Bulgy
Based upon the story by Rev. W. Awdry
Adapted by Rachel Ravens
Takes place between TIOP and TE
It was right in the thick of Summer, and it was a Bank Holiday. Oliver had settled onto the island very well by now, and was very excited.
"Look at all the passengers!" he exclaimed at Tidmouth Hault when Duck pulled in on the platform on the other side. "I haven't seen this many in years."
"Passengers do love visiting us in summer," smiled Duck. "I imagine it's the seaside on the branch line."
But while that was a major part of the passengers' reason for boarding the trains, some passengers stood on the platform admiring the two engines.
"Oh," Oliver gave a smile at this. "I guess there's a few railfans here."
"I imagine that Sodor may be very populated with them," Duck commented. "It is sad to know steam on British Railways is dwindling down. Who knows how many engines have been lost…"
"I've witnessed quite a few losses," sighed Oliver. "Though my two autocoaches status is currently unknown, I did see many classes vanish to almost nothing."
"Oh…" Duck's face fell. "Such as?"
"Well, there is the Duke class that have all been gone."
"Oh no!" gasped Duck. "They were all fine and stately engines back in the heyday."
"I know," sighed Oliver. "Why couldn't steam and diesel engines just work together instead of compete? I don't mind friendly competition, like with Thomas and Bertie's races but not like this."
"Indeed," Duck agreed. "And if even Diesel can learn that, I think Sodor at least stands a chance for that reality."
"I have to agree," smiled Oliver. The auto tank engine then heard his guard's whistle. "Oh, that's me. I'll catch you later, Duck."
"See you later, cous." Duck's whistle blew a moment later and he headed for Tidmouth.
Tidmouth wasn't as grand as Knapford, but it did have a decent amount of platforms. Duck happily pulled into the first platform and patiently waited for a connection with the bus company.
"I heard they got a new bus recently," Duck said quietly. "I hope he's as friendly as Algy." The blue bus had been transferred over to the Little Western recently, like how Bertie was for the Ffarquhar branch line.
Just then, Duck heard something unusual.
"A bell?" Duck asked. "That's definitely not Toby, and none of my other friends have a bell."
The answer came in the form of a double decker bus. Like Bertie, he was painted red, but unlike Bertie or Algy, his face did not look friendly. Nor did have the 'hidden heart of gold' look to him that Bertrand had.
Duck however, tried to be polite. "Good day," he said as warmly as possible. "I hear you're new around here. I'm Duck."
"Why are you called 'Duck'?" scoffed the bus. "I don't see any feathers or webbed feet."
"Oh, I prefer that over my real name of Montague." Duck admitted.
The bus just rolled his eyes, and was even crosser when saw the passengers either boarding Duck's train or giving him compliments. "Stupid nonsense." he muttered. "I wouldn't have brought them if I'd known. I'd have had a breakdown or something."
"I'm glad you didn't," Duck smiled. "You'd have spoiled their fun. Look at how they're enjoying themselves."
"Hey, mommy," said a little girl, "is this the engine who saved the passenger train from the runaway trucks?"
"I think you're right, dear," she smiled. "Quite a brave engine indeed." Duck could only blush at this word of recognition.
"Pah!" snorted the bus. "Enjoyment is all you engines live for, taking the petrol from the tanks of us workers. Come the revolution!" he went on fiercely. "Railways'll be ripped up. Cars and coaches will trample the remains."
Duck was shocked when he heard this. "We have our friend Algy, and he's a bus. He may tease us about running on the rails, but he wouldn't want any harm to come to us."
"Huph!" growled the bus. "I know Algy, and Bertie and Bertrand. They're too small to be proper busses. Free the roads!" he added as he left, "Free the roads from railway terrany!"
"I hope Oliver will have better luck than me," sighed Duck.
Later on, Oliver was at Arlesburgh for his train to take up to Tidmouth.
"I do wonder where Algy is," Oliver said to himself. He heard the tooting of his friend's horn a moment later.
"Hello, Algy," greeted the tank engine. "How are you this fine day?"
"Not too well," sighed Algy. "There's a rude bus that's joined up at the bus company."
"Oh?" asked Oliver. "What is the bus' name?"
"It's…" before Algy could reply, the double decker bus in question rolled in with more passengers.
"Of course you needed my help to get the passengers here," grunted the bus. "You're too small to carry them all."
"And you seem to bulge up too much with all those passengers inside you," Oliver retorted. Then, a cheeky idea struck him. "Hey, that's what your name is. Bulgy."
"Oh, you!" snapped Bulgy, "I swear I'll…"
"That's a good one, Oliver," laughed Algy. "It sure fits him. I'll be calling you Bulgy from now on."
The passengers all boarded Oliver's train, and his guard's whistle sounded out.
"See you later, Algy." said Oliver cheerfully, then he laughed. "You too, Bulgy."
A short time later, Duck and Oliver both met up at Haultrugh station. The passengers disembarked and were met by two ducklings, who were becoming less and less fluffy by the days that had gone by.
"They are losing more and more of their 'duckling feathers'," Oliver commented. "Wouldn't you say Dilly and Dalles are growing fast, Duck?"
