The Modern Railway Series No. 25

GRAND OLD ENGINES

Original stories by Helen Farall & Michael White

Foreword

Dear friends,

During the early days of the railway on Sodor, the coffeepot engines ran the branch lines. Most of them have unfortunately been scrapped, except one that's been hidden in many sidings over the years. It was eventually restored, and labelled a national attraction to many visitors of Sir Robert Norramby's Estate railway. Read these stories and see how it came back to work.

The author

The Christmas coffeepot

It was nearly Christmas, and Marion the railway steam shovel was working on Thomas' branch line. Marion had been sent to clear a disused siding to make room for a new warehouse. She was singing a jolly Christmas tune to herself, as she dug up the overgrown branches and leaves. But when her shovel moved towards a pair of trees, a voice came from behind them. "Be careful! You nearly hit me!" Marion yelped with fright and raced out of the siding. "I can't believe I almost dug up a talking tree!... no, Marion. You must have imagined that voice." Marion crept back to the siding. "I'm not really a talking tree!" came the voice. "I'm so sorry I nearly hit you, Mr. Tree!" replied Marion hastily. "But this is a really wondrous, magical thing! I've never met a talking tree before, let alone a talking CHRISTMAS tree before!" Marion didn't know, that there was something hidden behind what she thought was a talking tree.

Later, Thomas pulled up at Dryaw station with Annie and Clarabel, when Marion came up to him. She told him all about the talking tree. Annie and Clarabel didn't believe her. "Come with me and I'll show you myself!" said Marion. "I'm sorry, Marion, but we have passengers to deliver," said Thomas. As Thomas left the station, Toby arrived with Henrietta. Marion told them about the talking tree, and they didn't believe her either. Marion went sadly back to the disused siding.

Later at Knapford, everyone was talking about Marion. "Do you think Marion really saw a talking Christmas tree?" asked Percy. "Marion does like to tell stories, Percy," said Toby. "She could be making it up." Thomas' train wasn't due for an hour, so he decided to go and see for himself.

Thomas' driver and fireman cleared away the branches and suddenly, Thomas saw what Marion had found. "You're the coffeepot engine I replaced all those years ago!" exclaimed Thomas. "But you were on a siding near Ffarquhar station last time I saw you." "I was shunted here, there and everywhere before everyone finally forgot about me." "I'm sorry I forgot you, uhh," began Thomas. "Glynn," smiled the old engine. "My name's Glynn. How are you doing on my old branch line?" "Very well!" said Thomas. Then, Percy arrived. Thomas introduced Percy to Glynn, and Percy told Thomas that Marion was bringing the Fat Controller to the siding that very moment. Glynn looked worried. "Once he sees I'm in the way on these sidings, then he'll have to move me again. Oh, to the scrapyard I expect…" "No! He can't do that!" protested Percy. Thomas decided that they should hide Glynn away from the siding.

So Thomas and Percy hid Glynn in an old shed in the shunting yard. And when Marion came to the siding with the Fat Controller, her talking tree was nowhere to be found.

That night, Thomas and Percy were talking about Glynn. "Do you really think an old engine like Glynn can be really useful?" asked Thomas. "Well, I think so," replied Percy. "Stephen's a very old engine, and he's still working up at Ulfstead Castle!" Then, Thomas perked up. "Percy, you're brilliant!" "I am?" asked Percy feeling confused.

The next morning, Thomas came back to see Glynn, and he had brought someone with him. "Oh, Thomas, you were right!" exclaimed the Earl as he stepped out of his cab. "This is a very special engine indeed!"

The Earl soon had arranged for Glynn to be taken to the Sodor Steamworks to be restored. Then, there was the Fat Controller. Thomas and Percy gasped, and Glynn sighed as they waited for the news to come. But the Fat Controller said that it was a marvellous idea to have Glynn restored, and praised Thomas and Percy for rediscovering him. "So you're not going to scrap Mr. Coffeepot after all?" squealed Percy. "Of course not, Percy," laughed the Fat Controller. "And, when you're fully restored and ready, Glynn, I hope you'll be happy to take me to the Earl's Christmas party." Glynn was relieved, and delighted. "Of course, sir! It'll be just like old times!"

