Happy New Year's Eve! I thought we might end off 2016 on a high note with...

The Little Engine Who Saved Christmas

Part V: A Salty New Year

Moral: being yourself/resolutions take time to accomplish

Short Synopsis: Salty's New Year's resolution story has Cranky going bonkers and making a mess the Docks. Cranky is blamed for it and has to clear up the wreckage. To make it up to him, Salty challenges Cranky to a New Year's resolution to see who can change over the course of the day. In the end, both Salty and Cranky realize that resolutions take time to resolve, and learn to be themselves for that matter.

The 31st of December is considered one of the most anticipated holidays of the yearly calendar. It is a time when friends and family reminisce and share stories about their years' worth of experiences. Every New Year's Eve, engines and people all across Sodor would gather and witness the passing of the current year when the clock struck 12:00 midnight, so that they could welcome the transition for a New Year to begin.

Bill and Ben were waiting at Brendam Docks for their trucks to be loaded with crates of rock salt. This way, the surfaces around the Clay Pits would be able to keep firm and safe throughout the course of the winter. The job was nearly finished, but Cranky was taking his time, as he carefully loaded each crate.

"Hurry up, slow crane!" Bill whistled impatiently. "You're making us late!"

"Yeah!" Ben added. "We still have trucks of China Clay to sort out! The sooner we finish up at the Clay Pits, the sooner we can get back!"

"Why are you two in such a hurry?!" Cranky snapped. "Can't you see there's also work to do here at the docks?! You're not the only engines waiting and these crates are very fragile, so you must be patient!" He loaded the next crate into Bill's truck. "I don't know," he muttered to himself. "What's the whole point of this New Year's rush anyway?"

"Just ignore them, Cranky!" Porter whistled, as he pulled into view. "They're just anxious to get back in time for the countdown."

"Countdown?" Cranky wondered in confusion. "What countdown?"

"Well, the New Year's Eve countdown, of course," Porter chuckled. "The one that happens every year here at the Docks. Every engine is going, supposedly."

"Oh, really?!" Cranky exclaimed sarcastically, as he swung his hook for the next load. "I had no idea!"

"Ooh, he's boring!" Bill seethed over at Ben.

"Yeah!" Ben agreed. "He's no fun at all, is he?!"

Just then, Salty pulled into view.

"Ha-her! Never mind him, mateys," the dockyard diesel suggested. "Cranky by name, Cranky by nature. But deep down, he's a good-hearted crane and a strong and able worker, and on a day like this, that's the important thing."

"Huh! Finally, someone noticed!" Cranky muttered, as he slowly pulled up the next crate from the ship.

"I say, me hearties," Salty suddenly thought, "that reminds of a story. A New Year's Eve resolution story."

"Oh, no, Salty!" Cranky groaned. "Not another one of your stories! Please!"

"Oh, please, Salty!" the twins pleaded together at once, "I wanna hear it!"

"Oi! I asked first!" Bill snapped.

"No! I did!"

"You did not!"

"I did!"

"You didn't!"

"I did!"

"Settle down, you two!" Porter chuckled. "The story's starting."

Salty took a deep breath, and thought real hard, as Cranky hastily loaded the next crate into Ben's truck. Finally, his story began.

"This be a tale of a wee naughty little pirate boy who lived out at sea aboard his father's ship, known as The Sailor's Shanty. His name...was Eugene."

"Ooh," Bill gasped.

"Go on, Salty," Ben urged, while Cranky cranked quietly and swung his hook back around towards the ship.

"Eugene was a very troubled young sailor indeed. He hoped one day that if he had it all worth the experience, he'd be able to take his father's place as captain of The Sailor's Shanty. But...it wasn't all that simple, as you might imagine. The young lad had a long way to go before he could do so."

Cranky tried hard not to snap, as he reached down towards the next crate and slowly hoisted up from the ship.

"However," Salty continued, "one stormy night, on New Year's Eve, The Sailor's Shanty had been caught in rough seas. The captain himself was too late to steer the ship away, and he eventually began seeking assistance from his dear son. So, that was when Eugene suddenly took action and helped his father steer The Sailor's Shanty far away against the tides, and on towards land."

