Sara And The Rickety Old Bridge
It started out like any other day on Sodor. The engines were doing their jobs like normal.
Whiff and Scruff were both at work at the dumps. Gordon pulled the express. Murdoch and Hiro worked together with goods trains. Percy pulled the mail train. Thomas, Daisy, Toby and Emily were taking passengers around Thomas' branch line. And Mavis and Boco were working at the slate quarry.
Even the engines on the Arlesdale railway and the Skarloey railway were busy as well.
The morning started when Sara was puffing along on her way to Dryaw station. She decided to take a shortcut through Toby's old branch line. Today, the branch line was not in good condition.
"Careful," said the driver, "We can't take any risks here." "Right!" answered Sara, "We can't break these tracks apart!"
For the most part, that was easier said than done. But when they got to the rickety old bridge, that's when things became difficult. Because of the condition that the bridge was in, Sara had to go really slow.
"All right," thought Sara, "There's no way we're speeding across this thing."
It took Sara 15 minutes to get across the old bridge. But just as her driving wheels left the bridge, there was a loud crack. "Uh oh," thought Sara as there was even more cracking noises.
Her driver looked back and saw that there were more cracks in the bridge.
"Looks like no one will be using this bridge ever again," said the firemen. "All right," said Sara, "Let's get out of here first. Then we'll warn everyone." She puffed away when her crew returned to her cab.
Sara eventually made it to Dryaw station to collect her train and she delivered it to Brendam docks. "Thank you," said Salty as Sara arrived. "No problem," said Sara, "But I want you to spread this message. The old bridge on Toby's line is old and worn out. It can't take the weight of any engines now." "Right there with you," replied Salty.
"Luckily, I'm never going to old Toby's line," said Cranky."And how's that even possible?" Salty asked.
Soon, Sara met up with the Fat Controller. "Sir!" she called, "There's a problem with the old bridge on Toby's line. It's got too many cracks." "Right," replied the Fat Controller, "I'll tell everyone the news." "Thank you, sir," said Sara and she puffed off to do more work.
At the end of the day, every engine gathered around to listen to the Fat Controller, standing next to Sara and Thomas. "The old bridge on Toby's line is in a terrible condition," he announced, "So no one is to use it. I will send my men tomorrow to examine the bridge." All of the engines replied, except Spencer.
"Bah," he mumbled, "I don't need to worry. I can take care of myself." "Sara," said Thomas, "How did you find out about this problem in the first place?"
"I took a shortcut through Toby's old line by accident." Sara explained. "Oh," replied Thomas. "It's a good thing that you did," said Toby, "I have never been on that part of the old line for a long time now. Thanks for checking it out." "No problem," smiled Sara, "But it will be a problem if nothing is done about it." "Right," agreed Thomas.
Later, some of the engines left for their night shift jobs, others went to sleep. But all the engines avoided the old branch line with the now unsafe bridge.
Next morning, however, Spencer was chosen to take the Duke and Duchess of Boxford around the island. "I'll show them who's safe," muttered Spencer, "I can take care of myself. And I won't go near that old track anyway."
The guard blew his whistle and waved his green flag. Spencer started off immediately.
Just as he left, workmen were preparing to go and inspect the old bridge on Toby's line.
A few minutes later, Spencer was speeding down the railway. "Nothing to it, nothing to it," he boasted. "Whoa," called his driver, slow down, boy!"
However, Spencer was continuing to speed down the line. He even went faster than normal. Too fast to notice that he had gone onto Toby's old branch line thanks to some faulty points.
As a result, Spencer ended going near the rickety old bridge. "Slow down!" called the driver. Eventually Spencer stopped.
But it was too late and he stopped on the rickety old bridge, but not in the middle, just as the first part of the bridge. "I told you to slow down, you fool!" called the driver, "Spencer, now look at where we are!"
"Ok," said Spencer, "Uh." "You great big silly engine!" the driver called, "We've ended up on Toby's line! You're too heavy for this kind of railway!" "Then I must get out of here!" said Spencer. He was preparing to leave when what really happened next is shocking. Multiple cracking sounds occurred.
"Oh no!" cried the driver, "This is the old bridge that the Fat Controller warned us about! We're not supposed to be on here!"
"I mean we're getting out of here!" Spencer shouted and he tried to back up, but the rails broke and the flanges of his wheels ended up on top of the rails.
