ELIZABETH THE VINTAGE LORRY

Based upon the episode by Paul Larson

Adapted by Zack Wanzer and Rachel Ravens

Isobella was on her way home from another day of helping building the new school near Brendam. The yellow steam lorry was deep in thought about her discussion with Jack the other day, and was interrupted by a red light near the cricket grounds at Callan.

"Hmm, no rush," she hummed.

"Isobella?" called another voice. "I say, is that you?"

Isobella glanced over at Caroline, the cricket field's car, resting in the carpark.

"Oh, hello there, Caroline!" she exclaimed. "It has been a while, hasn't it?"

"Long time, no see, my friend," smiled Caroline. "How have things been going at the building sites?"

"Far from uneventful," said Isobella. "Peter Percival recently became a father, and our very own Oliver just found a dinosaur skeleton. What about here at the cricket grounds?"

"Oh, the usual," said Caroline. "Thomas, Toby and Daisy bring over the players each week and I watch the games from my spot. So long as there's no more 'one and only ball' incidents, I'm good!"

Isobella chuckled. "Oh, if only Elizabeth could have heard about it. She…" The steam lorry trailed off.

Caroline gave a weak smile. "Oh, yes… She would have told them off." The car glanced up sympathetically. "You still miss her, don't you?"

"I thought I would have gotten over it by now," Isobella sighed. "But I didn't. I just don't know what became of my sister…"

"I know what you mean, my friend," soothed Caroline. "There's been no sign of her for years."

At that moment, the traffic light had changed to green. "Goodbye, Caroline. Thanks for the talk…" Little did the road vehicles realize a certain tram engine had been listening from the station.

The following day, Toby met up with Edward at Knapford station.

"Hmm… Elizabeth," the old blue engine said thoughtfully. "Glynn, Leslie and Phyllis spoke fondly of her. She often did runs near the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway back in the day."

"Wasn't there a fourth coffee pot engine as well?" asked Toby.

"Yes," said Edward. "Unfortunately, I never got the chance to meet Maurice." He glanced sadly down at his buffers.

"You… didn't?" asked Toby. "Why ever not?"

Edward sighed. "I… guess it would be a relief to finally tell someone. When I was brought here to run the newly amalgamated Tidmouth, Wellsworth and Suddery Railway, I ended up taking his number…"

Toby quietly gasped. "You did? Oh, Edward…"

"It's not something I'm proud of, Toby," Edward admitted. "Especially because it was during the reign of Albert Regaby. Engines were being 'replaced' because of dubious reasons. And… I fear the same happened to Maurice."

Toby's eyes widened in shock. How long had Edward kept that harrowing secret to himself? "Edward… it wasn't your fault," he said comfortingly. "There are some things we engines can't control."

"I know, Toby," said Edward. "But… it hurts not knowing what happened to Maurice. At least with Leslie and Phyllis, I can confirm they are no longer in pain."

Toby glanced over sympathetically. "Do you know when Maurice ended up disappearing?"

"Well… I remember the other Coffee Pots saying that Elizabeth went missing right at the same time Maurice did," Edward confirmed.

"Do you suppose they are connected?" asked Toby.

"It's too big to be a coincidence, old friend," Edward noted. Before more could be said, the old blue engine heard the sound of his guard's whistle. "I'd better be off, Toby; these trucks are needed for Brendam docks."

"Lorries may have taken over my old tramway," Toby said to himself as Edward departed, "but no one deserves a fate like that!"

Further up the main line, Edward began to feel rather queer.

"Hmm… remind me to go to the Steamworks after this run," Edward said to himself. However, he didn't get very far before a snap was heard. "Huh… oh, bust my boiler! My siderod!"

His driver quickly stopped the train, and then he and the fireman inspected the damage.

"Well, Edward," said the driver, "it's not as bad as what happened on that stormy night and can easily be fixed. But we're a long way away from a workshop."

"We'd better call for help, then," suggested the fireman. "Perhaps that old shed over here has a phone we can use."