"Oh, why me?" Cranky groaned, as he slowly swung his hook around.

"And so," Salty finished, "and that was how the young sailor named Eugene, once and for all, grew a change of heart, and was ready in future to eventually take his father's place as captain of The Sailor's Shanty. His family and even his entire crew looked at his bravery and heroism as a sudden change in the young lad, as he went through his New Year's resolution that very night."

Cranky couldn't help himself any longer. "Enough, Salty!" he shouted, before he suddenly swung his arm around in frustration to allow his load to dangle in his grasp. "Uh, oh!" he gasped.

"Careful, Salty!" Porter called out.

"Watch your balance, matey!" Salty warned.

But it was too late. "Oh, no!" Cranky groaned, as the dangling crate slipped off his hook and fell towards the ground.

"Incoming!" the twins exclaimed, and shut their eyes tight.

CRASH!

"Whoops!" Cranky muttered, before chuckling nervously. "Uh..., I don't think that was meant to happen."

Luckily, no one was hurt, but the crate was in smithereens and slabs of rock salt lay all over the dockside.

The dock manager came over from his office to inspect the wreckage as soon as he got the call, and he did not look very happy.

"Oh, dear. What a mess. This won't do at all," he sighed, as he knelt up after examining the wreckage. Then he looked up."Cranky!" he demanded, "what on earth is the meaning of this?"

Cranky felt rather embarrassed, but took a deep breath so he could try and explain himself. "Uh, well. I'm sorry, sir. I guess I got a little out of control. But it wasn't all my fault, sir. I got distracted because..."

The manager sighed heavily and boomed, "enough, Cranky! I'm not interested in your excuses! The dock men told me everything, and I understand that you were entirely responsible for causing this mess!"

"But, sir..."

"Please, Cranky," the manager pleaded, "just finish loading these crates, so the twins can get back on schedule. Then I want this entire cleared up by lunchtime. Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," Cranky quietly replied, and turned around to pick up the next load.

In no time at all, Cranky had finished loading the crates of rock salt into Bill and Ben's trucks, and the twins were ready to go.

"Huh! About time!" Bill moaned, looking up at Cranky as the shunter coupled up both lines of trucks. He then looked over at his twin. "Race you back to the Clay Pits, Ben! Last one there chuffs rock salt out of his cylinder!"

"What?!" Ben spluttered, before starting up his engine. "No way! I'll get there before you, Bill!"

"No! I will!" Bill argued, as he raced after his twin.

"I will!"

"I will!"

"No, I will!"

The banter ensued as the twins raced out of the docks. Cranky watched after them, and sighed with relief, "thank goodness! It's hard to work at this altitude with all those chattering engines."

"Ahoy there, Cranky!" Salty honked as he rolled by. "Everything alright?"

"Huh!" Cranky scoffed indignantly, as he aimed his hook towards the fallen crate.

"Hmm..." Salty thought with confusion, as he slowly rolled on past.

For the rest of the morning, Cranky spent his time clearing the mess he made by the dockside, but he didn't seem to enjoy it one bit. He remained very cross with Salty, as he held him partially responsible for what had happened. Salty didn't like seeing his friend so upset, and decided to talk to Porter about it.

"I say, young Porter," he told the dockside tank engine, who was busy shunting rubbish trucks into place, "it makes me buffers ache to see Cranky looking so down in the dumps."

"What do you mean, Salty?" Porter wondered, as he backed down from the trucks.

"What I mean is, well, he's been giving me the cold shoulder all morning, you see, and I can't help but wonder whether the mess he had caused was somewhat me responsibility to some extent."

"I have no idea, Salty. But I don't think Cranky had to react in the way he did. Perhaps it might help if you talked to Cranky yourself."

"Oh, don't be silly, Porter. You know he'll never respond to me about it. Oh, no. Not after what happened this morning."

"You want me to talk to him?" Porter kindly suggested.

"What?!" Salty gasped. "Oh, no no no. Absolutely not. This is my problem to resolve. I thank ye, young Porter, but I'm sure I can put this matter right meself."

