Liliana is one of the most hard-working engines on the Josephine Railway. She is one of the best hard-working engines on the railway, helping with the maintenance trains, checking over the rails, bridges, tunnels, and junctions around the line. She is one of the youngest of engines, but she is wise beyond her own years. She even helps out whenever she can for the other engines when they're either in for repairs, or unable to take the trains.
However, due to how much she's been running about across rude rails, Liliana has run herself ragged, and she feels like she's worn out. Despite her age, she had worked harder than any other engine, and she felt as old as Edward. The other engines would hear her groan and creak whenever she tries to push and pull trains. This gave them concern about their tank engine friend.
One morning, Liliana groaned to herself, as she slowly moved on the turntable, and rolled over to the water tower and coal bunker. The other engines could tell she was in pain, and it was concerning for them.
Just then, Mr. Franklin's car drove into view, coming to a stop nearby. Mr. Franklin then climbed out of his car, and he made his way over to Liliana.
"Morning, sir." Liliana greeted to the controller.
"Liliana. You have been working your hardest over the many months ever since you've been built." Mr. Franklin began. "You have gone far beyond our expectations, and I'm very proud of you. However, you have been running ragged for the past few days. You are in need of an overhaul."
"An overhaul?" Liliana asked in surprise. "Really, sir?"
"Of course. You deserve it after all that you've done." Mr. Franklin nodded gently. "After you've been fixed up and restored, I have a surprise for you."
"A surprise?" Liliana wondered in surprise. "What sort of something?" She asked.
"You'll just have to wait and see." Mr. Franklin smiled to her.
With that, Liliana groaned to herself, as she moved her way down over to the repair shed, over on the other end of the yards. Once she had reversed into the shed, the workers greeted her with smiles, and they began to work on the restoration.
Now, with Liliana out of commission and in the repair shop, the other engines began to pick in to help out with the maintenance trains, mostly Gwen, Austin, and Max, because of their small size compared to the other locomotives. Fortunately, they were able to handle the responsibility, with Johnny taking care of the shunting work.
Meanwhile, Braedey was making his way down the line with his passenger train, going along at a gentle speed of 20mph, allowing the passengers to admire the views and scenery around the railway. Braedey was enjoying the calm scenery around him, rather than the hustle and busyness down in the city. After that journey, Braedey had finished his run, and he was now taking on water for another trip. As he was about to leave, Mr. Franklin walked up to him.
"Hello, Sir. What brings you here?" Braedey asked to the controller.
"Braedey. I need you to go and pick up something special down at Barrow-in-Furness." Mr. Franklin said to the GWR 4900 locomotive. "It is something special for Liliana."
"What sort of something?" Braedey asked in confusion.
"You'll have to go and see." Mr. Franklin smiled.
Braedey soon began to make his way down the tracks off to Barrow-in-Furness. He was wondering of what kind of surprise Mr. Franklin has in mind for Liliana. It was a rather interesting guessing game for him to think about this.
Soon enough, Braedey arrived at Barrow-in-Furness, heading off to one of the nearby sidings, where new rolling stock was being restored, built, and formed. He continued on down the tracks, looking left and right, trying to see if he can find anything. As he does so, he could see what was a dark red GWR 1400 Class 0-4-2 tank engine shunting in some coaches for a return trip.
'Must be from a different railway.' Braedey thought to himself. 'Maybe he's just getting ready for a run back to wherever he came from. I'd best leave him be, and focus on what I was sent here to do.' He added on mentally.
Braedey slowed to a stop, as he looked around the location. He then looked to his right, and he smiled by what he saw just nearby.
There, sitting in two sidings, were two small coaches. They were LBSCR four-wheeled coaches, built to a design by Stroudley between the early 1870s and late 1880s, painted in a bright orange livery, the names 'Maryellen' and 'Susan' painted on their sides in white. The two coaches look like they've just been restored and ready for working service.
"Hello there, you two." Braedey greeted to the two coaches, the two looking to the GWR 4900 locomotive. "You two are bound for the Josephine Railway, are you?" He asked to them.
"Of course, my engine." The first coach began. "I am Maryellen." She looked to the second coach. "And this is Susan."
"I am Braedey, the express engine of the Josephine Railway." Braedey introduced himself. "I am here to take you two down to the railway."
"Very well." The two coaches smiled.
"Excellent." Braedey smiled back.
A few minutes later, Braedey gently coupled up to the coaches, the two single-bogey coaches behind his tender. With a whistle, the crimson locomotive began to leave the shunting yards at a gentle pace, wanting to give the two coaches a chance to run slowly and not at speed.
Eventually, Braedey pulled up into the main shunting yards of the Josephine Railway. The only engines that were around were Austin and Max, while Liliana was still in the workshop. It was going to be a little while until she's finally fixed up and ready.
Mr. Franklin arrived, and he smiled to Braedey. "Well done, Braedey. And welcome to you two, Susan and Maryellen." He greeted to the two coaches.
"Hello, sir." The two coaches replied in unison.
"Now, please. Let's get you two ready." Mr. Franklin smiled, climbing up into Braedey's cab.
A little while later, Liliana slowly pulled out of the repair shed with a hiss of steam, and a smile on her face. She felt better than ever before: her joints now felt loose and gentle, while her boiler feels good as new, her axles now loose and smooth-rolling, her bearings and joints now smooth-rolling and gentle in motion, and in addition, she has a new coat of paint, her green paint and brass gleaming in the sunlight.
"Liliana. It's good to see you out of the sheds." Mr. Franklin greeted, walking up to the small tank engine. "How are you feeling?" He asked.
"I feel better than new, sir. Like I just rolled off of the production line." Liliana replied back. "I feel like I am ready for anything."
