THE INTERNATIONAL RAILWAY SERIES No. 6

WINTER ENGINES

Based upon the original episodes by Lee Pressman and Michael White

Adapted and new material by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle and Rachel Ravens


Foreword

Hello, everyone! It's Oliver speaking.

Never is there a dull moment on Sodor, even in wintertime and especially during Christmas and Halloween. I know that Toad and I aren't the only ones who can prove it, but there was quite possibly one gift we got that was greater than most. What was it, you ask? Read the stories to find out. Trust me; it'll be quite exciting!

This is Oliver the Western engine signing off.


OLIVER'S FEAR OF FIREWORKS

Based upon "Samson and the Fireworks" by Lee Pressman

Halloween had come to the Island of Sodor, and this year, there was to be a big fireworks display. The engines were looking forward to this event, but none more so than Olton Hall.

"It's been ages since I got to enjoy a fireworks display," she was saying to Duck and Oliver. "Most of the time, I'm kept too busy with tourist trains to take the time to see them properly."

"There's almost always a celebration for us to enjoy on Sodor," explained Duck. "No matter what happens we never miss out on every one."

"Though this is one celebration I'd make an exception…" muttered Oliver.

"Why?" asked Olton Hall, a little surprised at the autotank's change in tone.

"Every time I see fireworks set off," explained Oliver, "I get flashbacks of the cutter's torches in the scrapyard, cutting up broken pieces of metal, eventually coming to a castaway engine until…" He didn't say anymore, shuddering at the memory.

"It's alright," hushed Duck in a comforting tone. "Traumatic experiences are hard to be rid of easily." Thankfully, the autotank began to calm down from that memory. But I'm sorry to say that it wouldn't be long before they would come back…


Later that afternoon, a thick fog rolled in. Rebecca the yellow engine was approaching Knapford station with the express, slowing down so she could see the signals from above.

"Goodness, this fog is thick," she said. Suddenly, she saw a light coming towards her from the fog.

"Look out, Rebecca!"

Rebecca braked hard just in time to avoid a collision with Percy and the mail train.

"Oh my! Sorry, Percy!"

"It's okay," sighed the green tank engine. "At least no one got hurt." Unfortunately, Percy wasn't completely focused either, and he nearly crashed right into Mavis with some quarry trucks.

"Whoa, watch out!" she cried as she braked.

"Sorry, darling," sighed Percy.

"Look out!" called Nia as she applied her brakes with some more trucks, accidentally bumping Percy and Mavis back. "Sorry, you two."

"Let's try to get untangled, everyone," said Percy.

The quartet of engines thankfully weren't derailed or damaged from the bumps and sudden stops and were able to get reorganized.

"Let's hope we can find a solution to the problem," said Rebecca.

"Wait a minute," said Percy. "What about Cyril?"

"Oh yes!" cried Mavis, though Nia and Rebecca blinked in confusion.

"Who's he?" asked Nia.

"Ah, right," said Percy. "Cyril's a fogman; he always puts out detonators for us to warn us of fog ahead."

"You two will like him for sure," added Mavis.


It wasn't long before Sir Topham Hatt had gathered some of the engines at Knapford yards; Rebecca, Thomas, Edward, Duck, Lauren, Barry and Molly amongst them.

"This fog is causing quite a lot of confusion and delay," he explained. "Therefore, I have arranged for Cyril the fogman to assist in keeping the rails safe during this time."

"Detonators have been set near each of the signals," the fogman said calmly. "I trust you all remember what to do when you're near them."

"That's correct, Cyril," said Molly. "Slow down and keep your headlights on."

"Oh, you're Cyril," smiled Rebecca. "It's such a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," said Cyril. "You're one of the new engines, right? Rebecca, I think?"

"That's correct," she grinned. "Thanks for making the line safer for us."

"Always happy to lend my services." He looked at Rebecca. "Would you like to demonstrate what happens when you roll over a detonator?"

"Oh, certainly!" Rebecca rolled slowly forward and went right over the detonator, setting it off with a loud bang.

"Ooh!" she shivered. "My axles."

"That always happens," chuckled Thomas.

