This story contains four Furness K2's named Rick, Norm, Melody and Romy. Rick is green with red stripes, Norm is Silver with a red smokebox and black stripes, Melody is yellow with red stripes and Romy is blue with golden stripes.
Its the winter of 1891 and there is heavy snowfall on the island of Sodor. Rick backs up into the shed he and his twins share with the three Sodor and Mainland engines.
'What a day.' he says and he releases a big cloud of steam. 'Indeed, little brother, indeed.' Norm agrees with him. 'I don't understand why mister Adams thinks we need those rigid snowploughs! They are so annoying!' The silver engine complains. 'Calm down Norm, you need your snowplough. Just look outside!' Rick says, trying to show his brother why they need it. It is snowing fiercely and it doesn't look like it will stop anytime soon. 'I see you have a point.' They hear a familiar whistle and shortly after their younger twin sister's Melody and Romy enter their berths. 'Evening Norm, evening Rick.' they say. 'Evening you to. How have your days been?' the green tender engine asks. 'Maintenance went well. We fixed a piece of track on the hill.' Romy says. 'And how has your day been, Melody?' Melody sighs. 'I had trouble building up steam. I had also a lot of trouble with the trucks.' Norm smirks. 'Trucks! They are weak and dirty, how can they give you trouble!?' He bursts out in laughter. Romy scoffs. 'You wouldn't know that. You only pull the express.' Melody looks at Rick with tear filled eyes. 'I have to agree with Norm on this.' he says. Melody charges out of the shed with tears streaming out of her eyes. 'Melody, wait!' Rick tries to go after her but Romy's words stop him. 'Don't! you have done enough!' The blue tender engine puffs after her sister and leaves her two brothers behind.
The next morning arrives and it stops snowing for a while. Rick stops at the station in Vicarstown and buffers up to the coaches Neil has already shunted for him. The manager, Felix Adams, walks up to the green engine. 'Rick do you know what… Rick!?' Rick wakes up with a shock. 'Huh… yes sir?' Felix looks crossly at his engine. 'Where you asleep?' Rick sighs. 'Yes, mister Adams, I was. Melody and I had a fight yesterday, and she ran away crying. I wasn't able to sleep after that. I am sorry sir.' Mister Adams frowns. 'So that's what happened.' Rick raises an eyebrow. 'What do you mean, sir?' 'Melody took the goods train I wanted you to double head with her all by herself this morning.' A worried look appears on Rick's face. 'I hope she is alright.' Suddenly, the stationmaster runs up to them. 'Sir, I just received an fax saying Melody has broken down at the foot of the hill!' 'What happened!?' 'They say she snapped an axle and she has burst her boiler.' A loud whistle penetrates the air as Rick storms out of the station, leaving his confused passengers behind.
Melody sighs. 'I shouldn't have been so foolish.' she mutters to herself. 'Don't worry about it Melody.' Her driver, Lee Gray, leans against her tender. 'it wasn't your fault.' Melody bursts out into tears. 'Except it is! Mister Adams told me he wanted Rick to double head this train with me. I lied to you. I am so sorry, I just couldn't stand to see him.' Lee gently pats the side of her tender. 'The two of you had a fight, didn't you?' Her answer is drowned by the sound of Rick's whistle. 'Not now!' Melody cries out in frustration. 'Easy girl, it is not possible he is going to make fun of you now.'
Rick can't believe his eyes. The crack in Melody's boiler is huge and she is leaning to her left due to the broken axle. He silently comes to a halt beside her. He hears the trucks giggle behind him but decides to ignore it for the time being. 'Melody, I am… so sorry.' He starts. 'I have never pulled trucks before, so I just said what my personal experience was. I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't want it to come to this. Does it hurt much?' Melody looks at him and realises something. She has been sitting in the same spot for two hours, but she was only in pain for the first fifteen minutes. 'I feel fine, somehow.' she says. She looks closer at her brothers face. 'It looks like you're in pain! What happened Rick?!' Rick tries to force a smile, but he fails. 'It's my fault you broke down. I should be the one to feel the pain.' Melody looks at him with big eyes. She opens her mouth to say something, but at that moment Neil arrives with the breakdown train.