"Um...okay, Salty," Porter responded, rather confused as the BR Class 07 raced on up around the bend. Porter backed up to his trucks and shunted them as he followed Salty up the line.

Cranky was just finished clearing up the mess when Salty pulled up alongside.

"Are you alright, Cranky?" he asked, looking up at him with concern.

"I'm fine, Salty!" Cranky snapped. "Please, just let me get on my work. Don't you have your own job to do anyway?"

"Well, as matter of fact, I do, matey," Salty responded, looking at the line of trucks beside him, as Porter backed down from them. "I have to deliver all these rubbish trucks to Whiff's Waste Dump, but I wanted to see how ye were getting on first."

"Getting on?" Cranky wondered.

"Well, yes, matey. I understand yer still cross about this morning, and I thought I'd make it up to ye before I heads on over to the Dump."

Cranky stared hard at Salty, and then bluntly replied "if you really wanted to make it up to me, you'd give up your tall tales once and for all!"

Salty chuckled.

"Ah, ha-her! Oh, don't be silly, Cranky. You know I can't give up my seafaring ways. It's in me nature, just like being cranky is in yours."

"Well, you might as well think about it, Salty. They're fine to listen to once in a while, but they're just distracting when there's work to be done. How do you think an accident was almost caused here at the docks this morning?"

Salty sighed and took a deep breath.

"Alright, matey, you win. I guess I could control me stories just a little bit. But then again, you could work on controlling yer temper yerself."

"You really think so?" Cranky wondered.

"Absolutely. In fact, we could both work towards an area of self-improvement. How 'bout I challenge ye to a little New Year's resolution, eh?"

"New Year's...resolution?"

"Precisely! If I learnt to give it up on me stories, you could learn to be more patient. Couldn't ye?"

"Well, uh, I suppose..."

"Sounds great, matey! Then a resolution is set to see how much we can change in the New Year."

Cranky looked long and hard at Salty, feeling skeptical about the dockyard diesel's suggestion. At last, he responded. "So what you're trying to say is that if I work on controlling my temper from now on, you're going to stop telling stories when there's work to do here at the docks?"

"Argh! A promise is a promise! From now on, I vow to end my seafaring nature once and for all."

"Really?" Cranky gasped, rather surprised.

"You have me word on it, matey. You'll never hear of me Salty stories again."

"Uh, well, um, thanks, Salty. That's really big of you."

"Argh, well, now I need to hear you say it, matey."

"Um, I beg your pardon?" Cranky asked with confusion.

"Ha-her, well, um, I need to hear you make your New Year's resolution. That way, there'll be no take backs from the either of us."

Cranky took a deep breath, long and loud, thinking where to start, until he finally proclaimed, "from now on, I...uh...promise to change my sulky ways and be a better crane."

"Really?!" Salty gasped.

"Yes!" Cranky suddenly snapped. But then he remembered his side of the bargain, and said calmly, "I mean, yes. In future, I will work on being patient with other engines, even if they get a little impatient with me."

"Oh," Salty pondered, as he listened real close.

"And I'll say please and thank you," the crane finished.

"Ha-her! That's the spirit, matey! I know ye'd have it in ye! I say, I better head off to the Dump now. Whiff and Scruff'll be waiting for me for me with these trucks, they will. See ya later, Cranky!"

"Bye, Salty!" Cranky called out, as he raced his friend buffer up to hitch up to his trucks and race out of the docks. Then he turned around and sighed, "and good luck."

Salty hauled his trucks of rubbish all the way to Whiff's Waste Dump, thinking of the New Year's resolutions he has made along the way.

"Hmm," he wondered, "this only be the best to change me ways for the New Year, but the trick is...how does I change me seafaring nature for good?"

Salty was not too certain, but he knew he had to think of something before the end of the day.

At the Waste Dump, both Whiff and Scruff were busy shunting loaded trucks, ready for the rubbish to be put to waste.

"Come on, Whiff!" Scruff beamed confidently. "Let's get scrunching!"

"Phew! The sooner we finish, the sooner we can head on over to the docks," Whiff sighed, before admitting, "but then again, we do have till teatime to do so then."

