Chapter 75: To the Christmas Market
(Sunday, December 23rd 2012 – 3:10pm)
As Conqueror slowly moved out from the station with his coaches behind him, the window that was on the door on the right-hand side of the forward coach slid all the way open and Freddy leaned out. He was wearing his warm winter coat and woollen hat, and he had his camera in his hands, and wanted to get some shots of the train as they rolled along the line. He wasn't too concerned about the freezing cold air causing discomfort for the other passengers in the train, as there was a separate sliding door behind him which isolated the forward part of the coach from the rest of the main seating area which would prevent the cold air from going back along the rest of the coach.
"Now…let's get some good shots of this engine as we go along the line!" Freddy said with a smile, as he turned on his camera and brought it up to his eyes. As they went by the banker sidings, Freddy turned his camera over to the banker sidings where all the engines assigned to banking duties were standing and waiting for the next trains to come by so that they could help them up Gordon's Hill. During the course of the morning and first part of the afternoon, Freddy had gotten plenty of shots of the engines that were being banked up Gordon's Hill during the course of the day, and he was looking forward to getting a few shots of trains that were going along the line and passing this one.
Back in the coach, with the sliding door firmly closed to prevent cold air going down along the coach, the rest of the passengers sat in warmth and comfort while the train slowly built-up speed along the Southern Main Line. Many of them sat in their comfortable seats and chatted with each other, as others sat back and read their books or magazines, or checked the news and watched videos on their phones. At the seats that they were sitting at, Carrie and Simon simply relaxed and chatted with each other and their Sodor friends, as well as Rita Desjardin.
"And so…you guys are going to be out working tomorrow?" Rita asked.
"Yes, Rita. After all, there's no doubt that it's going to be a very busy day tomorrow, as it's Christmas Eve and there'll be lots of passengers, parcels, and mail to be moved around the island. And I think that we're gonna be in for a very long day when we report for duty in the morning." Simon said, as he thought about just how much work that he, Carrie, their friends, as well as all the other recruits on the apprenticeship scheme would need to do on the railway once they arrived in the morning.
"It seems to be a bit of a shame for all you guys to have to work on Christmas Eve. I think that many young people like you would prefer to relax on such a day like that." Rita said, as she remembered from her own experience that she would usually like to go out shopping with her friends on Christmas Eve, or even helping out her family in the house in getting things ready for the following day.
"Yeah, but at the same time, everyone on the apprenticeship scheme, including us, are getting our Christmas bonuses at some point tomorrow. And I'm quite sure that our bonuses will make all the hard work over the last year more than worth it." Carrie said, as she thought about all the work that would be needed in getting everything to where it needed to be the next day.
"Is there anything special happening tomorrow when you guys are finished your work tomorrow?" Sue asked from where she was sitting, as she looked at Simon and Carrie.
"Yeah, after all tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and so there must be something special happening then." Tommy said.
"Yes, there is. There's the very special Christmas party that's taking place over at Knapford Station tomorrow evening. A lot of people usually come to enjoy it, and there's plenty of things there for everyone to enjoy, including a wide variety of different snacks, drinks, games, and such. And it's something that many of the engine crews are looking forward to. And there's many more special Christmas parties taking place all over the Island of Sodor, where a lot of people and some of the engines will be in attendance." Simon said.
"Sounds quite good to me, Simon. After all, Sue and I have been to a few Christmas parties together over the years back home in Chamberlain. And we've both really enjoyed them very much." Tommy said.
"And what's it like to have a Christmas party in a railway station?" Sue asked, remembering how the Christmas parties that she had been to back home had been to.
"Well…it's no different to any Christmas party that people normally go to. Except that it's held on the platforms of Knapford Station, and so it's a bit colder. And also, unlike most other Christmas parties, some of the engines can attend the party at Knapford as well." Simon said.
"And you've experienced a few of those over the years, Simon?" Tommy asked.
"Yes, I have. And Carrie did so as well, when she experienced her first Christmas party last year." Simon said.
"Yes, that's true. And I was a bit apprehensive of being to a Christmas party where some of the engines were in attendance…but once I got a chance to experience it, I found it to be quite a normal thing." Carrie said.
"And I'm sure that you guys from Chamberlain would be more than welcome to come along and attend the party with us as well." Simon said.
"Yeah, that sounds very good to me! I'm always partial to attending a special Christmas party whenever one comes around." Rita said, as she smiled at just how special that the party that she would attend this year was to be.
"I wonder if we'll ever see any preparations for the party once we arrive at the station." Sue said, as she took a look out the window in the direction of Knapford.
"I'm quite sure that there could be, Sue. But even so…it might need to wait for a while. After all, it's a working railway station and such things like that might get in the way while the passengers are making their way through the station to or from their trains." Simon said.
"Oh, I understand that." Tommy said.
Just then, Norma Watson stepped in through the middle of the coach from the buffet coach that was coupled behind with two coffee cups in her hands.
"Is there any sign of Freddy you guys? I've got some hot chocolate here for him." She said, as she looked around but seeing no sign of her boyfriend.
"Don't worry, Norma. He's at the front of the coach, and no doubt leaning out the window within the door with his camera in his hands and filming the train as we're going along." Simon said, as he indicated towards the closed glass door separating the seating area from the forward vestibule of the coach.
"Oh…but I can only imagine that he's probably freezing now by sticking part of his body out of that window and being exposed to that freezing wind as we're going along." Rita said, feeling a little bit concerned at what Freddy was doing in order to get a few good shots of the train going along the tracks on his camera.
"Yeah, he probably is by now, Rita. But when you're going along on a train being hauled by a steam locomotive, it's quite a natural thing to see people leaning out from some of the windows of the coaches and filming or taking pictures." Simon said.
Just then, the door to the front vestibule opened and Freddy stepped back inside, with his coat zipped up all the way, his head sunken into his coat somewhat, and his hat pulled down over the top of his head, no doubt to try and keep the cold out when he had been leaning out the window recording with his camera.
"You look like you're quite cold there, Freddy!" Simon said, noticing at how bundled up Freddy was in order to try and keep the cold air out of him.
"Yeah, I am! I don't recommend that any of you keep your heads out in that freezing air when the train is moving at this rate! But the shots that I got on my camera over the last few minutes made it worth the effort though!" Freddy said, as he lifted his camera while he smiled broadly.
"Well, you might as well have this, Freddy. You look as though you need it too!" Norma said with a smile, as she handed one of the cups with hot chocolate to him.
