Very Old Engines
Part VI: No Need To Prove
Written by Helen Farrall
Neil the Box Tank Engine had recently been restored in time for the 100th birthday of his old friends: Skarloey and Rheneas!
Neil whistled at Peter Sam in greeting as he passed by with his passenger train.
He enjoyed having the opportunity to be useful again and nowadays works up at the Blue Mountain Quarry, alongside Gator…
"Good morning, Neil!" Gator tooted.
"Mornin', Gator! Where ye off te tis fine mornin'?!"
"Taking this load of stone down to Ffarquhar Quarry for a start!"
"Great! I'll look after t'ings up here! Prolly take te next load down later!"
"Sounds great! Thank you, Neil!"
Gator let out another long toot as he set off in the distance.
"See ya later, Gator!" Neil whistled, as he watched him set off.
He listened in excitement to the sound of another whistle.
He still sees his old friends every now and then as they pass through the quarry during the day…
"Good morning, Neil!" Skarloey whistled, as he passed by with some trucks.
"Good mornin', Skarloey!" Neil whistled in return.
He looked further up the other way towards the roundtable.
"Mornin', Rheneas!"
"Good morning, Neil! Keeping busy today, I see?"
"Til Gator returns, tat is! Tan maybe I'll get a train of my own te pull!"
Rheneas chuckled.
"Good for you, Neil! Keep it up!"
"T'ank ye, Rheneas!" Neil whistled, as he backed up to the incline.
"Top to de mornin', Owen!" he greeted.
"Morning, Neil!" the incline greeted. "Almost have these trucks ready for you here! Going down, next stop…"
"De gravel hopper!" Neil finished wittily.
They both shared a laugh.
"Say, Owen, I dinne t'ink trucks back in my day shuttled tis fast!"
"No?" Owen marveled.
"We didne have inclines or hoppers! Dose bigger engines would travel longer distances just te get te their trucks…"
Merrick let out one last snore and quickly opened a sleepy eye to listen.
"…an' men would have te get up on a ladder or stool te shovel coal, gravel or stone into their trucks!"
"Well," Merrick marveled, before yawning once more, "that does sound like a handful!"
Neil chuckled.
"Aye! But dat's not all!"
"Go on, Neil! Tell us more!" Owen encouraged.
Merrick opened a sleepy eye once more.
"It took longer dan it would by hopper!" Neil went on. "Ne te mention we didne have cranes either!"
"No!" Merrick gasped.
"Aye! Ships' derricks would be used te load goods an' engines onto solid ground! It wasne a very well-run railway! T'ank heavens for what we have now!"
"Oh," Owen and Merrick both marveled in wonder.
Neil also manages to catch his good friend Luke around the Quarry, the engine who discovered him and assisted in his restoration…
"Hi, Neil!" Luke greeted, as he backed in towards the hopper with some empty trucks.
"Luke! Me dear friend!"
Luke laughed.
"Telling that story about cranes and hoppers again?"
"Why, yes, as it happens! Dinne t'ink either of dese two had heard it! Where ye off to, Luke?"
"I have to take these trucks to the groundskeeper's lodge at Ulfstead!"
"Ach! How marvelous! Anyways, where was I…?"
Owen chuckled, as he brought the next truck down.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Neil never tired of telling stories of the olden days, which engines young and old would listen to with intrigue…
"…an' ya see, Duke, dat's how dat ol' lake line operated back in de day! Yer ol' pals Rheneas an' Skarloey sure saw te dat!"
"Mmmm…" Duke pondered.
"Before it got closed down of course, after Mr. Mack passed and de management changed! But now it's restored te it's former glory!"
"Indeed…" Duke agreed.
Sir Handel and Peter Sam both chuckled as they passed by with their respective loads.
Duke winced.
"Furthermore," Neil continued, "de line looks even better dan it did back den, dinne ya t'ink?!"
Duke just smiled.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Neil is even able to pass his wisdom down to some of the younger engines…
"Gator says that back in your day, the trucks and their brakes would snap on quicker!" Percy inquired.
"Ach! Indeed, Percy! Quite rusty were dose trucks and their brakes back den! Would ya like te know what de trick is?"
Percy gasped.
"Would I?"
Neil chuckled.
"When dey start der ol' tricks, apply yer brakes quicker, dan more gradually slow down the allow it more time te wear off quicker!"
Percy whistled with excitement.
"Thanks, Neil!" he called, trundling away.
Neil sighed with excitement, than looked over at attention to the sound of Peter Sam's whistle.
"Say, Peter Sam," he marveled. "Dat's a cool funnel ye got right dere!"
Peter Sam stared, flattered.
"Oh, well, thank you, Neil!"