"Ahoy there, Whiff! Scruff!" Salty honked, as he arrived with his trucks.

"Afternoon, Salty," Whiff responded.

"Welcome to Whiff's Waste Dump!" Scruff greeted, as he pushed another line of trucks of garbage crusher.

"Ooh!" Salty groaned in reaction to the loud noise of the garbage crusher, before chuckling. "Ha-her! I'm afraid I can't stay here too long, mateys. I have to head back to Brendam on the double. Making good time consistently is something I've thought about, and that's why I must go. But happy New Year to you both!"

"Happy New Year!" Whiff and Scruff called out, as Salty honked and left the Waste Dump.

"He seemed busy," Scruff pondered. Whiff chuckled.

"All reliable engines do, Scruff! Come on, let's get this rubbish before the end of the afternoon!" And they set back to work at once.

Meanwhile, Cranky was currently sticking to his own resolution, as engines came and went about the docks.

"Um, could you, uh, please back down a bit, Sidney? It'll be easier for me to unload."

"Sure thing, Cranky!" the BR Class 08 replied enthusiastically, as he quickly reversed down a tad bit.

"Eh, thank you." And Cranky reached his hook down to unload the first of the soda crates in Sidney's trucks. "You excited for the countdown tonight?"

"Countdown?" Sidney wondered. "Uh, what countdown?" Then he laughed. "I'm sorry, Cranky. I don't even remember why I'm here. What's in these crates again?"

"Uh, soft drinks? For the New Year's Eve countdown?"

"Soft drinks?" Sidney pondered. "New Year's Eve countdown?" Then he laughed. "Oh, right. I remember. The Fat Controller sent me to collect these crates from the supermarket. Silly me!"

"Oh," Cranky groaned, "some engines."

But then Cranky remembered the resolution he had made, and decided to remain patient with Sidney until all his trucks were unloaded.

"Thanks, Cranky!" Sidney honked, as he pulled his empty trucks out of the docks.

"Thank you, Sidney!" Cranky replied. "Come again!"

Porter had been watching Cranky progress throughout the course of the afternoon, and he remained rather curious.

"You seem to be acting rather different than usual, Cranky. Are you feeling okay?" he asked the crane.

"Never better," Cranky responded, "just making amends after that small slip-up this morning. That's all." He heard the sound of Salty's horn, and watched as he rolled back into view. "Well, how's its going?!" he asked him at once.

"Going, matey?" Salty asked, as Porter set back to work.

"You know," Cranky reminded. "With your resolution thingy or whatever!"

"Oh, that," Salty remembered. "Well, um, it was a bit of a quick decision, you see, but I'm trying me very best as it happens. Still trying to think of how to self-improve. Ha-her!" He chuckled rather nervously.

"Well, I know where I'm going to self-improve," Cranky responded rather smugly. "And it's all going to work amongst other engines with a simple please and thank you." He then turned towards Salty personally, and asked "whaddya think?"

"Well, what do I think? I think, Cranky, that...

Before Salty could answer, the dock manager returned from his office. "Ah, Salty," he figured, as he walked towards the dockyard diesel. "Back from the Waste Dump already, eh?"

"Yes, sir. And in good time too."

"Mm, splendid. Well, I just got a call from Ffarquhar. An order of rock salt has been placed for Brendam, and I thought you might be the best engine of availability to collect it."

"You can rely on me, sir!"

"Excellent. Mavis is getting your trucks ready so I suggest you get moving."

"Aye aye, captain. I'll head over there and back on the double."

"Marvelous!" the manager beamed, as Salty raced out of the docks. Then he looked up towards Cranky. "Oh, and Cranky," he continued, "I just wanted to let you know that the foreman has filed a report to me on your progression since this morning, and I must say that I am most pleased with you."

"Oh, well, um, thank you, sir."

"I may have to warn you though. The ship from the mainland carrying the decorations and fireworks for the countdown is running a little late due to rough tides, and the mainland controller says he's not able to spare any of his engines either."