"Thanks, Norma!" Freddy said, as he gratefully took the cup from her and took a long sip from it, feeling grateful from the warming effect of the warm liquid.
It wasn't too long before Conqueror finally arrived at Crosby Station, with him gently slowing down as he approached the station before finally coming to a stop at the platform on the down line. He had seen that there were plenty of passengers standing on the platform and waiting for the train to arrive, with a few more stepping out of the waiting room as he pulled into the station.
After coming to a full stop, the porters on the platform opened the doors to the coaches and a small number of passengers on the train disembarked and made their way out, and then those waiting on the platform quickly clambered aboard. There were very few seats aboard the train now, with more of the passengers standing instead of sitting once the few seats were taken. In some coaches, the passengers were forced to stand together as there was nowhere else to sit, and in some places on the train it was a bit crowded with people standing quite close together.
"Let's hope that we get back to Knapford as soon as possible. I don't like the idea of being stuck in such a crowded place like this for very long." Sue said, as she looked towards Carrie.
"Yeah, me too." Carrie said, as she tried to make herself comfortable in the seat she was sitting in. She was far more comfortable working away on the footplate of one of the Sodor engines, and being in such a crowded coach like she was right now amongst all these people was a little bit uncomfortable for her.
At the head of the train, Conqueror stood and waited for the passengers to get aboard the train. There were still a few people left to get aboard, but with no-one sure as if there would be enough room aboard the train to get them all on.
As he waited for the last passengers to get aboard, Conqueror looked into the yards adjacent to the station and saw that it quiet in there, with only a few trucks sitting in the different sidings, and some men seen moving about with tools or boxes in their hands and doing whatever jobs that needed to be done.
Then, he heard the sounds of chuffing coming from along the line in the direction of Knapford Station with the sounds of a whistle being sounded as another train approached Crosby Station. A few moments later, through the swirling falling snow, he saw another engine approach the station and slow down just before it arrived at the station. The engine was No.417, who was a L.S.W.R. 415 Class 4-4-2T tank engine (141), and he was at the head of a local passenger train of 7 coaches that was running from Knapford to Cronk while making stops at each station along the way there.
After No.417 arrived at the station and stopped over at the other platform, many of those who were sitting on the train coupled up behind Conqueror, including those from Chamberlain, looked out when they saw him, and some of them were somewhat surprised to see a tank engine like No.417 standing in the station, as he looked to be a rather old-fashioned engine.
"Did any of you guys work on that tank engine over there in the last year?" Rita said to Carrie and Simon, as she looked outside to where No.417 was standing.
"Yes Rita, we both have. No.417 there is quite an easy engine to work on, and he's a very friendly and eager engine. And he's always very keen to help any of the other engines who need some help with their work. He's also a fairly easy engine for us to work on as well, with all the controls being quite simple to use and are also quite few in number." Simon said.
"And I got a few chances to work with No.417 during the summer on trains that were running to the seaside. With his cab being fairly open at the sides, it allows plenty of good summer air inside, which is quite nice during the summer." Carrie said.
"Yeah, but I don't imagine that's the case at this time of year." Rita said, thinking how unpleasant it would be for the crews in a cab with open sides during the winter.
"Yes, I can only imagine that it would be." Simon said, as he thought about just how unpleasant it would be for the crews when snow or rain would blow in from the sides.
(141): The London and South Western Railway's (L.S.W.R.) 415 Class 4-4-2T tank engines were designed by William Adams and they were first introduced for service all the way back in 1882. Adams was actually the very first British railway engineer to advocate the use of a leading bogie on a steam locomotive, as such a thing made it much easier for engines to go through curves in the line.
At the time the class was built, an earlier Adams design, the 46 Class 4-4-0T tank engines – which numbered 12 engines in all – were running the suburban services on L.S.W.R. lines in London, and as the 46 Class was seen as a stop-gap design, Adams needed to design a new class of engine to take over those jobs. He also needed a design that would also be able to work on the medium to heavy suburban passenger trains that ran around the south coast. So, Adams took his design of the 46 Class and modified it to be longer in length and have a larger coal bunker, with a supporting axle in place at the rear to take the extra weight. Because the rear trailing axle had radial axle-boxes, the new 415 Class became known as the "Radial Tanks" or simply "Radials."
Introduced between 1882 and December 1885, a total of 71 members of the 415 Class were built in all, and in six batches being spread out at four workshops, including at Robert Stephenson and Co (which built 28 engines), by Dubs and Co (which built 20 engines), by Neilson and Co (which built 11 engines), and by Beyer Peacock (which built 12 engines). This needed to be done as the main L.S.W.R. locomotive works, Nine Elms, was already being stretched to its maximum capacity in terms of production at the time by the orders it had.
When the first members of the 415 Class emerged, they had two outside cylinders that were 17.5in in diameter with a 24in piston stroke, a boiler that was initially pressed to 140psi, and four driving wheels that were 5ft 7in in diameter, which combined to give the class a tractive effort of 13,050lbf. But from 1884 onwards, newer members of the class had the boiler pressure raised to 160psi, thus increasing the tractive effort to 14,920lbf. No superheating was ever fitted to the class, as it wasn't seen as likely that they would have a long service life. On the initial engines to emerge, their coal bunkers could carry up to 3 tons of coal with their side tanks carrying 1,000 gallons of water, but later engines had the water capacity increased to 1,200 gallons. The class were also retrofitted with coal rails over their bunkers in order to increase the amount of coal that they carried.
Although all 71 members of the class were built to the very same design, the later engines to emerge had larger water tanks and deeper fireboxes fitted, which greatly increased their efficiency. But all the engines carried Adams' trademark stovepipe chimney. Most of them were initially allocated to work in London on the commuter trains that ran there, with their leading bogies and short wheelbase giving the engines good manoeuvrability when running on tight curves, a feature that allowed a few members of the class to survive for a long time.
Although they were well-received by the crews who worked on them, the use of the 415 Class on London suburban trains was very brief. The new T1 Class 0-4-4T tank engines were introduced in 1888 displaced a few engines from London to other duties. But when Dugald Drummond became the C.M.E. of the L.S.W.R. in 1895, he introduced his new M7 Class 0-4-4T tank engines onto the system, and these new engines, which numbered 105 in total, as well as the electrification of the suburban network, forced the 415 Class to move out of London and into the countryside to work in more rural areas.