"Say, what is it? A…Giesl of some sort?"
Peter Sam laughed.
"A Giesl ejector! However did you guess?"
"Oh, I knew of many engines who had funnels of dose types back in my day! Dey found puffing to be much easier dan with any ol' funnel!"
This gave Peter Sam a good chuckle.
"As do I!" he admitted.
While Gator is busy up at the quarry, Neil will often take it in turns with him to deliver stone and gravel to places across the Island along the standard gauge track.
Neil whistled in greeting as he arrived at the "Works Station with his load.
"Neil!" the stationmaster marveled. "Marvelous to see you!"
The Box Tank engine smiled, as his first began to be unloaded.
At the end of every day, he often has a story to tell for the engines at the Depot after delivering his last load for the day…
"Wow!" Luke gasped.
"Interesting!" Rusty admitted.
"Ach aye!" Neil finished. "Dat was te t'ing with uz Box Tank engines, ya see! Built mainly fer shuntin' an' haulin' from tis siding te tat! But we still had our uses, ya see!"
The engines all marveled in awe and wonder.
However, Neil is the best-looking engine; his box shape is rather unusual and his four wheels are positioned in front of his cabless roof.
The driver and firemen both coughed, as the latter shoveled coal into his firebox.
His driver and firemen strive to make up enough steam, which emits black smoke from his funnel. Some engines find this visibly amusing…
Henry gazed at Neil as he approached, managing a slight grin before looking the other way.
Neil went red in the face and scurried on through Vicarstown Station with his load.
"Woah!" Rosie wailed, as he raced by.
"Phew! At last!" he said wearily, stopping in a siding.
He suddenly heard a sniffle and a snigger from nearby.
"Coo, don't he look funny?" Splatter remarked, as he passed on through with a load of crates.
"Heh, I'd say!" Dodge agreed. "Looks rather puffballed out, too!"
"Puffballed?!"
Neil groaned.
"Caught again…"
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
One evening, Neil was picking up some empty trucks near Tidmouth Sheds, when he overheard other engines talking about him…
"That new tank engine Neil knows how to manage trucks!" Percy admitted. "This new trick he told me about surely is working!"
James sniggered.
"He looks rather funny, though!"
Nia raised an eyebrow.
"How so, James?"
"Well, he's short and stump for a start…"
Neil gasped.
Thomas chuckled.
"Something wrong with…"
"…and his green paint looks funny, too!"
Emily stared.
"Does it now?"
James chuckled nervously.
"Well, sort of…"
"And he has smoke coming out from his sides!" Gordon added. "Surely will never be as fast as the express!"
Neil slightly hyperventilated, before scurrying by the shed and away as quickly and quietly as he could.
"Oh, but I'm sure he's useful somehow!" Rebecca insisted.
"He may look funny," Thomas suggested.
"But surely he's a credit to our railway!" Nia finished.
James yawned from beside her, whilst the others looked up at the stars above the shed, slowly shutting their eyes too.
One morning, Neil was delivering a load of tiles to the castle grounds by Ulfstead.
"Mornin', Millie!" he whistled.
"Oh, good morning, Neil!" Millie whistled in response. "Thanks for bringing the gravel over! I vud have done it myself, but de Earl had me bring all these supplies over!"
"Dinne worry! I always enjoyed a nice detour of de castle! It just looks wonderful in all i's glamour an' splendor!"
Millie watched Neil with interest as he spoke.
"Ya see, we never 'ad many castles back in my day so I never 'ad de pleasure of seeing much!"
Millie gazed.
"Really?"
"Oh, yes, Millie, but back then, me driver would'a tell me'a many ancient tales 'boot 'em! So many dat I could bounce de buckles off dese modern engines with 'em!"
Millie gasped.
"Wow!"
Neil chuckled.
"Wish I could share a couple with ye, Millie! But I need te deliver de other half from dese tiles te de top station!"
"No vurries, Neil! Maybe some other time!"
Neil beamed, as he started off.
"Ye can bet on dat bein' very soon!"
Millie whistled in greeting as she saw him off.
"Phew!"
Neil's cheeks went slightly red as he tugged at the load behind him, before eyeing the Estate up ahead.
"Al…most there!" he puffed, breathing in and out as he reached the platform.
"Ah, Neil," the Earl expressed. "You've brought the new tiles for the castle roofs! Splendid! What a fine engine you are!"
"Thank ye, sir!"
He heard a chuckle from nearby.
"Boy, don't he look funny? Eh, Glynn?"
"Shhhhhhh, keep it down, Stephen!" the Coffeepot engine whispered. "He'll hear!"
"But just look at him!" Stephen marveled. "Don't suppose I've seen that strange-looking before!"
