It had been a week since the incident with the Controllers and it wasn't going well.
After it was found out that Douglas had crept onto Sodor. There was a whole load of meetings and disscussions between the NWR and the Caledonian Railway to discuss what to do. It was clear Douglas didn't want to leave Sodor, but Topham couldn't afford to purchase him at the moments, so there was all sorts of talk about prices and negotiations.
Until all of it could be sorted. Douglas remained on Sodor for the time being, he and Donald worked very hard. But were worried about what would happen.
"He send me back for sure" said Douglas to the engines at the sheds one night.
"It's a shame" said Neil, "You two have done so much for this railway.
"That blasted Branchline manager too" said Matthew, the SM railway's former number 3, "He's a bloody bafoon".
The Scottish twins, Thomas, Eagle and the 3 box engines talked about what to do,until Edward spoke.
"EVERYONE PLEASE CALM DOWN" said Edward,raising his voice.
Everyone fell silent, Edward began to speak.
"All we need is to remain positive and keep working hard" said Edward.
"But what if the director sends Dougie away" said Donald, "I won't leave my brother".
Edward gave the scottish twins a comforting smile, "The Fat Director is a kind and caring man. He considers our feelings and thoughts when it comes to matters like this, he'll do everything he can to sort this out".
The engines all stared at each other, hoping Edward was right.
Donald and Douglas worked very hard over the next few days. However they didn't account for one certain troublesome truck.
Scruffy was a private truck, owned by the S.C.Ruffy Ballast company. He was the leader of the trucks and loved to cause all sorts of accidents to the engines, especially Douglas.
He ran hotboxs on his train and would have the other trucks hold him back or bump him around.
Douglas began to worry as his trains were late and he was getting blamed, Douglas began to worry.
Donald was angry when he heard about this and expressed his angry to Scruffy one day in the yards.
"Your a muckle nuisance" Donald snapped at him, "It's to leave you behind is what i'd be wanting".
Scruffy scoffed, "You can't, i'm an important part of this here yard and-".
"ACH ARE YA!" burst out Donald, "YOUR NOTHING BUT A SCREECHING AND A NOISE WHEN YOUR ALL SAID AND DONE!, SPIKE DOUGIE WOULD YA?,TAKE THAT!".
"OH, OH, OH!" cried Scruffy as Donald bumped him backwards.
"THERE'S MORE COMING, SHOULD YA MISB-".
"DOUGLAS STOP!" A voice called out.
Douglas looked over to see Edward puffing up alongside him. He spoke to him in a calm, yet stern voice.
"I know the trouble Scruffy is causing you and i can understand why your angry, but taking out your angry on him isn't the way to fix things" said Edward.
Douglas looked down at his buffers, "Sorry Edward".
"That's alright, now i suggest you best get back to work".
Douglas puffed away to collect his next train, Edward gave a stern look at Scruffy.
"As for you, i want no more tricks or delays happening from now on, understood?" Edward said to Scruffy.
Scruffy, who had been quite scared by Douglas's outbrust, agreed and behaved better after that.
But however, after awhile he grew bored of not causing any mischief.
"It's simply degrading Fred" Scruffy said to his friend, Fred the coal truck, "Ever since thoses scots arrived, we've been unable to cause more accidents and now. Life's so bloody boring now".
"Your the leader Scruffy" Fred said, opening a sleepy eye. He liked trouble as any truck, but often slept through most conflicts, "Why not just think of a plan to get back at them?".
"Oh yeah!, forgot about that" said Scruffy stupidly and he began to think of a way to pay the twins out.
As he was thinking, him and Fred noticed Eagle leaving the station with the express.
As Scruffy watched the Express pass by. An idea came to him, a very dangerous idea.
Everyday around morning and evening. The express runs from Tidmouth to Vicarstown on a very tight schedual and only stops at certain stations.
Also running around the same time as the Express is the Goods Express. A non stop goods train that follows the same rules as the express, only difference being that it has trucks instead of coaches.
Now usual Donald or Douglas would take the Goods Express and they handled it very well, but that would change one faithful Monday morning.
