HUNT THE TRUCK

Based upon the episode by Michael White

As November transitioned into December, more snow covered the countryside, meaning that the engines had to start wearing their snowploughs. As Nia had very rarely seen snow back when she lived in Kenya, this was a new experience for her.

"Believe me, they're not the most comfortable thing to be wearing," said Thomas.

"Try telling that to Donald and Douglas," chuckled Emily.

"They like plowing the snow?" asked Rebecca.

"You've no idea," grunted James.


The engines started plowing through the snow as they were doing their jobs.

"It feels really cold out here," said Nia. "Is that normal?"

"Aye, lass," said Donald as he and Douglas came up with a works coach between them and snowploughs at either end. "It does git really cold doon 'ere in winter. Best git used tae it."

"I think I will," smiled Nia. "At least when it's cold, our fireboxes keep us warm."

"I suppose this will be your first white Christmas too," said BoCo as he came in with some trucks; Donald and Douglas departed at that very moment. "We've had quite a few of those."

"First time for everything, I guess, BoCo," said Nia. She then giggled. "So you were part of the reason why Edward moved to Wellsworth sheds, eh?"

"Actually, I was at the Bluebell Railway before Edward moved back," he explained. "Admittingly, that's probably the reason why Edward moved back to Tidmouth in the first place."

Nia blinked in confusion. "Didn't Edward have Philip for company on your long term loan?"

"No," sighed BoCo. "You see, Philip was only here a couple of years before you and Rebecca came. I left for the Bluebell Railway as a North Western Railway representative not long before the airport was built. Long and short, Edward was lonely at Wellsworth sheds and Gordon requested he move back to Tidmouth."

"Now I can see why Gordon took my arrival so hard at first," sighed Nia. "He thought Edward was being ungrateful."

"Edward, Gordon and Henry were the first three engines on Sodor of the current fleet as well," said BoCo, "and Gordon was quite protective of both engines when they were shy steamers."

"That makes even more sense," said Nia. "Thanks for telling me this, BoCo."

"Glad I could help, Nia," said the Metropolitan-Vickers diesel. He started to purr away to the Brendam branch.


As he came into the docks, he found a few trucks scattered around the place.

"Ahoy there, BoCo," called Salty.

"Hi there, BoCo," added Porter.

"Hello, Salty, Porter," the big green diesel greeted.

"Sorry about the mess," said Porter. "You know how it is this time of year."

"It's quite alright," smiled BoCo. "I'll just go and find the trucks."

"Oh, and one more thing, matey," said Salty. "Bill and Ben had to come in and help with the shunting."

"Ah, I see," chuckled BoCo. "We'll have to see if they behave themselves this time."


BoCo then rolled off to find his trucks, but no matter where he went, he just couldn't find them.

"Ugh, where are those trucks this time?!"

Just then, BoCo heard a familiar whistle. "Edward, am I glad to see you," he sighed.

"Let me guess, you lost some trucks?" said Edward with a smirk.

"It wouldn't surprise me if it was Bill and Ben hiding them like usual."

"I thought so." Edward saw a certain pair of snickering yellow tank engines. "Bill and Ben, did you hide BoCo's trucks again?"

"Well, don't ask us where it is," laughed Bill.

"He'll just have to find it," added Ben.

"These covered trucks are very important, you two," grunted BoCo. "Or do you want Edward and I to take away the trucks we brought for you?"

"I don't think your manager will be impressed if you came back with no trucks," added Edward.

"Fine," muttered Bill. "I'll get them. Spoilsports…" he added under his breath.

"They never learn, do they?" sighed BoCo.

"Maybe not," said Edward, giving a soft chuckle. "Besides, if you were wondering where they were, the trucks were over behind those flatbeds on the far end of the dock."

"How do you manage to find all of their hiding places?" asked BoCo in astonishment.

"Years of practice," smiled Edward.

"I really fell out of routine since my time on the Bluebell Railway," sighed BoCo.

"Don't worry, dear," said Edward with a wink. "We'll figure out how to get back at them one of these days."

Bill shunted BoCo's trucks to the back of his train and the Metropolitan-Vickers diesel purred out of the docks.