"Nor I!" Glynn admitted, "but he sure does seem…"
"Ooh!" one passenger marveled.
"Awe!" marveled another.
"Wow!" gasped a third.
"What a peculiar engine!"
"Mmmm….unremarkable!"
Neil's face went red once more, as he slightly hyperventilated.
And as usual, all the gossip and commotion got Neil embarrassed!
He began to scurry off, taking the men by surprise when…
"Stop, Neil!"
Neil slammed on his brakes, letting off black smoke from behind, and looked back.
"Your trucks haven't been fully emptied yet!" the foreman warned.
Neil sighed and reversed back to the platform.
Stephen and Glynn glanced at each other with surprise.
Neil had to wait a little while longer while the rest of his tiles were unloaded. He was secretly embarrassed; all the while, passengers continued to gaze at him in awe and wonder…
Neil was soon able to return back home to the quarry to await his next job. Gator was there, preparing trucks for his next journey out.
"Hello, Neil!" he tooted.
"Hiya, Gator," the Box Tank engine dully responded.
Gator stared.
"Deary me, are you alright?"
"I just'a 'ad a shocking experience up at the castle!" Neil admitted. "Engines an' passengers were all gossipin' 'boot me and watchin' me!"
"Hmmm…" Gator thought, listening carefully.
"'minds me of how t'ings were back in the olden days when engines would gaze at me over how peculiar I looked, but would yet refrain from speaking to me!"
Gator laughed.
"Oh, Neil…"
"Gator!"
Gator looked over as a workman walked over.
"There you are! The stationmaster would like to have a word!"
"Yes, sir!"
Gator sighed.
"Sorry, Neil! We'll chat again later! Must be off! Bye!"
He let out a long, loud toot as he headed off towards the top station.
Neil sighed.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
"…dey were all lookin' at me, Merrick!" he confided to the half-awake crane, as his trucks were loaded with tiles. "Dey were gazin' an'a gossipin' all 'boot how strange I looked! Oh, yes I know they…"
THUD!
He was cut off by the sound of a loud snore, as soon as the last of tiles were loaded.
"Ach!" Neil expressed, then set off.
All along the way to Crovan's Gate, other engines were also rather amused…
James saw him approaching and sniggered quietly.
"There he is…" he expressed, grinning as he got closer.
Neil shut his eyes and attempted to hurry up with his load, but the weight of the trucks from behind prevented him.
Henry also managed a half-suppressed laugh as he approached.
Neil gasped as Henry whistled and grinned at him.
"Hello!" he greeted.
Neil looked the other way and shut his eyes as he passed.
Henry watched with surprise.
"Hmmmmm…"
Neil let out a deep breath as he pressed on.
"Must get there soon! Must get there soon!"
"Wow!" Rebecca shouted out, as she passed. "My, you look doubly…"
"GAHHHHHHHH!" Neil wailed, looking the other way as he passed.
"Huh?"
Rebecca sighed, dismayed.
By the time, Neil reached Crovan's Gate, he could hear other engines talking about him.
"Very peculiar!" Sir Handel remarked. "I tell you, Gordon! I don't think I've seen an engine that strange-looking!"
Gordon laughed.
"Or slow!"
"Very different shape, that one!"
"Mmmmm…and those smoke cylinders…"
Neil went slightly red
"Do hurry up! Please!" he begged to the workmen at the platform.
The pair of blue engines were caught off-guard, glancing over with surprise.
Gordon was alert at the sound of his guard's whistle.
"Must be off! Express coming through!"
Sir Handel observed the sound of his own guard's whistle.
"Mmmm, me too, I suppose…"
Neil sighed with relief as he watched him off.
But as long as the men took to unload the tiles, the more engines passed through and witnessed Neil…
Neil jumped and shut his eyes at the constant sounds of whistles from engines passing through.
Things were no better on the way back…
"My…" Elizabeth gazed quietly, as she passed.
Neil pressed further on, catching George up ahead.
"Well, well, what have we here?" the steamroller taunted. "A little green goblin over wheels!"
Neil gasped, looking the other way.
"At a snail's pace, too! You can't help it! Save it for the exhibit where you belong!"
"Ach!" Neil groaned.
Neil was very embarrassed now, and hurried back to the quarry as fast as he could!
Over the rest of the day's journeys, Neil constantly caught other engines gossiping about him…
"Ah!" he sighed, taking a deep breath as he approached sight of Brendam. "Da dockside! Ships an' cranes, an' fresh sea air! Reminds of de olden days!"
"Hello there!" Porter whistled.
"GAHHHHHHH!" Neil called.
"Welcome to Brendam!"
Neil stopped, his load in line within Cranky's hoist.