Some members of the class worked on the Lyme Regis branch line in Dorset, as previous attempts to use Stroudley Terrier A1 Class 0-6-0T tank engines and the Adams O2 Class 0-4-4T tank engines on this line had proven unsuccessful. The 415 Class proved to be very highly suited to working on this line with its tight curves. Two members of the class were assigned to Exmouth Junction for the Axminster to Lyme Regis service, and were later joined by a third example of the class in 1946.
The 415 Class proved to be so successful in their time in service that Adams later rebuilt the earlier 46 Class from being 4-4-0T tank engines to being 4-4-2T tank engines, which took place between 1883 and 1886. The only major difference between the 415 Class and the rebuilt 46 Class was the position of their safety valves.
When the First World War began in August 1914, many members of the class were pressed into service in order to support Britain's war effort, and this helped to greatly extend their lives to a much greater extent then may have been the case if the war hadn't started. However, many members of the class became surplus to requirements in the war's later years, with one member, No.488, being sent to work for the Ministry of Munitions in September 1917 and then she worked at Ridham Docks, but was found to be unsuitable for use as a dock shunter. It was later bought in March 1923 for use on the East Kent Light Railway, where it became E.K.R. No.5 and was occasionally used at hauling trains full of mined coal from the East Kent coalfield, even though it wasn't well suited to that line's needs, being a passenger engine doing freight work. Some members of the class were also sent off to work up in Scotland, as the Highland Railway was experiencing a shortage of motive power at the time, with the engines returning south between 1919 and 1921.
When the Grouping took place in January 1923, 30 members of the class managed to come under the control of the newly-formed Southern Railway, but due to the continuing electrification of the Southern system, it meant that all the members of the class, apart from No.0125 and No.0520, were withdrawn from service by 1930. It had been intended to replace the 415 Class on the Lyme Regis branch with ex-L.B.S.C.R. D1 Class 0-4-2T tank engines though in the event these proved to be highly unsuitable for the job. So it was decided to rebuild and recommission No.0125 and No.0520 at Eastleigh Works, and they were eventually outshopped renumbered as No.3125 and No.3520. Eventually, both of these engines were joined on the Lyme Regis branch by No.488 in 1946, which by then had been renumbered as No.3488.
These three engines were the only members of the 415 Class to come under control of British Railways when nationalisation took place in January 1948, and they were renumbered as No.30583, No.30582, and No.30584. The three engines were painted into B.R. Standard mixed-traffic black livery with red and white lining, and they were given the power classification of 1P. They continued to work on the Lyme Regis branch for many more years, as there was nothing else that was suitable for the branch. But by 1958, all three engines were starting to show their age and all three engines were finally withdrawn from service by July 1961, as the final three members of the class still in service. By then, modifications had been made to the track to allow the newer Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-2T tank engines to work on the branch line. There had been an attempt by the Kent and East Sussex Railway to save No.30582 for preservation, but sadly this was unsuccessful.
However, No.30583 has managed to survive into preservation, being saved by the Bluebell Railway and arrived on the line in July 1961. She ran on the line until 1968, when extensive repairs were required for her cylinders and motion, but repairs were made with the help of Swindon Works, which cost somewhere in the region of £200,000 and she returned to service by August 1973. After another overhaul in 1985, No.30583 ran until 1990 when she was withdrawn for another overhaul. She spent more than 30 years as a static exhibit at Sheffield Park and at Horsted Keynes, as the work needed to get her returned to working order again is quite extensive, which will likely involve a new boiler barrel, new driving wheels, and a lot of other work as well. But in March 2024, No.30583 was moved into the workshop known as Atlantic House on the Bluebell Railway, which was formerly occupied for many years by the recently newly-built H2 Class 4-4-2 No.32424 Beachy Head, where she's waiting for an overhaul to start to get her returned to working order again.
After another minute or two, the last of the passengers on the down platform had gotten aboard the train, and the porters firmly closed the doors of the coaches. At the same time, the signalman in the signal box set the signal to show the line ahead was clear, and then there came the sounds of the guard blowing his whistle loudly. A few seconds later, there came the sounds of Conqueror blowing his whistle and then the train slowly moved off out of the station with hardly a jerk.
"It won't be too long before we arrive back in Knapford now, Ms Desjardin." Carrie said.
"And then we can all enjoy ourselves at the Christmas market before it closes." Simon said.
"And tonight's the last night it's on, is it?" Rita asked.
"That's right, or well…at least until it returns in the middle of next November." Simon said, with a slight chuckle.
"Yeah, but it's still quite a long time to wait for it to return." Rita said.
"Maybe so, but even so time does pass by quite quickly, especially when you're working on the railway. After all…the last full year passed by quite quickly." Simon said.
"I guess so." Rita said, as she settled back in her seat while the train continued to build up speed as it rolled smoothly down the line through the heavy snowfall.
The rest of the journey went on by fairly quickly, with Conqueror rolling along at a fairly good speed through the snow. Approaching the eastern side of Henry's Tunnel, he saw W.D. Austerity Class 2-10-0 No.90766 exit from the double track tunnel off to his right side with a lengthy mixed freight coupled up behind him.
"Afternoon, Conqueror!" No.90766 called out, as he blew his whistle in greeting.
"Good afternoon, No.90766!" Conqueror called out as he blew his own whistle in response, before he plunged into the darkness of Henry's Tunnel with a cloud of swirling smoke and steam shooting out from the tunnel as he entered. Emerging back into the daylight a few moments later, Conqueror made his way along the line on the last stage of his journey to Knapford Station. He had been working hard all day since he left the sheds very early that morning, and was looking forward to a nice long rest after he was uncoupled from this train.
It wasn't long before he finally arrived at his last destination, and when Knapford Station came into view ahead of him he couldn't help but smile. As he approached the station while slowing down all the while, he watched as S.R. Battle of Britain Class No.34083 605 Squadron departed from the station from the line adjacent to Platform 1 with a line of 12 coaches coupled up behind him. The two engines whistled in greeting to each other as they went past with their trains heading out of or into Knapford Station.
Conqueror rolled into the station on the line running adjacent to Platform 6 and he came to a very gentle stop when he reached the end of the platform, releasing a cloud of steam after he stopped.
"And there we are! Right on time, and in one piece!" Conqueror said, as he smiled. On the platform, the porters opened the doors to the coaches and the passengers began disembarking. But due to the number of passengers who had managed to squeeze aboard the train, getting them off would take a few minutes. Carrie was feeling deeply relieved when it was finally her turn to step off the train, as she had felt somewhat cramped inside with so many people aboard. Stepping back outside in the cold winter air, she felt a bit better as the train had felt somewhat warm with all those people aboard it.
