Troublesome Engines – SpartanPrime101 Adaptation: Chapter 3

Hello, everyone. This is SpartanPrime101, bringing you the next update for my adaptation of Rev. W. Awdry's story "Troublesome Engines." This time, I'm dabbling at an adaptation written by the fan author The Buried Truck.

Before I do or say anything else, I want to give praise and glory to God Almighty. Lord, I thank you for being with me and for guiding me over the past few months. Thank you for giving me the strength to acknowledge and battle the demons that resided in my soul. Thank you for the wonderful people in my life, including my family and mentors. Thank you!

…

Disclaimer: I don't own Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. If I did, it would be just like the old-style episodes that aired before the CGI episodes – when they actually cared about making an actual story rather than simple, childish ramblings and decisions.

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Chapter 3: Push-Pull Percy (adapted from story by The Buried Truck)

Gordon, James and Henry had gone on strike, so the Fat Controller shut them up in the sheds. He tasked Edward and Thomas with handling the mainline goods and passenger. He also purchased two new tank engines to help around the yard – a small green saddle tank engine named Percy, and a large Baltic tank engine named Robert.

The passengers were quite pleased to see the two new engines working hard, and always smiled and waved as they went by. The workmen were especially impressed with Robert, who soon proved to be quite capable of handling goods trains in lieu of Henry. He was friendly to everyone he passed, and was always respectful to the coaches and trucks in the yard.

Percy was set to work on Thomas' Branchline, pulling trucks and passenger services when Thomas was busy elsewhere. Sometimes, he was called upon to shunt the trucks and coaches about the yard. Edward had taught him well, and he made sure to keep the trains in order for the other engines. His bubbly nature was a welcome change from the yard's bad atmosphere.

One morning, as Percy was shunting trucks for Robert's next train, he saw Thomas arrive with his coaches, Annie and Clarabel. Percy didn't take much notice at first; however, when the guard's whistle blew, he was surprised to see Thomas backing the train down the Branchline.

The next time he saw Thomas at the station, the little green engine was most inquisitive. "How did you do that?" asked Percy.

Thomas was puzzled. "Do what?"

"Push your train down the Branchline backwards. Your driver can't possibly see what's coming."

Now, Thomas is a unique engine. Like his fellow E2's, Thomas wasn't built with push-pull gear as he was usually tasked with shunting or short-distance goods trains. However, when he received his Branchline after rescuing James, he was given special rods and connectors that enable him to be driven from Clarabel's cab. This means, he can stay at one end of his passenger train for both journeys.

Thomas knew this, but Percy didn't. Thomas smirked, as an idea flew into his funnel.

"Oh!" Thomas said, slyly. "Well, not every engine can do it. You need certain…experience to run trains like this."

"Maybe I could do it," Percy wondered aloud.

"I doubt it," scoffed Thomas. "You're just not special like I am." And he left the station, chuckling to himself.

Percy was fuming. "Not special, indeed! I'll show that Thomas, just let him wait." And he puffed away to finish his work.

…

A few days later, Thomas was called away to help Edward with the mainline passenger trains. The Fat Controller asked Percy to look after the Branchline. Percy was excited to get out of the yard again, and show Thomas a thing or two.

Percy enjoyed working on the Branchline, and was excited to be working with Annie and Clarabel again. However, he soon found his hopes were dashed; his driver always ran him around to the back of the train. He tried starting before he could be uncoupled; he tried locking his brakes; he tried everything he could think of. But no matter how hard he tried, his driver always won in the end.

"Come on, Percy!" his driver huffed. "You're going to make us late with all this nonsense."

Time after time, Percy found himself grumpily running to the other end of the train. Clarabel was always happy to him. "It's nice to have some company back here for a change," she smiled. "It gets lonely watching everything pass you by." Percy smiled; he liked talking to Clarabel during their runs. But he still wanted to show Thomas he was a special kind of engine.

One morning, Percy brought the first train to the station. He saw Robert there with a local goods train. "Good morning, Percy," he called. "How are things on the Branchline?"

"Oh, they're going splendidly," Percy replied. "The people are friendly and wave to me whenever I pass by. It's certainly a nice change from shunting in the yard all day."

"Well, I'm sure Thomas appreciates you looking after his line while he's busy helping Edward." Robert was surprised to see a frown cross Percy's face. "Is something the matter?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing's wrong," said Percy. "It's just that…"

But before Percy could answer, the stationmaster came running. "Sorry," he said to the driver. "The points are acting up, and we can't change them until the workmen have looked them over. "I'm afraid you'll have to push your next train backwards."

Percy was ecstatic. "Yes! At last! Now is the time, now is the time!" He was so excited that he didn't notice Robert looking curiously at him.

"Now, you listen to me," said his driver, sternly. "You're pushing this train no further than the next station – not one foot further. I want no tricks from you when it's time to run you round back. Understood?"

Percy was too excited to listen. Then, he noticed Robert giving him a stern look. "Don't get too puffed up in the smokebox, Percy," he warned. "Your driver is quite right; it's dangerous for you to push a passenger train backwards. Neither he nor your fireman will be able to see the line clearly with your coaches blocking the view. The Fat Controller won't appreciate you potentially putting yourself, your crew, and your passengers in danger. Do I make myself clear?"

