Captain Joe: Well, that's not good…
Andrew: Sure isn't!
Andrew quickly ran back into Barry's cab.
Andrew: C'mon, Barry; we have to stop that runaway!
Barry pumped his pistons and raced out of Arlesburgh Harbor while Captain Joe ran into the maritime museum to alert as many stationmasters and signalmen as he could about the incoming danger.
The stone cars continued to soar down the line at an ever-increasing speed, but Barry and Andrew were determined to catch up with them! Barry was going so fast that some of his parts began to rattle and clank again, but he didn't dare stop or allow those sounds to distract him from what he was doing.
At last, after what seemed like hours of endless chasing, Andrew and Barry caught up with the runaway train and as they passed through Alresburgh, they overtook it! All that needed to be done now was to stop it.
At Arlesburgh West, Emily was dropping off some cars when Barry raced in on the track that ran underneath the ballast chute.
Emily: Oh, hello again, Barry. Wait, why do you still have your number?
Barry: Never mind that! There's a runaway coming and I'm going to need your help bringing it to a standstill.
Rex, who was on top of the ballast chute, gasped as he saw the stone cars racing into view!
Rex: You two better hurry! I can see that runaway coming now!
Emily left her cars in a nearby siding and raced onto Barry's line so quickly that she was now in front of him. The two reversed down the line as fast as they could until, eventually, the runaway caught up with them! The cars bumped Emily's buffers with such force that she was almost thrown off the rails! But she regained her composure and, with Barry's help, did anything they could to slow the train down.
From joining the brake van in keeping their brakes on to pushing all of their weight against the cars, it was very tiresome work that didn't seem to be letting up. Everyone they sped past could only watch in horror and hope that the runaway would be stopped!
At last, Barry and Emily could feel the cars slowing down. The runaway became much easier to control with every wheel turn.
Barry: We're doing it, we're doing it!
Emily: The worst is over…the worst is over...
But Emily was wrong. The worst wasn't over. She and Barry were slowing down, but they weren't slowing down enough to bring the cars safely to a complete stop!
Still keeping their brakes on, Emily and Barry screeched noisily into Tidmouth Hault Yard. They swerved through Old Slow Coach and Toad's new shed and they didn't stop until - CRASH! - Barry landed bunker first in the new turntable well and Emily's tender fell in with him!
Everyone that was nearby looked at the mess in horror. The first five stone cars had derailed, stones were thrown everywhere and the turntable was now in an even worse state than before. But nobody was fussed over any of that. They were more concerned over the safety of the engines, their crews, the guard and Andrew.
The guard had remained in the brake van, but Andrew and the engine crews had jumped clear onto Tidmouth Beach just before the crash. Miraculously, the worst that happened to them was a few sore spots on their bodies and their uniforms were now dirty and torn, but they were still well enough to walk over to the tracks to stop Oliver and Toad, who had been allowed to carry on with their journey after being stopped at Haultraugh.
After climbing into Toad, they all went to Tidmouth Hault, where Judy and Jerome had already started rerailing the cars and the brake van. They then began placing Emily, her tender and Barry onto some well wagons that Belle had brought with her.
Oliver: Barry! Emily! Are you ok?
Emily: Other than some wheel flats and the damage to my brakes and tender, I should be fine. Wait, where's Andrew?
Andrew called out from Toad.
Andrew: I'm here, Emily; don't worry! Your crew is also safe and sound and so is Barry's!
Toad: Speaking of which, what about Mr. Barry?
Emily: Ah, yes; good call, Toad. Uh, Barry; are you alright?
There was no answer.
Oliver: Barry?
Still no answer.
Andrew: Barry? Are you ok?!
But Barry still made no reply, making everyone feel very uneasy as Belle made her way to the Steamworks with the well wagons in tow. The recovery process took a little under an hour to carry out, but it seemed longer to all that had witnessed it.
A few days later, the turntable was mended and The Little Westerners officially moved into their new sheds. But they found it difficult to enjoy the warmth and comfort of their new homes when a cold and tense feeling remained all around them.
Old Slow Coach: Has anyone heard any updates from the Steamworks about Barry or Emily?
Duck: No, and I'm starting to get worried.