"Oh, that's so much better!" she said to Simon, as they made their way out of the station.
"Yeah, I agree! I don't like to be travelling on a train when it's packed to the ceiling with so many people, and especially if it's during rush hour or when there's a special occasion or anything like that taking place on the island." Simon said.
"Yes. And I'd rather be working on the footplate of one of the engines if that's the case!" Carrie said, as they walked up the footbridge with their Sodor friends and those from Chamberlain before stepped out of the station and into the car park. As they stepped along the footbridge towards Platform 1, many of those seniors from Ewen High School looked down onto the railway tracks below them. Then there came the sounds of a whistle being sounded from slightly off to the north of the station, and a few moments later, with wheeshing steam and clanking of valve gear, U.S.A.T.C. S160 Class 2-8-0 No.96100 came into the station from the south with a long and very mixed freight train coupled up behind him.
"It's another one of the American steam engines!" Danielle Thibodeau said, when she saw No.96100 coming along the line towards them. Passing beside Platform 2 directly below them, and with a very loud blast of his whistle, as well as calling out "Hello, everyone!", No.96100 made his way along under the footbridge and through the station. Many could fell the slight vibrations beneath their feet as the U.S.A.T.C. S160 Class 2-8-0 passed below them in a swirling hot cloud of smoke and steam, and moved along, with his long line of trucks rattling and clattering along as they passed by.
"Wow! What a sight and sound that is!" Brian Maxwell said, as the last few trucks in the train and brake van passed by beneath them.
"Yeah! But let's keep moving! Come on!" Heather said, as she urged her boyfriend on and to keep up with the crowd.
As they all stepped out into the car park of the railway station, more than a few of them noticed that the snowfall seemed to have picked up a bit. And taking a long look up into the sky above, more than a few could see that the grey cloudbank, that stretched for miles in all directions, seemed to have gotten a bit darker in the last while, and that promised to bring more snow.
"What do you think, Rita?" Simon asked, as he turned to look at Ms Desjardin.
"I think that we'd all better get ourselves over to the Christmas market as soon as we can. After all, it'll help us to stay out of the snow for a bit, and it'll give us a chance to enjoy the food and drinks on offer there as well." Rita said.
"I agree. After all, I think that many of us want to enjoy the last few hours of the Christmas market before it closes for the year." Saoirse said, as she pulled the collar of her coat up a bit further to try and keep the cold out a bit more.
"Come on! Let's go there as quickly as we can!" Sophie said, as many of the large group began to make their way out of the car park. The grounds of the town hall where the Christmas market was being held wasn't too far away, and many of those who wanted to go there were keen to get there as soon as possible…and preferably before the snowfall got too bad.
"Let's get to the Christmas market as quick as we can, Carrie! I want to try some more of the food that they sell there!" Simon said, as he put his arm around Carrie's waist.
"Yeah! Let's go and do that!" Carrie said, as she smiled. And all together, most of the group made their way over to the Christmas market, while a few others went back to the hotel for a short while in order to get changed or for whatever reasons before they themselves went off to the Christmas market.
(Meanwhile, along the Ffarquhar Branch Line)
Despite the heavy snowfall and the slow building drifts in places, work continued along the North Western Railway with all the engines moving passengers, mail, parcels, and freight along the lines to their destinations…and on Thomas' branch line, it was no different. With a line of fully laden parcels vans coupled up behind him, L.N.E.R. V3 Class 2-6-2T No.67600 was going along the branch line bound for Ulfstead, having left Kirk Machan not too long before. With the snow constantly coming on down from the dark grey sky above and the wind picking up a little bit, No.67600 was worried that the snow would build up into drifts over time and make it difficult for trains to get through in time for Christmas.
Going along through a shallow cutting along one point of the line where the line was double-tracked, No.67600 ran along until he felt the windspeed pick up a bit more and the heavy snowfall start blowing into him.
"Ohhhhh!" No.67600 groaned as he felt the snowflakes blow into his face and he had to close his eyes somewhat to keep them out of his eyes. Yet despite the bad winter weather, he puffed onwards with his train following along smoothly behind him.
It wasn't too long before they finally arrived at Ulfstead Station, where they had to stop and take more mail and parcels that were waiting for them to arrive. At the same time, the driver wanted to take the chance to top up No.67600's side tanks with more water, as well as to do some quick checks on the motion and valve gear before they could set off on their way again. After they came to a stop in the station, the workers on the platform opened up some of the vans that still had space in them and began to load aboard the sacks of mail and parcels that were waiting. At the same time, the driver and fireman moved up from the can and began the job of topping up the water tanks from the water tower that was standing at the end of the platform.
While these jobs were being done, No.67600 sat quietly and waited for the time that he could set off on his way again. So far, he had done a good day's work and was looking forward to getting some more work done today before having a good long rest in his shed this evening. And he was looking forward to having a really good long rest tonight, as he knew full well that tomorrow was Christmas Eve and that would mean a very busy day with lot of hard work in moving people, parcels, and mail around so that they could be gotten to where they needed to be in time for Christmas Day. It would likely mean an early start in moving a lot of heavy trains around the system.
As the parcels and mail were loaded aboard his train and his side tanks were topped off with some more water, No.67600 heard the sounds of a whistle being sounded in the distance on the line leading over to Ffarquhar with the sounds of chuffing getting closer. After a few moments, he saw S.D.J.R 7F Class 2-8-0 No.53800 came into view hauling a very lengthy coal train behind him. As he passed through the station on his way into the middle of the island, No.58300 blew his whistle in greeting to No.67600.
"Afternoon there, No.67600!" he called as he approached the station and began to go on past.
"Good afternoon back, No.53800!" No.67600 called out, as he watched the 7F Class 2-8-0 head on by with his very long line of heavily-filled coal trucks. With the sounds of the clattering, clunking, and sounds of the wheels moving on the steel rails filling the air, the coal trucks went on past on its way to the centre of the island. When the brake van coupled up at the very back of the train went past a short while later, the guard could be seen standing on the aft Verandah of the van and looking out as the train went on by. Within a few moments, with the sounds of the coal train fading into the distance, the people on the platform who had been loading up the vans with mail and parcels finally finished their work and began to close the doors. At the same time, the driver and fireman finished up with the job of refilling the side tanks of No.67600 with more water and made their way back to the cab, ready to set off on their way again once they were given the all clear to go.
