Watching Molly leave Neville quickly got to work shunting both his and her trucks in to their places in the yard. He was coming out to sound of another engine coming up the line and he spotted Henry puling in on his line.
"What are you doing here?" grunted Henry. "Clear of to join the Diesels."
Neville snapped "Why! I'm a steam engine."
"Caught with the diesel engines." argued Henry.
"It was a miss understanding." grunted Neville.
"Oh and I'm the Duke of Norramby." argued Henry "Now move or I'll be forced to move you."
"No." insisted Neville.
"What." fumed Henry.
"I'm not moving."
"Fine." smiled Henry.
Moving forward Henry buffed up to Neville, the two engines stood face to face.
"Lets do this pipsqueak." Henry sniggered.
"That's a new one." gritted Neville.
Henry tried to charge forward but Neville didn't try to hold back and pushed right back. The two kept pushing and neither was able to move the other, their buffers met and where pushed as far in as they would allow. Steam billowed and wheels spun on the spot, as the two engines tried to push the other, wile Neville had nothing behind him Henry was stuck with a goods train holding him back.
"I thought the black fives where meant to be strong." sneered Neville.
"If I didn't have this train behind me you would have been sent flying down Gordon's hill." seethed Henry.
Neville smiled as he saw Henry pulling faces, both crews where yelling at the other, but nether kept an eye on their engine. It was the fact Neville's driver saw the build in pressure and let of the safety valve, wile for Henry's crew didn't notice, until the glass cracked and steam flooded out form Henry's wheels.
"What's going on." he said "I feel strange."
The crew raced out to see the damage.
Then Emily and Edward both arrived with the their services.
"What's going on?" asked Edward.
"What did you do to Henry?" burst out Emily. "I'll have your splashes for this."
"I don't have any." said Neville "And he got what was coming to him."
"Neville, that's uncalled for." butted in Edward.
"I can't move." panicked Henry.
The station got more chaotic as Murdoch arrived.
"What's going on here?" he asked.
"Neville hurt Henry." cussed Emily.
"I didn't he was rude so I refused to move,
"And they pushed each out and got no where." said their crews.
"Well now we have two goods to deal with and two passenger trains as well." sighed Edward.
"I can take Neville's goods." said Murdoch "Neville how strong are you?"
"Fairly." he replied.
"Do you think you can take Henry and his train?"
"Don't you dare." Complained Henry.
"I'll try." insisted Neville.
So things were set up Emily and Edward dropped of and then took their passengers, Neville shunted his return train on to Murdoch's train, then coupled up to Henry. Both crews made sure Henry's brakes where off before returning to their respective engine.
"Ready?" asked Murdoch still waiting around.
"Yes." Neville said bracing himself.
"Good luck, were all counting on you." he said as he pulled out.
Neville smiled and tried to start.
"Don't bother you…" started Henry.
But to his and his crew's surprise Neville was able to haul Henry and the train up the line towards the hill.
"Just wait, he won't make it up, even then we have more trucks to pick up at each station." Henry snorted.
Neville only kept his spirits up as he turned his wheels, puffed his pistons and blow smoke out of his funnel. Growing speed every wheel turn of the way. He was gaining traction but soon came to the looming presence of the climb that was Gordon's hill.
Henry laughed to himself as Neville slowed down to make the climb, thinking he had already lost. But his crew put on the sanding gear and with the added grip they managed to make a good start, and the further they went the more they climbed, Henry soon realised they where in fact making it up the hill.
"What do you make of that." laughed Neville "Not bad for a half pint."
Henry kept quite as he looked away. Soon Neville reached the top and carried on feeling the strain, he kept going, his wheels slipped a times and Henry felt himself jerk backwards.
But as Henry screamed after an fierce slip back down Neville was able to grip the rails and heaved himself, Henry and trucks up and over the top and sailed down the other side keeping an eye on his speed this time. Soon they where shooting down the line towards Maron.
Henry catching on cheered for joy. "Always knew you had it in you." he called.
As they sped down the line Neville took in the rushing air.
Emily who was up ahead was worried over Henry, but then saw him and Neville shot past her with their train. The two engines arrived at the station after Neville had the brakes put hard on as not to over shoot the platform.
Emily was in shock at seeing the long trail flash by and seeing disappear in to the distance, so much so that when she arrived she was more shocked to see Henry was okay, and left in the station with the train alone.
"What was that?" she asked.
"I guess, he's stronger then he looks." chuffed Henry.
"I still don't trust him." insisted Emily. "Where is he know?"
"In the yard tacking care of the trucks." Henry replied. "Where we wrong?"
"Don't be daft." said Emily second guessing herself.
Soon Neville came back and shunted himself on front of the train.
"Hay time to go big green." teased Neville.
Emily gave a disproving look but soon the two where pulling away ounce more, leaving Emily behind.
Soon enough the two where speeding down the line Neville was making good time as he made his way to Cronk.