Cranky groaned with dismay, as the manager soothed, "I'm sorry, Cranky. They're all rather busy as it happens. You'll just have to wait for that ship to come." He walked back towards his office, as Cranky looked to sea with concern.

As Cranky tried his hardest to wait patiently at the docks for the ship to arrive, Salty was having concerns as he made his way toward Ffarquhar.

"Those trucks," he pondered to himself, "they're used to my singing, they are, and I'm used to sailing 'long with it. But how do I change for me New Year's resolution?"

Salty wasn't so sure, but the thought of his promise to Cranky was firmly on his mind the whole day through.

At the quarry, the yard was still in a bit of a mess, and Mavis spent the course of her afternoon shunting trucks about. But it was a long job, and Mavis was growing restless.

"Come on, you lot," she said firmly, as she pushed them quickly into line. "You must all be ready as Salty gets here once the workmen are finished loading you."

"Yes, Mavis!" the trucks replied cheekily, as they giggled quietly to each other.

"Ahoy there, Mavis!" Salty honked, as he rolled into sight of the quarry.

"Oh, Salty," Mavis gasped in surprise, and chuckled. "You're here early. Well, it's a good thing you are. These trucks have been nothing but trouble all afternoon, and this rate, I'd be lucky if I even made this evening in time for the countdown to start."

"Never ye mind, Mavis!" Salty beamed, "I'd be glad to help ye before I heads back on over to the docks. Just trying to make good time, that's all."

And Salty set to work at once. But it wasn't as easy as he'd expected. As he gently shunted the first line of trucks about, they chanted, Salty!" Hurrah! Hurrah!"

"Oh," Salty groaned, as he pushed them into place.

"Sing us a song, Salty! Sing us a song!"

But Salty didn't feel like singing.

"Not today, ye trucks!" he said firmly. "Ye'll all have to go on over to the docks with me in a bit, and there be no time to waste!"

"Oh," Mavis pondered with surprise, before biffing the next line of trucks gently. "Easy does it, Salty!" she called. "It makes power and assertiveness to handle this lot, but you're free to do so in any way you like!"

Salty thought hard about what Mavis had said, and this gave him an idea.

"Hmm..." he thought. "Power and assertiveness..." He dropped the trucks off at the Ffarquhar Station platform, then laughed. "Ha-her! Mavis is right. A forceful personality is exactly what's needed for these trucks. Argh, I know just what to do!" And he raced away.

Soon enough, Mavis and Salty had shunted all of the trucks in line that were ready to go to Brendam. The men wasted no time in having them loaded with crates of rock salt.

"Alright, ye bothersome lot!" Salty demanded, as he biffed them firmly into line. "Let's get t'ese crates here to the Docks without dilly dallying! And I'll stand for no nonsense either!"

"That's not the way to speak!" one truck gossiped.

"We'll give him nonsense!" another quietly, and giggled quietly with all the rest.

Mavis honked loudly as she reached the station on the track beside Salty's. "I don't know what's gotten into you today, Salty," she told him, raising an eyebrow with concern, "but need I remind you: these trucks don't like being bumped. Being firm with them is one thing, Salty, but they'll pay you out if you're not careful."

"Ah, ha-her! You're worrying fuel over nothing, Mavis!" Salty kindly argued, leaving Mavis dumbfounded as he spoke. "This lot was no trouble for us for to deal with here in the quarry, they'll be easy to handle out on the line, they will. I'm sure of it."

And he left the platform before Mavis could say another word. "See ye at the countdown, Mavis!" Salty called, as he raced out of the station. Mavis sighed with concern as she went back about her work.

Salty was quite certain that showing assertion with the trucks was going to keep them well under control, and he was sticking to it to show Cranky that he was willing to achieve his New Year's resolution, but the trucks didn't this new behavior one bit.

"Pay Salty out! Pay Salty out!" they whispered to one another. But Salty took no notice.

"Come along, now! Come along!" he ordered, as he pulled them sternly along the route toward Brendam. "I say," he thought to himself, "being firm with these trucks isn't so bad after all. This was a good idea!"

But Salty had no idea what sort of trouble he might have been getting himself into amongst the trucks.

