Nigel Knows It All
written by Davey Moore
Nigel the Ballast Tractor is the newest member among Miss Jenny's machines in the Sodor Construction Company. He is painted dark green with white on his door sides, and red lineage and wheels. He is a cheerful fellow and a friend to everybody he meets!
"Hello, Oliver!" he honked in greeting to the excavator one day, as he raced into the Brickworks at Cronk with a load of bricks.
"Good day, Nigel!
"Off to do some more digging then?" Nigel asked.
"Actually, I'm here to demolish!" Oliver explained.
"Demolish? Whatever does that mean?"
Oliver chuckled.
"Demolish! It means that I'm going to knock these buildings down! That's why these men are fitting my wrecking ball into place!"
"Oh," Nigel expressed, rather understandingly, then beamed.
"Well, good luck with the errr…!"
"Demolition?"
"Right, right. Good luck with the demolition then!"
He chuckled quietly.
"I remembered!" he murmured.
"Thanks, Nigel!" Oliver called out.
Nigel is also good friends with Nelson, who sometimes allows him to fill in on another job for him to give him a chance to rest his axles.
"Hello, Nelson!" he called, arriving back at the yard.
"Hi, Nigel!" the old ballast tractor greeted back.
"Having a good day thus far?"
"So far so good! Have to say though, after I'm done dropping off the men here for their lunch break, I'm due to deliver some oil tankers to Isobella at the Depot!"
He sighed flusteredly yet confidently.
"I kinda left the job to last minute to put more urgent jobs first because I know a shortcut to the Depot!" he admitted.
Nigel smiled.
"Tell you what," he offered. "I don't have another job until lunch hour. I'm due to drop off some oil tankers around that time! I'll collect the tankers! You can fetch the workmen and have a much needed rest!"
"Oh," Nelson thought, "but I wouldn't want you to go through all that bustle, Nigel!"
"No problem for me! I'm on my way! Only… where are the oil tankers again?"
Nelson smiled at his friend.
"Over there on the platform!" he informed him. "Look, why don't I just…"
"I'm on it!" Nelson honked.
He started off, but then stopped, thinking, before backing down.
"And, errrr, where is the Depot again?"
Nelson sighed.
"You leave this yard and take a right! A couple miles down the road, you take the second exit, which will take you down a long and winding road through the countryside! Now eventually you'll find the Depot down the road towards the end of the valley. I know a shortcut that I'm sure you'll save much more time with. You pass three more exits before going down the hill and dead ahead, you will see a sign for the Depot!"
Nigel took a moment to absorb all the information given to him.
"Hmm… take a right and down the fifth exit through the countryside…"
"Were you able to get all that, Nigel?" Nelson asked, smiling.
"Yes, thank you, Nelson!"
And he was off in a huff, much to Nelsons bewilderment.
As soon as Nigel had his loader filled with oil tankers, he set off for the Depot.
"Hmm…" he thought to himself, as he exited the yard. "Nelson said to take the second exit off this road, so that's what I'm going to do!"
He reached his exit and turned down the slope leading into the countryside, before looking all around.
"Now," he thought to himself. I do believe Nelson also said something about a shortcut at the end of this road! But what are the details? Hmmm…"
Unfortunately, Nelson also had an inability to process things quickly, which sometimes enables him to stop and think things over…
At long last, Nelson stopped in the middle of his tracks, thinking out loud.
"Shortcut…countryside…hmmmmm…"
At long last, he let out a sigh of exasperation.
"I forgot the last bit of what Nelson instructed me!" he fretted.
He continued brainstorming, shutting his eyes tight in an effort to remember, then groaned.
"If the valley is so long and winding, how does it count as a shortcut?!"
He sighed before starting up again.
"Guess I'll just have to figure out for myself by going through the valley!"
Nigel ventured further on, but what he didn't remember was what Nelson instructed him about turning after three exits down a quicker path. At long last, he saw a sign for the Depot up ahead.
"I found it! Hooray!"
He traveled steadily down the hill leading to his destination, where Isobella was waiting.
"What took so long?" she demanded.
"Pardon?" Nigel asked, puzzled.