"Wha… oh, yes," said Duck. "Definitely becoming much stronger over the course of the past few months."
"You seem a bit distracted, cous," commented Oliver. "What's up?"
"It's this new bus," grunted Duck. "He was rude to the passengers, and he mentioned stuff and nonsense about 'freeing the roads', whatever that means."
"Oh, I call him Bulgy," Oliver chuckled.
"Really now," Duck laughed. "I can see where you got that nickname from."
Dilly and Dalles seem to understand what Oliver was talking about, and seemed to be laughing in their own 'duck-like' way.
"You two like it as well," Oliver laughed. "Okay, I think my crew have some sandwiches to give to you as a treat for that."
Dilly and Dalles eagerly rushed towards Oliver's crew, and they got a few pieces of the sandwiches.
"Are the passengers and luggage set to go?" Duck asked the two pets. Dilly immediately went over to check Oliver's train, and Dalles went to check Duck's. The two of them started to quack and carefully inspected all the luggage.
"I swear, Haultrugh's station's probably never been this organized before these two came." Duck laughed.
"Duck, that reminds me," said Oliver. "If we re-opened the branch line, who was here before us?"
"Some Wellsworth and Suddery engines, according to Henry," Duck admitted. "And there's an abandoned smaller railway down where Arlesburgh West is, apparently."
"The same gauge as the Skarloey Railway?" asked Oliver.
"Probably," Duck guessed. "My knowledge of it is about as good as yours. Maybe we'd better form an investigation about this."
"Agreed," said Oliver. His guard's whistle blew. "See you later, cous."
When Oliver reached Tidmouth, he saw another double decker bus. Unlike Bulgy, this one was painted dark blue, much darker than Algy.
"Hello," said Oliver, not quite sure how to approach this situation. "Er… nice to meet you. My name is-"
"Oh, great, not another engine," grunted the dark blue bus.
"Darn…" Oliver muttered, "there goes my hopes that this bus would be friendly."
"Huph!" sneered the bus. "I'm collecting my friend's passengers this evening, so he'll be free to take yours."
"You and Bulgy would never dare!" snapped Oliver.
"I heard about that insulting name you gave him!" grunted the other bus. "You'd better not do that to me!"
"Oh, you just buzz off, Brutus!"
Brutus was speechless as Oliver went off to get a drink and some coal.
Oliver then met up with Duck at Haultrugh again.
"Bulgy's got a friend named Brutus," growled Oliver. "He's rude too."
"Is that his actual name?" asked Duck.
"No," Oliver admitted. "I made that one up too."
Duck couldn't help but chuckle, but he realised Oliver wasn't laughing with him. "I thought it was creative, cous. What's the matter?"
"Well, Brutus is taking Bulgy's passengers, so as to leave him free to steal ours."
"But that's impossible!" Duck retorted. "Ours want to go to Knapford. It's much further by road."
"I guess that's true," said Oliver. "He won't be able to get our passengers there before us. I guess we're going to have to put Thomas' racing into action here."
"Heh, I wouldn't go that far, cous." chuckled Duck. "Like I said, it's much further by road. Algy knows this too."
Just then, Dilly came waddling over.
"What's up, Dilly?" asked Oliver.
She waved her wing over at what appeared to be a summer holiday chalet.
"Hmm," said Duck. "You know, this looks like that coach that Percy found a while back."
"Why, so it does!" gasped Oliver. "We should report this to someone at Knapford and then they can report it to Mr. Percival at Crovan's Gate. Well done, Dilly."
Dilly gave a modest quack at Oliver's comment.
That evening, Oliver, Duck and Donald were preparing for the homeward rush. Douglas had gone to see about taking the coach that Dilly had found to the Skarloey Railway.
"Dilly's sae clever," grinned Donald. "She mist be yin o' th' best hings that happened tae Haultrugh station."
"Don't count Dalles out yet," chuckled Duck. "I'm sure he'll find something to help our railway or the Skarloey Railway sooner or later."
"Are we getting into a competition of who's got the better pet?" laughed Oliver. "Sorry, you two, I can't help you there."
"We're juist joking, Oliver." Donald assured, "Baith dooklings wur quite a pleasant surprise."
But the trio's friendly conversation was interrupted when Duck noticed something.
"Hey, Donald, Oliver, look!" he cried, "there's only a few passengers on the platform, and my coaches feel light."
"Tis odd," gasped Donald. "Tis th' homeward rush, 'n' tis a holiday. We shuid be worked aff oor wheels."
"Look!" shrilled Oliver, getting the attention of the other two. "There's Bulgy. He's a mean scarlet deceiver!"
"Losh sakes!" exclaimed Donald, staring in disbelief at the sign on Bulgy's side. "A railway bus. Dae they really exist?"
The passengers, not suspecting anything, happily waved at the engines as they left.
"Ya bo snubs!" grinned Bulgy as he disappeared.
"Not this time!" Duck said boldly. "I'm not going to let myself crumble because of a liar again!" The pannier tank engine took off after Bulgy before Oliver or Donald could react.