Douglas was needed to bank trains up Gordons hill and Donald was tasked with taking the Express, the only engine avalabile was Edward.
When Scruffy and Fred saw him arrive instead of Donald, Fred thought the plan would be called off as Donald was pulling the express. But Scruffy told him everything was going according to plan.
Soon the train was arranged. It was about 12 trucks long, including Scruffy at the front and Fred in the middle.
Edward backed down onto the train. The shunter coupled him up and once the guard blew his whistle and waved his flag Edward was off.
"Come along now, no nosense" he said to the trucks.
"We're coming along, we're coming along" the Trucks chorted.
As they headed down the mainline, Scruffy whispered to the other trucks, "When we get to the hill,hold back" he said to the trucks.
They soon passed by Wellsworth and began the climb up the hill. Since Douglas was helping a train down the otherside of the hill, he couldn't help out. Edward had to use all his might to get to the top.
As they started to climb, Scruffy true plan began.
The trucks began to hold back, making it very hard to move.
"Please come along you lot" said Edward through panting as he neared the top.
"Hold Back, Hold Back!" the trucks laughed.
Finally they reached the top of the hill. Edward breaths a sigh of relief, but the sucess was short lived.
"NOW!" Scruffy roared as he and the trucks surged foward, knocking Edward's Driver and Firemen off the footplate, with no crew to slow him down. Edward was now a runaway.
"HELP!" Edward cried as he began to pick up speed.
"ON, ON, FASTER LADS, FASTER!" Scruffy cried as they sped down the hill.
Meanwhile Douglas was a Maron taking a quick rest before he headed back to Wellsworth Until the Stationmaster ran up to him.
"What wrong?" Douglas's driver asked.
"Just got a phone call from the signalman up the line, Edward's a runaway and he can't stop and the Express has already been signaled through!" the Stationmaster said anxiously
"OH NO!" said Douglas, realising that if he didn't do anything. Edward could crash into Donald and the express which could cause a serious accident, "WE'VE GOT TO STOP EDWARD, OH BUT HOW?!".
"I have a plan" said Douglas's Firemen bravely, "Just do as i tell you".
The Firemen called out to the workers on the platform.
"HEY, WHICH ONE OF YOU LOT KNOWS HOW TO DRIVE A ENGINE?" he asked.
The workers were jumped at his sudden raise of voice. One man raised his hand nervously and ran over to them, looking confused.
"Good, now listen quick because i'm only going to say this once" said Douglas's firemen
After a quick explation of the plan, everyone was ready.
Edward came into view, whistling fit to burst at Douglas for him to move out the way.
Douglas stayed brave and began to back up so he wouldn't be knocked off the rails as soon as Edward hit it.
The distance was soon closed as Edward bashed into Douglas. No sooner had he Douglas's firemen began to climb along his engines handrails and jumped onto Edward's front.
Scruffy saw the firemen and realised what he was trying to do,c"PUSH HIM, BUMP HIM, THROW HIM OFF THE RAILS" he yelled as the trucks began to bang into each other.
Luckly with Guard's and Douglas's braking along with the firemen quick and careful pacing. He managed to get inside Edward's cab and apply the breaks.
Just as they got closer to the viaductm Donald came into view with the express. All three engines breaked hard as both trains began to slow.
Scruffy however, couldn't take the strain of the two engines breaking and the trucks pushing.
"OOOOHA!" groaned Scruffy, "I DON'T LIKE THIS, STOP LADS STOP!".
But it was too late.
As soon as they began to cross the Viaduct. The weight of the trucks pushing the train and the breaking of the engines got to much, with a screech and a bang. Scruffy flew from the rails and fell of the Viaduct, hurdling into the river below. Both trains had managed to slow down enough to stop,watched in horror.
"AAAAAAHHHHH!" Scruffy screamed as he fell into the river.
SPLASH!
Silent fell after the splashing had stopped. All three engines let out an exhuasted sigh of relief.