So on Christmas Eve, Glynn took the Fat Controller up to Ulfstead castle. Glynn spotted Marion at the platform. He greeted himself to her, but Marion thought the voice came from a Christmas tree right in front of her. "I didn't recognize you with all those lovely decorations!" she exclaimed, and didn't notice the coffeepot engine at all. Glynn arrived inside the castle, where the Earl welcomed him. "Welcome, Glynn! And thank you, Thomas and Percy, for rescuing our Christmas coffeepot. Another engine working here at the castle is the best present I could have wished for! Merry Christmas for one and all!" "Merry Christmas!" chanted the engines and they all cheered and whistled.

Over the hill

On a winter day, not long after his restoration, Glynn the coffeepot engine whistled with excitement. "Wake up, Stephen! It's a lovely morning!" "Is it?" yawned Stephen. The Earl was glad to see Glynn up and early. He gave him a proper guide of the castle grounds, since it was closed from public. Stephen hurried after them. "It certainly is thrilling to have you here at the castle, Glynn. You really are a marvellous engine!" said the Earl. "Thank you, sir!" replied Glynn. Stephen couldn't help but feel jealous of the attention Glynn was given. Before Glynn had arrived, Stephen had felt like the king of the castle. But now he had felt like he lost his crown.

Stephen tried impressing Glynn. "I was one of the first engines ever built. The other engines built after me used my design." Glynn wasn't aware of how Stephen felt. "This is why they called me the Rocket!" exclaimed Stephen as he rushed through the tunnel and back out again as fast as he could. But Stephen still began to wonder whether the Earl liked Glynn better than him.

The Earl stepped out of Glynn at the station platform and told him he had a special plan when the Castle gets reopened in the new year. "I wonder what he means, Millie," said Glynn. "I think the Earl is finally opening a railway museum!" replied Millie. "Great idea!" chipped in Stephen as he joined them. "I'll do the tours. You can do the teas and coffees, Glynn." "Perhaps it will be Glynn doing the tours, Stephen, while you become an exhibit in the museum," teased Millie. "You are the world-famous rocket after all."

Stephen began boasting about his reign hill races back in his old days. And when Glynn complimented him and called him a celebrity, Stephen groaned with annoyance. "Are you okay?" asked Glynn. "I'm okay. I'm the Rocket!" said Stephen. "But this castle isn't big enough for the both of us, Glynn. It's time to find out just how fast you really are!" Stephen challenged Glynn to a race to Knapford station. The winner got to work at the castle, and the loser would become an exhibit in the railway museum. Glynn was hesitant at first, but when Stephen mocked him for being scared, Glynn accepted instantly.

Stephen and Glynn positioned themselves for the race as the drawbridge got lowered. "Ready, set," called Millie, and then she blew her whistle. The two old engines began to race. Very slowly. Stephen caught the lead as they left the castle grounds. "I think I'd better find the Earl," thought Millie.

Stephen couldn't speed ahead, and Glynn couldn't overtake him on the single track. Finally, they made it onto the main line, and went onto two separate tracks. But they were still travelling at exactly the same slow speed. "Of course, people took railways for granted these days," said Glynn. "They don't realize how much rail travel has opened up the world," agreed Stephen.

"Express coming through!" came a voice from behind them. "Come on, old-timers!" came another voice. "Some of us have got work to do!" Stephen and Glynn had been racing on the tracks in front of Gordon and James. The two tender engines had to slow down behind them both. "Stephen, get out of my way!" demanded Gordon. "Show some respect for your elders!" snapped Glynn. "Sorry, Gordon. We're racing!" said Stephen. "You call that a race?" retorted Gordon. "I was winning races before you were even a sketch on a drawing board, young Gordon!" laughed Stephen. "Oh, good one, Stephen," chuckled Glynn. "Would you like a glass of milk with that, young Gordon?" The two engines laughed themselves hoarse.

Before long, everyone had heard about Stephen and Glynn's race and wanted to see it for themselves. They were enjoying themselves. At last, they arrived at Knapford station, when who should they run into, but the Fat Controller! "Well, you two have certainly caused more confusion and delay than I've seen for many years, and I don't usually approve of racing. Especially on the main line." Stephen and Glynn felt terrible.

They began to own up for their race, but were interrupted when the Earl came to Knapford station. "Actually I think I'm partly to blame," he called. "Millie explained everything, but I'm glad to see you two have finally made friends. Did anyone actually win the race?" "No, sir," said Glynn. "We came in together," added Stephen. "Oh, that's marvellous!" replied the Earl. "Especially since you'll be working together at the castle!" "Together?" repeated Stephen. "But I thought," "I am going to open a railway museum, Stephen," said the Earl. "And my star attraction will be both of you!" Stephen and Glynn both felt proud. "I agree with Sir Topham Hatt about not racing on the main line," continued the Earl. "But if we were to hold a race elsewhere, perhaps we could have a classic engine race every year!" All the engines agreed, and they whistled together with joy and pride.