As Salty neared the next bend, his driver called out, "the dockside quay. We must slow down a little to pin down your brakes."

"Yes, sir," Salty replied, as he slowed down a bit and called out, "brakes, guard, please."

But before the guard from the break van could apply the brake, the trucks has suddenly gotten the chance they wanted.

"Woah!" the guard gasped, as he jumped back from the hand brake in surprise.

"On! On! On!" the trucks shouted. Salty wailed loudly as they pushed him on around and past the bend!

"Stop! Stop!" Salty shouted out, as they pushed him on towards Brendam. "Woah!" he wailed, as he coasted on down the track.

Salty's guard did the best he could to try and stop the runaway train, but the strong winds prevented him. The trucks pushed farther onwards towards Brendam...where Cranky was still waiting for the ship to arrive.

"It's getting close to teatime," he muttered quietly. Then he wondered aloud, "shouldn't that ship be here by now?!"

"Rough tides are a serious matter, Cranky," Porter explained, as he stopped two tracks away from him. "Besides, there's plenty of time before the countdown starts."

"Ah, I know that," Cranky groaned, remembering the resolution he made, and turning round towards Porter. "Perhaps I was overreacted by snapping like that. I'm sorry, Porter, ol' pal."

Cranky was trying to behave in a more calm-natured manner as usual, but Porter could definitely tell there was something funny about him.

"You've been acting rather peculiar this afternoon, Cranky," Porter admitted. "Is everything alright?" Before Cranky could answer...

"Help! Help!" Salty wailed, he edged closer and closer toward the docks. He coasted in through the dockyard to Cranky and Porter's surprise.

"Slow down, Salty!" they both called out together.

"I can't, mateys!" Salty replied. "These trucks are out of control, they are!"

"Use your sandbox!" Porter suggested.

"Me sandbox?" Salty gasped. "Why didn't I think of it before?"

As Salty applied the sanders his cab, the guard was finally able to apply the brake from outside the van. But even that couldn't stop the train completely.

"On! On! On!" the trucks chanted, and giggled quietly to each other.

"That's it!" Salty grunted quietly, and bumped the first truck behind hard into the rest.

THUD!

Suddenly, a crate from the first truck shot into the air...

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" the trucks groaned, bumping into each other, as Salty, Cranky and Porter watched the crate fly over the dockside and back down below.

...and right back down again...

"Watch out!" Porter gasped, jumping backward.

"Oh, no!" Cranky groaned loudly.

"She's gonna smash!" Salty cried, and quickly shut his eyes.

CRASH!

...and landed right all over Salty! The dockyard diesel was covered all over with slabs of rock salt.

"Shivers me axles!" he muttered, "that wasn't meant to happen, me hearties!"

"Salty, what happened?" Porter wondered in astonishment.

"Why did you come in so fast?" Cranky asked with confusion.

"Well, it's not like I meant to!" Salty insisted. "These silly trucks pushed on me on past the bend!"

"Why didn't you apply your sanding gear beforehand?" Porter asked out of curiosity.

"Well, I didn't think of it, ya see. I was too busy thinking of how to...how to..." Salty didn't know where to finish his sentence, as Cranky and Porter exchanged weird looks at him. Salty sighed, knowing he had to explain himself. "I was trying to be more forceful with these trucks," he confessed. "I figured that if I gave up my seafaring nature, that I'd be handle these trucks as easily as any other, but I was wrong." He then looked up at Cranky, and said, "forgive me, matey. I wasn't able to commit to me New Year's resolution. I'm sorry, Cranky."

"But, Salty," Cranky responded, rather sympathetically, as he thought over his own efforts, "I wasn't able to commit to my resolution either. Saying please and thank you was a simple strategy to follow, but remaining patient with engines and their loads all seemed rather new and unusual for me. Not to mention the long wait for the ship from the mainland. Changing my ways isn't as easy as I thought."

"Aye! Well, I believe the challenge I set the both of us to didn't a'work to the way I was expecting."

Porter stared for a split second up at Cranky, then long and hard down towards Salty. "You...tried to...change yourselves?" he wondered with surprise.