"Phew!" he sighed, glancing over at the Dockside engine.
"Huh?" he wondered.
Neil took a quick look at Porter and his three domes.
"Ye…yer…ya three…"
Porter laughed.
"Oh, yes, that…"
They were caught off-guard by a pair of laughs from nearby.
"Look, Bill!" Ben stared.
"I know, Ben! It's that funny-looking engine again!"
Ben suppressed an exaggerated cough.
"Ooh, and all that billering smoke!" he remarked.
Neil gasped.
"Oh, no!" he stammered, and began to pick steam.
"Cool your pistons!" Cranky shouted from above. "I haven't even finished with this load yet!"
Neil quickly shut off steam, sighing mournfully.
Cranky groaned with dismay as he watched the twins set off, still laughing.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Neil let out a sigh of relaxation as he dropped off a load at the quayside by the Rescue Center, watching the gulls fly overhead.
"Dinna recall seeing a strange t'ing like tis!" he thought. "Still 'minds me of…"
He jumped, suddenly, at the sound of Captain's horn as the lifeboat raced out, away from the dock.
"Huh! Well; dat was a near…"
"Mmmmm, do look at that engine!" Flynn marveled from nearby.
"What about him, Flynn?" Belle wondered.
"Well, he's just so…"
"Oof, I'm outie!" Neil said quietly, and raced away.
"I think he heard you, Flynn…" Belle admitted.
"Oh, dear…" Flynn groaned.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
"Ach! Neil!" Lord Callan expressed, as he arrived at the castle platform. "Ye bought de banners! Splendid! Ye truly are a fine wee engines!"
Neil glanced with surprise.
"Oh, well, ermmmm, thank ye, sir!"
He whistled and set off as the banners were unloaded.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Neil went on about his day feeling somewhat better about things…ultimately, until he reached the Smelters…
"Oi! Look, Bert!" 'Arry exclaimed. "I's that little boxcab over wheels!"
Bert chuckled.
"Good one! 'e could use a little smartening up!"
'Arry cackled along in agreement.
"W'as te matter, cabby wheels?! Are your wheels ugly-looking too?!"
"Ey! Or ya tryin' to cover 'em up with black smoke?"
'Arry laughed.
"Smokesteam!" he remarked.
"I liked cabby wheels better!" Bert admitted.
Neil whimpered, amongst the uncoupling of his flatbed.
"Alas!" he expressed with with relief.
He quickly took off in a cloud of black smoke, leaving the two diesels to abruptly cough it up.
"Ey!"
"Oi!"
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
There was much talk of Neil amongst engines at the Shunting Yards too…
"Seems like a fine engine!" Toby admitted, to a nearby Thomas and Percy.
"Knows how to manage trucks!" Percy pointed out.
Thomas chuckled.
"Well, that's quite the achievement, Percy!"
"Must say though," Toby went on, not noticing Neil approaching, "his cab over wheels remind me much of my cowcatchers!"
Thomas laughed, cheekily.
"You mean like old-fashioned?"
"And quaint?"
Neil gasped.
Toby sighed.
"Well, if you put it that way, then I guess!"
"Ach! Eek!" Neil groaned, loud enough for the three engines nearby to notice him.
"Uh oh," Percy gulped.
Charlie let out a loud, long chuckle as he approached.
"Hey guys! Here's one! What's square, small and moves 'round like a box?"
Neil whimpered.
"Ermmm…Charlie?" Thomas protested.
"A Box Tank engine!"
Neil gasped.
"Oh, my!"
And he scampered, still cowering.
"Wait, Neil!" Percy whistled. "He was only…"
He let out a sigh, spotting the Box Tank engine nowhere in sight.
"…joking…"
Charlie frowned.
"Was…that too far?"
"I think so…" Toby admitted, soothingly.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
At last, Neil arrived back at the Blue Mountain Quarry.
"Hiya, everyone!" he greeted.
"Hello, Neil!" Skarloey whistled.
"Hi, Neil!" Rusty honked.
Neil took a deep breath of relief.
"Peace at last!" he declared. "Nought de quietest place, but definitely…"
He suddenly heard a pair of chuckles from nearby, then gasped.
"Shhhh!" Duke hissed, sidling down besides Sir Handel and Peter Sam. "Quiet, young'uns!"
"Oh, dear!" Neil groaned, and sidled away.
"Wait, Neil!" Duke called, inching forward.
But Neil was too far away to take any notice of Duke, as he made it towards the top station.
"When are'a engines finally gonna stop laughin'?" he wondered to himself.
"I have a special job for you, Gator!"
Neil glanced over to see the foreman talking to Gator, and sidled closer.