They didn't have to wait for long, for as the snowfall came down heavily from the sky above, the signalman in his signal box set the points for them to go over the single-track section all the way to Ffarquhar, and then he set the signal to show the way ahead was clear. At the same time, the guard for No.67600's train blew his whistle and waved his green flag before quickly clambering back aboard his compartment in the coach that was coupled up in the middle of the train.
"Okay, let's go!" the driver called, as he released the brakes, blew the whistle for a second or two, and then opened the regulator slightly. With high-pressure steam filling his three cylinders, No.67600 slowly moved forwards and took up the weight of his heavy train. His six driving wheels did slip a little on the icy rails as he moved off, but once his driver activated the sanding gear the grip massively improved, and No.67600 was able to move out of Ulfstead Station with his mail and parcels train following along behind him. Once up to a good speed, he headed off along the line towards Ffarquhar Station.
(Out on the Northern Main Line)
Many heavy and fast trains were being run along the different main lines on Sodor as well, with many of the engines working very hard in moving the freight, mail, parcels, and passengers to their destinations on the Island of Sodor, or else on the British mainland. One of the engines who was helping to move the trains was L.M.S. Hughes Crab 5MT 2-6-0 No.42925, and at the moment he had only just departed from Vicarstown and was heading along the Northern Main Line to Knapford with a passenger train of 12 coaches coupled up behind him. He had departed from Barrow-in-Furness not too long before and crossed the bridge over the strait that separated Sodor from the mainland before making a stop at Vicarstown to pick up some more passengers. Once he had collected his passengers, he set off on his way again but this time on a non-stop run all the way to Knapford. His train was fully loaded with a lot of passengers and all the luggage that they had, as these people were on their way to spend the Christmas holidays with their families and friends who lived on the island, from what he had seen and heard from them at Barrow and Vicarstown, No.42925 knew that all of them were really looking forward to Christmas.
As he approached Rossington, No.42925's driver saw that the distant signal was at yellow and so he closed the regulator somewhat and put the brakes on, ready to bring the train to a stop if it should become necessary. As he slowed down, No.42925 was wondering what he would see when they approached Rossington and the junction that diverted off to branch line that ran off to the south west. He found out soon enough, as he went through the junction there, he saw G.W.R. Cathedral Class 4-6-2 No.8017 Dreadnought standing at one of the platforms in Rossington Station for the lines that were going southwards to Vicarstown and collecting passengers on his coaches. Blowing his whistle in greeting to the larger G.W.R. Pacific as he went through the station, No.42925 made his way along with his coaches on his way to the northern part of the island.
At Great Waterton Station, a few passengers were standing on the platform and waiting for the next train to arrive and collect them. A few were sitting inside the waiting room and keeping warm by the fire that was burning merrily away in the fireplace there, while they quietly chatted with each other or sipped hot drinks that they had bought from the station café not long before. The few passengers who were brave enough, and well wrapped up enough, to go outside onto the platform were able to see that there wasn't much activity taking place anywhere on the lines going through Great Waterton Station. There was just mostly silence, apart from the sound of the winter wind whistling through the bare trees and over the tracks and through the buildings of the town. From the dark grey sky above, heavy snow fell down and was being blown by the wind all around until it came down to the ground where it began to form drifts in some areas. The falling snow covered up the three railway lines going through the station, and it soon covered up any footprints that had been left in the snow.
A few moments later, there came the sounds of a whistle sounding over the sounds of the cold winter wind, with the sounds of chuffing being heard getting a little closer and closer all the time. Those who were standing on the platforms of Great Waterton Station looked along the line and saw L.N.E.R. V2 Class No.60862 went on by at a slow speed with a long line of box vans coupled up behind him. With a short blast of his whistle and calling out "Hello!" to those on the platform, he went on past through the station with all his vans following along behind him, while they clattered and rattled while they rolled along.
As the brake van at the back of No.60862's train went through the station and moved off into the distance, there came the sounds of another whistle and more chuffing getting close to the station, and the engine seemed to be slowing down as it approached the station. The engine turned out to be G.W.R. Modified Hall Class 4-6-0 No.6981 Marbury Hall, and he was scheduled to stop and collect the passengers at Great Waterton. As he came to a slow halt alongside the platform, the passengers waiting inside the warmth of the station waiting room grabbed their things and stepped out onto the freezing cold platform. Once the train had stopped, a few passengers quickly got off the train while those who had been waiting for the train stepped aboard and took their seats as quickly as they could.
On the footplate, the fireman took the chance to place some more coal into Marbury Hall's firebox so as to build up a really good head of steam in the boiler before they could set off again. With the intense heat in his firebox, Marbury Hall was feeling quite comfortable despite the December cold, and he was looking forward to getting these passengers to their destination before he could get on with doing his next jobs for the day.
After a minute or two, the guard finally blew his whistle and waved his green flag, while the signalman set the signal to show the way ahead was clear for them to depart.
"Let's go!" Marbury Hall said, as his driver blew his whistle and opened the regulator. Slowly moving forwards while taking up the weight of his train, Marbury Hall felt his six driving wheels slip a little on the icy rails, but his grip improved once his driver activated the sanding gear and he was able to pick up some more speed as he puffed out of Great Waterton.
(Meanwhile, at the Knapford Christmas Market)
Among the crowds of local people who were enjoying the Christmas market on its last day for this year, Carrie and her Sodor friends, as well as her classmates from Ewen High School, were going around to the many different stalls and trying to decide what they wanted to get, either little gifts or else the foods that they really wanted to eat. The smells that drifted through the air from the various stalls made all the teens and adults who had come over from Chamberlain eager to try some more food while they were here.
"Where do you think we should start?" Heather said, as she and her boyfriend Brian went by a number of stalls and tried to decide what to get.
"Well, I want to get some cookies at that stall right here." Brian said, as they paused in front of one stall that was selling a whole variety of different cookies, brownies, and pastries, including classic New York City-style cookies.
"Oh, now these look really good! Let's get some of these cookies while we're here!" Heather said as a smile crossed her face, while she looked over the wide selection on offer before them.
"Yeah, let's do it!" Brian said, as they both lined up and waited for their turn.
At the adjacent stall to where the cookies and pastries were being sold, Danielle and Mary Lila Grace Thibodeau were trying to decide which flavour of burgers they wanted to get.
"What are you thinking of getting here?" Mary Lila Grace asked her sister, as she looked over the menu.
"I'm still a bit spoilt for choice to be honest." Danielle said, as she tried her best to decide on what burger she wanted to get, especially with the choice that was on offer on the menu. The sounds and smells coming out from the stall had drawn them there, as it had done to quite a few other people who were enjoying the Christmas market. Eventually though, the two sisters made their choices on what they wanted to get and they lined up and waited their turn to order what burgers they wanted.