"Well, for what you have done, and after all of the hard work over your service here, I am glad to give these to you." Mr. Franklin then turned towards the yard, and gave a whistle.
Braedey whistled back, and pushed forward, revealing the two coaches Susan and Maryellen to Liliana, who smiled to the little engine, the latter in surprise and shock of the coaches.
"Are those coaches... for me?" Likiama asked to her manager in surprise.
"That's right. After all of the work that you and those workmen have done for our little railway, and to keep the tracks fixed, clear, clean, and checking the main structure of the line, these coaches are now yours." Mr. Franklin explained, then gestured a hand to the two coaches. "Go ahead. Go and take them for a ride." He offered.
Liliana smiled, as Braedey uncoupled himself, and he reversed away. The little engine coupled herself up to the coaches, and she began to head off to the station to pick up passengers. Once there, she greeted the passengers with a smile and a friendly whistle, and the visitors were impressed by her kind and gentle attitude. Once the passengers were onboard, Liliana whistled, and she was now on her way down the line with her two new coaches behind her.
"Oh, my. This railway is very pretty." Maryellen commented, who was watching the scenery go by backwards from her perspective.
"Indeed. Much better than the inside of a shed or an industrial yard." Susan agreed with her fellow coach. "We are very fortunate to be on a railway like this."
"Yes, and being pulled by a gentle engine like Liliana." Maryellen added in, smiling gently. "She must have magic buffers."
Liliana smiled to herself, as she made her way down the line at a gentle pace of about 8-10mph. She smiled as she went along, the passengers also enjoying the scenery. She was very happy to go and take some passengers, especially with her own two coaches. But, as she goes along, she thought she could see something further up ahead of the line. This gave her concern, as she began to slow her speed, as they got closer to the object, then come to a gentle stop. Soon, Liliana and her crew saw what the object was in the middle of the line.
There, standing in the middle of the tracks, was a little girl. She looked to be maybe only 7 or so years old. She has short red hair reaching down to her neck, while having a set of small twin-tails either side of her head, a pair of green eyes filled with innocence, and fair skin with faint rosy cheeks. She looks so small too, maybe only 3ft tall. She has on a red white collar short-sleeve dress going down to below her knees, with a small white apron, a pair of white socks and small red shoes, a red beanie on her head, and she has a small yellow bag.
Liliana looked down to the little girl, then she showed a gentle smile. The little redhead looked so innocent, it was kinda cute. She slowly puffed forward, then she stopped just a foot in front of the little girl. She looked to the green tank engine with her big green eyes, then she smiled ever so gently, and she managed to climb up onto her front buffer beam.
"What seems to be the problem, Liliana?" Lili's driver asked, she and the firewoman walking up, then the two adults noticed the little redhead girl sitting on their engine's buffers. "Oh. Now, I see why."
"Where do you think she came from?" The firewoman asked.
"My... my name is Claire." The little girl gave her name. "I... I was with my school group. We were looking at the birds and animals around the railway. But, I sadly got lost. My teacher... she said to stand by the railway, and maybe, an engine might come along to take me back to the big station." She explained. "She'll be there, I'm sure of it."
"So, you just ended up getting lost." Liliana showed a small smile, whistling quietly, and Claire smiled back. "We'd best take her back to the Marion station." She suggested.
"Alright. I'm sure we can take her along." Liliana's driver said to the tank engine. "And little Claire can ride on your buffers." She then headed back to her cab, picking up a harness. She next adjusted the harness to fit around Claire, then hooked the belts to the buffer-beam and part of the boiler, keeping her secure and safe. "There we go. Now, you can ride along with us safely, and be next to Liliana." The driver said to Claire.
Claire smiled gently, as the two adults made their way to Liliana's cab. With a whistle, the little green tank engine began to make her way down the line, her new passenger alongside.
Claire smiled as Liliana made her way down the line. The little girl was now enjoying herself riding on a steam engine rather than being left alone in the forest. Claire soon talked to Liliana, telling her of her friends from her class, as well as her mother and father, as the little engine chugged along over the bridges and through a tunnel. Liliana was happy to see the little girl who's riding on her buffer beam smiling happily, and enjoying the ride.
Eventually, Liliana arrived at Marion Station, pulling into the station platform. Liliana waited patiently, as her crew got Claire off her buffer-beam, then removed the harness.
"Oh, thank goodness you're alright." The teacher sighed in relief, hugging Claire. She then looked to Claire and her crew. "I am so sorry if one of my students caused any inconveniences or anything."
"It's quite alright." Liliana replied with a smile. "She was lost and needed someone to keep her company." She looked to Claire. "Please take care, Claire. And maybe, we'll see each other soon."
Claire smiled gently to the green tank engine, next ran up, jumping from the platform to Liliana's buffer-beam, then she hugged the engine's face as best as she can. Liliana smiled back, with Susan and Maryellen smiling as well, as Claire now followed with her class and teacher out of the station.
"Good job, girl." Liliana's driver gave a thumbs-up, and Liliana whistled happily.
That evening, Liliana explained to the other engines about her two new coaches she got from Braedey and Mr. Franklin, as well as how her parts feel better than ever, and about Claire. The others were impressed and happy for their friend, and it was really something.
"First, an overhaul. Next, two new coaches. Then, a new friend." Austin counted off. "Whatever could happen next?" He wondered.
"Liliana, I think you were very responsible today, and you were really reliable too." Braedey said to Liliana. "And I'm sure that Claire's parents appreciate what you had done today."
The green tank engine smiled to the GWR 4900 engine, and soon enough, everyone began to fall asleep, the stars twinkling up above, the moon shining down to the land below.