"I've been waiting here 30 minutes! Nelson promise that he have these oil tankers here by 2:00!"
"I thought I took the shortcut!" Nigel wondered.
"Well, it took a little long, mind you! And did you take the third exit through the countryside leading into the village? That's the quickest way to get from the yard to here!"
"The exit!" Nigel remembered. "Not the second one, but the one through the countryside! I totally mixed up what Nelson said to me!"
Isobella sighed with slight irritation as the oil tankers were unloaded from Nigel's loader and loaded onto hers.
Nelson blushed with slight embarrassment.
One morning, Nigel successfully bought all of the operators to the yard so that the machines could start work.
"Made it!" he commended to himself. "And remembered the way too! I knew I had it in me to…"
"Shhh…" Alfie kindly shushed. "Miss Jenny is approaching!"
"Oh," Nigel thought, watching her walk up.
"Spot on, Nigel!" she praised. "You were quick! Now, sit tight, crew! I have a couple jobs I need to give out to you! Much to do today after all!"
She walked towards all of the machines lined up in a row, with a paper and clipboard in hand.
"Kelly, the school bell is in need of repair! I need you to lift it and put it back into place right away after it is mended!"
Kelly smiled as Miss Jenny kept walking down.
"Brenda, after you pave out some grounds around here, you are needed to do some work on the grounds for the extended parking lot by the Wellsworth hospital!"
"Sure thing, miss!" the bulldozer replied. "I'll have it all flat as a pancake, clear as crystal
"Excellent! Now, Jack and Alfie, I need you to dig up dirt around the yard here for the hospital so that Brenda can pave it accordingly!"
"Yes, Miss Jenny!" they both replied.
"Max and Monty, you are to deliver the dirt to Wellsworth right away!"
The twin dump trucks glanced at each other as Miss Jenny walked on forward.
"And Nigel," she continued.
"Yes, miss," the ballast tractor replied, in an attempt to stay alert.
"You you are to pick up and drop off workmen to all of the places I have just mentioned so that each job can be done in procession!"
"Oh," Nigel thought, listening on.
"First, to the school, then to the hospital at Wellsworth, then back to the dig site by the yard here, before bringing them back to the station for their lunch break!"
"Hmmm…" Nelson thought, as Miss Jenny went on.
"Whilst doing all that, I need you to remain on high alert for any machines in need of assistance!"
Nelson took a moment to slowly absorb all of the information that Miss Jenny had just given him…
"Dig site…school…hospital…lunch break…workmen…"
Miss Jenny eyed him long and hard, slightly concerned.
"Were you able to get all that, Nigel?" she asked.
The ballast tractor thought for another moment, then smiled.
"High alert! That was that last bit!"
He sighed with relief.
"Ahem!"
Nigel was caught off guard as Miss Jenny coughed and raised an eyebrow at him.
"Nigel, would you like me to repeat all that again?" she repeated patiently.
"Oh, no thank you, miss! I'm pretty sure I've got it all!"
"Splendid!" she beamed. "Now, you may all go about your jobs!"
She walked off as all of the machines honked and said about their work, including Nigel, who thought out loud in his head as he rolled along.
"Hmmm…" he thought. "Dig site, school, hospital, station! Remain on high alert! I've got it!"
Nelson rolled in with a loader full of workmen, in time to see him rush off.
"Nigel!" he shouted. "Come back!"
But Nigel was too far away to hear!
Nelson sighed as the workmen walked towards the platform.
Nigel arrived at the dig site by the yard, where Jack and Alfie were busy loading Max and Monty.
"Hey, guys!" he honked, as he rolled in. "Would either of you happen to know where the workmen are?"
"Not sure," Jack replied, loading Max's loader.
"You may want to check the station platform?" Alfie suggested, smiling, as he scooped up another load of dirt for Monty.
At that moment, Nelson recalled a chunk of Miss Jenny's instructions.
"The station!" he remembered. "That's where I need to go! Right! Then I'm to take them to the hospital, and then to the school for their lunch break!"
"Ermmm…" Jack and Alfie wondered to each other.
Max and Monty sniggered quietly as they glanced across to each other, while Nigel rushed over back to the yard.