"You lot had best tell the other engines about this change," said Sir Topham Hatt. "Be careful, and stay safe."

"We will, sir," affirmed the engines.


Later, Duck was taking Alistair, Mirabel and Benjamin from Knapford back down the Little Western. It wasn't too long before he rolled over a detonator.

"Oh my goodness!" cried Alistair. "What was that?!"

"The sound of Cyril doing his job well," explained Duck as he slowed to a stop. "These fog detonators work wonders."

"Oh," said Mirabel. "That's a relief. I thought we were going to get a thunderstorm today."

"Nope, just fog by the looks of it," said Benjamin.

"We'd better find the other engines and tell them what's going on," said Duck.


Unfortunately for Duck, that would be easier said than done. Oliver was taking some passengers from the Arlesdale Railway to the Halloween celebration at Ulfstead castle.

"Oh, why me?" he asked himself.

"Come on, Ollie," said Isabel, "I think the fireworks will be very pretty."

"Not to mention exciting!" said Dulcie with a grin. "I love the fast rockets that go shooting up into the sky, and then they just go off with a very loud 'bang'." She started laughing at her explanation. As they were approaching a junction, Oliver ran over one of the detonators, causing a loud "bang!"

"Ohhh, Great Railway above!" cried Oliver, seeing the sparks below his wheels. "What was that?!" He was so startled by the small explosion that he stopped a bit too soon.

"Watch oot!" cried a voice, and Oliver and his coaches heard the sound of squealing brakes. "Oliver, whit dae ye think ye wur daein'?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Douglas," sighed Oliver. "I heard a loud bang and I got frightened."

"A loud bang, Mr. Oliver?" came another voice. Oliver glanced at the back of Douglas' train, realizing the Scottish engine wasn't the only one he had nearly bumped into.

"Yes, Toad," sighed Oliver. "Not only did I hear a loud bang, but I saw sparks as well."

"You thought it was a scrapper's torch?" asked Toad.

"…yes," said Oliver, albeit hesitantly.

"That wisnae a scrapper's torch," said Douglas. "'Twas a fog detonator."

"Didn't Mr. Duck tell you about them earlier?" asked Toad.

"I didn't get a chance to speak with him," Oliver admitted. "I was late coming back from the previous passenger run."

"Besides," said Dulcie, "do you really think a scrapper's torch could be unseen on the tracks, even in the fog?"

"No, I suppose not," admitted Oliver.

"And," said Isabel, "if there was one, you can be sure Sir Topham Hatt would have gotten rid of it, or reported it to the police."

"That's also true," said Oliver. "I guess… I've been really silly."

"Nae necessarily," assured Douglas. "Bein' threatened wi' scrap does a lot tae an engine's mental health. Ah sometimes git scared o' fireworks 'n' detonators tae."

"Really?" asked Oliver. "Is that why you often stayed behind with me when fireworks displays were on?"

"Aye," said Douglas. "Bit thare ur ways tae cope wi' it."

"How do you do that?"

"Weel, foremaist, it helps if someone tells ye aboot yong detonators in advance."

"That's partly my own fault for not being back on time," chuckled Oliver nervously. "But what about the fireworks?"

"Ah pat it this wey," said Douglas. "Tis a signal tae the engines we've lost ower th' years that we still remember thaim, 'n' they're still watchin' ower us."

Oliver felt tears pricking his eyes at that notion.

"I never thought about it like that before," he said quietly. "I guess that does make me feel a little better about it."

Just then, a loud bang from the sky got the quintet's attention.

"Looks like the fireworks are starting!" cried Toad.

"Oh no, we're late with our passengers!" gasped Isabel.

"Come on, Ollie," urged Dulcie. "Step on it!"

"Uh… Douglas, do you and Toad mind tagging along with us?" asked Oliver.

"Ah wish Ah cuid," sighed Douglas, "bit Toad 'n' ah aye hae a goods train tae tak'."

"R-right," said Oliver. "I'll save you and Toad a spot when you come back, okay?"

"Aye, thank ye, Oliver," he smiled. "'N' ye still hae Isabel 'n' Dulcie fur support; remember that."

The two engines parted ways, and Oliver did his best to make up for lost time.


