Just a little something I thought I'd take a stroll whilst I had the time. Oliver's Discovery was one of my favorite stories to write, but I've taken more thought into it and considered how I could improve it by lightening the amount of characters that were used and probably focus more on the title character. So here you have it...Oliver's Discovery (REWRITTEN)!
Short Synopsis: Oliver discovers a barrier where a rock comes loose and dirt slowly starts to slide down. He quickly reports it to Miss Jenny who agrees to close the site until the area has been expected. Nelson takes workmen to inspect the site and all the machines continue on with their work, except for Max and Monty whose careless behavior leads them into the site...which leads to disaster!
Moral: carelessness can lead to trouble/different can be good
It was a bright early morning at the quarry by Cronk. Miss Jenny's machines were busy at work at the construction site, widening roads and digging up dirt to make sure that there was room in the area for construction of new sites all around. Ned The Steam Shovel was busy loading Max and Monty full of rubble.
"Oi! Careful there, bumble bucket!" Max snapped, as Ned poured rubble roughly into his trunk.
"Sorry, Max," chuckled Ned, "it's only rubble after all."
Then he slowly poured rubble in Monty's truck, but Monty was getting impatient.
"More!" he shouted.
Ned poured more rubble into Monty's trunk, but the dump truck still shouted, "more!"
"I think that's quite enough for now, Monty," Ned replied firmly yet kindly.
"More and hurry!"
But Ned didn't budge. He understood Max and Monty well and he wasn't going to let them take advantage of him. So he just strolled the other way.
"Pfft! Shabby steam shovel!" scoffed Max.
"Come on, Max," Monty replied, "I'll race to you to the construction site."
"I'll get there before you, Monty!" boasted Max, as he raced off.
"Last one there billows hot air!" Monty called back, as he raced after him.
And so the race was on...before their operators could return.
"Oi! Max!
"Monty!"
"Come back!" they both shouted and waved.
But it was too late. The two dump trucks raced past Kelly, who was rather startled.
"Max! Monty! Watch where you're going!" the crane shouted out.
Ned rolled up alongside Kelly and sighed with concern, "those two are probably going to get themselves in even more trouble someday with their carelessness."
"When will they finally learn.
Later that afternoon, Miss Jenny came to see her machines. She had stern words for Max and Monty.
"I am very disappointed in you two. You could have caused an accident by racing around the quarry like that; and without your operators too."
"We're sorry, Miss Jenny," Max replied, trying not to snigger.
"It won't happen again," Monty added.
"Not the first time I've heard that from you two. Who knows what to believe with you?" Miss Jenny sighed, before turning towards the rest of her machines, "anyway, I need to get back to my office and you all have work to do, so please, continue."
All the machines honked their horns and went back to work as Miss Jenny walked back to her office.
Throughout the afternoon, Max and Monty seemed to be more on their best behavior. The last thing they wanted after all was to spend another night locked up in their sheds.
Later, Miss Jenny came to see Oliver the excavator. She had important news for him.
"I have a special job for you to do, Oliver," she announced.
"A special job? Really? What is it, Miss Jenny?" Oliver wondered.
"I need you to do some demolishing on the empty buildings around the quarry. We need to make some room in case of any more construction around this quarry. And you, Oliver, are very capable of doing the job.
"Sure thing, Miss Jenny. I'll go ahead and get my wrecking ball fitted," said Oliver, as he left his shed.
"Excellent. I knew I could rely on you."
And Miss Jenny walked back to her office.
Meanwhile, Jack and Alfie were busy digging up holes at the digging site. This was their favorite job.
"Digging is great fun, isn't it, Alfie?" said Jack, as he picked up one load and set it aside.
"More digging means more dirt. More dirt means more fun," agreed Alfie, as he turned around and dug up the next load with his bucket.
Alfie picked up his load and quickly set it down, just as Oliver came rolling by. Dust flew slightly towards him.
"Woah!" he chuckled, "easy there, you too. Mind how you go now, eh?"
Alfie chuckled and replied, "yes, Oliver. We will."
"We're just all hyped up about digging, that's all," Jack added, "it's like this for us everyday. Right, Alfie?"
Both friends laughed as they set back to work, and Oliver chuckled as he trundled slowly on.
At the fitters yard, the men worked hard to get Oliver's wrecking ball fitted on properly. It took quite a bit of time for them to remove his shovel and have his wrecking ball ready but Oliver didn't mind. He knew that he had all afternoon to do the jobs he liked best. Just then, Max and Monty rolled by.
"Careful, you two," warned Oliver, as the dump truck twins stopped cheekily beside him, "it's quite dangerous racing around the quarry like that. Where are your operators?"