At the station platform, the foreman looked anxiously down at his watch, Nelson watching with concern as the chattering workmen waited on the platform. At last, Nigel arrived, honking out loud.
"Sorry, gents! Got a little mixed up over the pickup point!"
He took a deep breath, sighing with relief, whilst Nelson watched him.
"Anyways, I'm here now!"
He smiled as he looked over at Nelson.
"How are you this morning, Nelson?"
"Swell, thanks, Nigel!" his friend replied, chuckling ironically. "Just had these men dropped off here and all, you know!"
Nigel chuckled along with him.
"I know, right? But I could have sworn Miss Jenny said something about a station in the instructions that she gave to me!"
He sighed heavily as the men hopped aboard his loader.
Nelson smiled at his friend.
"Would you like some help, Nigel?" he offered kindly. "I'd be glad to help you sort things out!"
Nigel beamed confidently.
"No, thank you, Nelson! I've got it! I'm to take these men to the hospital at Wellsworth, then to the school here for their lunch break! Then there's something I believe about that dig site but I'll sort that that out soon enough!"
"Are you sure?" Nelson beamed, raising an eyebrow respectfully.
"Nope, I'm to remain on high alert as well, meaning that I shall take the men from one destination to the next all in a jiff! Later, Nelson!"
And he raced off, as Nelson watched after him with concern.
"High alert?" he wondered. "Hmmmmm…"
Nigel got a good run at his wheels as he made his way up the hill leading out of the yard.
"Alright, gentleman!" he proudly announced. "First stop's gonna be at Wellsworth! I believe it has something to do with Brenda's task! We'll just see when we get there!"
He continued along, muttering, quietly to himself.
"Hospital, school, lunch break, dig site…" he repeated slightly to himself.
At the school, Kelly had just finished loading the school bell onto the ground.
"There!" he said it last, as the bell touched the ground with a thud!
He proceeded to watch through the classroom window as the teacher gathered all of the students to their desks.
"Shan't be long, children!" she promised. "Now be sure to take your seats!"
The headmaster sighed with concern.
"I apologize for the inconvenience!" he expressed. "The men were supposed to be here 15 minutes ago to repair the bell!"
Kelly groaned concernedly as he watched the children chatter at their desks.
"Oh, dear," he expressed. "I hope Nigel makes it here soon!"
Nigel had just arrived at the Wellsworth hospital to drop off the workmen. He was surprised by the apparent lack of progress when he saw Brenda!
"Brenda!" he gasped. "What's going on? I, ermmmm, thought the area would have been paved by now!"
Brenda raised an eyebrow with him with surprise.
"What?" she spluttered. "I had only just arrived! Operator said to wait for the doctor's orders to do the job! It should be anytime now, honestly!"
"Huh?"
Nigel watched, puzzled, as the workmen began to carry paint tins and brushes.
The men got to work right away at painting the sign for the hospital parking lot. As they were done, the sign was put up and the men hopped back aboard Nigel!
"See ya, Brenda!" Nigel honked.
He pulled the men away, as the doctor walked out.
"Alright, Brenda!" he said aloud. "You may pave the way for…"
He gasped as he saw the sign standing up and tall.
"The sign! I-it's painted!"
Brenda frowned with dismay as she got to work paving the grounds.
Nigel continued along his route; he was very pleased with himself!
"I did it!" he expressed. "Had the sign all painted too! Now it's off to the school for lunch break, gentlemen!"
The men murmured about with confusion.
"Then back to the...dig site?" he thought. "Ah, well, what's important is to stay on high alert!"
He rushed further along, his wheels pounding the road while the men held on for dear life!
Up ahead, Isobella had just swerved her front wheels off the road, which were now stuck in the mud!
She heard Nigel's horn and looked up as he rushed past.
"Nigel!" she called.
"Sorry, Isabella! No time to stop! Miss Jenny told me to be on high alert with these workmen!"
Isobella spluttered aloud as she spat mud from her mouth, coughing loudly.
Nigel arrived at the school where the headmaster was waiting for him at the entrance.
"Good day, sir!" he greeted. "Say, where is Kelly at? I do recall Miss Jenny's instructions to be working with other team members!"
The headmaster looked at them long and hard, then sighed.