At another stall a bit further down the row of stalls, Sue and Tommy came upon one stall which sold a variety of different candies, including caramels, fudges, and a whole variety of different chocolates as well. The young couple saw that there were a few kids with their parents at one side of the stall and trying to decide which candies they wanted to get, and it reminded Sue of occasions where Sue tried to decide on what candies she wanted to get in a shop when she was younger.
"So, which ones are you thinking of getting, Sue?" Tommy asked, as he looked over the mouth-watering selection of confectionary on offer before them.
"I don't know…but I think that some caramels would hit the spot right now. And maybe…some of these chocolates as well." Sue said, as she picked up a small collapsible cardboard box and got ready to fill it up with what she wanted to get.
"And I think that some chocolates and fudge would hot the spot for me." Tommy said, as he also grabbed hold of a small box, and the two of them each took hold of a set of tongs there and set about filling the boxes with what they wanted to get.
Standing off to the side and waiting for her classmates to finish up at the different stalls that they were at, Carrie stood with Simon and the four girls that she was close friends with and looked around at all the activity taking place around them. By this point, the six friends had just gotten the food and drinks that they wanted to get, and were waiting for the others to join them so that they could go around the rest of the market while they enjoyed their food. As Carrie waited, she looked round and saw that there were a lot of people enjoying themselves with their friends and family, as well as the music that was being played from the speakers dotted around the market, and the food being served at all the various stalls around the place. With this being the last day that the market was being opened, there were long lines of people standing at many of the stalls and waiting to get whatever they wanted to get, as they knew that would be quite a long time before the Christmas market came back before they would be able to get the foods that they really loved.
"I think that I'm gonna miss all this when it finishes up tonight." Carrie said, as she looked around at what was going on around them all.
"Yeah, me too!" Simon said.
"And I'm gonna miss the festive atmosphere as well as the food that's being served here." Saoirse said, as she felt herself smile while looking all round.
"Well, if we all work hard over the course of the next year, then time will fly by and the Christmas market will be back here next November." Alice said.
"I guess so…but I think that it'll be worth it when it does come back next year." Olivia said.
"Here, here!" said Sophie, as she smiled.
In no time at all, once Carrie's classmates had gotten what things they wanted to get from the various stalls they had been as, they made their way back over to where Carrie and her Sodor friends were standing and waiting for them to arrive.
"Did you guys get what you wanted?" Alice asked, as she saw the others coming towards them with the different food and drinks they wanted to get.
"Yeah, we did!" Sue said, as she and Tommy stepped up and stood beside them.
"And have you guys gotten what you wanted as well?" Tommy asked.
"Yes, we have. And I think that we should all find a place to sit down where we can go and eat before our food gets cold." Simon said.
"Agreed! And I don't want to stay out in the cold for a minute longer!" Heather said, as they all turned and made their way along towards one of the covered seating areas and hoping that there would be some seats left available for them to sit at.
(Meanwhile, in the cookery demonstration tent)
With a fairly good audience of people sitting down on the seats and watching for what was to happen next, the cooks standing at the opposite end of the tent and were giving everyone the newest tips that they could give about how to prepare the ideal Christmas dinner. A few of the adults from Chamberlain and some of the Ewen High School teachers were present there as well, and many of them were listening to the chefs about what to do to improve the recipes. In the last few minutes, one of the chefs had just prepared a dish of asparagus that had been wrapped in strips of streaky bacon with herbs, which was one of the dishes that more than a few families present in the tent served for Christmas dinner, while a second chef over at the other end of the long cooking counter was preparing a special dessert.
Among the adults from Chamberlain who were watching the demonstrations were Norma Watson's parents, and her mother in particular was keeping a close watch on what was being done as the chefs prepared their dishes. A few of the teachers were sitting in the same row and they were keeping their eyes and ears open as well, as some of them wanted to take in any new tips that they could incorporate into their own Christmas dinner recipes. The smells of cooking that drifted through the inside of the tent wafted into the nostrils of everyone who was there and really brought back to them a lot of very pleasant Christmas memories, including having Christmas dinner with their families on many Christmas Days over the years.
Elsewhere around the Christmas Market, Carrie and her Sodor friends, as well as most of her fellow classmates, as well as Rita Desjardin, were sitting together in one of the large covered seating areas and enjoying their food. They had managed to find two spare tables in the space and quickly took their seats there before anyone else could sit down. At the same time, some of those who hadn't yet bought any drinks yet went over to the bar lining one end of the space and bought drinks before returning to the tables and sitting down.
"Hmm…this is good." Simon said, as he enjoyed his burger with the barbecue sauce and friend onions on top of it.
"Yeah, it is." Carrie said, as she munched on her own burger and savoured the flavour of it.
"I'll miss the food here when the market closes tonight." Sophie said, as she took in a long sip from her can of Coca Cola.
"Yeah, me too." Saoirse said, as she looked around the covered space, where she could see a lot of people sitting at the various tables and enjoying their food and each other's company. From above the tables, heaters were providing heat to the covered space and keeping all those inside warm and comfortable from the bitterly cold air outside.
"Hey, don't worry you lot." Rita Desjardin said, as she smiled at the Sodor teens, "The next year will fly by, and before you know it the Christmas market will be back."
"Yeah, you're right about that, Rita." Alice said, as she thought about how fast the next year would fly by as she ate her own burger.
"And how much work do you think that you'll need to do tomorrow?" Tommy asked, as he looked towards Carrie and her Sodor friends.
"I've got no exact idea yet…but I can only guess that it'll be a lot of work…especially considering that it's the last day before Christmas. There'll be a lot of people, mail, and parcels to move about the railway in order to get them where they need to be on time." Simon said.
"And we've all been rostered to start fairly early tomorrow morning. We're all beginning at around seven in the morning, and we're all working for most of the day. But I'm hoping that we'll all be back at Knapford Station in time for the big Christmas party tomorrow evening." Sophie said.
"And I'm sure you'll all be more than welcome to come to the party tomorrow." added Saoirse, as she looked towards Carrie's classmates.
"Yes, that sounds good to me. Although if it's being held on the platform of a railway station, then I guess the best thing to do would be to stay wrapped up warmly." Sue said.
"That's probably a wise decision there, Sue. When we were there last December, we all had to stay well wrapped up in our warmest clothes so as to enjoy the party." Sophie said.
