A/N: I want to apologise for how long I haven't updated this book. I did do many stories but just couldn't be bothered to put them on here. But now that this season is ending, I decided to put the stories I've written on here.
I don't do much stories for the Skarloey fleet and whilst on a walk at I spotted a deer and this story came in to mind. I hope you enjoy it! Because I really like it myself, I should probably do more with these characters if this is the case! Haha.
1974
Winter was ending, and the cold, ice snow had finally melted away. The engines on the Skarloey Railway were pleased, this meant that more passengers could be able to come to their little railway and travel through the lakes and trees. Peter Sam, was the most happiest with passengers coming back to take their trains, and enjoyed bringing them home everyday, with the sun bringing it's heat back down to the earth.
With tourist attraction being most of the railway's income nowadays, the Thin Controller decided to purchase more coaches for trains to run along the line and plans were being made for stations to get a second track so more trains could run. All the engines were enjoying the new season and new plans for their railway, even Sir Handel, who was mainly pleased that more bogie coaches had come to the railway.
But of course, there was one particular engine who grumbled all about it.
"It's goona be hectac I tell yae," fumed Duncan, one dreary, foggy afternoon at the sheds. "I don't know why tha Thin Controller as deciding on making our line a tourist attraction for kids!"
"You should be grateful you're going to get work at all!" said Duke crossly, "tourism wasn't as big as thing back when my old line was suffering from passenger loss, and when the mines closed down, guess what happened?"
"It goot close down," muttered Duncan, "I've heard that story a thousand time ol' timer, I'll tell yae somethin', the Rheneas Slate Quarry is still aroond, and who's tae say we can't go up further into the mou'tains?"
"The Sodor Government have told us not to proceed to expand through the mountains unless necessary for work and employment," stated Skarloey, who was in his usual, wooden shed, hacking for support by the main, bricked one. "And besides, it'll give you work!"
"It'll give me more passengers," Duncan grumbled, "I'll be working harder than ever, I'll be takin' more trips up and doown the line and I'll be hearing those god awful shootin' in those woods."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Ya heard," snapped Duncan, "shootings in the Glennock woods when I stop there, y'know where the woods our? It's-"
"Past Glennock station," cut in Duke, "I think Skarloey knows his route, unlike you with your tongue."
Duncan sniffed and sauntered away. But Skarloey couldn't help but think about what Duncan had said at the end. He mentioned to the other that evening at the sheds.
"Shootings?" said Rheneas, "are you sure about that Duncan?"
"Aye, why wouldn't I be?" quizzed Duncan, "I know what I heard! With all that loud noise my funnel would've cracked!"
"Heh," sniggered Sir Handel, "I'd love to see that!"
"What da ya mean?!"
"Funnel cracked? Getting replaced by something less.. tall, perhaps you'll be able to listen properly for once in your life instead of wierd sounds bouncing through that stupid thing!"
"Yae a little--"
"Don't put out that foul language out here," scolded Rheneas.
"I did try to talk sense to him with his usage of his tongue," added Duke.
"Shameful," said Skarloey.
"What for, Duncan's fowl mouth, or the shootings?" asked Peter Sam.
"Both," said Skarloey grimly, "it's a shame that animals would get hurt in such ways."
"It's nature," admitted Rheneas, "man are on top of the food chain, and food must be provided to a population. But I do agree on the fact that they're hunting animals in our woods. It isn't right."
"How so?" asked Sir Handel, "you're basically contradicting yourself from what you previously said!"
"Glennock Woods is owned land," explained Rheneas, "owned by our Sir Handel Brown, he has given strict instructions to not have people go over onto his land to do hunting and has made it a nature reserve."
"So, isn't that poaching?" asked Peter Sam.
"Quite right Stuart," Duke said, he then puff crossly, "this whole ordeal would never suit his grace!"
"You and your grace," muttered Sir Handel, "listen, poachers might not think they have a choice! They might not have jobs and hunting and selling animals is their only way to make profit! And animals do reproduce like mankind, so they won't be going away anytime soon."
"Yae definitely had geography lessons," scoffed Duncan from under his breath.