"Kelly had another job to attend to! He will be back in a little while to put the bell into place after it is fixed! I am glad you brought the workmen here to fix it, Nigel, but I do admit: I was expecting you a little sooner!"
Nigel thought long and hard with confusion.
"I thought these men were here for their lunch break," he thought, dumbfoundedly.
"Come on, gentlemen!" the foreman instructed. "Let's get the school bell back into shipshape and working again!"
Nigel sighed.
"Ah, well, probably best to bring these men back to the dig site once this job is complete! I do hope Kelly makes it back soon though…"
Kelly was busy lifting Isobella out of the mud and onto Nelson's low loader!
"Sorry that took a while, Isobella!" the crane soothed. "But don't worry, Nelson will have you at the wash down to be cleaned right away!"
"I'm sure you couldn't help it, Kelly! But that Nigel though, he is acting rather peculiar! Rushing past me and saying some thing about being high alert!"
Nelson groaned with concern as he pulled the sentinel lorry along.
"Here we go again…" he thought to himself.
Nigel had the workmen dropped off back at the site by the yard.
"No worries, gentlemen! I'll keep you all well looked after until lunch break! High alert after all!"
Jack overheard this and rolled up across from him.
"Oliver's tipped over and damaged caterpillar wheels on the way back from Kellsthorpe Hotel!" he informed him.
"Where is Nelson at?" Nigel wondered.
"He had to take Isobella to the washdown to get her front wheels cleaned! Operator just spoke with Miss Jenny and informed me of all this!"
"Right!" Nigel decided. "Then I shall take Oliver for repairs myself! Do you think these men will be alright?"
Jack thought for a moment, confused.
"Well, ermmm, yes, I suppose…"
"Then I'll be back in a jiff! Next stop, Kellsthorpe Hotel!"
And he rushed off, much to Jack's surprise.
"Wait, Nigel! I meant…"
He paused for a moment, then finished.
"…on the way back from the Hotel."
He sighed with dismay.
Nelson rushed to the hotel station at Kellsthorpe, but once again, he mixed up bits and pieces of information.
"It's only a small piece of information this time!" he assured himself. I'll have Oliver taken to the fitters yard in no time!"
And he rushed along, his wheels pounding against the road.
Kelly arrived in enough time to help load Oliver onto Nia's flatbed.
"There you are, Oliver!" the crane beamed.
"Thank you, Kelly! And Nia!"
"No problem, Oliver!" the Kenyan engine whistled. "I'll have you at the fitters yard in no time!"
And they set off, Oliver beaming as Nia pulled him along.
When Nigel arrived at the hotel station, he was surprised to see that Oliver wasn't present! Brenda was there, paving the grounds for the entrance and Nelson was picking up some workmen.
"Where's Oliver?" he asked them both.
"Oliver left 20 minutes ago!" Brenda stressed.
"But…I have the task of taking him to the fitters yard! He broke down half way back from here and…"
He paused for a moment, then gasped in remembrance.
"That's what Jack said!" he recalled.
Nelson glanced at him with concern.
"Are you sure you don't need any assistance, Nigel?"
"No thank you, Nelson! Thank you both, but i'm sure I can figure this all out on my own!"
And he rushed off, much to the pair's astonishment!
Nigel raced further on down the road in an effort to find Oliver!
"I'll help Oliver or bust!" he stressed.
He got a good run at his wheels and continued sturdily along.
But no matter how far Nigel traveled, Oliver didn't seem to be anywhere in sight.
"Hmmm…" he thought. "Something fruity's going on here! I thought Oliver broke down on the way back from Kellsthorpe. But now it looks as if he's nowhere in sight! I wonder if my perception of this task is accurate! If it was, then Oliver would be…"
He gasped, suddenly caught off-guard by a nearby branch being lifted off the road.
"Nigel?"
The ballast tractor stopped and looked up.
"Kelly! Thank goodness! Have you seen Oliver around? He's damaged wheels and needs to be taken for repairs, apparently!"
Kelly raised an eyebrow at him and smiled soothingly.
"Nia came to pick him up and take him to the fitters yard not too long ago!"