Heart of gold

The Earl had asked Toby to help out at Ulfstead Castle. Diesel passed by as Toby entered the castle grounds. "Hello, Toby!" he sneered. "You're so old-fashioned, you look like you belong in a museum! Are you here to be put on display?" Toby paid no attention to Diesel's words. But he asked the Earl what he really wanted him for. "I need you Toby to cover for Stephen while he's at the Steamworks," said the Earl. "Yes, sir!" said Toby. "Oh, giving visitors a tour of the castle grounds is such a fun job, Toby!" said Millie as she shunted some wagons and a brake van at the back of Toby.

Two visitors in particular were staring at Toby. "Is that the engines that's going to take us?" said one of them. "Doesn't even look like an engine," said the other as they boarded the train. "You're right, he looks like he belongs in a museum," laughed the first passenger. Toby couldn't help but feel upset. "Don't take any notice of them," assured Millie. "They've probably never seen a steam tram before! They won't be worrying what you look like once they see how useful you are." Toby felt better hearing this, and he went off to give the passengers their tour.

The visitors enjoyed the tour Toby had given them. But the two passengers still criticized Toby. "Don't see many of those, these days," said the first passenger as they noticed an old pump trolley. "Just about as useless as this old steam shed on wheels." "Nonsense," claimed the other one. "It can still be really useful, for storing my golf clubs in." Toby was shocked and began imagining himself as all sorts of different tools.

"They keep saying I look like a garden shed on wheels," Toby told Glynn and Millie as he joined their sheds that night. "And I am called a coffeepot," laughed Glynn. "But that doesn't matter. It's what you do here at the castle that matters most, Toby, not what you look like." "Glynn's right, Toby," said Millie. "Forget about those passengers and get some rest. Things are bound to look better in the morning." But Toby couldn't stop thinking about what the passengers had said.

Suddenly, he heard a noise from somewhere. "What was that?" gasped Toby. Glynn and Millie were fast asleep. Toby crept forward quietly. He got suspicious when he noticed the old pump trolley on the rails. Then there was a noise of shattering glass, and Toby glanced around him quickly. He spotted a couple of dark figures running across the castle. One of them had King Godred's crown in their hands. "Stop! Thieves!" yelled Toby as he rang his bell as loud as he could. Glynn and Millie woke with a start, and the thieves froze. "Crumbs! We've been rumbled!" muttered one of them. They got on board the pump trolley, and pedalled away as fast as they could. The Earl came out with a lantern. "They've got the crown!" he exclaimed. "I'll stop them, sir!" called Toby as he raced after the thieves and gave chase.

Toby chased the thieves out on the castle grounds. "Stop! Drop that crown!" he bellowed as he pumped his pistons as hard as he could. One of thieves could see that he was gaining on them, so he threw a crowbar at the points, and Toby swerved out of the way. But that didn't stop him. The thieves got far enough from Toby when they switched tracks. Then they changed the points and raced back the other way. Toby had to stop to prevent himself from derailing. "So long, you old shed!" they laughed as they pedalled away from him.

The thieves got off the pump trolley once they were a good distance away from Toby, and ran into the bushes. Suddenly, a light illuminated from behind them, and when they turned around, they saw a dinosaur roar at them. The thieves yelled as they ran out of the bushes and onto the tracks, where they ran into Toby. "Caught you!" he exclaimed as his driver and fireman surrounded them. Millie and Glynn came to the scene as well. "Alright, you villains!" boomed the Earl as he stepped out of Glynn. "Stand and deliver what you have taken!" The thieves humbly accepted their defeat, and handed the crown back to him. "Well done, Toby!" praised the Earl.

The next day, Toby was at the station platform, when the two rude passengers noticed him again. Toby worried that they would criticize him again. But he was surprised when they congratulated him. "If it wasn't for Toby's heroic actions, King Godred's crown would've have been lost!" announced the Earl. "He is indeed a remarkable engine with a heart as golden as this crown!" And everyone cheered for Toby the hero. "It's not every day you meet a hero who looks like a shed on wheels," laughed Millie. Toby felt grand. The passengers apologized for misjudging Toby. And when Diesel made fun of Toby, they defended him in his honour, leaving Diesel at a loss for words!