"On break!" Max bluntly replied, "what's it to you, old timer?"
"Easy, now. I was only wondering. Just remember our motto after all: safety first."
"Pfft! What nonsense!" scoffed Monty, "at least Max and I don't need to wait for our operators to prepare us for their work!"
"We don't switch between tools like you do!"
"Now, now," Oliver calmly explained, "having different tools is an ability that makes me really useful."
"Yeah, maybe...for digging dirt," said Monty.
"And knocking buildings down," Max added.
"Or maybe destroying them recklessly," Monty joked.
Max chuckled.
"Good one, Monty. Come on, let's get out of here before our operators come back."
"Right, Max. Let's go."
And they both raced speedily away.
Oliver was usually an engine who liked to advise his friends and support them in a spot of bother. But Max and Monty's jokes can get to anyone, eventually.
It wasn't long before the workmen done fitting the wrecking ball on Oliver. He exited the fitters yard, still feeling very sorry for himself. He stopped by a ruined building, and rolled slowly up to it. His operator quickly got his wrecking ball in place, and it was aimed several times towards the building. In no time at all, it was in smithereens. The workmen cheered for Oliver but he just rolled sadly away. He was still thinking about what the dump truck twins had said. Not even the cheerful sight of Buster the steamroller could cheer him up.
"Hello there, Oliver," Buster whistled cheerfully as he stopped beside him, "you alright?
"I'm fine, Buster," Oliver sighed, "but, you know, sometimes I just feel like putting an end to Max and Monty's jokes. They do take it a bit too far after a while, don't they?"
"Oh, just ignore those two. They tease me all the time."
"They do? So why do you put up with it?"
"Oh, because I know that over half the things they say aren't true. They make fun of me all the time for being a steamroller but I don't listen to them. I know that being a steamroller may be a little different than having to roll around on wheels all the time but I'm proud of it. It's my differences that make me special. Just like how you switch between tools to do your jobs. I have to get back to work now, Oliver. Goodbye."
And he honked and rolled away.
Buster's words made Oliver feel a lot better. But still he also kept thinking about what Max and Monty had said.
(Scene cuts to Max and Monty at the workmen's hut)
Meanwhile, Max and Monty were waiting at the workmen's hut for their operators to be done with their lunch break. The two dump trucks had just received a big telling off from the foreman for leaving their operators behind and they were still fuming.
"Hmph! And to think that we can't look after ourselves!" grumbled Max.
"How much longer is this going to take?!" Monty spluttered.
They both felt like taking off, but they didn't feel it was worth the trouble anymore.
Oliver had just finished with some demolition sites on numerous parts of the quarry and was heading back towards the yard. He noticed a barrier up ahead with two cliffside in between so his operator decided to slow him down and heighten his wrecking ball up to the very top.
"You know, sir, I don't think this barrier looks very safe," Oliver concernedly addressed to his operator.
"I know, Oliver, old boy," his operator sighed, "but it's the best shortcut to get back to the yard. The best you can do here is just be careful. Remember..."
"...safety first!" they both chanted.
"I know. I know," chuckled Oliver.
The barrier got darker as Oliver trundled slowly between it. He tried keeping his wrecking ball down below in fear of something coming down between them. But no matter how slowly they went, Oliver couldn't control the movement of his wrecking ball, which slowly swayed around as he continued through the barrier.
"Psst! Sir," said Oliver nervously, "I can't control my wrecking ball. It's just swaying around on its own."
"No fear, Oliver," his operator replied, "we'll be out of here soon."
"Hopefully soon enough," sighed Oliver, as they pressed on.
Then there was trouble. Oliver's wrecking ball eventually banged into the left cliffside. Oliver was shocked. He came to a complete stop and looked around.
"Everything alright, Oliver?" his operator chuckled.
"Um, n-n-no, s-s-sir," Oliver trembled, "I think we hit the barrier. Big time."
"Oh, nothing to worry about. Just a small hit won't affect anything.
But he said it too soon. Oliver and his operator could hear a small sound was heard from up the cliffside.
"Or maybe not too much," he continued nervously.
Then suddenly, a rock tumbled down on the ground. Oliver reversed to a halt in a surprise. Then dirt slowly moved down from the barrier.
"I told you, sir, that journeying through this barrier could be risky."
"You're right, Oliver. I guess I might have to inspect this small mess and see what we can do about it."
And so that's what he did. Oliver's operator took a quick look at the fallen rock then looked up the cliffside to see more dirt slowly making it's way down. After that, he looked farther down the trail to see the end of the barrier and then he turned back towards Oliver.