One hour later Melody is secured tightly on a flatbed. 'Take care little sis.' Rick says. 'You to, big brother.' Neil departs, taking Melody back t Vicarstown. Rick looks at the trucks. 'I expect no trouble from you, am I clear?' he says while a green aura appears around his eyes. 'No sir!' the trucks say, terrified. 'Good, I'll try not to bump you as long as you don't cause any trouble. I never pulled a goods train before, so I can't promise this will be the most comfortable trip for you.' He couples to the first truck, a large rusty tanker. 'I'll try to keep them in order if you'd like.' Rick smiles. 'What's your name?' he asks. 'Hans, sir.' 'You don't have to call me sir. My name is Rick. It is a pleasure to meet you, Hans.' Hans smiles. 'Likewise Rick.'
The green K2 drops sone sand on the rails to increase his grip. 'Alright, here goes nothing.' He slowly moves forward and the trucks are surprised with how gentle he is. He slowly makes his way to the top without any incident. As he starts to decent, he notices a problem. 'What's going on? We are going a bit to fast Rick.' Hans says, starting to get worried. 'I don't have any sand left! I can't get any grip on the rails!' he yells, panicking. Hans grins. 'I have an idea.' he says. 'Do it!' "Everybody, hold back! We need to slow down.'
If it had been any other train, things would have looked grim for Rick. Luckily, there were four trucks on this train that were helpful most of the time: Hans, Els, Bob and Ed.
'Hold back!' Those words got repeated by three other trucks and Rick felt how his coupling got jerked. 'We need to stop at Wellsworth. When we're there, I'll ask mister Adams to give you all an overhaul!' The trucks cheered after hearing that and used their full weight to slow the train down. Rick slides into Wellsworth with locked wheels before coming to a complete stop. Mister Adams walks towards the engine with a confused look on his face. 'That certainly was a way to enter the station.' he says. Rick blushes slightly. 'I used up all my sand while climbing the hill and couldn't get a grip on the rails when we went downhill. Without the help of these trucks I would never have been able to stop in time. I want to ask you if you could give them an overhaul.' The man smiles at him. 'If you say so. Besides, I can see that these trucks really need a new coat of paint at the very least. Do you have any advise for me?' Rick stays silent for a couple of minutes. 'I think I have.' he says. 'I could ask Amber to bring a load of wood from Asney lumberyard to the works near Bea, Rafe probably won't mind to take some metal from the Mullagh Slogh mineral mine and bring it to the works as well. I'll make sure the workmen will make the right parts and I'll ask Ellery and Libby to take the parts to this place.' Everyone at the station has stopped working and looks at Rick with surprise on their faces. 'What?' 'Rick, you talk like a controller. I know you have a important job on the Obbeeys Railway but you talk like you're in charge.' Rick smiles. 'I would love to tell you more about it, if you want to, Felix.' The stationmaster, who was walking towards them, stops dead in his tracks when he hears the first name of his boss. 'You know Rick, my daughter Bella is going through a difficult time. I would like you to send some time with her. Tell her stories, make jokes, keep her company, things like that. It would mean a lot to me.' Rick smiles. 'It would be my pleasure, Felix. But we need to find someone to do my work while Melody is being repaired.' Mister Adams raises an eyebrow. 'What do you mean, your work?' 'Sir, I feel responsible for all of this. The core of the problem was my lack of experience with trucks. I want to prevent something like this from ever happening again. I want to learn as much about trucks and shunting as possible. I hope you don't mind.' The man starts laughing. 'Of course not Rick. In fact, I am very happy with your decision. It means you'll be able to be even more useful then you already are.' Rick smiles. 'I'll ask Chloe to cover for me. She is a blue Stirling Single, the passengers will like her for sure.