"Stop!" shouted the driver, "Too late!" Spencer dared not go any further, or he will derail. "No good!" the driver said. "This is bad," said Spencer. "No kidding!" shouted his firemen.
The Duke and Duchess immediately noticed that they are all in danger. The bridge is starting to collapse and because of Spencer speeding to the area in the first place, none of the workmen made it to the bridge in time.
Just then, Harold flew by. He immediately noticed that Spencer is in trouble. "Isn't that?" he thought before flying off to get help.
At the same time, Thomas, Percy and Sara were working at the quarry. After Hardworker and Marion loaded their trucks of rocks, they were ready to go. "Thanks," said Percy. "No problem," said Hardworker. "Yeah," said Marion, "Now you want to know about the time that I-"
"Let's go before she starts," said Thomas, steaming off at once. Percy and Sara set off too. "Too late," said Percy, "She started and now she won't stop." So Hardworker ended up listening to Marion's story. All of it.
Just as Thomas, Percy and Sara were steaming down the main line with their heavy trains, Harold flew down. The three engines stopped at once. "Harold!" called Thomas, "What's up?" "Well," Harold began, "Spencer is up, but not for long! He ran onto the rickety old bridge!" "What?!" cried all the engines. "But," said Thomas, "I thought."
"Knowing Spencer," said Percy, "He ran onto the bridge, carelessly!" "Listen," said Sara, "You two get another engine to take my train. I'm going to save Spencer!" Sara was uncoupled from her train and she stormed off to the rescue. "Go for it, sister!" called Thomas as he and Percy left.
Soon enough, Charlie took Sara's rock train while Sara raced off to the rescue.
By now, the bridge was in a terrible condition. It started to break apart under Spencer's weight. "Nobody move!" shouted the driver. "I hope so," said Spencer. Just then, Sara arrived, ready to go to work. "All right," said Sara, "I'll have to remove the coach first." So she was coupled up to the only coach that Spencer is pulling.
Carefully, the guard uncoupled the coach from Spencer and very slowly, Sara pulled the coach off of the old bridge and shunted it in a siding. "What about me?!" cried Spencer. "Shut up!" called his firemen, "Wait your turn!"
So Spencer stood still, but he could still feel the bridge breaking apart even further.
Soon, Sara arrived. "Now it's time to save Mr. Bossy boiler," she thought. "I heard that!" called Spencer. But then, a support beam collapsed and fell into the raven. "Oh!" cried Spencer in alarm.
Sara knew she only had once chance to save Spencer. So she puffed onto the bridge very carefully. She puffed close enough to Spencer's tender so that her driver can hook up a chain between the two engines.
"This is it," thought Sara, "Otherwise, it's over for him." Sara was immediately linked to Spencer via chain.
"Hold on, Spencer!" she called, "I'm getting you out of here!" "Agh-ooh!" cried Spencer. Sara puffed backwards very slowly and very carefully, Spencer's wheels started to turn backward.
With a short thud, Spencer's wheels were firmly back on the rails. Now Sara can pull Spencer off of the rickety old bridge. Finally, she pulled the big engine off of the bridge just in time. "That was close," thought Sara.
Just as Spencer's leading wheels left the bridge, it collapsed completely. Spencer looked in horror as the remains of the old bridge crashed down to the ravine. "That was close," sighed Sara. "No kidding," said Spencer's driver.
Just then, Harvey arrived with the workmen and the Fat Controller. They were surprised to see the two engines there. "What is going on?" asked the Fat Controller. "We've saved Spencer from the rickety old bridge," explained Sara.
Just then, the Duke and Duchess of Boxford approached the Fat Controller. "You see," said the Duke, "Our engine took us the fast way and onto an unstable bridge. But we were soon saved by this little engine." "I see," said the Fat Controller.
He turned to Spencer. "Why have you done such a reckless thing, Spencer?" he asked, "I told all of my engines about the dangers on this branch line. Including you!" "I was speeding too fast," answered Spencer.
"Well, now," said the Fat Controller, "I am going to have you pull a slow goods train instead. Starting now!" "Yes, sir," replied Spencer, gloomly. "Sara," said the Fat Controller, "You have proven yourself a hero. You were brace to save boasting Spencer." "Oh, thanks," smiled Sara happily.
"You are a really useful engine as well," said the Fat Controller. Sara felt proud. So she took the Duke and Duchess of Boxford around the island.
For the next few days, Spencer pulled slow goods trains all day. "It does serve you right," said his driver. "I know," moaned Spencer.