"Murdoch has popped a piston and is currently due to pick up a long train of stone for Vicarstown? Could I perhaps spare you to take it there in his place?"
"Yes, sir!" Gator tooted. "Right away!"
"Let me take it, sir!" Neil burst out.
Gator gasped.
The stationmaster stared.
"You, Neil?"
"Yes, sir. I'll 'ava dem delivered in a jiff! I'll just be off to fetch me trucks!"
He whistled aloud and reversed away.
"Wait, Neil!" Gator called.
He was too late to catch his attention, but quickly rushed off.
Owen swiftly had a long line of stone trucks ready in line for Luke's train.
"Are you sure you were asked to do this job, Neil?" he wondered.
Neil stared.
"Whaddya mean, Owen?"
"Well, Vicarstown is a long way, and you're a small, boxy engine and all…!"
"I can do it!" Neil asserted, rather confidently.
"Neil!"
Neil heard the sound of a familiar toot.
Gator pulled in, letting out a sigh of relief.
"Oh, Neil! Thank goodness you haven't left yet! What do you think you're doing with all these trucks?"
"I can take 'em, Gator!" Neil insisted.
"I really don't think you should, Neil! It is a long train, and a main line one, too!"
Neil expressed a fixated glance.
"I'm for sure i'will show everyone just how capable I canna be!" he said calmly.
"But…but…Neil…"
"Dat way, they winnae judge me o'er me looks any further!"
The last truck reached down from the incline with a thud!
"Good to go, Neil!" Owen said at last.
"T'anks, Owen! Later, Gator!"
And he started.
TOOT-TOOOOOT!
"Stop, Neil!" he shouted. "You're taking too many trucks!"
Neil maintained a determined look as he started away from the station.
"That's what I was thinking too!" Owen insisted.
Gator sighed, mournfully.
At first, Neil's journey went well; with a load of heavy stone trucks behind, he was carrying more than he'd ever had before! He felt it too…
"Phew!" he panted, feeling the weight of the trucks from behind. "Dat was a near t'ing!"
He looked all round at the evergreen.
"But now I'm pulling an actual train, an' i's actually worth it!"
He took a look up at the first engine who approached, letting out his whistle loud and long.
James gasped in awe at what he saw.
"My, impressive!" he marveled, surveying the long train as it passed.
Neil smiled as he pressed forward, spotting Henry up ahead.
"Ooooo!" the green engine marveled, then let out a loud whistle as he passed. "Keep it up, Neil!"
"T'ank ye, big fella!" Neil called.
He groaned and panted as he pulled the train further.
"T'is…is de longest…train I'd ever…pulled!" he squinted.
Rebecca gazed in awe and wonder as she approached.
"Wow!" she marveled. "That's a big load!"
"I…know!" Neil grunted, taking a moment to catch his breath. "But i's worth it!"
Rebecca whistled long and loud as she passed.
And for the first time all day, Neil felt a lot better of things; the engines weren't laughing or teasing him; instead, they were taking notice of the long train he was pulling…
"Oh, my!" Emily gasped, slightly concerned as she passed.
"Wow!" Molly marveled, gazing from up the line.
Neil smiled at her as she passed.
Thomas was coming down the line with Annie and Clarabel, when he saw Neil approaching…
"Hello, Neil!" he whistled.
Neil's face went somewhat purple.
"Hiya, Thomas!" he said aloud, holding back from panting.
Thomas glanced with surprise.
"That's a lot of trucks you're taking!" he admitted.
Neil let out his pant with exasperation.
"I know!"
The coaches were concerned too.
"Pretty big load for such a small engine!" Annie soothed.
"Indeed, Annie!" Clarabel agreed. "However can he manage it?"
But Neil didn't hear the coaches as he continued on his way. Fields and bridges flew by and people would stop and stare by at the extraordinarily small engine pulling a heavy load…
"Oh, my, look!" a man marveled to his friends, as they all rose up above the fence and pointed.
Children gathered on the bridge above before gazing down, chattering excitedly.
Neil smiled slightly and whistled as he passed on.
"Phew!" he panted, catching his breath as he struggled further with the load.
Sir Topham Hatt was coasting down the track, surveying the line in his Inspection Vehicle: Winston!
"I say, sir," Winston wondered, looking up ahead. "Who is that funny-looking new tank engine?"
Sir Topham Hatt glanced ahead.
"Huh?"
Neil whistled aloud.
"Hiya! My name's Neil!"
"And I'm Winston! I'm the Island's Inspection Vehicle!"
"An' I'm a Box Tank engine! I take'a loads from A te B…as ya can see…"
Sir Topham Hatt gasped at the long line of trucks.
"Good grief! Neil!"
"G'day, sir!" Neil whistled back in greeting.