Soon, The Fat Director arrived with Thomas and the Breakdown Train and began to clear up the mess as some of the trucks had derailed after Scruffy had fallen.
Donald continued on with the express while Matthew arrived to take Edward to the works to be looked over.
Douglas was told to stay behind and help with the clean up. When The Fat Director walked over to him, he gluped He thought he would be cross with him.
But his suprise, The Fat Director was smiling. "Well done Douglas" he said Cheerfully, "I'm very proud of you,not only did you save Edward and Donald, but you also saved the lifes of the people on the Express and prevented a nasty accident".
"Oh thank you Sir" said Douglas with relief, "But what about Scruffy?,Is he-".
The Fat Director sighed, "I'm afraid most of him was lost to the river, it's unlikely we can salvage-".
Just then a honk of a car horn sounded out and a black car came speeding around the corner. The Fat Director groaned in annoyance as a worried man in a black business suit stepped out of the back seat and rushed over.
It was Mr Ruffey, the owner of the S.C.Ruffey ballast company. The builder of his most prized truck Scruffey, this would be awkward.
"Where is he?, WHERE IS HE!?" The man said in a panic.
"Mr Ruffy" The Fat Director said in a worried expression, "I'm afraid he's-".
Mr Ruffy looked over the edge of the Viaduct and saw the remains of his trucks floating above the water, he gasped dramatically as he fell to his knees.
"NOOOOOO!" he cried in sorrow. He pulled out a hankerchief and began to blow his nose and wipe his tears, "My poor little Scruff, you were too young" he sobbed.
"Sir, if i may say,Scruffy was about 32" said Mr Ruffey's car driver, "he wasn't that young-".
"OH WHO CARES" Mr Ruffey wailed as he turned to The Fat Director, who looked very uncomfortable.
"Y-you can fix him can't you Bertram, YOU CAN FIX HIM RIGHT?" Mr Ruffey asked, grabbing The Fat Directors shirt as he asked.
"Mr Ruffey, Most of his remains are either too badly damaged or have been washed away, i'm afraid fixing him would be impossible".
Mr Ruffey broke down into dramatic tears of sorrow. His driver simply sighed and pulled Mr Ruffey back to the car and drove off, leaving some very confused faces behind.
It was dark by the time Douglas got home that night, all the other engines were there. The Fat Director had called them all to the sheds to make a special announcement.
The twins looked at each other nervously as The Fat Director arrived at the sheds.
"Good evening engines" he said warmly.
"Good evening Sir" they replied back.
"Now your probally wondering why i called you all-".
"Please don't send Douglas away Sir!" Thomas peeped.
"Him and Donald are some of the strongest engines i ever meet" added Neil.
"They were splendid with the goods" Said Clive.
The Fat Director chuckled and waited for everyone stop talking before he spoke, "Don't worry, both of you are here to stay".
The sheds erupted in a chorus of cheers and whistles, The Fat Director smilied, soon enough the noise died down and Douglas spoke.
"Sir, i can'a thank you enough!, but how on earth did you buy me, i thought it was to expensive?" Douglas asked.
"It was at first" The Fat Director replied. "But after what happened today, Mr Joseph realised it be no good trying to keep you apart, so he offered you to me cheap and said it was for the best, now what color would you two like to be?".
The twins thought for a moment before answering.
"We think green would be nice Sir" they replied in unison".
"Very well then,Tomorrow you both shall head to the works and get a fresh coat of paint as well as nameplates" The Fat Director smilied,as another chorus of cheers and whistles rang out. The Twins were here to stay.
Donald and Douglas are now full time members of the NWR and are happy with their new coats of paint. Although they can be angry at times, they are always ready to help out a friend in need.
But what about Mr Ruffey and the Wilsontown Branch?. Well Mr Ruffey has never really forgiven Sir Topham about the incident. He cut all ties with him and refused to work with him, but im sure he'll come around soon.
And as for the Wilsontown branch, they did buy another engine for their branch from a mysteryous Salesman. The Salesman said the engine in question was an Alantic. But between you and me, we both know who it really is, don't we?.