"Aye!" Salty confused, with an ashamed look on his face. "But it seems that a New Year's resolution is harder than we would've thought."

Porter chuckled wisely. "Well, of course it was harder then either if you would've thought! Change is not something you commit to all in one day! It takes ages to adjust to!" he explained.

"Oh," Salty and Cranky gasped, looking at each other with astonishment.

"Besides," Porter continued, "I don't believe either of you need to change who you are. You're both dilligent workers, excellent friends, and a pleasure to work with here at the docks, just the way you are."

"You really think so?" Cranky asked.

"Absolutely!," Porter chuckled. "In fact, sometimes, I tend sort of a perfectionist myself, but in the end, I'm always to commit to the job I'm given, no matter how many mistakes I may come across. That's who I figure out who I am, and I'm proud of it. The close you two look inside in yourselves, the more you'll realize who you are."

As Porter set back to work, Salty and Cranky exchanged looks of embarrassment. At last, Salty took a took breath, and claimed, "I'm afraid Porter may be right, lad. A New Year's resolution is something that takes time from the start."

"I know," Cranky agreed, "but...why didn't we think of that before?"

"Oh, I was only being silly, matey, when I thought we could change for each other. I know that now. I got us into this mess, Cranky, and I apologize."

Cranky thought real hard over how he could make Salty feel better. "It wasn't all your fault," he admitted, "you were right. Perhaps I could have controlled my behavior about your stories. That's how I got myself in trouble this morning. I'm sorry if I thought you were responsible for it."

"Ah, ha-her! Apology accepted, matey. Perhaps it's best we revert back to our old ways. It'd only be for the best, don't ye imagine?" Cranky sighed and smiled in agreement. "Perhaps we could be ourselves and have this mess cleared before teatime, eh?"

"With pleasure," Cranky beamed, as he set to work at clearing slabs of rock salt off Salty.

"That's the spirit, matey," Salty chuckled, "I can't be any more 'Salty' than I am now!"

"And I couldn't be more, uh..., 'Cranky'" Cranky added.

"I say," Salty burst out, "it reminds of an ol' pirate chantey." Then he sang out, "oh, I do work to be be beside the dockside"

Cranky groaned quietly, as Salty continued, "Oh, I do like to work beside the sea"

The trucks sang along with him, "oh, I do like to stroll beside the tide, tide, tide!

Where the ships stroll in every day and night!"

"Oh, I do like to work beside the dockside!" Porter joined, and sang out together with Salty and the trucks, "Oh, I do like to work beside the sea!

When the New Year draws closer, I am very proud to work…"

"…beside the seaside!" Cranky eventually joined in.

"Beside the sea!" they all finished together in harmony.

Both Salty and Cranky had learnt a very valuable lesson that New Year's Eve about being themselves, and they realized that they didn't need to change for each other to be really useful.

Later that evening, the party was a huge success. People had come and far wide across Sodor and the mainland, and they joked and sang all night long. The firework display was set off by the dockside, and the engines watched as each one shot into the air.

"Woah!" Cranky jumped, as one firework shot up and crackled right over him. Then he chuckled nervously, and looked back down towards the engines.

"Look, Ben!" Bill gasped, "it's a sparkling dragon!"

"I was thinking the exact same thing, Bill."

"You were NOT!" Bill argued. "I thought of it first."

"No, you didn't! I did!"

"You didn't!"

"I did!"

"You didn't!"

"I did!"

Porter chuckled and whistled, as he pulled up beside Salty and Cranky. "Even for those two, some things just never change. Eh, guys?" he joked.

"Much obliged," Cranky chuckled dryly.

"Argh, well, that's just in their nature, me hearties!" Salty agreed, "just like working as a team is in ours! And in times like this, nothing is more important than having me two very closest crew mates by my side!"

"Shh! Quiet!" Porter suddenly gasped excitedly, "the countdown's starting!"

"Oh!" Salty gasped.

"Really?!" Cranky wondered.

And they both looked over at the clock. All at once, engines and people all around the dockside shouted out, "10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1! Happy New Year!"

At that moment in time, the entire celebration was drowned in a delightful chorus of cheers, whistles and honks. But Salty was honking loudest of all!