Sir Topham Hatt raised his hands up high.
"Stop, Neil!"
But Neil didn't notice Sir Topham Hatt's warning, as he continued along.
"What's the problem, sir?"
Sir Topham Hatt groaned with dismay.
But soon enough, Neil began to feel a strain in his boiler…
CREEK!
"Wat was dat?" he gasped.
CLUNG!
"Oof!" he winced.
All at once, Neil found himself going gradually slower…
"Oh, dear," he groaned. "Wa's happening?"
He struggled on, panting even harder.
The journey became less and less soothing for Neil, and engines began to watch with concern as he rattled and creeked.
"Oh, my!" Toby gasped.
"Heavens!" Henrietta expressed, as they passed.
Paxton also shot a look of concern as he approached.
"Are you okay, Neil?" he wondered.
Neil grunted, pulling at the heavy weight behind him.
"I t'ink so!"
Sidney stared.
"I don't think he is…" he guessed.
"I am, an' I'm gonna deliver dese ol' trucks te Vicarstown!"
But it wasn't as easy as Neil thought! Wheel turn by wheel turn, he began going slower and slower til his wheels stopped altogether, then at last…
CLANG!
CLUNG!
Neil gasped.
"Oh, no!"
Neil came to a stop right in the middle of the line. His driver hopped off and inspected what had happened.
"Both your front coupling rods have snapped!" he informed. "You shan't make it any further now! I'll have to go for help!"
"Oh, dear," Neil groaned, watching him walk off.
Now Neil felt more miserable than he'd ever had before; his couplings had snapped and he couldn't pull the train now. Other engines passed, and began to feel sorry for him…
POOP-POOP!
"Oh!" Gordon thought, as he thundered by with the express.
"Goodness!" Percy expressed, as he passed with the milk van. "What happened, Neil?"
Neil moaned, not being able to respond.
"Oh, dear!" Nia whistled, as she approached. "Do you need some help?"
"Much appreciated! Me driver already went fer help!"
He sighed, staring at the track ahead.
"Why did I ever take so many trucks?" he wondered, mournfully.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
TOOT-TOOT!
At long last, Gator arrived!
Neil gasped.
"Gator?"
"Neil! Thank goodness you're not all hurt! But whatever were you thinking? Taking off like that with all those trucks!"
Neil sighed, as his friend buffered up to him.
"I was embarrassed, Gator! All dose engines were laughin' an' gossipin' in my presence! I was worried dey were judging' me fer my appearance!"
Gator raised an eyebrow, as they got going with the train.
"Judging you?"
"Yes, Gator! So I felt de need te prove meself an' show 'em dat I can do more dan it looks like I'm capable of doing! But it dinna look like I can…"
Gator laughed long and loud, taking Neil by surprise.
"Wa's so funny, Gator?" he demanded.
"Oh, Neil, none of the engines are laughing at you!"
Neil stared.
"They're not?"
"No! In fact, all the engines coming in and out of the quarry have had nothing but positive things to say about you!"
"They have?"
"Yes, Neil!" Gator chuckled. "They've all been talking about how strange and peculiar you were, but in a good way!"
"Oh…"
"All about how friendly and polite and plucky you are! And how all your stories of old were so memorable and sticking!"
He thought for a moment, then chuckled.
"Well, all the little ones at least…"
"I figured…" Neil dully guessed.
"Sir Handel and Peter Sam were both talking about how amusing your story was of the time Rheneas and Skarloey both stuck when Skarloey landed in a ditch!"
Neil couldn't help but laugh.
"And dat's why dey were both laughing!"
"Yes, Neil!"
"But…Bill and Ben were saying teasy things! And dese two striped diesels said things even worse…"
Gator laughed.
"Bill and Ben say teasy things to everybody! The trick is to ignore what they say! And don't mind 'Arry and Bert, those Smelters diesels!"
"Oh, yes," Neil reminisced.
"They're always malicious towards other steam engines! Anyway they say is worth letting fly out of your funnel!"
"So, I see…"
Neil felt rather silly, thinking that all the other engines were laughing at his expense.
"So I wasne bein' made fun of!" he deduced.
"Not at all! And if it makes you feel better, when I first arrived on Sodor, all the other engines thought I was a monster!"
Neil gasped, slightly horrified.
"They did?"
"Oh, yes!" Gator laughed. "They would often run away from me when they first saw me, and believe it or not, it was all because of my shape! They thought that I resembled an alligator!"
"No!"
Gator had a good chuckle.
"But I sure convinced them that I was no monster!"
"Yer no monster, Gator!" Neil admitted. "Yer a very kind an' gentle engine! I dinna see why any engine would be afraid of you!"
Gator smiled.