The engines knew Sir Handel could have a valuable point, but Peter Sam felt what Sir Handel said was cruel and unfair.
The next morning, fog covered the land. Peter Sam was told to take the first train of the day, he obliged without fuss, he had forgotten all about last night's conversation and sung to the coaches as he collected them. They were the usual four, Agnes, Ruth, Jane and Jemima, with Beatrice as his brake van. Peter Sam brought the coaches into the platform, ran round his train and waited eagerly at the front for his passengers. All different types of people came strolling onto the platform, either going up to the hills for an early hike, or taking the train to go to work, or to see friends from along their little line.
Eventually, Peter Sam set off up the line, he sang to the coaches, who joined him. Peter Sam liked the foggy weather, he found it exciting! Rattling along the cold rails, with the fog blocking the distance from him. He was making good progress along the line, stopping at Cros-ny-Cuirn. Travelled through a bit of the grassy plains until reaching Glennock.
"We're doing great! We're doing great!" Peter Sam sank cheerfully, "the passengers will be shouting our praises at this rate!"
He set off once more towards the wooded areas of Glennock, the mist was still down and thick. The cold breeze blew into his face and gently sailed past his boiler. As he was travelling through the woods, the peace and quiet was suddenly interrupted by an awfully loud, piercing bang.
"What was that?" gasped Peter Sam, as a faint thud was heard from the distance. The driver stopped the train, whilst passenger all tittered quietly to each other and peaked their head out of their windows.
The driver blew Peter Sam's whistle, whilst the fireman ran towards the sounds, he disappeared through the fog. Peter Sam was worried for him, but thankfully his fireman came stomping back, an annoyed expression across his face.
"Did you see who did it?" asked the driver, concerned.
The fireman shook his head. "Only saw blood staining the grass when I got their and boots imprinted to the ground."
The driver cursed quietly to himself. Peter Sam knew what happened, he had now remember the conversation he had with the others last night and felt a little sick. Poachers.
Peter Sam took the train on to Rheneas station. There, his driver reported about the crime to the stationmaster.
Peter Sam felt depressed after the incident. It wasn't right, to go on private property, owned by their owner who wanted it to be a natural area where animals could live in peace. And people were thinking it alright to hunt there. He returned to the sheds at midday, the Thin Controller thought he made need a rest after the incident. Sir Handel was still in the sheds when Peter Sam came puffing back.
"Heard about what happened," said Sir Handel. Peter Sam said nothing. "Listen, there isn't much we can do about it, they aren't causing harm to us engines!"
"They're hurting animals Sir Handel!" protested Peter Sam, hurt by what his friend had said.
"Pah," Sir Handel snorted, "you're just soft, like I said, we engines aren't getting harmed and mankind just need to feed themselves, we're fine."
"I'm sure the deers, rabbits and foxes are pleased you're supporting them," scoffed Peter Sam.
Sir Handel just rolled his eyes and set off to the slate quarry at Rheneas.
Later that evening, the Thin Controller came rushing up to Peter Sam, his own crew trying to keep up to him. Once they got to the little engine, Peter Sam's fireman began to light his fire.
"Sir Handel's fire has dropped," explained the Thin Controller, "none of the other engines will be available to take him and his train back here, so I need you to head to the quarry and pick him up."
"Yes sir," peeped Peter Sam willingly.
A few minutes later, the little engine had plenty of steam and puffed quickly out of the sheds and towards the quarry. He was looking forward to seeing Sir Handel.
*
But when he got there, it was clear to him that Sir Handel wasn't so thrilled to see him. All the trucks were laughing at him. Peter Sam quickly got turned around and buffered up to the arrogant engine.
"About time," scoffed Sir Handel, "now quickly take me back to the sheds!"
"Yes ma'am," replied Peter Sam cheekily.
Sir Handel fumed as they quickly darted out of the quarry.
It was getting dark when they began to head into Glennock Woods, the evening was began to show and Skarloey would follow Peter Sam with the first returning workman's train in a few minutes. The trucks were running smoothly and Peter Sam was thankful Sir Handel was too!