Donald: Me too. I didn't expect either of them to be working again in a few days, but you'd think Sir Topham Hatt would, at least, give us an update or two.
Oliver: Especially an update on Barry. All Emily needs is some new paint and parts. Barry though? He'd need a complete overhaul if all the things that have gone wrong with him are anything to go by...
Toad: If that can't help him, then...no, no…Mr. Barry isn't a Sodor engine, but surely Sir Topham Hatt wouldn't even consider doing...y'know...
Douglas: Of course he wouldn't, Toad. All we can do now is hope for the best, it seems...
Talk about Barry continued throughout the night. Then, as the ocean began to settle and the moon and stars shone brightly in the night sky over their new sheds, one by one, The Little Westerners drifted off to sleep…
Next day, as they were out working, The Little Westerners didn't hesitate to ask anyone they met if they had heard any updates on Barry. But everyone else was as in the dark about him as they were. This continued for weeks until, one day, Duck and Ryan asked Neville at Maron if he knew anything.
Neville: Well…now that you mention it, I think I saw a black engine in the Steamworks when I delivered some coal there yesterday...or maybe he was painted dark gray? Either way, I couldn't tell who it was because they were hidden behind some scaffolding and tarps. So I asked Victor if he knew who it was, but I didn't hear everything he told me because Kevin had dropped a pallet of engine parts as he was speaking. But I did hear Victor say something to the effect of "Sir Topham Hatt didn't want to use Barry as an engine ever again." I would've asked Victor to repeat himself, but I was late for my next job, so I ended up leaving the Steamworks pretty quickly without getting the information I wanted to know.
Duck and Ryan's faces went pale once Neville had finished talking.
Duck: Uh oh.
Ryan: Erm, Neville? We have to go.
Duck and Ryan raced nervously out of Maron, leaving a very puzzled Neville behind.
Neville: Erm...goodbye?
A bad feeling began to develop in Ryan and Duck's boilers as they raced to the Steamworks.
Ryan: I hope Sir Topham Hatt hasn't decided to do what I think he has, Duck. Oh, I can't help but feel responsible for all of this. They were my stone cars that broke away and caused the accident, after all.
Duck: Calm down, Ryan. Sir Topham Hatt wouldn't dare scrap an engine and you know that. And the accident wasn't your fault; it was those sorry excuses for stone cars that caused all of this. Still, we need to know what's happened to Barry...
At last, Duck and Ryan made it to the Steamworks. But they were so focused on finding Barry that they didn't realize the transfer table wasn't lined up to the track they were on. If Ryan and Duck had been going any faster, the two of them would've fallen into the transfer table's pit!
Barry: Steady on, you two! We don't need more engines having accidents!
Duck: Sorry, Barry; we just had to find out if Barry is alright!
Barry: Haha; he's doing just fine, Duck!
Ryan: Oh, how would you know? You're not...Barry?
Duck and Ryan looked up and gasped. There, on the test track outside of the Steamworks, was Barry! Only now, he was much bigger, had a tender and his dark gray paintwork was replaced with jet black with red stripes on his boiler. And on his cab and tender were accompanying red and white stripes!
Ryan: Barry? Is that really you?
Barry: Of course it is! So...what do you think?
Duck: I...it's...wow...amazing! You look great, but...I didn't think that accident you had called for a full-on rebuild!
Victor: Well, it did!
Victor chuffed out of the Steamworks with some workmen ready to inspect Barry.
Victor: The workmen and I originally thought all Barry needed was some repair. But as we inspected him, we found that many of his parts were so worn out that a rebuild with bigger components was the only thing that was going to make him truly better. Had we kept Barry as a tank engine, his issues would've continued due to the lack of room for the new sizable parts in his original shape. Overhauling him into a tender engine gave us all the space we needed for the new parts that would make him feel as best as possible.
Barry: Speaking of which, Victor, can I show them now?
Victor: Hmm? Oh, you mean...oh...yes, yes! Of course you can, Barry!
Barry puffed forward so Duck and Ryan could see his new tender better. To their surprise, it sported a number 13 painted in yellow with red lining!
