A Storm of an Lifetime

A few days had gone by and Lukas could finally talk too all the other Engines on the North Western, Including the Engines from the Arlesdale-, Skarloey- and the Electric Railway. But over the last few days, the Weather had gone from Sunny and Cloudless, to Cloudy and Windy. Every morning the Engines would wake up to see a very gray Sky, and everyone would be in a bad mood.

"Why cant the weather be good again ? Its summer for Pete's Sake!" They would grumble.

But not all the Engines were in a foul mood. Lukas was as Cheerful as always. One Morning, he arrived at the Big station at Knapford with a Local Passenger Train as he saw the other Engines in the Station. They were Thomas, Gordon, Henry and Oliver, all of them were Waiting for the Signal to go.

"Good morning everyone!" Lukas Whistled cheerful.

"Whats so good about it?" Asked Gordon grumpily.

"Why the long faces, its a good day to be in Steam, after all I've heard from the other Engines and the Scrap lines, we should be happy to be alive and in Steam." Lukas said.

"Yes, we know that, but this weather is bringing our mood down, Brother." Thomas said.

Ever since he had seen Lukas, he and Lukas were Talking as Brothers to each other.

"Oh, that's no reason to be down. In Germany, we would have Weather like this for Weeks without any sign of Change. The Weather we had was sometimes just the dark clouds, other times it would be strong Rain, Thunder and Lightning, but that only happened sometimes. I'm glad that the Weather here is normally fine. I like it better this way than going trough an Waterfall of Rain." Lukas finished as he shunted his Train to the Sidings. The other Engines had a lot to think about, about the Weather, and what Lukas meant about and Waterfall of Rain.

Meanwhile, at the Knapford Weather Station, the Men in Control was having a Quiet day. He was Just drinking a cup of Coffee as the Machines begun to rattle and grumble. He looked at the Machine and nearly led his Cup fall to the ground. The Machine showed a massive Storm, that was heading for the Island. He raced to the Man in Charge of the Station and took a look at the Machine too. After he finished he took the Man from the Machine too his side and said too him:
"Lad, go to the Radio Station and to the TV Station and tell them they must send that an gigantic Storm is on the Way to the Island and that everyone must secure every thing that is loose. This Storm, might be the biggest Storm in the History of Mankind."

The Man didn't wasted a second and raced to both Stations. Soon, the whole Island were making them self ready for the Storm. The Railway was no exception. Trucks and Coaches were Locked up, Stations were Nailed Close and The Engines were Evacuating Valley and bring the People to Places like the Culdee Fell Mountain Hotel. After they had done what they could, they were Returning to the Sheds and were Locked up to be save in the Sheds.

At Tidmouth, the Engines were all in The Sheds. They were Gordon, Henry, James, Bear, Donald Douglas, Oliver, Duck and two Visiting Locomotives from a Rail tour, BR Number 34072 '257 Squadron' and BR Number 46100 'Royal Scot'. Both Engines would be on they're way Home by now but, thanks to the Storm, Both Engines were Locked in the Shed, Until the Storm would be over.

"Oh, how I hate Storms! Back in the Old days, we would be Running whatever's the Weather!" Scot said.

"Yeah, and the the Storm would blast you of the Rails. The Passengers could get hurt and the Railway would be blamed. But that would be alright with you Royal Scot?" Said Duck Crossly.

Royal Scot said nothing, but as he looked around, he saw something.

"Why is there a place left ?" He asked.

The other Engines saw to the place and saw, that one Shed Row was Empty.

"I don't know, this Place is were Lukas..." Begun Henry, but he Stopped in mid-sentence as it hit him.

Lukas was still out on the Line! He was sent out to bring some Emergency Goods too Vicarstown, and he still wasn't back. The Other Engines were Shocked as they realized.
"We must help him." Said Duck Bravely.

"No Duck, the sturm woold blew yoo oof the rails at unze." Donald said.

"All we can do is sit here and hope he can make it back in time before the Storm hits us." Said 257 Squadron.

Meanwhile, out on the Mainline, between Kellsthorpe Road and Killdane, Lukas was Hurrying to get back to the Sheds. He knew about the Storm and he knew that, if he wouldn't hurry, he wouldn't make it. But it was already too late. As he rounded a corner, he felt a drop of Water on his Nose. He looked up, only to see a gigantic black Cloud, and it was coming in his direction. Lukas, and his Crew, already were nervous as they saw the black cloud, but were even more nervous as they steamed into the Rain. The rain came down with an very strong force and Lukas found it very hard to see. They Puffed through Killdane and Maron. By then, the Wind had picked up and Lightning flashed through the sky. After Maron was Gordon's Hill, and Lukas could only puff slowly up the Hill, the Empty Trucks and the Wet rails made it even harder to climb the Hill. But, after a very long time, he got over the hill and coasted down the other side. But over the time that he fought up the hill, the weather had gotten worse and worse. The Rain was coming down like an Waterfall, and the Wind blew fiercely. As he steamed into Wellsworth, he shunted the Trucks on a Covered Siding and left them there. Then he steamed of to the Wellsworth Sheds to see if there are any free spaces for him. But there were already full with the Wellsworth Engines.

"Sorry Lukas, but it seems that we need to go to Tidmouth." Said his Driver as he drove him out of the Yards. The Trip to Tidmouth was long, because the Rain was now so much that you couldn't see more than a few Meters ahead. But finally, they arrived at Tidmouth, and he steamed to the Sheds. The doors were opened and in front of him were the rest of the Mainline Engines that couldn't find a shed row at Knapford. There were Emily, Murdoch, Peter and Belle, and there was still one Shed row empty.

"Excuse me, but could I use the Empty Shed row there?!" Said Lukas loudly, because the Wind and the Rain drowned his normal voice out.

"Of course you can." Smiled Murdoch.

Lukas steamed into the Shed and could finally have a rest. The other Engines asked him why he was out on the line, and Lukas told them why he worked in this hell of an Storm.

After a few Days, the Storm died down and it was save to leaf the Houses, and Sheds again. Everyone at Knapford sheds were glad to see that Lukas was still on his Wheels and they praised him for his bravery. Lukas was only happy that he wasn't hurt in the Storm, and he hoped silently that he would never go through such an Storm ever again.