Chapter 178: Rusty Saves the Day

One morning, Rusty was doing his usual morning maintenance run. He and the men had just reached Glennock, and all was going well While the men checked the points, Rusty spotted something he had never seen before. Neatly hidden by overgrown shrubs and weeds were old, rusty railway lines not far from the station. The rails curved away, leaving Rusty wondering what lay beyond them.

"Mr. Hugh, where do those old lines go?"

Mr. Hugh scratched his head, trying to remember.

"You know, I'm not entirely sure. I'm sure I've heard something about it, but I can't think of where."

Rusty decided to speak to Skarloey and Rheneas about it that night. He approached them about it after dinner.

"That's the Old Bluebell Branchline. It was opened a few years after the Railway opened."

"Ah yes, I remember that. Skarloey and I would take turns running it each week. It really was a lovely line, named after the Bluebells that grow in the valley. Popular with the passengers too, if I remember correctly."

"But why did it close down?"

"Well, once the railway started to hit hard times, it just became to expensive to operate. Rheneas and I couldn't handle the traffic on both lines, and there was no money to bring in help."

"Yes, management thought it was best to keep the engines we had running in good working order, so it was closed down. Sadly, by the time the economic situation had improved, interest had waned and eventually it had been all but forgotten."

This gave Rusty an idea.

"I bet with a little bit of elbow grease, we can get it back up and running. I'm sure the passengers would love to see it."

"I don't know, Rusty. You'd have to get Mr. Percival's approval, and I don't know if he'd go for it."

Rusty was undeterred, and went to see him first thing the next morning. Mr. Percival scratched his chin in deep thought.

"Well, it did bring in lots of tourists. Very well, Rusty, I'll let you work to repair the line. But the most I can give you is two weeks. That's the longest we can afford to divert resources. If its not ready by then, I'll have no choice but to close it down."

"Oh thank you sir! I wont let you down."

That Monday Rusty and the workmen started work on the line, cutting back the growth and laying new rails. The other engine drivers helped to, Sir Handel and Duncan even lending a hand when possible, but the work was long and hard. After a week had gone by, they had only made progress on a quarter of the line. Rusty was beginning to grow worried.

"At this rate we'll never finish!"

"Would you quit your bellyaching? Some of us are trying to get some real work done!"

Rusty turned to see Elizabeth waiting at a level crossing with a load of straw in her lorry's trailer. She rolled her eyes at Rusty.

"Honestly, what a waste of time! You'll never get it all done in a week, not without some help."

This gave Rusty an idea.

"Well, why don't you help?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you! Your truck will be perfect for hauling away waste and debris, and you can bring us supplies faster than the system we already have. What do you say?"

"Absolutely not! You are a lost cause, and the sooner you except that the better off you'll be."

And with that she drove away, snorting furiously to herself. A sly smile crept onto Rusty's face and he called to her...

"You're right, Elizabeth. Besides, your lorry is too old for this job anyway."

Elizabeth braked sharply, her eye twitching at Rusty's words.

"I mean, there's no way its strong enough to do all of the work we need. Now, a modern Diesel lorry, on the other hand..."

"Now you listen here! My lorry is good enough for any job! Fine, I'll help, but only to teach you a thing or two about manners!"

For all of her complaining, Elizabeth was a hard worker, carrying away debris almost faster than the men could clear. Her lorry was useful for other things as well, such as clearing away dead and fallen trees from the rail side. With her help, they finished right on time.

The next month, Mr. Percival held a grand opening for the line.

"I want to give a big thank you to all of the workmen, without whom none of this would be possible. And a special thanks to Rusty, who came up with this brilliant idea in the first place!"

Everyone clapped as Rusty took the microphone.

"Thank you, but the person we should really be thanking is Elizabeth. If she hadn't helped us, we never would have finished."

Elizabeth beamed proudly at the praise.

"Oh, it was nothing really."

"I now pronounce the new and improved Bluebell Branchline open!"

Everyone cheered as the ribbon was cut, and they all agreed there was no place quite like it on Sodor.