"Be careful in there," said Edward. "That wood looks rotten!"

Edward's crew had barely gotten inside the shed when a voice called out…

"Do you mind?! I'm trying to sleep!"

Edward almost jumped at the voice! "I-I'm terribly sorry," he said quickly. "I broke down when I was on a delivery."

"Of course," scoffed the voice. "It's always something with you engines, isn't it? Same could be said for my old driver back in the day."

Edward paused, as something just occurred to him. "Is your name… Elizabeth?"

The voice gave a quiet gasp. "Er… y-yes. You've heard of me?"

"Yes," said Edward. "Glynn, Leslie and Phyllis spoke fondly of you, as do Isobella and Caroline."

Elizabeth's face faltered in the shed. "They do… even after what happened?"

"What happened?" asked Edward. "What do you mean by–"

"Er… never mind!" cried Elizabeth. "I'm glad to know that they're still around. But I don't want them to see me!"

Edward blinked in surprise. "Why not? I'm sure the Pack's workshop can help restore you. Don't you want to get back out there and feel really useful again?"

Elizabeth sighed. "No one would want me anymore. Not when my owner has his car these days."

"Your owner wouldn't happen to be Sir Topham Hatt, is it?"

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "Sir Percival Topham Hatt's still around? No, I belonged to his son, Bertram."

"Well, I'm sorry to say that Sir Percival Hatt has died," Edward admitted, "and his son Bertram inherited his title. One good thing to come out of that, however, is that the current Sir Topham Hatt is our controller."

"Wait, what?!" gasped Elizabeth. "Oh my goodness. I always said he'd do a better job than that Albert Regaby person. You're very lucky to be under his control."

"Thanks," said Edward. "Now… I'm sure Sir Topham Hatt would be thrilled to see you again. Why don't you want to come out? Is there severe damage?"

Elizabeth sighed. "You wouldn't understand if I told you."

The old engine glanced back at his tender; his bright yellow number two reflected in the sunlight. "Try me."

Elizabeth took a deep breath as she thought back…

Past

It was getting late in the day, and the various engines were slowly retreating to their shed. One such engine was Maurice.

"Ugh… that last job took more out of me than I thought," he groaned.

"It's the quarry, Maurice," said Leslie. "Those trucks never behave themselves. Ever!"

"Once troublesome, always troublesome," agreed Phyllis.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll find some common ground with them eventually," chuckled Glynn.

"Ha!" laughed Leslie. "Now that'll be the day, Glynn."

"When pigs fly," remarked Maurice.

"Can they really, though?" asked Phyllis. "I've never seen a pig with wings before."

"That's exactly it," chuckled Maurice. "When someone says 'when pigs fly', it means 'it'll never happen'."

"Oh! I get it."

"You never know," said Glynn. "Things could very well change in the future."

"I know something that won't change, though," said Maurice. "I know I have the mail run on tonight, and…" He yawned. "I hope I don't sleep in for that."

While the coffee pots were sleeping, Elizabeth was also resting in her garage. Bertram Hatt had been out late helping with some railway protocol that night, and had forgotten to lock the garage door properly.

"No matter…" Elizabeth said to herself. "I'll be fine for one night…" Eventually, she dozed off.

A while had passed before she woke up to the sound of a rattling lock.

"He's back early," Elizabeth remarked. "But why is he jiggling that lock so forcefully?"

But it wasn't Bertram Hatt who'd come home; two unfamiliar men had walked into the garage. Elizabeth was shocked upon seeing them.

"Help! Help!" she cried. "Thieves!"

Inside the manor, Jane Hatt was asleep in bed, but upon hearing Elizabeth's cries for help, she jumped out and ran towards the window. "Bless me!" she exclaimed. "What in the name of—" She gasped in shock upon seeing Elizabeth drive away. "I'd better call Barbara!"

Meanwhile, Elizabeth drove on, not knowing where she was going.

"You brutes!" she snapped. "When my owner gets wind of this, you will be imprisoned for theft!"

