Before we begin with this story, I want to say that I do love the stories from Christopher Awdry's Annual books, though some are a little too short. This one is one of my favorites from the 1985 annual, but still I wanted to try and adapt it to see how it would fit into this series and the Untold Sudrian Stories universe, as well as the Railway Series. I hope you'll like it, and before you ask, yes this story is free to use for your remake videos if you wish to use it. I'll also be posting it on DeviantART soon. And don't worry fans, I've read your comments and I will be including the Skarloey and Miniature engines soon. In fact, the next story features one of these railways, but that is a secret till next time.
RWS-Between the Lines
Adapted by: ThomasZoey3000
Edward Cracks a Nut (1981)
Dear Friends,
Have you wondered what happened on Sodor between the Thin Clergyman's last book in 1972 and his son's first book in 1983? Well recently I learned of one event in 1981 that happened on Edward's Branch Line. The story was written up in 1985 for an annual book, but when I spoke to Edward recently, he told me that he forgot to mention some details to the Thin Clergyman's son. Here's the story as it happened.
The Author
If you were to look at passenger trains, then you might notice the rear coach looks different from all the others. This is the brake coach. The guard has a special compartment in there where they can keep an eye on the train, and is where passengers can find them if they're not walking up and down the train.
A guard's job is very important, so they can't have distractions that keep them away from their work. Experienced guards know this very well, but the younger ones often need to be taught this lesson in order to give up their distractions. Such was the case for a new guard on Edward's branch line.
Edward's day had started well when he collected his coaches and reached the first station. He waited patiently for the passengers to board. Once they were ready, they waited for the guard's whistle. They waited and waited, but they heard nothing.
"Where is the whistle?" asked Edward. "We should've left by now."
The driver groaned, "oh I think I know."
He climbed down from the cab, walked along the platform and soon found the problem. The guard was in his van, eating nuts.
"Can we leave now?" the driver asked firmly, making the guard jump. "We've been here for five minutes waiting for your whistle."
The guard grumbled, "that's real nice of you, interrupting me on my snack break."
He pulled out the whistle and blew it, right in the Driver's face. The Driver winced, then walked back to Edward, grumbling about new guards. Once in the cab, they set off for the junction.
Henry was waiting impatiently, "he does a grand job getting passengers home as a single wheeler, yet on a normal day, he's making me late."
"Calm down Henry," comforted BoCo, "I'm sure Edward will be here soon."
They waited another five minutes. Henry's Driver looked to his watch, "three more minutes, then we're leaving without his-"
But the driver was interrupted by the sound of Edward's whistle as the blue engine puffed in.
"Where have you been?" Henry demanded. Edward sighed and told Henry and BoCo all about the new guard.
At first, Henry didn't believe him, but soon found Edward was telling the truth as he saw passengers waiting for the guard to open the luggage van, but he never came.
"New guard huh? More like a nuisance if you ask me," huffed Henry.
Thankfully for the passengers, the stationmaster came out and got the guard out of his compartment. Grumbling like anything, he opened the van and stood back as the passengers grabbed their luggage. The whole incident made Henry ten minutes late, and he hurried away, trying his best to make up for lost time.
The Driver and fireman spoke with the guard, "you can't put your silly nuts down for five minutes to help our passengers? What kind of guard do you think you are?"
"A hungry one?" he said, giving an answer he thought was obvious. "As for the passengers, I don't care what they think."
Edward was horrified, "that's no way to speak about our passengers."
"Oh come off it old timer, this is the 80's for goodness sakes. Time goes on, things change, which includes the old idea that guards load and unload luggage. Now get off my back!" and he went back to his nuts.
"Well I never," grumbled the Driver.
"Why the Fat Controller would hire someone like him is beyond me," the fireman said crossly.
Edward could only agree with his crew.
The rest of the day went about the same way, and despite station staff, crews and engines telling him otherwise, the guard refused to help the passengers, and focused on his silly nuts.
"Guards do help their passengers, he's just being lazy," BoCo commented to Edward. The old engine had to agree.
Finally, there was only one run left before a peaceful night's rest. Edward stopped at Suddery station to pick up his passengers, and like before, the guard did nothing for the passengers. Thankfully, the crew and station staff helped them.
At last, all was ready.
"Peep! Peep!" called Edward. The guard finally responded with his whistle blowing.
The Driver opened the regulator, but Edward found he couldn't move. His wheels spun, but the train didn't move. The Driver gave Edward more steam and opened the regulator again. This time, they moved off, but didn't go too far before being forced to stop.
"You got to be kidding me," grumbled the Driver. "That stupid guard probably has the brakes on. Just another fault he has."
The fireman decided to speak with the guard this time, and so went along the platform, where he found the guard in his seat, eating the nuts from his bag.
"Excuse me, but do you mind releasing the brakes? We can't move until you undo them."
Whenever a passenger train stops, it's important to put the brakes on. It's for safety in case the engine or coaches try running away, or if they're on a slight incline.
The guard rolled his eyes, got up from his seat and pulled the lever, but it didn't move. He tried again and again, but it still wouldn't move. The fireman helped, but nothing happened. When the Driver came over to find out was wrong, they all tried to undo the brake, but they stayed on.
"What could be the matter?" asked the fireman. Then he noticed some loose nuts on the floor, "do you always walk around with nuts in your hands?"
"Sometimes," answered the guard, "a guard gets hungry you know."
The fireman slapped his forehead, "that explains that then. One of those silly nuts must've fallen into the slot for the brake handle. That's why we can't move it."
The guard's eyes popped wide open, and he looked pale.
"Opps," he said meekily.
"Opps indeed. You stupid little idiot, just wait till the Fat Controller hears of this."
By now, the passengers were poking their heads out of the windows to find out what was wrong. The Driver and fireman apologized and went back into the cab.
"We'll have to give Edward everything he's got, and do our best," sighed the Driver. He looked to his engine, "it won't be easy, but I know you can do it."
Rather doubtfully, Edward agreed.
Once he had a good head of steam, Edward pulled with all his might. The brakes screeched as the coach was dragged along. It was slow going, but at least they were moving.
"We will make it, we will make it," panted Edward. "Oh dear, we'll miss Henry's train at this rate."
He gave one more effort, then there came a small bang from the rear of the train, and everything became easier.
Henry was waiting at the station. He was about to ask where Edward was, when the blue engine arrived. He stopped at the platform thankfully.
"Where have you been?" Henry asked crossly.
Edward explained about the ordeal with the brakes, and how they broke shortly after they started. Henry couldn't stay cross at Edward, instead he was awestruck with the old engine. Then he saw the guard being taken to the stationmaster's office.
"Who would've thought a small nut would cause so much trouble," he chuckled. "I doubt you'll have anymore trouble with him."
And he didn't. The Fat Controller scolded the new guard severely, and gave him a different job; working on the line with the track maintenance crew. There, he would have no time to eat his nuts. To say he doesn't like this job would be putting it mildly.
As for Edward, he did get a new guard, and thankfully, this one did the job like any guard would do. Though when the guard asked about the person who worked the job before him, all Edward would say was;
"He was a bit of a nut." We know what he means, don't we?