"Let's look lively now! We're just about there!"
"Ach aye!" Neil agreed, as they thundered over the bridge. "Dinnae t'ink I seen t'is much of de Island before!"
"It gets better!" Gator promised, as they entered the station interior.
"Wow!" Neil marveled, looking all around.
He looked to his left as the Flying Scotsman whistled in greeting whilst exiting the platform.
"Gator!" the stationmaster called, walking up. "Right on time! But only just, really!"
"I know, sir!" Gator beamed.
"I must say, though, who is that engine behind you? Did it take both of you to pull this train?"
"Well, erm…"
"I brought the train halfway, sir!" Neil admitted. "I thought I could do it all on my own, but Gator helped me bring it the rest of the way!"
The stationmaster pondered.
"So I see! Nice attempt! Anyway, carry on!"
"I'll be back for these empty trucks, sir!" Gator promised. "But first, I must take Neil here to the SteamWorks for repairs!"
"Very well! Best be off and quick then! Not sure how long these men will take!"
The coupling from Neil's trucks were quickly unhinged.
"Yes, sir!" Gator tooted, as he pulled the Box Tank engine away. "Come along, Neil! You'll feel much better after an overnight checkup at the SteamWorks! I promise!"
Neil smiled weakly.
"I'll be placed outta service again! I know I will!"
"Nonsense, Neil!" Gator chuckled. "All you need is a little repair on your front wheels to be as good as new again! Trust me!"
Neil was rather doubtful after the day's turn of events, but Gator brought him along to the SteamWorks anyway…
The next day, Neil's front wheels were repaired and he was back at work again!
"Hello, everyone!" he whistled, approaching sight of the Quarry.
"Neil!" Peter Sam marveled.
"You're back!" Rheneas expressed.
"Yes, I'm'a back! And I feel better too!"
Peter Sam glanced.
"Sorry if we nearly engaged in a bit of a tease yesterday, Sir Handel and myself?"
Sir Handel stared, as he rolled down alongside.
"We?"
"Ahem!"
Duke raised an eyebrow as he passed.
Sir Handel sighed.
"Fine…
"We were laughing because we thought…!"
Neil just laughed.
"Say ne more, Peter Sam! I know you both weren't laughin' at me! Ye were laughin' 'boot dat story I told 'boot Rheneas an' Skarloey gettin' stuck!"
Skarloey spluttered.
"Well…um…errrrr…"
Rheneas managed a good chuckle.
"Oh," Peter Sam thought, caught-off guard, before laughing.
Sir Handel laughed slightly too while backing away with ease.
"How did you know?" Peter Sam wondered.
"Hello, Neil!" Gator tooted. "Welcome back!"
"T'ank ya, Gator!"
Peter Sam grinned, understanding.
"How do you feel?"
"Better now t'anks te you! Appreciate ya comin' te help me yesterday! Now I feel loads better!"
"That's the spirit!"
Skarloey smiled.
"You sure look it, Neil!"
"Splendid, indeed!" Rheneas added wittily. "Just like when we first knew you!"
Neil laughed.
"Dat's a good one, Rheneas! We were all quite quaint an' ol'-fashioned back den!"
The two old engines shared a laugh, as Neil prepared some trucks for his first train, where a half-awake Merrick got ready to load his trucks.
"Where's your first train this morning, Neil?" Luke wondered.
"Dese trucks of tiles need te go de Depot!" Neil explained. "Dere for de station shed roofs!"
He waited a little longer, at engines rushing in and out, till the last load of tiles was bounced into place.
"Off I go!" he said at last, as he pulled the train away.
"Good luck, Neil!" Thomas whistled, as he passed.
"T'ank ya, Thomas!" Neil responded, as he trundled away from the quarry.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Neil made his first delivery to the Depot bang on time…
"Thank you, Neil!" the stationmaster congratulated. "Now the men can get to work on retiling those roofs!"
Neil grinned.
"Glad te of service, sir!"
Neil's deliveries throughout the day continued without a hitch…
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
"'ere's de trucks of stone needed for dat seawall!" he announced, as he arrived at Tidmouth Harbor.
"Hooray!" Percy and Toby whistled out, alongside each other.
"Well done, Neil!" BoCo honked in greeting, as he exited the platform.
Neil just smiled.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Carly looked down at Neil in awe and wonder, as she loaded his last trucks.
"That's a long line of trucks ya got there, chuck!"
Neil laughed.
"Only as much as my wee chuff can manage!"
He looked over at the sound of a familiar pair of laughs.
"Look who it is, Ben!"
"I know, Bill! That funny-looking engine!"
Bill sniggered.
"With the smudgy face!"
Ben laughed, even louder.