Barry: I didn't know this until I finished my test runs, but it turns out a workman had painted a 13 on my tender, completely oblivious to my feelings on the number. I was about to go ballistic until I realized that nothing had gone wrong as I was being put through my paces!
Duck: Wait, so...does this mean…?
Barry: Yeah, I...I guess I was never unlucky to begin with. And when I thought back to being fixed after crashing through the shed on The Mainland, I remember that our works would reuse a lot of old parts from the scrapyard I named myself after. Coupling that with the workshop owner's negative feelings towards me, I came to the conclusion that all the breakdowns and issues I've had since getting the "13" weren't because I had the number or had bad luck or anything like that. It was because I had been repaired with old, clapped-out parts!
Ryan: Oh. Well, that explains that. But what about your incident with the turntable that I heard from Douglas? Surely it couldn't have jammed because of an old, clapped-out part of yours? And we've already ruled out bad luck being the cause, right?
Barry: Oh, that? Andrew came over the other day and assured me that a turntable or anything that's brand new is sure to jam or stick when they're being used for the first time. It's completely normal; in fact, my new cylinders took a while to loosen up as well. But now? I don't think I'll have any more issues if my test results are anything to go by.
Kevin: And Barry's results were some of the best we've seen in ages! Right, boss?
Victor: Right, Kevin. After all of that, Barry decided to keep wearing the number 13 and, thanks to some convincing from Emily and Andrew, Sir Topham Hatt has decided Barry will join the railway!
Duck: Well, in that case, welcome to the team, Barry! But wait, what about Emily? She was involved in that accident as well.
Kevin: Oh, well, she didn't need a complete rebuild like Barry, but I still think you're going to be impressed with her new look. Come on out, Emily!
Emily chuffed out of the Steamworks with a big grin. She had received new wheels, new brakes, new paint, a brand new Sodor plaque bolted on her wheel arches...and a number '12' painted on her tender.
Ryan: That's new!
Emily: Sure is! After Barry decided to keep his '13', he looked over to my tender as it was being mended and remembered our discussion about numbers and how some engines didn't have one yet. We then told Sir Topham Hatt about it, he remembered Nia suggesting that same idea a while back and he agreed to follow through with it! And now I have a number of my own! I still can't believe this...
Duck: Well, well. What a day for surprises.
Just then, the workmen came back from inspecting Barry.
Workman: Everything looks good so far, Barry. But we'd like to do some more tests just to be on the safe side.
Barry: That sounds very sensible. Well, Duck and Ryan, I better get going. Be sure to tell everyone about my big changes as well as Emily's! I think those on The Little Western are going to be the most pleased to hear this news out of everyone on the island.
Ryan: Yes indeed! Well, see you around, Barry!
As Duck and Ryan went back to work, they told everyone they met about Barry's rebuild and Emily's new number. Everyone was surprised to hear the news and it wasn't too long before engines began lining up in front of the Steamworks just to see Barry in action and to see if the workmen could give numbers to the engines that didn't have one yet.
Billy: Hey, Victor! Can I get a number?
Molly: Yeah, what about me?
Stanley: Yeah, me too?
Victor: Haha, all in good time, my friends! Sir Topham Hatt still needs time to decide on what number to give to which engine!
Scruff: I'm just here to apologize for what I said about Barry when he first came to the island! I didn't know what he was going through; honest!
Barry: Haha, it's ok, Scruff; I forgive you!
When all of Barry's tests were complete, he made his way over to his new home: Oliver's original shed at Callan which had been rebuilt especially for him. A big welcome party was held at the station and Sir Topham Hatt officially declared Barry as one of his engines as workmen bolted a new Sodor plaque onto either side of his cab.
And that night, as Barry rested in his new shed, The Slip Coaches, who had been relocated to Callan as well, would ask all sorts of questions about Barry's life and how he felt when dealing with the runaway. And all three coaches would be left inspired and amazed with every answer he gave them.
Nowadays, you will often see Barry pulling trains along the west coast of Sodor and he sees all that work along this part of the island every day. He loves being near the ocean and sandy beaches, but he is, of course, welcome anywhere on the railway.
And like any engine, things still go wrong for him. But whenever they do, nobody even dares to think that the cause had anything to do with bad luck...