"I've got to pay out Bulgy, big time," Duck grunted. "How dare he steal our passengers. This branch line rightfully belongs to Oliver, the twins and me! It's our job to make sure the passengers are well looked after!"
He kept an eye on the roads when he could, trying to find out where the bus had gone.
Meanwhile, Bulgy had found a "shortcut".
"This way will get the passengers to Knapford before I get there," he smirked. He then proceeded to go under the bridge.
"Huh?" he gasped. "Oh come on!" he grunted. "This is all I need!"
"This is a low clearance bridge!" snapped one of the passengers. "Double decker buses can't get under here."
"Yeah," said another. "We'd like to return to Alusbrugh to get a train, please."
"I am not going back to Alusbrugh to see those happy-chappy engines!" grunted Bulgy. "We can just stay here for a while."
"Oh, you are a rude bus!" growled a third passenger.
"I'll go see if I can flag down the next train," said a young man. He had a red scarf on, and walked up to the bridge.
"Now, where oh where is that bus?" Duck muttered under his breath. He then caught sight of the man on the bridge with the scarf.
"There's danger here!" he called. Duck braked to a halt.
"What's the danger?" asked the pannier tank engine.
The man gestured down below.
"Oh!" laughed Duck. "So this was Bulgy's shortcut. Beg pardon, Bulgy, but we don't really appreciate this sort of surprise."
"Oh, stop calling me that…" grunted the bus.
"He tricked us," called one of the passengers.
"Yeah," said a little girl; the same one who complimented Duck earlier that morning. "He said he's a railway bus, but he wouldn't accept mommy's return ticket."
"He wanted us to think railways were no good," added the little girl's mother. "Would you please help us, Duck?"
Duck's crew examined the bridge.
"It's risky," said Duck's driver, "but we must help the passengers."
"Of course," Duck agreed. "Passengers must get through no matter what. Everyone, please stand on the far side of the bridge away from the track. Boarding my coaches beforehand could risk your safety."
Duck slowly started to inch onto the bridge.
"Ooh!" moaned Bulgy. "Please, don't let the bridge fall on me! Stop!"
"It'd serve you right for telling lies." Duck retorted. But secretly, he was worried. If the bridge fell down, he and his coaches would be damaged. It wasn't serious enough that he would be… well, he'd rather not think about it, but he would be in the Steamworks for a while at least.
Much to Duck's relief, the bridge stayed in one piece.
"I'd better let them know at the next station," Duck noted as the passengers gratefully boarded the train.
And he did. Oliver and Donald were quickly informed about this, and had to be very careful when taking their own trains across the bridge. Thankfully, all the passengers managed to catch their trains. They were a bit delayed, but they didn't mind.
That evening, the Little Western quartet could not get back to their sheds. Edward and BoCo were down at Wellsworth, the Ffarquhar trio were at their sheds, and there was barely enough room at Tidmouth for the remaining eight engines. Duck and Oliver decided to share a berth temperwaily. It didn't matter too much as the berths were big and the tank engines were both rather small.
"There was a bus that was trying to steal your passengers?" Henry exclaimed.
"That's right," said Oliver. "But Duck here showed Bulgy a thing or two. Put that liar in his place."
"Oh, well," Duck smiled slightly, the type of smile that had a somewhat ache behind it. "I just…"
"Felt like you had to fight back?" Diesel asked quietly. "That… what I did the last time haunted you still?"
"Well… er… yes," Duck admitted. He knew he had to be diplomatic, as saying something in this state could send him into a frenzy.
Diesel didn't know how to reply to that for a moment. He glanced over at the pannier tank engine with a small smile, a genuine one, not his smirk others had been accustomed to seeing.
"You did well," he replied. It wasn't a real apology, not yet at least, but Duck would take any praise he could get from Diesel.
While the bridge was being mended, a shuttle service was staffed for the far side of the Little Western, along with some lorries to help with goods traffic. Bulgy did not help at all, for he was moved over to a farm nearby, and made into a henhouse. If he told whoopers, they'd never listen anyway.
"I will get out of this field!" snapped the red bus. "Just you wait and see. You'll be sorry!"
The End
This story completes Little Western Engines... uh, I mean, Oliver the Western Engine. Seriously, he doesn't even appear or was mentioned in the first story of the book, that may as well have taken place before Oliver was rescued. Anyway, this story was one I was looking forward to getting to, but I didn't realise just how much fun it was to write. Duck and Oliver's interactions were quite sweet, giving them a bit more of the family dynamic Zack I wrote up back in R&S. Again, another saloon coach was found, and not only did this give more of a reason for Sir Handel and Peter Sam told hold back talking about Duke, this gave me a reason to have Douglas not involved in the homeward rush like the books.
I also expanded on Bulgy's friend, who I've named Brutus. In the books, he's red, but I decided to have him painted blue like Algy. A darker blue, mind you.
Another thing that surprised me was writing out the shed scene at the end with Duck and Diesel. Well, Diesel wasn't kidding when he said he was "full of surprises", and taking small steps to better his relationship with Duck is probably one of the biggest surprises he's got.