"Tell ye what, matey," he decided, looking up at Cranky, "from now on, I tend to stick to me seafaring nature, though whenever the dockside seems busy, I think it'll be easy for me to tone down on my stories just a little. It might be the best way for you to get the job done."

"Gee, thanks, Salty," Cranky replied, "I think from this moment on, I'll more likely be able to cope with the workload at hand, no matter how many distractions may come my way. It's the best way for us to both be who we are."

"Ah, ha-her! You said it, matey!" Then he looked across at both his friends. "Happy New Year, Porter! Happy New Year, Cranky!"

"Happy New Year, Salty!" the crane replied.

"Happy New Year to one and all!" Porter whistled. Then he sang out, "should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?"

Salty and Cranky joined in, all all three sang, "should old acquaintance be forgot and old lang syne?"

Then, engines and people around the dockside sang out in a chorus, "for auld lang syne, all my dear friends,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne."

THE END

Music Video: We Wish You A Cranky Christmas (And A Salty New Year)

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

And A Salty New Year!

To all the engines at Tidmouth

And everyone else at Brendam

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

And A Salty New Year!

Good tidings we bring to every engine

May all your resolutions be true once the season draws near!

"Sing it with me, Cranky!" Salty called, and sang out, "now, bring us some trucks of rock salt,

Now, bring us some trucks of rock salt,

Now, bring us some trucks of rock salt,

With a load of good cheer!"

Cranky groaned, and sang out, "he won't stop until he gets some,

He won't stop until he gets some,

He won't stop until he gets some,

So bring it here!"

Salty and Cranky sang out out over the top of each other, "so bring us some trucks of rock salt, (Now!)

So bring us some trucks of rock salt, (Now!)

so bring us some trucks of rock salt -"

"-and bring it right here!" they finished together.

Good tidings we bring to every engine

May all your resolutions be true for a happy New Year!

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

And A Salty New Year!

To all engines, trucks and coaches,

To our fireman and our drivers

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

And A Salty New Year!

Good tidings we bring to all the children

Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

And A Salty New Year!

To everyone else on Sodor,

All the villagers and our controllers,

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

And A Salty New Year!

Good tidings we bring all 'cross the Island

For a very, very Merry Christmas, and once the New Year is here!

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

And A Salty New Year!

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

And A Salty New Year!

We Wish You A Cranky Christmas,

And A Salty New Year!

I had this story in mind for a while, and to me, it ended up feeling like one of the most genuine stories I've ever written. It took time to think through logically and which characters to use, and I eventually had an idea that Porter would be able to convince Salty and Cranky to be themselves. The dynamic between the two main characters was a bit difficult to capture, but a charm to work with deep down. Bringing out an assertive side of Salty with the trucks was something that I knew Salty wouldn't regularly do, but it worked for the benefit of the climax/resolution, and I felt rather satisfied with it. The music video at the end was fun to write, and I had it in mind the moment I thought of this story. I finally gave Bill and Ben some more development, and the result felt very much like their interactions with the dockside crew in S6, which was my intention for the beginning. I hope you all enjoyed this story. I believe I have reached the verge of 26 episodes by this point, and I'm ready for a new set to begin. Happy New Year!

And so, to start off Set 2 in 2017...

Derek's Day Out - The Fat Controller, having had it with Bill and Ben's constant bantering and realizing that Timothy and Marion can't always keep them in order, spares Derek the diesel engine to help out and work at the Clay Pits.

A Credit To The Road - Caroline enjoys taking rides through the Sudrian countryside, but her master Brett doesn't always have the time for her. However, when the Elsbridge cricket team leaves the flag and relief referee behind when playing against against Harwick United, Caroline races to the rescue

How to Handel Stress - Sir Handel is sent to work in Victor's place at the Steamworks while Victor is being repaired, but the stress of the job makes him rather irritable.

Sibling Rivalry - the Flying Scotsman visits Sodor to help with the extra passengers, much to Gordon's jealousy. However, Gordon discovers the true spirit of brotherhood as he and the Flying Scotsman help each other out of a jam.