Bulgy

Thomas & Friends is copyright to Mattel and the Awdry family. I own nothing.

It was a Bank Holiday on the Island of Sodor. Bertie the Bus was working harder than ever before. The engines were busy too, and none more so than Duck and Oliver on their branch line by the sea.

Duck was waiting at Tidmouth for his next journey. Near him stood a huge red double-decker bus. Duck had never seen him before, but he didn't look friendly like Bertie at all. The bus growled as he watched the happy passengers boarding Duck's train. "Stupid nonsense." he grumbled. "Wouldn't have brought 'em if I'd known. I'd have had a breakdown or something.

"I'm glad you didn't." smiled Duck. "You'd have spoiled their fun. Look how they're enjoying themselves."

"Pah!" snorted the bus. "Enjoyment's all you engines live for, taking the petrol from the tanks of us workers. One day railways will be ripped up." he went on fiercely. "Cars 'n' coaches'll trample their remains."

Duck felt shocked at such an idea. "We have a friend called Bertie and he's bus, but he likes the railway. Sometimes he teases us, but... he'd never want to it ripped up."

"Huh!" growled the bus. "I know Bertie. He's too small in size to be of any use."

Duck took no notice. "That bus is silly." he thought as he steamed away.

~8~

At the next station, Duck told Oliver about the bus. "I call him 'Bulgy'." chuckled Oliver. "He's painted bright red and shouts, 'Down with railways!'"
But when they met again that afternoon, Oliver was no longer laughing. "Bulgy's friend has come." he said. "He's red and rude too. He's taking Bulgy's passengers home so's to leave him free to steal ours."

"But he can't!" objected Duck.

"I overheard them talking." Oliver said. "Bulgy bets he can get them to the Big Station before us."

"Rubbish!" huffed Duck. "It's much further by road."

"Yes," continued Oliver, "but Bulgy says he knows a shortcut."

~8~

That evening, the two engines were preparing for the homeward rush. Duck's train was to be first out, but he had few passengers. He was soon to know why.

"Look!" shrilled Oliver. "Look at Bulgy! He's a mean scarlet deceiver!"

Bulgy had turned to leave. They could now see his other side. It had on it, 'Railway Bus'. "Yah boo snubs!" he jeered as he roared away. The unsuspecting passengers waved happily.

"Come on," puffed Duck to his coaches, "let's see what he's up too." And they trundled away in pursuit of Bulgy.

The coaches chattered crossly, "The nasty old thief! He's stolen our passengers!"

Duck wandered how to pay Bulgy out. "I'll get him." he fumed. "If it's the last thing I ever do, I'll get him!"

Presently, they saw a man standing on the embankment ahead waving a red scarf. "Danger!" he shouted.

The line here crosses a narrow road. Duck came as close as he could. "So this was Bulgy's shortcut!" he chuckled.
Bulgy was wedged firmly under the bridge like a cork in a bottle. Drivers of cars trapped in front and behind were telling him what they thought of him. Angry passengers confronted Bulgy's conductor, demanding their money back. From time to time loosened bricks fell, making Bulgy yelp.

Bulgy's passengers swarmed around Duck. "He tricked us!" they complained. "He said he was a railway bus, but wouldn't accept our return tickets. He wanted us to think railways are no good. Please help us."

Duck's crew examined the bridge. "It's risky," they said, "but we must help the passengers."

"Passengers are urgent." agreed Duck. They told the passengers to wait on the other side of the bridge then Duck slowly and carefully made his way across it.

Bulgy wailed as he felt the bridge quiver. "Stop!" he shouted. "It might fall on me!"

"That would serve you right for telling lies." said Duck severely, but the bridge didn't collapse. Duck made good time to the Big Station and all passengers caught their trains.

~8~

The bridge is now mended, but the same can't be said for Bulgy and his ways. His controller spoke to him severely but he never learnt sense. He told lies till no one could believe his destination boards and no passengers would travel in him. He's a henhouse now, in a field beside the railway, where his lies can do no harm. The hens never listen to them anyway!

Author's notes: Thought I'd do another RWS/TVS hybrid, this time Bulgy from series 3. Not much to say about this, but once again I've gone for a mix of both the Railway Series and TV series, with the RWS being the most prominent influence. It's funny that the TV episode just calls the holiday being celebrated a "Special holiday", with a banner bearing that legend in the opening shot. Presumably this change was made because very few countries outside the UK have Bank Holidays. I've followed the book and had it be a Bank Holiday. So, hope you like this story and until next time.