Runaway engine

It was still early when Millie, the Earl of Sodor's narrow gauge engine arrived at the Blue Mountain quarry. She had come to pick up gravel for the Earl's dinosaur park. "Hello, Millie!" greeted Luke. "The gravel crusher is this way, remember?" "Luke! So good to see you!" exclaimed Millie. "How are things back at the castle?" asked Luke. "Very busy," replied Millie. "Stephen and Glynn are giving tours all day long."

Back at the castle, Stephen and Glynn were getting ready to leave with their passengers. They were competitive against each other, down to their reputations. The Earl informed them about Millie working at the quarry, and gave them instructions. But the two old engines chatted with each other while the Earl spoke. "It's not exactly rocket science now, is it?" whispered Glynn. The two engines laughed. The Earl cleared his throat. "You are listening, are you?" "Oh yes, sir, sorry, sir," said Stephen. "What is it you'd like us to do?" "Glynn, I need you to bring up coal for the fires later today. And Stephen, can you collect the garden waste as soon as possible, please?" said the Earl. "I'll rocket over there right now, sir!" replied Stephen. "Right after this next tour."

But when Millie returned, the garden waste was still at the side of the track, waiting to be moved. "I guess they didn't get to that job yet," thought Millie. She didn't worry about it at first, as she had her own work to do. But when it was still there by late afternoon, she was completely fed up. "I can't believe they left that waste for me to move!" she fumed. "We'll see about that!"

When Stephen came by to collect the garden waste, it was gone. "I guess Glynn moved it. Great fun that coffeepot is!" But Stephen was wrong. He bumped into the garden waste in front of his shed later that night. "Who put that waste here?!" demanded Stephen. "It wasn't me," said Glynn. "It must have been Millie then!" said Stephen. "It's not fair!" Millie came out of her shed. "It wasn't fair to leave it for me when I have so many other jobs to do!" she huffed. "Oh, she's got quite a temper, eh, Glynn?" whispered Stephen and began mimicking Millie's tone. "It wasn't fair to leave it for me!" Millie heard this and furiously left the castle. Stephen felt terrible. He never meant to hurt Millie's feelings. Glynn assured Stephen that it was a simple misunderstanding, and suggested to clean up the garden waste first. "She's bound to calm down soon." "You're right," replied Stephen. "I'll apologize first thing tomorrow!"

But the next morning, Millie was nowhere to be found. "Where could Millie be?" Stephen wondered. Nobody Stephen asked had seen Millie at all. Stephen became more worried, when he had a horrible thought. "What if I upset her so much, that she's run away?!"

Stephen met Glynn back at the station. "Have you and Millie made up yet?" asked Glynn. "Oh, Glynn, I haven't been able to find her!" replied Stephen. "Oh dear, I haven't seen her either," said Glynn. "Oh no! Then that means Millie must have run away!" exclaimed Stephen. And he raced out of the station without letting his passengers get onto the platform.

There weren't many places for Millie to run away, due to being a narrow gauge engine. Stephen searched for her at the Blue Mountain quarry. Then he hurried the long way to Crovan's Gate. But he soon ran out of water and came to a stop in the middle of the line. "Oh no! Now I'm the one in trouble," sighed Stephen. "Who knows how long it will be until I get rescued…"

Then, he heard a laugh, and a whistle. It was Millie with the Earl. "Millie?" gasped Stephen. "I thought you'd run away!" "What on earth made you think that?" laughed Millie. Stephen explained about what he had done wrong, but Millie assured him that she hadn't run away. The Earl sent her to collect a new motor for the turntable. "I did tell you and Glynn yesterday, but you weren't listening," said the Earl. "No, sir, but I'm so relieved you're alright, Millie!" said Stephen. "It was a misunderstanding," replied Millie. "But I upset you first by dumping that garden waste in front of your shed." "But your two misunderstandings have stranded these tourists halfway across the island," said the Earl. The two engines apologized together and to each other.

Stephen and Millie returned back to the castle together. "Thank you for rescuing me, Millie," said Stephen. "That's what friends are for!" smiled Millie. "And where on earth have you two been?" demanded Glynn as they arrived at the station. "I've been left here on my own doing everything!" "Ooh, he's got quite a temper, eh, Stephen?" giggled Millie. "And where on earth have you two been?" mimicked Stephen. And they began to laugh. Glynn couldn't help but laugh with them. Stephen, Glynn and Millie may tease each other often. But they still help each other out, make a great team together, and are still very good friends on the Earl's Estate railway.