Disclaimer: Still do not own anything.
Chapter 64: Trucks and Inclines
Work had been hard on the Skarloey Railway. Ever since Skarloey's engine had been sent for an overhaul, and Skarloey went on vacation, Sir Handel and Peter Sam had more work than before. In order to decrease their workload, Mr. Percival bought a new diesel engine, as well as a new employee to run it. The man's name was Rusty. He was a friendly man, and always willing to help out. Sadly, the diesel wasn't very fast, and thus could not keep to the workload of the passenger trains and important slate trains. Thus, Rusty kept mostly to maintenance work. Peter Sam didn't mind the extra work, but Sir Handel sure did. He liked Rusty, but felt that nothing had changed by his being here.
"Every day it's the same thing," he grumbled, "As soon as we come in with one train, we immediately need to leave with another. At least on The Mid Sodor Railway, when there were only three of us, the work was divided equally. No offense, Rusty, but it seems your presence has not helped us at all."
Peter Sam was shocked.
"Nonsense, Sir Handel," he scolded, "Besides, it's good that we're kept busy. If you will recall, our old line shut down because we weren't busy enough. It may be tiring, but it keeps us working."
He then turned to Rusty.
"I am sorry about him, Rusty," he said, "He always gets himself worked up into one of these moods and complains about whatever comes to mind. He'll settle down eventually."
Rusty smiled, and assured Peter Sam that he was not offended.
Sadly, Sir Handel didn't settle down. He complained about the workload until everybody got tired of it. One day, Gordon was passing by the yard when he saw Sir Handel shunting crossly.
"It's not fair," Sir Handel grumbled, "First Mr. Percival overworks us, and then he makes me shunt my own train. It's a disgrace."
Gordon was sympathetic.
"Our controllers just don't understand our feelings," he told Sir Handel, "Now if you were sick," he continued with a wink, "You wouldn't have to work all day, now would you?"
Sir Handel saw what Gordon meant.
"Oooh," he said, "I see. What a clever idea. I shall try it tomorrow."
The next day, when the yard manager came to give them their jobs, Sir Handel started to moan.
"I don't feel well," he groaned, "My stomach aches, and my head hurts."
The yard manager allowed him to go back to bed. Meanwhile, Peter Sam had to cover his trains, as well as his own. He didn't mind, though, and coupled some slate trucks before his coaches. Once he reached the top station, he left the coaches on a siding and left for the quarry.
The Skarloey Railway quarry uses a special machine called an incline. Using gravity, it sends a line of loaded trucks down the line, while bringing empty ones up. However, what no one knew that the winch was getting rusty, and was liable to break at any second.
As Peter Sam waited at the bottom for his train, it happened. One minute, everything was normal. The next, the winch broke, sending the cars plummeting towards him. Peter Sam didn't have enough time to jump clear, and was buried underneath a pile of broken trucks and slate.
Rusty was up the line when he heard what had happened. Without a second thought he rushed to the scene, horrified about the results.
"Oh my!" he exclaimed, "Peter Sam, are you okay?"
"I think my ankle may be sprained, but other than that I'm okay" Peter Sam called back.
"Don't worry, Peter Sam," Rusty said, "We'll soon have you out."
It took a while, but at long last Peter Sam was free. But while he was okay, minus a sprained ankle, his engine was a wreck. Its frame was dented, it's dome cracked, and its funnel bent.
"Thank you, Rusty," Peter Sam sighed as he limped sadly home.
At the sheds, Sir Handel consoled him as best he could.
"I'm sorry about your accident, Peter Sam," he empathized, "I've always thought that the winch needed to be replaced. I always keep back by the entrance to be safe."
"Why didn't you warn me?" Peter Sam spluttered.
"I didn't think," Sir Handel said.
"You never do!" Mr. Percival said sternly, "You can start now while you do Peter Sam's jobs as well as your own. That will teach you to misbehave."
Sir Handel did start to think. About Gordon, and how he would pay him out.