"What? But… I don't understand…"
"I lifted him onto the flatbed myself!" Kelly went on. "We couldn't just leave him there, Nigel!"
"But…I was meant to take Oliver to the fitters yard!"
Kelly looked at him long and hard in the eye.
"Did you follow the instructions given to you?" he asked kindly.
Nelson thought for a moment, as his operator surveyed a radio transmission from his cab.
"Well, I did end up at the hotel station first where I was pretty sure I heard that he was broken down, but then they told me that he left, so I assumed that he broke down on the way! Now it seems as if I was too late to come to his aid!"
"Mmmm…" Kelly pondered.
At that moment, Nigel's operator spoke up.
"Come along, Nigel! I just got a radio transmission from the yard! Miss Jenny wants us to report back there right away!"
Nigel sighed.
"Oh, bother," he groaned. "I'm in for it this time!"
He started along once more, picking up the pace as he rushed on down the road.
When Nigel arrived back at the yard, Miss Jenny was there waiting for him.
"Nigel! There you are!" she expressed, rather flusteredly.
Nigel gulped.
"Y-y-you w-wanted to see me, miss?"
"Yes, as it happens! I don't know what's gotten into you today, but you've caused confusion everywhere you've went! Readying the sign for the hospital long before the grounds could be paved; getting the workmen to the school late to fix the bell; then the men had to walk all the way back to the station in the hot sun for their lunch break! Also, I've asked you to remain on high alert and so far, you left both Isobella and Oliver hanging about when they needed rescuing!"
"High alert!" Nigel thought, then sighed understandingly. "Of course!"
"Because of that, I had to adjust Nelson's timetable so that he could rescue them in your place!"
Nigel moaned, going slightly red.
"I'm sorry, Miss Jenny! I guess I mixed up bits and pieces of information that you had given to me earlier this morning! I was pretty certain of the tasks that you had assigned me this time, but somehow I've managed to mess it up again!"
Miss Jenny sighed and looked at him hard.
"Nigel, I am very well aware of your slow processing speed! Your owner on the mainland filled me in on how you were diagnosed with it from being built! But, having said that, you yourself, Nigel, need to work much harder than other machines to process information that's given to you!"
"Yes, Miss Jenny. I know," Nigel replied meekly.
Ms. Jenny smiled at him as Nelson rolled up alongside.
"I was thinking perhaps you could use with a little bit of help!" she admitted. "Nelson here can show you all around and show you everywhere you need to go! It could be a little test to see how well you can process things once you set your mind to it!"
"With pleasure, mum!" Nelson obliged.
But Nigel wasn't so sure.
"Ermmm, I do think that needing help will make me look a little silly!" he admitted, laughing meekly.
Max and Monty sniggered quietly to each other.
"Ahem!"
Miss Jenny raised a stern eyebrow at the twin dump trucks, giving them the signal to scamper off!
Nelson smiled.
"Nonsense! Even I need a little help sometimes, Nigel! It's not like I can transport all the workmen and other machines all at once, you know! That's where you come in handy and you're very good at it!"
"I need help sometimes too!" Jack admitted. "Sometimes, I tend to rush and I need to be reminded that safety comes first!"
"Oliver and I work together and help each other with digging on sites all the time!" Alfie added.
"Leveling the grounds isn't easy for me either!" Brenda put in. "Sometimes, Byron gives me tips on how to do it, but it all comes along nicely!"
And deep down, Nigel felt a lot better.
"Come on, Nelson!" he called, starting up.
"After you, Nigel!" his friend replied, and started off after him.
Nelson showed Nigel all the sites around the roadway to ensure that he was familiar with them all by the end.
"Why are we doing all this again?" Nigel wondered.
Nelson smiled.
"Just to see how well you can remember! You should be able to take in about as much detail as you can if you really work at it!"
Nigel beamed and followed after him.
"Keep watch!" Nelson warned. "We're approaching our first sight!"
Nigel looked dead ahead at the first exit on his right.
"This is the exit to Cronk, our nearest station!"
"Cronk!" Nigel exclaimed, then laughed. "I think I knew that!"
"Come along, Nigel! Much more to see!"
They carried further on, side-by-side.
"Up next on our way is the exit to Killdane!"