"Then that's probably what we'll be doing if we're going to the party." Norma Watson said, as she took a long sip of her hot coffee.
For a few moments, some of the group stayed quiet while they enjoyed their food, as quite a few other people in the seating area went on by them on their way to or from the bar with drinks, or sat at the other tables and chatted with each other or enjoyed their food.
"What do you think all you guys are going to be doing tomorrow?" Saoirse said, as she looked over towards Carrie's classmates.
"Well…I don't know what any of us are going to be doing yet. But as tomorrow is Christmas Eve, I think that most of us are going to be going around to all the shops and seeing what deals that we can get before the shops close for Christmas." Heather said.
"And seeing as how it's clear that the Christmas market is closing tonight…" said Rachel Spies, as she took a long sip of her hot chocolate before she spoke again, "…I think that many of us will be going around to see what's around to see."
"I agree." said Vicky Hanscome, as she took a long sip of hot chocolate and appreciated the warming effects that it had.
After a few more moments, Daniella Thibodeau spoke up to Carrie and her Sodor friends.
"Do you guys suppose that the weather tomorrow will be like it is outside now?"
"I'd say that it's quite likely it will be. And if that turns out to be the case…" Simon said.
"Then it means that some of the engines will need to have their snowploughs fitted so as to keep the lines clear so that the trains can run on time tomorrow." Sophie said, as she finished what Simon had been about to say.
"Well…that's fair enough. But what about the trains that are to run out on the railway tonight?" Mary Lila Grace asked, as she took a sip of her coffee.
"The Fat Controller already has something in place to cover that eventuality, because there are going to be engines having snowploughs in place and will run on the lines in between stations all over the island tonight in order to keep the lines clear of snow so that the trains can run on time tonight." Olivia said.
"Well…I suppose that sounds like a good idea." said Jessica Upshaw, as she finished off the last of the hot food that she had bought a little while before.
"And when we go to work tomorrow, we'll be very glad to have the hot fires in the fireboxes of those steam engines that we're working on. And so, we'll have no trouble at all keeping ourselves warm in this weather." Alice said.
"I guess then that's a sort of a given for you guys who are working out on the railway then." Sue said, as they all laughed for a few moments.
(Later on, 6:55pm)
Having had a really great time at the final night of the Christmas market for 2012, and with the time getting later into the evening and the snow coming down quite heavily, Carrie and her Sodor friends. as well as her classmates and their families, decided to leave the Christmas market and head home. After spending the last few hours there, many of them were feeling quite satisfied from the food that they had bought, and they had also spent some time buying a few last-minute gifts at many of the stalls while they were there. As Carrie and her friends were due to be at work early the following morning, she and her Sodor friends wanted to be back home as soon as possibly they could so as to get to bed early.
"Well, I guess we'll seeing you guys over at the party tomorrow evening if we don't see you guys any time before that time." Simon said, as he looked at Carrie's classmates as they prepared to set off to the hotel.
"Yeah, I suppose so. And best of luck when you're out there tomorrow." Tommy Ross said, as he took a look up at the dark night sky above and the snow that was coming down very heavily from the thick bank of clouds.
"Thanks…and if it's going to be anything like this tomorrow morning, I think that we might need it too." Saoirse said, as she looked up to the sky with some anxiousness as more snow came falling silently down.
"Well, you guys just go and do the best jobs that you can do out there." Jessica said.
"Thanks very much. Anyway, we'd best be off home now. After all, it's an early start for all of us tomorrow morning." Sophie said, as she and her friends set off on their way to head off home.
"Good night, guys!" Carrie said to her classmates.
"Good night!" her classmates called to her, just before they turned and made their way back along the street towards the hotel that they were staying at. By now, they were feeling cold from having been out in the snowy weather, and they were also feeling tired from their long day of having fun and enjoying themselves, and so they were keen to get back to the hotel and have a long rest.
(A little later, at the hotel)
Having changed into a fresh set of clothes in her hotel room, Rita Desjardin was down in the hotel's main bar area and she was sitting at one of the small tables enjoying a glass of gin and tonic. Having sampled quite a few of the different foods on offer at the Christmas market of the last few hours, Rita wanted to hold off from having dinner until a little later on in the evening and decided to relax in the bar for a while. Looking around in the bar from where she was sitting, Rita could see that there were quite a few other people that she recognized from Chamberlain sitting at the tables in different parts of the bar. She saw Norma's parents sitting and enjoying coffee with Sue's parents at one table, while Tommy's parents were chatting with Freddy's parents at a table close to the main entrance to the bar. Rita saw that two of the teachers she knew sitting at the main bar and enjoying drinks as well as a platter of what looked like appetizers that had been prepared in the kitchen.
As she took another sip of her gin and tonic, Rita noticed that it was warm and comfortable in the bar area and taking a look out towards the window, she saw the snow was still coming down hard outside. There were few people moving about on the streets, as most were sensibly staying inside at home in order to stay out of the cold. Remembering just how cold it had been outside from earlier on, Rita was feeling very glad to be staying inside the bar right now where it was warm and cozy.
Knowing that some of the teens who went to Ewen High School were probably having a bite to eat within the hotel's main dining area right about now, Rita's mind then turned to what Carrie was doing right now.
(Meanwhile, over at the White Residence)
Having been dropped off home by Simon earlier on, Carrie and her father were having a hot dinner at the dining table while the snow continued to fall outside and replenished the layers of snow that had fallen earlier on. Inside the living room, there was a hot fire roaring away in the fireplace and helping to keep the downstairs warm on this cold winter evening.
"I'll be glad to get into bed tonight." Carrie said, as she took a sip of her drink.
"Yeah, me too. It's very cold out there, and I want to stay out of it for tonight." Ralph said, as he took a quick glance outside the window. After a few moments of silence while they ate, there came the sounds of a steam whistle being sounded from nearby, and a short while later there came the sounds of chuffing as an engine came along one of the lines on the other side of the garden fence. Looking outside to see which engine it was, Ralph and Carrie saw L.M.S. Fowler Class 4MT 2-6-4T No.42405 head on northwards along the main line with a snowplough fitted to his front end. There was a brief moment where the plough dug into some snow on the line and cleared it aside in a white swirling cloud. As the sounds of No.42405 faded into the distance, Ralph turned to Carrie.
"With the snowfall that's going to be coming down tonight, there'll be engines going along the railway lines in between the railway stations all over the island to keep them clear for trains going along the lines tonight." Ralph said.
"And that's with one or two engines going along in the lines in between two certain stations?" Carrie said.