"Oh, y-yes sir," gulped Percy. The driver gave an appreciative nod towards Robert, and he strode back to the cab. As Robert puffed out the station, neither he nor the driver noticed Percy chuckle. "Unless," he whispered cheekily to Annie, "there's a points failure at the first station too."

Annie rolled her eyes, and muttered anxiously to Clarabel. The fireman was anxious too. "You think we'll manage? You know Percy's not built for this."

"It's not like we have any other option," grimaced the driver. "Besides, it's only a short distance. I doubt we'll have any trouble."

Little did he know that a short distance was all trouble needed.

…

Percy was enjoying himself immensely. "Look at me now! Look at me now!" he laughed. "Not so unique now, are you Thomas?" He felt very clever, indeed.

His driver, however, was not so pleased. He was having a hard time seeing past Annie and Clarabel's sides. The guard was also keeping watch from Clarabel's rear compartment. He often waved one arm out the window, so as to inform the driver that the line was clear.

He was just enjoying a hot cup of tea, and was just raising it up to take a sip. But Percy bumped the coaches about so much, that he spilled the tea all over his uniform. "Oh, Bother!" he fumed, and went searching for a rag to clean up the mess.

That's when trouble appeared.

At the first level crossing, a lorry had stalled on the line. Bertie the bus was annoyed by the delay; he was bringing passengers for the first train, and didn't want to be late. "Come on!" he honked impatiently. "I got places to be."

"Keep yer pants on!" the lorry driver grumbled, as he continued working on the lorry's engine. "I'm workin' as fast as I can."

Bertie rolled his eyes, and he glanced down the line. To his horror, he could see a train quickly approaching. "Stop! Stop!" he hollered, honking his horn loudly.

Clarabel heard the horn, and saw the lorry. "Brakes, guard! Brakes!" she shrieked.

The guard, turning his attention back to the rails, scrambled for the lever. He applied Clarabel's brakes, and leaned from the window to wave his red flag and blow his whistle furiously. Percy's brakes came on at once, and he put all his effort into stopping. As his brakes screeched loudly, Percy shut his eyes in horror and waited for the crash.

When Percy opened his eyes, he saw they had stopped just in time, with Clarabel's buffers mere inches from the crossing gates. Percy, Clarabel and the guard all let out sighs of relief.

Bertie was also relieved. Then, he grew cross. "What's the matter with you engines?" he scolded. "You might have hurt your passengers. Honestly, I'd thought you would know better when travelling down the line backwards."

Percy felt most ashamed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. I just wanted to show Thomas that I was a special engine."

His driver was perplexed. "Special? What are you on about?" Percy explained what had happened with Thomas at the station, and how he had 'special experience' pulling trains backwards. When Percy was finished, his driver was in stitches. "Ho-ho-ho! Trust me, Percy," he laughed. "Thomas is by no means special; he was built that way. He's fitted with special equipment that allows his driver to control him from Clarabel's cab. That's why we can't run you round the train; you weren't designed for it."

Percy felt very cross, and quite foolish.

When the lorry was clear of the crossing, Percy brought the train carefully back to the station platform. As he ran around to the back, he thought about how silly he'd been.

"Cheer up!" smiled Clarabel. "You did well to get us here. You were quite clever to stop as quickly as you did. And besides," she went on, "Thomas' special controls don't always work for him in the end."

"They don't?" Percy asked.

"Heaven's no!" laughed Clarabel. "When the driver is in my cab, Thomas goes off daydreaming and doesn't pay attention. You wouldn't believe the number of times he's overrun the platform, and had to wait for the stationmaster to make sure the station was clear for him. And, of course, there's all the times he's had to stop at a crossing when a bus or lorry breaks down. Sometimes, his equipment won't work properly after that, and he's had to wait for a bus to take his passengers the rest of the way."

Percy felt much better hearing this, and laughed all the way to the top station as Clarabel recounted Thomas' misfortunes.

Percy had no further incidents, and finished his day's work on time. That night in the sheds, he shared his day's experience with the other engines. "And then," Percy finished, "Clarabel mentioned of how Thomas would go past the station platform. I must say, I am surprised. That hardly seems fitting for an engine with…special experience' such as yourself."

"You know," chuckled Edward, "I remember a little blue engine who always wanted to be special. He would bustle about the yard, saying how much he wanted to go out and see the world. I never realized that having his own Branchline made him a 'special engine' in such a short time." Percy and Robert shared a good laugh, while Thomas flushed in embarrassment.

"Well, it is a good story," said Robert, "and one I hope you've learned an important lesson from, Percy. Even engines who are built for pulling trains backwards can encounter problems when they aren't being careful."

"Yes, indeed," Percy heartedly agreed.

…

Percy soon returned to shunting in the yard for the other engines. He was always careful whenever he had to shunt the trains backwards into the platforms and sidings. He was also most cheeky whenever Thomas approached the platform. "Careful, Thomas!" he called. "You're meant to stop there after all."

Annie and Clarabel were in hysterics as Thomas turned bright red. Suffice to say, he never mentioned anything about being a 'special engine' again.

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Wow! Holy Cow! I can't believe that, after two whole months of writer's block, I managed to write this adaptation in less than an hour. I know that it doesn't talk much about my OC Robert, as was mentioned in a review for chapter 2. However, I do have plans for him; just you wait and see.

Until then, please read and review.