"Heh, your owner isn't even home!" scoffed one of them.

"Only a lousy owner would only half lock the door!" retorted his accomplice. "You'll make a good amount of money for sure!"

Elizabeth didn't know what he'd meant by "a good amount of money," but it didn't sound good. "Please! Someone, get me away from these raging lunatics!"

Further down, in the black of night, Maurice was going at his speed limit. "I'm late! I'm late! Ugh, why did I have to sleep in?"

"Steady on, Maurice," soothed his driver. "We just need to get there safely."

"But Mr. Regaby will blame us if we're late!" cried Maurice. "Things just haven't been the same since Alice died…"

"Leave that with us, ol' boy," said his fireman. "Now please, slow down so we don't accidentally miss a station."

Maurice did slow down a little bit, but he was still worried about what Mr. Regaby would say if he was late.

"Someone, anyone, help!"

Maurice gasped in shock. "Driver, fireman, did you two hear that?!"

"I did, but… it can't be!" cried the driver. "Elizabeth wouldn't be out this late."

But it was Elizabeth, and because Maurice's black paint caused him to blend in with the night, she and the thieves couldn't see him until it was too late…

CRASH!

When morning broke, the damage could be properly assessed. Part of Elizabeth's haulage trailer was broken, and Maurice's buffers were bent out of shape. Maurice's crew had jumped clear, but the thieves weren't so lucky.

"Oh, Maurice!" cried Elizabeth. "I'm so sorry!"

"It's those thieves' fault, Elizabeth," Maruice sighed. "They shouldn't have taken you away from Bertram Hatt."

"But… we all know what Mr. Regaby's like now," she said. "You could be…"

"I know, Elizabeth," he said quietly. "And if it does come to that, I want you to know that your friendship has meant a lot to me and my siblings. Please… give them my love."

Elizabeth bit her lip; tears welled up in her eyes. "You will be missed, old friend…"

Present

"The writing was on the wall," Elizabeth finished. "Maurice was sent for scrap before the other Coffee Pots and the rest of the engines could protest."

"And… how did you end up in the shed?" asked Edward.

"I asked Maurice's crew to leave me there," she explained. "Barbara did come to inspect the scene, but I told her to keep me a secret. So… she just said that no matter where she looked, she couldn't find me. I couldn't keep running knowing that I had ended someone's life…"

Edward couldn't believe it. For years, he and the others had no idea what happened to the black Coffee Pot, and Isobella was wondering where her sister was. Both stories were mangled together in an irreparable mess.

"Elizabeth," he said quietly, "you didn't bring about Maurice's end. Those thieves and Albert Regaby did. There are some things in life we engines and road vehicles can't control."

"How would you know?" asked Elizabeth.

"Maybe you should see me for yourself," Edward said simply. Slowly, the driver and fireman creaked the door open, and Elizabeth peered outside. Sure enough, Elizabeth saw Edward's number on his tender.

"You… took his number, didn't you?" gasped Elizabeth.

"It wasn't my choice," Edward explained. "I came here shortly after Maurice was scrapped. I'd never felt such a huge burden in my life, before or since."

"How did you still run?" asked Elizabeth.

"Well… Mrs. Kyndley took up counseling for us," smiled Edward. "I suggest taking sessions with her. She lives all the way up at Hackenbeck on the Ffarquhar branch line. That's where the Coffee Pots used to run."

"Oh, dear Mrs. Kyndley," Elizabeth smiled. "That's a wonderful idea. I always said she had a knack for helping others." She glanced down at herself. "I don't think I'll get very far in my condition though."

Edward sheepishly glanced down at his siderod. "Eh, right… Welcome to the club."

Just then, BoCo arrived to take Edward the rest of the way to Brendam docks.

"What is it with you and siderods?" chuckled BoCo.

"Probably a string of bad luck," Edward remarked. "Oh, and BoCo, there's this lorry who needs help, physically and mentally…" The old engine quickly told BoCo everything. When Edward had finished, BoCo looked over at Elizabeth.