"Now you two help Salty and Porter get the docks back in line when you return from the clay pits," said Edward, taking his own train back.

"Edward's no fun at all," muttered Bill.

"Yeah," agreed Ben. "Sometimes he can be really boring…"


The following day, a red van with a holly wreath painted on it arrived at the docks.

"Oh, Porter," asked Bill. "Where's that truck meant to go?"

"I'm not entirely sure," said Porter. "All I know is that Edward's supposed to collect it on his next goods train."

"Edward's next train?" asked Ben.

"He'll be down soon," said Porter. "Better hurry and get it in with the rest of his trucks. I've got to organize Derek's train; catch you both later."

He went to organize some flatbeds for Derek, while Bill and Ben smirked at each other.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" asked Ben.

"Oh, yeah," grinned Bill.

The pair snickered and moved the truck into one of their "super secret" hiding places while they went to organize the rest of Edward's trucks.

"This will teach Edward for spoiling our fun."

"After all, nobody can hide trucks better than we can."


Soon, Edward arrived at the docks and was coupled up to his next train.

"So, Bill and Ben," he said calmly, "did you behave yourselves this time?"

"Of course we did," grinned Bill, trying not to be too pleased with himself and Ben.

"All of your trucks are ready to go, Edward," added Ben.

"Alright then," said Edward. "The Earl will be pleased to see one particular truck on my train."

"Really?" asked Bill innocently. "Er… what is it?"

"It's a red van with a holly wreath painted on it," explained Edward. "It's full of decorations for the festivities, presents for the children and food for the Christmas dinner."

Uh oh… the twins thought worriedly, but tried not to show it as Edward started to depart. Little did the trio realize BoCo had also arrived and was collecting his train.

"What have we done?" whispered Bill.

"We have to get that truck before Edward realizes we hid it!" Ben replied.

"What's going on, you two?" asked BoCo.

"Er, nothing," said Bill. "Got to see a truck-"

"Coach!" interrupted Ben. "A coach about a train."

"What's gotten into them?" asked Porter.

"The usual," muttered Derek as he arrived with his next train.


Soon, Bill and Ben arrived at the siding where they left the truck. However…

"It's gone!" they chorused together.

"Now we're really in trouble now," groaned Bill.

"If we don't find that truck, this year's Christmas celebration will be ruined!" cried Ben.

"And it's Nia and Rebecca's first one on Sodor too," added Bill. "Come on, Ben, let's see where it is!"

Just then, the two heard a diesel's horn.

"Salty," said Bill, "have you seen a truck painted red with holly and bells on it?"

"Arr, there be trucks all over the dockside, matey," smiled Salty. "All over the place from port to starboard, and they come by in the… truckload." He chuckled, causing Bill and Ben to raise eyebrows incredulously. "If it's not here, maybe another engine's taken it."

"We'll have to split up!" said Bill, rushing forward. "I'll check the Little Western; you check the Ffarquhar branch."


Bill rushed over to the Little Western branch line where he found Oliver, Isabel and Dulcie with Jock.

"Hello, everyone," said Bill.

"Bill?" gasped Oliver. "What brings you all the way to Arlesburgh? And with no train either."

"Oh, is this one of the china clay twins you mentioned, Ollie?" asked Isabel. Despite the situation, Bill couldn't help but snicker quietly at Oliver's nickname.

"Not in front of engines who I don't know too well," Oliver muttered.

"Have any of you seen a red van with holly and bells on it?" asked Bill.

"I think I've seen a van of that description," said Jock.

"You have?" asked Bill hopefully.

"Yeah, it's coming in right now," said Jock. As if on cue, Mike puffed in with a goods train with a van that matched Bill's description.

"Great timing, Mike," smiled Jock. "We'll be able to get that unloaded in time for the Christmas party that Mr. Duncan is holding."

"What?" asked Bill, glancing at the van.

"Well, the small engines can't get to Ulfstead castle," Oliver explained. "It would be a crime to leave them out of the festivities altogether."

"I suppose so," sighed Bill, disappointed that he'd come up with empty buffers. He started to puff away.