"That's correct, Carrie. No.42405 there is going to be going in between Knapford and Arlesburgh via Tidmouth with another engines, and they're going to be helping to keep the lines clear for the trains tonight." Ralph said.
"Yeah, I suppose that's a good idea if the trains are to keep moving on time." Carrie said, as she turned her attention back to her dinner.
"Indeed, and probably the most important trains that are going to be running are the mail trains, as it's vitally important that the mail is delivered to where it needs to be on time. After all, with Christmas going to be coming the day after tomorrow, it's the one time of year where the mail can't be late." Ralph said.
"Of course." Carrie said. As she and her father carried on eating their food, Carrie was wondering how those trains that were out running tonight were managing in the cold, snowy weather.
(Out on the Southern Main Line, near to Crovan's Gate)
The heavy snow and freezing temperatures were making it difficult for the engines to keep moving with their trains, especially if the trains were very heavy. Despite the dreadful weather, the engines were able to keep the trains moving along through the snow, with some of them making good time towards their destinations.
(Insert soundtrack – The Post Train Theme – Season 3)
Among the trains that were running out tonight were the mail trains, and they were all filled up with lots of parcels and sacks of mail that needed to be delivered to the different mail depots around the island as quickly as possible so that it all could be delivered to the residents of Sodor in the morning. Many of the trains were quite lone and were very heavily loaded, and so some of Sodor's larger engines were out pulling them this evening.
Among the engines who were out hauling the Christmas mail tonight was streamlined L.M.S. Princess Coronation Class No.6237 City of Bristol, and she was going along with a long line of special mail coaches and mail vans coupled up behind her. She had left the mail depot not too far away from Knapford Station a little over an hour earlier with her heavy load bound for the mail depot at Vicarstown, and ever since she had departed the depot, she had made very good time along the main line.
As she approached Crovan's Gate Station, the driver blew the whistle loudly to let those at the station know that they were about to pass through. As the station came into sight ahead, the driver closed the regulator most of the way and slowed the train down so as to go through at a much safer speed, and when they went through Crovan's Gate, they were going along at about 35mph. On the two platforms of the station, members of station staff were going about and waiting for the next trains that were scheduled to make stops here. After passing through the station, City of Bristol went past the sheds where the narrow-gauge engines of the Skarloey Railway were resting after their day of work. Whistling in greeting to the narrow-gauge engines and calling out "Hello!" to them as she went on past, City of Bristol continued on her way up the main line towards Vicarstown with the line of mail coaches and vans following along very smoothly behind her.
City of Bristol had taken the post train on more than a few occasions over the years that she had been living here on the Island of Sodor, with most of the runs usually taking place during the night when the railway wasn't as busy as it was during the day. On many occasions when she had taken the post train, the night sky had been crystal clear with no clouds, and often a full moon which shone brightly and helped guide her journeys. But more often than not, there had been nights where visibility had been bad with dense fog and low clouds, which meant that City of Bristol couldn't even see the stars. But regardless of what the weather was like, she always made sure to get the post to where it was needed to be on time.
Continuing up the main line, it wasn't too long before she came upon Vicky Road just a few miles to the west of Vicarstown, and from there City of Bristol was diverted to run along the loop line that ran just to the north of Vicarstown before coming back around the eastern side of the town to re-join the main line and enter the station from the east. As he took a break from stoking the boiler with fresh coal, the fireman leaned and looked out at Vicarstown as they went round the north side of the town and saw all the twinkling light from windows of the many countless buildings that he could see. He could also see a lot of Christmas lights shining brightly in some buildings that he saw.
Soon City of Bristol reached the end of the loop line and re-joined the main line that connected Vicarstown with Barrow-in-Furness and headed into Vicarstown Station from the east. That way when she needed to go out again, she would already be facing the correct way and wouldn't need to use a turntable to be turned beforehand. Entering the station and coming on the line adjacent to Platform 5, City of Bristol saw that there were a lot of postal workers standing on the platform and waiting to unload the mail from the train once it came to a stop.
After the driver put the brakes on and brought the train to a full stop, the workers opened the doors to the coaches and vans and quickly began to unload the sacks of mail and countless numbers of parcels and place them onto the luggage trolleys before moving them out of the station to the road vehicles that would take the post to the depot in Vicarstown. From there, the post would be dispatched to be delivered by postmen around town the next morning.
As City of Bristol stood at the platform and waited for the mail to be unloaded, she noticed that there were more sacks of mail sitting over on Platform 6, with more members of station staff standing around and waiting for another train to arrive. Then she heard the sounds of a whistle being sounded followed by chuffing as another engine got closer to the station. It was L.N.E.R. Peppercorn A2 Class No.60550 Kelso, and he was hauling a long post train of his own from Barrow-in-Furness, and he was clearly making a stop at Vicarstown to pick up some more mail to take around Sodor.
"You're late this evening, Kelso!" City of Bristol said, as she watched Kelso come to a stop.
"Sorry! But an consignment of mail that was coming up by train from London was delayed because of the snow." Kelso said, as the station staff on Platform 6 opened up Kelso's train and began loading up the mail and parcels.
"Well, you'd better do what you can to try and make up for lost time. I don't think that the people of Sodor would be too pleased to know their Christmas post was delayed." City of Bristol said, knowing how important it was for the post to be delivered in time for Christmas.
"I'll try my best to do that, but that depends on whether or not the weather lets up. And I don't think that it might anytime soon." Kelso said, knowing how difficult the snowfall was this evening and how the drifts might delay him again.
"Yes, I know. And the engines who are doing their best to keep the lines clear in between stations are going a good job too." City of Bristol said.
It wasn't too long before all the vans and coaches on City of Bristol's train were fully unloaded of all the mail sacks and parcels, with them being moved out from the station by the station staff to the mail vans waiting in the car park.
"Okay, old girl! We're all unloaded back here! Let's go!" the driver said, as he leaned out from the footplate.
"All right!" City of Bristol said, as the station staff closed up the doors to the coaches and vans one by one. Once the guard blew his whistle and waved his green flag, the driver opened the regulator and slowly, City of Bristol moved out from Vicarstown Station with her now-empty coaches and vans following along smoothly behind her.
And there we are, and we'll bring this chapter to an end right at this point, everyone! From what we've all seen, Carrie seems to have had a good time with most of her classmates while they were at the Christmas market on its last opening day of the year! For the next chapter that's going to come up, it'll be with Carrie working on the railway on Christmas Eve and helping to get the last few jobs done before Christmas. How will it go for her? Well...just wait and see!