"So you're Elizabeth!" he remarked. "Isobella and Caroline have been looking for you before I'd even come here! Don't worry, we'll get Butch to tow you to the workshops."

Sir Topham Hatt couldn't believe his eyes. He had to be in some strange dream.

"E-Elizabeth?" he stammered. "My first lorry?! How? Barbara said you were never found after you'd been stolen!"

"I was too ashamed to face everyone after what had happened with Maurice," Elizabeth explained. "I thought that you and everyone else would hate me for what happened."

"Of course not, Elizabeth," replied Sir Topham Hatt. "Those thieves and Albert Regaby were the problem, not you. You shall be restored to working order immediately. Jem Cole will know what to do."

Elizabeth cracked a small smile. "Thanks, Bertram." A slight giggle crept into her voice. "Say… I don't suppose you learned how to drive properly in my absence, have you?"

Sir Topham Hatt flushed with embarrassment, but couldn't help but chuckle too.

Several days later, Isobella and Caroline had both been called over to Jem Cole's yard near Wellsworth. Trevor was waiting there as well.

"I hope I won't be too long," said Isobella. "Miss Jenny needs all wheels on deck with building the girls' school!"

"Calm down, Isobella," said Trevor. "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for this."

"I should hope so," said Caroline. "Climbing up those hills is no picnic!"

"Oh, tell me about it," said another voice, "I swear, I wasn't built for the hills!"

Isobella and Caroline gasped in shock. There, driving up the road, was a red steam lorry.

"Elizabeth?!" both vehicles cried.

"Hello, girls," she greeted. "It's so good to be back on my wheels."

"Oh, Elizabeth!" cried Isobella. "I missed you so much! Where on the island were you?!"

"In a dusty old shed near Crosby," she explained. "I'm due to help out with delivering goods to the local markets on the Brendam branch line, and sometimes at the clay pits."

"That's brilliant, Elizabeth!" smiled Caroline. "Oh, we can't wait to see you out on the road."

"And if you need to talk to us, we'll be willing to listen," said Isobella. "I can't wait for you to meet Miss Jenny's construction crew."

"I'll be there if you need assistance," smiled Elizabeth. "And… Trevor, is it? Tell Jem Cole I'm very grateful for his help."

"I'll be sure to pass that on," Trevor smiled.

From that day on, Elizabeth was a regular visitor at the Vicarage Orchard, picking up fruits and vegetables to take to market, or dropping off supplies to be used to maintain the place. She also sought out counseling sessions with Mrs. Kyndley, and slowly started to move on from her trauma.

As for Edward, he was easily fixed up, and was back to work on the branch very quickly. Elizabeth often tooted hello to him and the others, and thankfully, had a much more sensible driver than the current controller.

"Keep up the good work," whistled Edward.

"You know I will," smiled Elizabeth. "Thank you so much, Edward."

"Anytime, Elizabeth…" he replied. "Anytime."

THE END

Author's Comments

At long last, Elizabeth the steam lorry finally makes her re-appearance into the SeventyVerse! It was honestly a long time coming, but I'm glad that we were finally able to resolve this hanging plot thread. Elizabeth is one of those characters that never appeared in the CGI era, which I feel is a shame, as she could've added a bit of edge to the roads, given how friendly they appeared, even with Bulgy's unexpected return. Anyway, her debut episode's not bad by any means, but it's not one I'd call a top favorite either; pretty much above average, really. Since the bulk of the story takes place on the main line, we ended up using Edward as the co-lead, with Toby and BoCo playing small roles, even adding a little to how he ended up receiving his number. It's quite the departure from the original episode, if I do say so myself.

Upcoming rewrites:

- Kelly's Windy Day

- The Monster of the Lake (Bad Day at Castle Loch)

- Not So Hasty Puddings

- Jack Frost (Jack Frost/Scaredy Engines)

- Toby, Percy and the Windmill (Toby's Windmill)