"I'm afraid we have ourselves a little dilemma, here, Oliver. We're almost at the end so I guess it's safe to proceed, but you must be careful with your wrecking ball before something else comes down."
"Yes, sir. I will."
And so Oliver and his operator made their way slowly through once more until they reached the end of the barrier of the other side. After that, Oliver returned quickly to the yard when the machines were all being refueled. Max and Monty were impatient to get back to their operators at the workmen's hut but the men seemed to be taking their time with the fuel drums. Oliver spoke up to his fellow machines.
"Listen, all of you: I have a quick warning to make," he quickly announced, "don't go through the old barrier down the site there. It's very dangerous as my operator and I just discovered."
"How would you know, old timer?" Max taunted.
"Yeah! Maybe you caused it a problem with one of your silly old tools!" Monty added.
And the two of them raced off without even waiting to refueled.
"Max! Monty! Your fuel!" Jack called out.
"Don't mind them, Jack," sighed Kelly, "they'll learn their lesson the hard way once time really kicks in."
"I'm afraid that time might have to do with the fact that they ignored me about the barrier," Oliver wondered, as Alfie rose an eyebrow at him.
"Does Miss Jenny know about this, Oliver?"
"No, not yet. But my operator just went to tell her. They'll be back soon."
And they were. Miss Jenny first turned towards Oliver.
"Well done for discovering that barrier, Oliver. Your operator told me everything. Nelson, you must take the workmen to investigate the site. Meanwhile, I want all the rest of you to stay out of plain sight of this barrier and just get on with your ordinary jobs."
"Yes, Miss Jenny," the machines replied, as they honked their horns and rolled off back to their jobs.
And soon, the machines were all refueled and set off once more. Oliver had his shovel fitted back on and went straight back to digging. Nelson picked up the workmen and set off for the barrier.
Meanwhile, all the other machines carried on with their work. But Oliver was a little worried. What if some machine such as Max or Monty could race into the site and cause even more trouble? All of Oliver's safety precautions would've been revealed for nothing. His good friend Oliver the Great Western engine came along with his break van, Toad.
"Hello there, Oliver," the Great Western engine whistled, as he stopped beside him.
"Oh," the excavator gasped as he looked over at his steam engine counterpart, and chuckled slightly, "hello, Great Western."
"You look a little nervous," the Great Western engine wondered, eyeing him carefully, "whatever's the matter?
"Oh, my operator and I just discovered a barrier down the site here. And I'm not sure that all the machines might have taken in mine or Miss Jenny's warnings about the dangers of it. It's a good thing the workmen have gone to discover it."
"Oh, dear," the Great Western engine gasped, "I do hope nobody gets hurt."
"Don't worry, Mr. Oliver," Toad soothed, "I'm sure Miss Jenny takes your warning seriously about this."
"Um, I'm not the one who made the discovery, Toad," the Great Western engine put in, confused.
Toad sighed and chuckled "I know, Mr. Oliver. I wasn't talking to you. Of course no effects there, right?"
The Great Western engine chuckled and replied, "of course not, Toad. Anyway, we best be heading back to Duck's branch. See you later, Oliver. And don't worry. The workmen know what they're doing."
He whistled and chuffed away, as Toad called out, "goodbye, Mr. Oliver."
The Great Western engine chuckled.
"I'm right here, Toad!"
"I know, I know, Mr. Oliver," Toad sighed, "I was talking to the other one. You're not the only Oliver on Sodor, you know."
They both chuckled as they disappeared down the tracks and Oliver the excavator smiled slightly as he returned to his work.
At the barrier entrance, Nelson watched as the workmen put up signs labeled DO NOT ENTER! on both sides of the barrier, warning machines not to enter the area. A few of them even proceeded into the barrier to look around for rocks that have either fallen or come loose. They had found quite a few and reported it back to the foreman at the barrier's entrance.
Jack rolls up alongside Nelson and asked "I'm pretty sure these workmen know they're doing. Don't you, Nelson?"
"Quite so, Jack," the ballast tractor replied, "the foreman just gave these men clear instructions to walk in and out of the area and so far, it's been proven that it's unsafe for machines to proceed."
"That's good to know. I better get back to digging. I do, after all, need to shovel the dirt into sight so that Alfie and I can dig it up and make good use of it." Then he reversed and rolled away.
Nelson continued to eye the barrier cautiously. He saw how the workmen had done their inspection on the area and were getting ready to canvas it up and make it safe for machines to pass.
Meanwhile, Max and Monty were running low on fuel and the fuel drums had been placed away. Their operators had gone for a short break and Jack and Alfie were nearby, digging dirt.