"You're welcome to come for the festivities too, Bill," called Dulcie, but unfortunately for the autocoach, it fell on metaphorical deaf ears.


Meanwhile, down at the quarry, Mavis had finished arranging the trucks. As it was winter, there wasn't nearly as much stone as there was for the warmer seasons and she was looking forward to finishing up early.

"Merry Christmas, Mavis," called Toby as he and Henrietta came to collect their trucks.

"Likewise, Toby and Henrietta," she replied. "Looking forward to the Christmas celebration at Ulfstead castle?"

"We wouldn't miss it," smiled Henrietta. Just then, the trio heard a high pitched whistle.

"Bill?" asked Mavis with surprise. "Or is it Ben?"

"It's Ben!" the yellow tank engine replied. "Have any of you seen a red van with holly and bells on it?"

"Percy's mail vans are red," said Mavis. "But I don't recall any having holly or bells on them."

"Why would it be all the way up here then?" asked Toby.

"Er… Bill and I… kind of hid the truck," sighed Ben. "We think someone else took it."

"Wait, you two wanted to play Hunt the Truck?" asked Mavis. She started going into a giggling fit, and Toby and Henrietta too burst out laughing.

"Wait, what's so funny?" asked Ben.

"I remember playing that a lot when I was first built."

"Wait, you?!" asked Ben in surprise.

"Drove Toby up the siding if I remember correctly," chuckled Henrietta.

"Very much so," chortled Toby.

"This day keeps getting stranger and stranger…" muttered Ben to himself. "Er, I'd better get going if the truck's not here."


"So you didn't find it down there either, huh?" asked Bill when he and Ben met up at Knapford. "How difficult is it to find one truck?"

"It could be literally anywhere by now!" agreed Ben.

"Edward's going to be so upset with us if we don't find this truck," sighed Bill.

"Maybe it's been taken to the mainland," muttered Ben. "We'll never find it if that's the case."

"In that case, there's only one thing we can do," said Bill. "Come on, Ben."


The twins made their way up to Ulfstead castle, worried about what Edward would say. They managed to find the old blue engine down at the castle with a few other engines; BoCo was on the track right next to him.

"…so, there used to be coaches from the Furness Railway here?" BoCo was saying to Edward.

"Indeed they were," said Edward. "Albert left for a factory with Mildred shortly after James and the Midis arrived, but we don't know what happened with Victoria and Helena."

"Maybe one day we'll find them," said BoCo. Bill and Ben looked at each other with guilty expressions at "find them".

"Er… Edward," said Bill, "speaking of finding… we lost an important truck from your goods train."

"Oh?" asked Edward. "What did it look like?"

"Hmm, let me guess, a red truck with holly and bells, maybe," BoCo wondered.

"Yeah, it looked like that," sighed Ben.

"Do you mean… like this one behind me?"

"Yeah, that's the one," muttered Bill and Ben. "Wait, what?!" The twins stared at the truck behind BoCo, only now realizing Edward had some ordinary coaches coupled behind him.

"Wha- How did-" began Bill.

"I saw the truck when I was coming to collect my train earlier," said BoCo. "I knew Edward wouldn't be one to leave trucks behind on purpose, so either he didn't know it was his or you two hid it for some reason. Judging by Edward's response when he got here, I'd say it was a bit of both."

"Let's put it this way," said Edward. "No one can hide trucks better than you two, but no one can find trucks better than BoCo and me."

"Well, it looks like you finally beat us at our own game, BoCo," said Ben.

"I think I'm getting better at finding your hiding places," chuckled BoCo.

Bill and Ben were most relieved when the Christmas party went successfully, but were also quite embarrassed and guilty when they realized their game could have cost everyone the party, and decided to check to see what the loads of the trucks were before they decided to hide any more from the engines.


Author's Comments

Here's the third story of Winter Engines, based upon the best episode from the twenty-second series! This take on Hunt the Truck has had a few changes like character swaps and an extended opening, but other than that, it stuck pretty closely to the original. Not much else to comment on, really.

Next time, it's the final story of not just this book, but season one of The International Railway Series - Henry's Animal Ark!