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Crossing Gates and Hand Brakes

Written by TheBuriedTruck, Christopher Awdry & Broa Island

Proofread and Corrected by BNSF1995

Isle of Sodor: 1985

One morning, Thomas the Tank Engine awoke feeling ill. The Fat Controller sent him to Knapford Station to see if the workmen there could make him better, but it was no use.

"A trip to the Steamworks will do you good," said the Fat Controller. And with that, Thomas was loaded onto a flatbed, and Blake took him to Crovan's Gate on her slow goods bound for Barrow. Although Thomas knew he wasn't to blame for this predicament, he felt miserable all the same.

The Fat Controller then went to see Duck. "I want you to go help Percy and Toby while Thomas is ill," he said. "Donald and Douglas will do your work here until Thomas returns."

Duck was delighted. It made a nice change from the hustle and bustle of the Little Western, and he got along swimmingly with the coaches and trucks. Percy was happy to see him again, but although Toby was grateful for the help, he found Duck to be rather opinionated.

One morning, Toby was bringing trucks down from Anopha Quarry. Bertie the Bus was approaching the road crossing, but to Toby's horror, he wasn't slowing down! Toby slammed on his brakes, and both tram engine and bus shut their eyes!

Lucky, Bertie made it over the crossing before any serious damage could be done. But Toby had only missed the red bus' bumper by a few inches.

When they next met at Ffarquhar Station, Bertie was most apologetic. "I'm sorry Toby," he sighed, "I've got a new driver, you see. He seems to think I can beat you to the crossing."

"Oh, that's alright," Toby smiled, "I just hope he doesn't put you in danger like that again."

Just then, Duck steamed into the station with Annie and Clarabel. He'd heard everything.

"Didn't your driver see the crossing gates, Bertie?"

"There are no gates," Toby replied, "It's-"

Duck gasped. "How can you run a line with no gates?! It isn't dignified! Why, those road vehicles wouldn't know to stop, otherwise!"

"I know when to stop, thank you," scowled Bertie.

"It's for your safety as well as ours, Bertie," replied Duck bluntly. "Accidents cause problems for all of us. The Fat Controller needs to put up gates at once!" He looked back to Toby. "I'm surprised you haven't asked him to already!"

Toby and Bertie said no more.

"I don't believe it, Percy!" said Duck when they met later at the harbor. "I never thought Toby would be foolish enough to run on an unsafe line!"

"The line is safer because Toby runs on it," explained Percy. "His cowcatchers and side plates work wonders! You needn't worry, Duck. If the Fat Controller thought gates were needed, he would've put them up ages ago."

Duck was unconvinced. They were needed, in his opinion.

Recently, one of the level-crossings on the branch line had been having issues with its gates. Sometimes they worked as intended, others they stuck, no matter how hard the signalman pulled the leaver. There hadn't been any accidents – only headaches from the delays – and the engines all took great care when they approached.

Unfortunately, for one reason or another, no one had bothered to warn Duck.

The next morning, Duck was puffing happily along the line with a passenger freight train. The coaches sang quietly to each other, and Duck was very pleased with himself. He passed a level-crossing, its gates keeping road traffic at bay.

"Now that's the way," he said to himself, "Just like a proper railway."

At the troublesome crossing, the cars and lorries had passed safely through. A new signalman was covering for the regular one. He pulled the leaver, and went back to his coffee.

He didn't notice the gates had stuck!

Duck soon approached. He saw the gates, but didn't worry. "They'll open. They'll open," he smiled.

But they didn't!

"They're sure to open. They have to!"

Still, the gates stayed shut! And Duck was getting closer and closer!

"Oh no! OH NO! STOP! STOP!" Duck cried franticly! His brakes screeched and his whistle blew! But it was too late!

CRASH!

Lucky, no one was hurt. But Duck sat on the crossing, remnants of the gates clinging to his front headstock.

"Oh… dear," he blushed.

There wasn't time to inspect the damage, as traffic was starting to build up on either side of the crossing. Percy had to pull Duck and his train the rest of the way to Ffarquhar.

When they arrived, Toby and Bertie were already there.

"Toby," asked Bertie innocently, "Who's that?"

"It's Duck," replied Toby, "Though it seems he can't decide between pulling a train and being a crossing guard!"

"Whatever he's doing, it doesn't look very safe to me."

Duck blushed and looked down at his buffers, decorated by the broken gate.

The remainder of Duck's time on the Ffarquhar Branch was relatively uneventful, and in time, Thomas returned from the Steamworks feeling much better. He was so pleased to be home again that Percy and Toby thought it wise not to spoil Thomas' mood by telling him about Duck's mishap with the crossing gates, much to the Great Western engine's relief.

Unfortunately, the Ffarquhar Branch Line's troubles were far from over.

The men at the Steamworks had left Thomas' hand brake very stiff. It made his brakes seems as if they were on, when in fact they weren't. As a result, he and his coaches often overran the platform. Thomas found this most embarrassing. Gradually, he, his driver and fireman soon learnt to be extra careful when stopping and starting from stations. But one day, Thomas' fireman was ill, and a relief man took his place.

At Knapford Station, Thomas ran round Annie and Clarabel. While his driver chatted to the stationmaster on the platform, the fireman fastened the coupling between Thomas and Annie. Both Thomas and the driver had told him about the former's brake, but unluckily, he had forgotten.

When he'd finished with the coupling, he returned to the cab to check the brakes' air gauge. But as he did so, he slipped on the footplate, and his flailing arms knocked Thomas' regulator wide open! Dusting himself off, the fireman, with a slight limp, joined the driver and stationmaster on the platform.

Without attending to the regulator!

Thomas, unaware of the situation in his cab, simmered happily. In the distance, Yang appeared with the Main Line's local passenger service.

Not long now, Thomas thought.

Suddenly, Thomas felt his wheels begin to move! He tried to stop, but he couldn't without his driver or fireman! He tried to whistle a warning, but he couldn't do that either! The guard shouted from the platform, but that did no good! The guard, driver, and the fireman were all stranded, and the passengers were left on the platform staring!

"NOT AGAIN!" cried Thomas in horror as he, Annie and Clarabel gathered speed out of the station!

"STOP! STOP!" the empty coaches shrieked as they rounded a bend in the track! But Thomas, with plenty of steam, kept on going!

The Knapford signalman soon realized what had happened and sent a message along the line. An inspector prepared himself to stop the runaway at Dryaw Station, where a helicopter (not Harold as he was busy elsewhere at the time) stood ready in the nearby airfield, in case of emergency. But Thomas was still going much too fast! He flew past the station before the inspector even had a chance to bend his knees!

Quickly, the inspector climbed aboard the helicopter, and they took off in pursuit!

Below, Thomas was tiring. "I need to stop! I need to stop!" he panted wearily. Annie and Clarabel knew they had to do something to help their friend. Remaining calm, they pulled against the surging blue engine with all their strength as they went up hill, which managed to slow poor Thomas down.

As they neared Toryreck, Thomas saw the helicopter land on a patch of grass close by, and the inspector dashed towards the station platform where he stood waiting. This time, Thomas entered the station slowly enough for the inspector to act. Running besides the train, he judged his moment, jumped, and scrambled into Thomas' cab! Then, he slammed the regulator shut and screwed the hand brake hard on!

With a sigh of relief, Thomas stopped.

The inspector mopped his brow. "Phew!" he remarked, "We mustn't let this happen again, Thomas."

Wearily, Thomas agreed with him. I think it's safe to say both he and Duck won't be making any remarks about "safety" for quite some time.