Suddenly, as they were puffing through the deepest part of the woods, the two little engines heard a sharp bang. It sounded very much like the same sound Peter Sam had heard before. It was a gunshot. Peter Sam gasped and even Sir Handel tensed up at the sound. Peter Sam's driver applied the brakes once more, and then out of nowhere, came a darting, red fox.
Peter Sam manage to stop just before hitting the wimping animal.
"Goodness gracious me!" cried his driver, as he peaked out of the cab.
Then, another gunshot was heard, a sound of metal hitting metal was heard a moment after and Sir Handel wailed as a hole formed right in the centre of his funnel. The fox quickly darted around Peter Sam' other side as two, gruff, middle-aged men came running out of the trees with guns being held dangerously in their hands.
"Where did that pesk go?" muttered one, then he saw, Peter Sam, a wailing Sir Handel and two crews looking at him. "Did you see a fox running by yae?"
Peter Sam couldn't believe it. "How dare you!" he fumed, "you've just shot Sir Handel!"
"Yes!" wailed Sir Handel mournfully, "I've been shot! Please! I need help!"
"Not our business," said the other.
Peter Sam seethed. Suddenly, the fox poked his head out from Peter Sam's buffer beam.
"There is it Johnny!" cried the other man, and Johnny pointed his gun towards Peter Sam's buffer beam.
"HUUUUUUUUUUUSSHHHHHHH!!!"
Steam came out from one of Peter Sam's cylinders as went all over the two hunters who cried out in terror and began coughing and choking. Once the steam had died down, the hunters looked at Peter Sam furiously. "Why you little--" began Johnny, but was cut off by another let off of steam.
This time, Sir Handel's crew decided to head into the cloud of steam, they charged at the two hunters quickly disarming them from their guns. But the hunters refused to be defeated easily and a fighting match came on. Cora the brake van shuddered at the scene whilst the truck all tittered at it in excitement. Sir Handel was mourning his funnel, and the other crew was trying their best to break it up. Peter Sam looked to his other side and noticed that the fox had gone. He looked around frantically, hoping that it didn't get shot.
Just then, he heard a familiar whistle and Skarloey with the workman's return train came into sight, he stopped right in front of Cora. He whistled once more, but Sir Handel's crew and the hunters didn't noticed whilst Peter Sam's driver and fireman were trying their best to stop the fight. The workmen quickly got out of the coaches and rushed to stop the fighting. Once it was all over, the workmen hoisted the poacherss inside the coaches. And Sir Handel's crew were put inside Cora. Skarloey buffered up behind Peter Sam's train without saying anything and both working engines puffed off to the next station.
When they got there, the guard called for the police to come and collect the hunters at the next station. They did so, and the poachers were arrested with their guns being taken away. Peter Sam still felt worried about the fox though.
Once they arrived back at the station, Peter Sam shunted the trucks into one of the wharf's sidings and took Sir Handel back to the sheds. Peter Sam's crew went to check Sir Handel and they laughed out loud once they saw what was inside.
Peter Sam raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" he asked curiously.
"I've found the poacher's catch!" called his driver, as he looked back into Sir Handel's cab, "and it looks like it found a nice place to sleep in too!"
There, in the corner of Sir Handel's cab, was the fox. Curled up and sleeping quietly, with no injury at all. Peter Sam was over the moon, whilst Sir Handel wasn't best pleased with the results.
"My funnel has a hole in it!!" he cried, "a now a fox is in my cab! Oh the shame of it!"
"I'm sure your funnel is fine," said Peter Sam, "besides, isn't it suppose to have a hole?"
Sir Handel grunted and said no more, as both Skarloey and Peter Sam laughed.
*
The poachers were taken to court and were charged, after that, the Skarloey Railway hadn't had a single incident with poachers since. The fox was taken back to the nature reserve and would sometimes be seen, near the tracks when Peter Sam whistles on through.
Sir Handel on the other buffer doesn't think poaching is such a good idea now. He doesn't like his funnel getting bullet holes and doesn't want a scared animal to come into his cab and dump it's load in there again!