"You know… they do kind of look pretty," Oliver admitted.

"And magical," added Isabel.

"They don't say it lights up the sky for nothing," grinned Dulcie. "Ooh, I think we're almost to the castle."

"You're right," said Oliver. "And here we are."

"Cous, there you are," said Duck as Oliver pulled in alongside. "Olton Hall and I were about ready to head out looking for you."

"Are you, Isabel and Duclie alright, Oliver?" asked Olton Hall.

"I ran into some complications with the detonators and fireworks," sighed Oliver.

"Oh… I didn't get the chance to tell you," sighed Duck. "Sorry, Oliver…"

"It's my fault for not getting back sooner," admitted Oliver.

"Although you did get the passengers safely here," smiled Olton Hall, "despite your fear of fireworks."

"Yeah," said Oliver. "Douglas managed to convince me to come up here."

"He must be really special to you," commented Olton Hall. The autotank didn't say anything to that; he just blushed happily.

Just then, Glynn came around the Ulfstead loop with more passengers who wanted to see the fireworks at the castle.

"The fireworks are quite a show tonight," said Glynn before sighing. "I just wish my siblings were here to see it too."

"Well, that's basically what this fireworks display is for, if you think about it," said Oliver.

Glynn, Duck, the slip coaches and Olton Hall exchanged a confused look.

"What do you mean, Oliver?" asked Alistair.

"Well, the engines in the Great Railway above are up in the stars," Oliver explained. "That is, the sky, where the fireworks are right now. It's a message to them that we are still thinking about those we've lost and they are still watching over us in the afterlife."

"I… never really thought about it like that," gasped Glynn. "Thank you, Oliver. You've given me a deeper appreciation for fireworks displays."

"I bet Collet's seeing this too," sighed Duck.

"Collet?" asked Olton Hall.

"One of my brothers," Duck explained. "He took my place as station pilot at Paddington alongside Jackie and a few of my other siblings when I left for Sodor. Before that, he worked on a branch line with the slippies."

"Oh, what happened to him?" asked Olton Hall. "He wasn't scrapped due to the rise of diesel power, was he?"

"He… tried escaping to Sodor," explained Duck sadly. "But at the last second… they caught him."

"They?"

"Arry and Bert," sighed Oliver. "They used to reside at Barrow Ironworks before it was forced to shut down. It's a long story. Both of us and Toad were near victims of them. Donald too."

"Oh my…" gasped Olton Hall. "They sound like nightmares."

"They are indeed," added Duck. "They've somewhat cooled down over the years, but their actions have made a big impact on us all. They were even responsible for Emily beginning her bossy boiler phase years ago."

"I'll watch my boiler around those two," said Olton Hall. "But for now, I think we've got a fireworks display to enjoy."

The engines and coaches all smiled as they watched the fireworks, Douglas slipping in quietly with Toad to watch the display next to Oliver, causing him to smile and wink at the Caledonian engine. None of the group noticed that three coffee pot engines in blue, black and green and a black pannier tank engine had come to watch the display too.

Oliver is no longer fearful of fireworks now, for he believes that it is a message to all the engines that had been scrapped that they are still fondly remembered.


Author's Comments

And so we begin the sixth book for The International Railway Series, as well as the last one for the first season! Last year, it was revealed that Samson and the Fireworks was intended for series 21 (as was Confusion Without Delay) and would've featured Oliver as the lead character, but when the re-format happened, our favorite #11 engine got sidelined... yet again. As much as I like the episode as is, especially given Samson's inconsistent record as a leading character, I feel like Oliver got done dirty and deserved better. This was pretty much why I reinstated him as the lead character, with the likes of Isabel and Dulcie, Douglas, Duck and Olton Hall in the spotlight as supporting characters. I'm not sure if what Oliver goes through is what Lee Pressman had in mind when the episode was first written up (obviously, Isabel, Dulcie and Olton Hall would not have appeared; Nia, most likely not), but I think it's a pretty good take as it may have reminded him of his escape to Sodor, suggesting that he's still haunted by it, even now.

Next time, we finally answer a long-standing question: Is Thomas finally Off to See the World?