"Ooh, ooh, second exit!"
Nelson laughed.
"That's right!"
"Cronk, Killdane! Cronk, Killdane!" Nigel thought to himself.
"So far, so good!" Nelson beamed.
Nigel felt very pleased with himself and continue to memorize all the locations in his head as they went on further!
"Cronk! Killdane! Balladrine! Kellaby! I've got it all!"
"Easy, Nigel!" Nelson smiled. "Quite a ways more to go!"
"Right!"
"Now, up next is the exit to Kellsthorpe! You know, where the hotel station is!"
"Oh, yes, of course!"
Then he continued memorizing in his head, while Nelson smiled over at him.
"Cronk! Killdane! Balladrine! Kellaby! Kellsthorpe!"
The two ballast tractors soon reached the end of their trail and were ready to go back round in a loop.
"Cronk! Killdane! Balladrine! Kellaby! Kellsthorpe! Crovan's Gate! Vicarstown!"
Nelson glanced over at Nigel.
"That's the first roundabout!" he admitted. "Few more to go on our way back through Crovan's Gate!"
"Crovan's Gate?!" Nigel exclaimed. "Again?!"
"You'll see what I mean!" Nelson chuckled. "Now come on!"
And soon enough, Nigel did.
"Is this where we go back?" he asked, as they passed through the "Works Station".
"Nope!" Nelson replied. "Once we get back up on the road, we have quite a few more stops on our way! From here, the road goes to either Knapford or Tidmouth! Keep memorizing now!"
"Oh, right!"
The pair turned back up on the road, as Nigel kept thinking out loud in his head.
"Cronk! Killdane! Balladrine! Kellaby! Kellsthorpe! Crovan's Gate! Vicarstown!"
"The exit to Maron is up on our right here! From there it goes right back home!"
"Hooray!" Nigel cheered.
"Wait!" Nelson went on, "but it also goes as far down Wellsworth, then to Knapford and Tidmouth beyond!"
"Wellsworth! You mean where the hospital is?"
Nelson smiled.
"Precisely!" he confirmed.
"Great! So Maron, then Wellsworth, Knapford, Tidmouth, Cronk, Killdane…"
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
By the time Nigel returned to his shed that night, he was still memorizing.
"Cronk! Killdane! Balladrine! Kellaby! Kellsthorpe! Crovan's Gate! Vicarstown! Then Maron, either going back to Cronk, or Wellsworth, Knapford and Tidmouth! Nelson, I've got it all!"
"Well done, Nigel!" his friend congratulated. "How do you feel?"
"Pretty swell, actually! I have it all in my head over everywhere I need to go! I am pretty sure I can memorize about anything now if I really work at it! Thank you for all your help, Nelson!"
"Think nothing of it! Glad to be of service!"
He watched as Nigel backed into his shed and settled down, sighing peacefully as he shut his eyes.
"Good night, Nigel," he said soothingly.
He headed back home to his own shed, as Nigel murmured about in his mind
"Cronk! Killdane! Balladrine! Kellaby! Kellsthorpe! Crovan's Gate! Vicarstown! Maron! Wellsworth! Knapford! Tidmouth!…"
The next morning, Miss Jenny arrived at the yard to give the machines their jobs to do first for the day.
"Alright, crew! Listen up! Especially, you, Nigel, 'cause we got a big day ahead!"
Nigel watched as Miss Jenny watched on down the path towards each machine.
"Alfie and Oliver, I need you two to dig up the foundation for a new trail through the station at Cronk! Max and Monty will deliver dirt there once you have them loaded, and Isobella, I need you to deliver paint tins right away!"
The sentinel lorry smiled as Miss Jenny walked on down.
"Jack and Brenda, you must flatten out the area for the playground by the school!"
"Yes, Miss Jenny!" Jack exclaimed, lifting his loader up high.
"Sure thing, mum!" Brenda replied.
"Kelly, you shall report to the BrickWorks to unload some heavy loads of bricks!"
Kelly beamed obediently as Miss Jenny walk down towards the green ballast tractor.
"And, Nigel."
"Yes, Miss Jenny?" he smiled.