"Yes, Max and Monty. Can we help you two?" Alfie demanded, as he turned around towards them.
"You bet you can! Monty and I are running low on fuel!"
"What's the quickest way to get to the next compartment? These men here will take their time and it will take longer for us to get home!"
"The next fuel compartment is available through the barrier. But you can't go through," Jack explained sternly.
"Yeah, both Miss Jenny and Oliver have declared it unsafe," Alfie added, "that's why the workmen are canvasing it up and...
"Oh, to ruins with that old-fashioned excavator says!" Max scoffed, "Oliver's always causing delays with the way he swings his wrecking ball!"
"Yeah, and we're sure one time through the barrier won't cause any effect!" Monty added, before slowly revving his engine, "that is...if we hurry! Come on, Max!"
"I'll get there before you, Monty!" Max called, as he raced after him.
Jack and Alfie were shocked. Max and Monty had raced away just as their operators had come back. Oliver saw the commotion and raced over.
"Oi, Max! Monty!" Max's operator shouted.
"Where on earth have they gone now?" Monty's operator sighed heavily.
"Towards the barrier," Jack explained.
"What?!" Oliver gasped, rather shocked.
"You heard him, Oliver," sighed Alfie, "there's no way of controlling those two."
" I better stop them before they dig themselves into even more trouble!" Oliver panicked. And he raced off.
"Wait, Oliver!" Jack and Alfie shouted, as Max and Monty's operator waved and called after him too.
But Oliver didn't hear them. He had just discovered a safety hazard that might make an impact on the quarry and he wasn't going to let Max and Monty get into trouble by ignoring it.
At the barrier site, the workmen had just finished making final inspections and were making plans to canvas up the barrier and make it safe. Nelson watched as they gathered together to confer over it. Then, he heard a set of wheels coming from up the site. He looked over to see Max and Monty racing in sight at a tremendous speed.
"I'll get there first!"
"No! I will!"
"No! I will!"
"Let's see then, shall we?"
Max and Monty raced towards the barrier, and passed a very surprised Nelson.
"Max! Monty! Stop!" the ballast tractor shouted out.
But it was too late. The two dump trucks had already disappeared into the darkness of the barrier.
"When will those two learn?" sighed Nelson.
Max and Monty raced through the barrier. They thought the whole journey to be exhilarating. But not for long. Suddenly, the two naughty dump trucks came to a complete stop just between the two cliffsides.
"Bother! I'm out of fuel!"
"Me too!"
Then they heard a strange noise coming from both directions of the barrier. Then a rock tumbled down before him and landed with a thud. The two dump trucks gasped back in surprise. All the racing around they had done had caused a landslide to occur from both sides of the barrier.
"We're in trouble now," moaned Max.
"Big trouble is more like it."
Back at the site, Oliver raced towards the barrier as well, and he stopped just beside Nelson.
"Oliver!"
"Hello, Nelson. Have you by any chance seen Max and Monty arrive yet?"
"Why, yes. They've headed into the barrier. I didn't know what they were thinking, nor their operators."
"They've left them behind again, Nelson. I was the one who discovered this mess and now I must prevent it from actually happening."
And Oliver raced into the barrier.
"Wait, Oliver! Don't!" Nelson warned, "You'll get into trouble as well! OLIVER!"
But Oliver didn't hear Nelson. He just continued his way into the barrier.
Meanwhile, Max and Monty were wishing that they had never gone into the barrier in the first place. The landslide was getting closer and closer but was Oliver.
"We're going to get crushed if we don't get out of here, mate!"
"Help! HELP!"
By this time, Oliver was racing right around the corner until he finally came into sight of Max and Monty.
"Max! Monty!" he shouted, rolling slowly forward.
"Oliver?!"
"What do you're doing, mate?"
"What does it look like?" Oliver grunted, as he raised his shovels and covered it over Max and Monty, "I'm getting you two out of here."
"You'll never do that in time!"
"You'll just make it worse, mate! You're a silly old steam shovel, remember?"
"Well, this silly old steam shovel is getting you out of here."
"Pfft! Let's see how you'll do that then!"
"Yeah! Show us!"
The landslide started to roll down and Oliver lifted his shovel up, which kept it from falling over Max and Monty. The twins looked up in surprise. Then Kelly came into sight. Miss Jenny was on board.
"Oliver!" Kelly called out.
""Kelly! Get the twins out of here! Quick!" the excavator grunted back.
"But I can only reach Max from here! Nelson's on his way over!"
Kelly pulled Max away and out of the barrier while Nelson arrived and got ready to pull Monty away.
"Let go, Oliver! We're all safe now! Let's go!" he called out.
