Bert Takes A Tumble

Like any other day on the Arelsdale Railway, the engines do their work like normal. Before evening, Bert had finished shunting trucks in a siding and his driver decided to call it quits for the day.

"Early?" asked Bert, returning to the sheds, "What's going on?" "I'm going on my date," Bert's driver replied, "Got to leave now to be prepared. Cleaned up and I must meet my girlfriend soon." "Oh," said Bert, "Well, good luck on your date."

"Thank you," the driver replied as he left Bert in the sheds. Later in the evening, Mike and Rex returned from their jobs. "Ugh," groaned Mike, "Another passenger train today. Too much for me." "Don't complain," said Bert, "Just take it easy."

"Easy?" repeated Mike, "I'll show you the opposite of easy one day! But not now." "Oh well," said Bert and he and the other engines fell asleep at once.

The next day, Bert woke up, ready to stat the day. "Ah, let's see what is going on today," he thought to himself. Just then, his driver arrived. "Hello," he smiled. "Hi," replied Bert, "Ready to go. And how was your date?" "It went great," the driver replied happily, "But, enough of that. Let's get you fired up." "Right!" replied Bert. As soon as Bert was ready, he left at once.

"There he goes," muttered Mike. So like always, Bert had done his jobs without any problems. He took goods trains to where they are needed and took passenger trains from station to station, giving the passengers some of the best times of their lives. "See," said Bert, "Nothing to it."

"We know," grumbled Mike. Bert continued on. The afternoon had gone really smooth for Bert.

"My jobs have been like not doing anything at all," he said to himself, "But I'm not going to brag about it." Just then, the Small Controller approached Bert. "Bert," he said, "I have a important job for you."

"Anything, sir," said Bert, "Go right on ahead." "You must take a goods train to the station by Culdee Mountains," the Small Controller said, "You can leave at once." "Right," agreed Bert. "Will this be noting to you?" asked Mike.

"Yep," answered Bert. Bert then collected his train and he set off for the station. "Right," smiled Bert, "Time to go right on ahead." Soon enough, he ran alongside a small river. The track stood a distance away from the riverbank. "Nice view," said Bert, puffing along, "I like it."

However, things are about to change for Bert. There was an abnormality in the tracks up ahead of Bert, but he didn't take any notice of it. "Slow down, Bert!" shouted the driver and he slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. "Oh no!" Bert cried, finally realizing what is up ahead.

His driver jumped out as Bert ended up turning over to the right and toppled off of the track, taking his trucks with him. The result left a huge mess on the side.

Luckily, none of the loads have fallen in the nearby river, but Bert remained dazed and surprised. His driver looked at the track. It turned out that the left rail had bent upwards. "That's what caused you to turn over," the driver said, "I'll have to call for help now!" "Oh dear!" groaned Bert, "This isn't what I want to happen!" "Oh brother," groaned the driver.

For an hour, Bert remained on the ground, unable to do anything. Then Kelly arrived to remove some of the derailed trucks. He then lifted Bert back onto the rails and Frank took him home. The men spent the next two days repairing the railway line.

"Well," said Mike as he puffed in as Bert is being repaired, "How easy was it for you today?" "It was easy," answered Bert, "Until I had my accident." "Well, sorry about that," said Mike, "I never asked for it to happen." "You don't have to be sorry," said Bert, "But maybe I shouldn't have gone all about jobs are nothing to me."

"Ok,' said Mike, "Let's put it that way." "Ok!" agreed Bert. So when Bert was repaired, once he took the goods train to the station by Culdee Mountains. The tracks have been repaired so Bert had no troubles. This time, he succeeded in doing his job. "Now this is how it should have gone," smiled Bert.