"I need you to bring the workmen to each of those locations accordingly to how I laid them out!"
Nigel beamed and listened as she went on.
"First, to the foundation by Cronk…"
"Cronk…" Nigel memorized.
"…then to the playground for the school by Maithewaite…"
"…Maithewaite…Cronk, Maithewaite…"
"…and finally to the brickworks with a man can unload the heavy bricks!"
"Cronk, Maithewaite, BrickWorks!" he said at least three times over in his head. "I've got it all!"
He chuckled aloud as the other machines smiled over at him, save for Max and Monty, who only glanced across at each other with confusion.
"I've got it, Miss Jenny! Cronk, Maithewaite, BrickWorks!"
"Splendid!" she beamed. "You'd make a mother proud! That's all you need to know, Nigel! The men's work will speak for itself from there!"
"Sure thingymabob!"
He watched as Nelson honked and rolled in with the operators all aboard.
"I know it all, Nelson!" he informed his friend, as his operator hopped aboard his cab. "Cronk, Maithewaite, BrickWorks! That's all I need to know!"
Nelson laughed.
"Good for you, Nigel!" he beamed.
He watched his friends that off the top station where the workmen were waiting.
"Hop aboard, gentlemen! Off to Cronk first, then Maithewaite and the BrickWorks afterwards!"
He waited as the workmen were all aboard his loader, then start it off, continuously saying the destinations aloud in his mind.
"Cronk, Maithewaite, BrickWorks! Cronk, Maithewaite, BrickWorks!"
Nelson and Kelly smiled as they watched him set off.
"He's learning quite fast, Nelson!" the crane admitted.
"Yes…" The ballast tractor agreed, rather wondersome. "He'll do a fine job indeed!"
Nelson made his way out of the yard, continuously repeating the destinations aloud.
"Cronk, Maithewaite, BrickWorks! Cronk, Maithewaite, BrickWorks!"
From that moment forward, Nigel the ballast tractor vowed to pay more attention to details being given his way; after all, it was only a matter of not overthinking it!
Well, I hope my fellow readers had fun getting to know more about Nigel the new Ballast Tractor; it's established why he's there from his appearance: to help out by assisting his jobs that Nelson can't do all on his own. However, it's his slow processing speed that's a real drawback and prevents him from doing jobs like most machines like he wish he could. If you all look on TTTE Wikia, you should see that Nigel was in original drafts, but dropped when production for the sixth series began. Anyways, his design there was painted with red and white lineage, like I've described him here, and if the buckteeth shown in the design compliments his personality like I've written him in any way, it truly showcases his forgetful/slow-processing nature. In this story, Nigel learns to take things easy and work a little harder at information given to him, which he does pretty well by the end as he slowly absorbs details about the task at hand. Be sure to leave thoughts on this story and what you think of Nigel! Next up is a RWS adaptation, so perhaps it could come sooner than you think. As always, be sure to look out for...
Thomas, Percy And The Rabbits (based on Rabbits by Christopher Awdry) - the Fat Controller settles a 10 mph speed limit on Thomas's Branch Line to sort out a problem with rabbits burrowing under a stretch at Dryaw. However, disaster strikes as Thomas and his crew miss the memo and runs into trouble while taking out his passenger train!
Blistering Cold! - as winter arrives, Macy and Merle The Blister Engines don't have much work to do it after the mine closes. However, when Bert's new tubes need to be delivered, it is up to the pair to strive through the cold weather to deliver it to him!
Secret Santa - a Secret Santa is arranged at the RoadWorks for all the vehicles, and George and Cleo are paired up, something the steam roller is not too keen about! He decides to give her a surprise what she thinks will bring about grief, with unexpected results…
Get The Loot! - Diesel 10 instructs Splatter and Dodge with obtaining a load of fireworks for a New Year's Eve celebration at the DieselWorks; however, things don't go as planned when they struggle to find the fireworks and end up sending them to the Town Hall where they're meant to be delivered!
Old Habits Die Easy - Old Spiteful the Brake Van is brought back when there is a shortage of brake vans on Duck's Branch Line. However, he and Douglas are immediately at odds with one another and even more trouble ensues when Douglas is fed up and decides to leave without a brake van…