"I can't!" grunted Oliver, continuously holding up the landslide, "it will only make it worse!"
"Just do it, Oliver! Trust me on this one!"
Oliver couldn't hold it much longer anyway. The landslide hit the ground but as Nelson pulled Monty quickly away from under, a huge rock toppled over them.
"Look out!" Oliver called out, and reached out his shovel out to catch the rock into it. "Phew! I did it."
"Well done, Oliver!" chuckled Nelson, as he pulled Monty away.
And so three machines made their way back into the yard where Max was being refueled and the men were getting ready to the same for Monty. Oliver was worried about what Miss Jenny would have to say about his venture into the sight. He did, after all, break the motto of safety first, even though he discovered the barrier in the first place. But Miss Jenny wasn't cross with Oliver. She was smiling.
"Spot on, Oliver! You'd make a mother proud."
"You're not cross with me, Miss Jenny?" said Oliver in surprise, "I didn't use the "safety first" motto in this rescue attempt after all."
"Oh, that's no matter to me, Oliver. What matters is that you had a reason for going into the sight and helping out a friend. You also risked your boiler to do so too. As well as your smart paintwork." Then she chuckled and continued, "and that's why, Oliver, you deserve yourself a new coat of paint.
"A new coat of paint?" Oliver gasped, "why, thank you, Miss Jenny!"
"Hooray for Oliver!" the rest of the machines chanted, honking their horns loudly.
All of the other machines cheered for Oliver. Except for Max and Monty who just snorted. But Miss Jenny had stern words for them.
"Not much of the same I can say for you two," she scolded severely, "you caused a lot of trouble by racing into that barrier at such a dangerous speed. And without your operators there too. You'll be spending the next few days in your shed."
Max and Monty felt very ashamed, as they rolled slowly back to their sheds. But the rest of The Pack just cheered.
"What did I tell you, Oliver?" said Buster, as he rolled up beside the excavator, "different can be good, right?
"Why, yes, Buster. I mean, I basically saved the day just by using one single tool among the numerous ones that I have. I think that proves that they actually are special. Ah, well, I was always proud of them to start with."
"You should be," Kelly added, "it's that difference you have from us that makes you special, Oliver."
All of the machines agreed. And Oliver, for the first time all day, felt very special about having to use different tools now and then.
Well, I know this wasn't much but this was a story that I really wanted to improve upon to see how much better it would fit in as an actual Pack episode, really. Surely, if it was, then Oliver, Jack, Alfie, Max, Monty, and maybe Miss Jenny would more likely be the only ones to appear. But I needed Kelly and Nelson to assist Oliver in the rescue operation, and Ned to help kick off the beginning with Max and Monty's arc, really. But, yeah, Isobella and Marion and even the visible cameo from Patrick was just totally unnecessary were just unnecessary, mainly since he and Isobella both have pivotal roles in Stick-In-The-Mud, and Byron, (whom I forgot to use, lol) for A Jack Of All Trades. I just couldn't see how much more I structure round with the narrative besides taking a couple scenes out, and rewriting a few. Exploring interactions between the two Olivers was a highlight for me with this story and I think I have a plot idea in mind for them for my next set. Till then, keep on the lookout for The Skarloey Adventure Begins, which might be delayed a bit until whenever I have the time for it, and stay tuned throughout December with the wintry/Christmas episodes:
The Missing Snowplow - James damages his snowplow while clearing the tracks of snow and borrows one of Donald and Douglas' snowplows...without asking Victor! After he forgets to take it back, Donald and Douglas set out on a wild goose chase for The Missing Snowplow! (preview for this one's already up by the way. Might wanna expect it by first week/weekend of December at least)
Rusty And The Avalanche - Rusty discovers fog on the line, so the Thin Controller asks his engines to have headlamps fitted. However, Peter Sam and his driver miss the memo and get caught in an avalanche, and Rusty sets out to rescue him.
Mavis' Christmas Surprise - Paxton shockingly discovers that Mavis has no time for parties, so he secretly plans a surprise party for her, but must take caution of other diesels lurking in his shadows.
Thomas Saves Christmas - it is Christmas Eve, and Thomas is to lead the Earl's Christmas fair, but feels low on the spirits when Gordon and James claim he'll never be able to pull bigger holiday trains. However, Henry breaks down that evening delivering the Presents Train, and Thomas braves a fierce snowstorm to bring Christmas to all of Sodor!
A Salty New Year - after one of Salty's New Year's Eve stories annoys Cranky to a point where he causes an accident and is blamed for it, the two friends agree on a New Year's resolution to see who can change for the best in the New Year.