But this time, Neil was able to ignore Bill and Ben's comments and keep himself in high spirits!
"G'day, ya two!" he whistled at the grinning twins as they passed.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
"There 'e is!" 'Arry called out, as Neil pulled into the DieselWorks. "Cabby wheels!"
Bert chuckled.
"I though it was smokesteam!"
"Eh, but cabby wheels was better!"
Neil smiled, as he stopped across from them.
"Yer right!" he admitted. "I am cab o'er wheels, an' I'm proud of it! Proud 'nough to bring ye all tis fuel!"
An extra set of horns honked from outside.
"Look, everyone!" Paxton honked. "Neil brought us our fuel!"
"Oh, goody!" Norman expressed.
"Hurrah!" Sidney cheered.
"Well done, Neil!" Rusty congratulated.
"Ha har!" Salty chuckled. "Under that old cabbed up set of wheels, maties, beats a heart of gold and outstanding moral strength!"
Neil chuckled.
"T'ank ya, Salty!"
He turned to 'Arry and Bert.
"Ya see?" he winked.
"Ahem!" Mavis reminded them, as she caught them trying to sneak in front. "Alright, you two! Wait your turn, now!"
"But…but…" Bert protested.
"We was 'ere first!" 'Arry groaned.
"You two only just got here!" Paxton assertively reminded them.
The twins moaned as they surged towards the back of the line, while Neil could only laugh.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Neil doesn't take talk about his appearance personally now; he understands that it's all because the engines think he is really useful and is therefore able to do his work without fuss!
"Top te de night, y'all!" he whistled to the others, as he left the Depot.
"Goodnight, Neil!" Rheneas whistled in response.
"Such an extraordinary old engine!" Neil admitted.
Skarloey chuckled.
"Oh, indeed!" he admitted, Rheneas chuckling alongside him.
And so that wraps up my Very Old Engines DVD, as well as Set 4; this story was a blast to write! Neil the Box Tank Engine was a lot of fun to write for, bringing him over from the RWS and giving him a bit of personality: small and plucky yet capable, funny-looking and therefore insecure about his appearance, yet always keen to make new friends and have a good story of the olden days to tell. His Scottish dialect/accent was also fun to incorporate. The rest of the cast was fun to write for too; having Neil work at the BMQ means that he has a lot of interaction/dynamic with Gator (who I've had working there since my last set), so their scenes here were fun to write too, as the water-sloping tank engine shares familiarities in the sense of having a different shape/appearance like Neil does, so having Gator help Neil make sense out of what the engines were actually saying worked wonders. In the end, Neil learns that there was no need to prove anything after all, since the engines already knew what he was capable of from the start, they just didn't mean to say things in the way that he interpreted. 'Arry and Bert made for really fun antagonists here, their words being harmfully effective to Neil's plight. It was a lot of fun to adapt Very Old Engines into a DVD and write Neil as the new character for it. Next year, I've got something RWS-related planned to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the franchise that will go along with Set 5 (this will have 28 stories, being a half milestone). Feel free to leave thoughts/comments on this story. Set 5 will launch in September, and will bring back a few old friends while introducing some newbies as well. Stay tuned, folks, and keep on the lookout for what's about to come in store...
BoCo's Responsibilities - when Bill and Ben's antics get out of hand, the Fat Controller manages to spare BoCo to come help out at the Clay Pits. However, the Metropolitan Vickers diesel has trouble keeping time management between looking after the twins and performing duties on Edward's Branch Line.
Over Spilt Milk - Percy has to work with Daisy on the Harwick branch line while Ryan is taken ill. Out of fear that Daisy will forget the milk van and cause him another accident, Percy takes it upon himself to do the milk run instead, which causes confusion as it ends up with the two !
Myra, Lady of the Railway Board - the Railway Board comes to visit Sodor for a thorough through-and-through inspection, led by Myra, their most-feared newly elected Head of the Board. Blunt, outspoken, very direct and highly attentive to detail, Myra is not easily impressed by the railway and is overly critical and analytical about every single detail, which ends up causing trouble when she sets a new 5 mph speed limit, leaving it up to Sir Topham Hatt to put an end to her reign…!
Derek Takes The Long Way Round - after being late with a delivery due to his faulty cooling system, Derek the Paxman Diesel vows to prevent further delays by looking for routes to each of his destinations that don't involve going up any hills. But each turn he takes at preventing the steep incline makes him even later…
What Den Means Is… - Den and Dart have a misunderstanding when Den insists that he knows what he's about to say and unintentionally hurts Dart's feelings; Dart goes off to work elsewhere, leaving Den to feel as if he let his partner down and continue on without him, but the pair soon realize that they have to make up their situation and talk it out!