Hello dear reader, as always, if you have ideas, let me know and I might include them in the story, with due credit of course. If you have any tips or feedback, don't be afraid to message me. Have a good day.

Rick backs into a berth at Tidmouth sheds that evening. Scarlet looks over at him, a mad expression flashes over her face, before her face becomes downcast. "Rick?" "Hmm?" "I am sorry for the way I treated you yesterday and this morning. I realize now that I was puffed up in my smokebox." Rick smiles reassuringly at her. "Don't worry about it. Engines can get like that from time to time. I don't hold it against you." Lady backs into the berth next to the triplex. "I heard you went to the Dieselworks. What do you think of diese- Russel?" she asks him. "He seems to be a rather polite engine. Why do you ask?" Lady looks down at her buffers. "No reason." she mutters under her breath. Rick mentally shrugs and looks over at the other engines in the sheds.

The sheds at Tidmouth are occupied by Gordon, a blue LNER A0 pacific, James, a red LYR class 28 with an added pony truck, Henry, a green LMS Black Five, Murdoch, a red BR 9F, Emily, a green GNR Sterling Single, Rebecca, a yellow SR West Country pacific, Alfred and Scarlet, both are green LNER B12's, Bruce, a brown GNR class C1 Atlantic, Nia, a red KUR ED1, Philip, a green PRR class A6, Bear the BR class 35 and Lady.

Rebecca looks at the two old engines with big eyes. "The two of you must have so many stories. Could you tell us some?" Rick and Melody glance at each other and grin. "Sure, why not?" Melody says with a chuckle. "What kind of story would you like to hear?" "I heard from Edith that Rick once was a passenger engine. What changed that?" Melody clears her throat.

"You seem like a great brother Rick." Bruce tells the green engine the next morning. Rick laughs softly. "Why thank you Bruce, I like to believe I am." Bruce sighs bitterly. "I just wish that I could have such a good relationship with Alice." Rick cocks an eyebrow, being slightly amused. "How so? Do the two of you not get along?" The brown Atlantic laughs bitterly. "Not really, no. I didn't take her seriously back on the GNR and most of our time on the LNER. She hasn't forgiven me for that yet. I don't know if she will ever do." Rick frowns at that. "How does she act around you?" "She seems annoyed whenever she sees me. She tolerates my presence at least, most of the time." Rick smiles at that. "That is good to hear. She will forgive you eventually, I am sure of that." Bruce looks at the green engine hopefully. "You think?" Rick laughs. "Of course. Romy and Norm bicker all the time and often get into fights. They have times that they don't talk to each other for a while. At those times they act a bit like your sister acts around you, Bruce." Bruce sighs relieved. "Thank you." Rick smiles broadly. "No problem."

"So, what are we going to do today, Hanne?" Rick asks as he moves of the turntable. Hanne looks down onto the clipboard hanging from the side of Rick's cab. "Apparently, one of the heavy goods engines working on the Brendam branchline has broken down several weeks ago, and the other heavy goods engine has been unable to keep up with the workload. There is a backload still present at Brendam docks that needs to be brought to Barrow, before a massive shipment of goods will be delivered tomorrow morning." Hanne tells them. "So we need to assist." Nore says, nodding to herself. "Should be pretty easy." Rick says confidently to his crew. Hanne and Nore glance at each other. "Are you sure we are up to the task?" Nore asks concerned. "Mhm, I'll assist the two of you if necessary." Hanne and Nore smile at each other. "Thank you Rick." they say to the green engine.

Edward smiles at his older brother as he comes to a standstill next to him on one of the sidings at Brendam docks. "Good morning Rick, you ready for a hard days work?" he asks the green engine. Rick grins at him. "I am, Hanne and Nore need to find their confidence still though." Edward looks over at the black haired twins shuffling around in his cab and smiles. "They have dedication and determination, they will be fine. BoCo will explain the route to you and your crew." "Is he the one that usually does these runs?" Edward chuckles. "No, not anymore. He did them before Clover and Mark arrived on the island, and he has been filling in for Clover somewhat for the last couple of weeks though. BoCo is better at explaining these things compared to Mark, and given the fact that you will need to take very long trains today, you need all the information you can get." Rick hums at him. "Indeed." He then turns to his crew. "Hanne, Nore, it is about time we crank up my boiler pressure, don't you think?"

BoCo backs into the siding next to Rick half an hour later. "Hello, you must be Rick. My name is BoCo, I have heard a lot about you." Rick smiles at the green diesel. "Tis a pleasure to meet you BoCo. Are you here to teach me about these trains?" BoCo hums as his driver turns of his engine and climbs out of his cab with some papers. He gives them to Nore who is sitting on the steam engine's buffers. "So, one of the basic things you need to keep in mind is the fact that you need to stay under 25 miles per hour on the branchline and under 45 on the mainline. Also, if there is anything you need answered or there is something that you think control would like to know, you must contact them via the radio. Small things can become huge problems after all." Rick grins for a sec. "Questions like: What is the meaning of life?" BoCo cocks an eyebrow at him, slightly amused at his joke. "Not many people understand your humour, do they?" Rick chuckles. "Not the humour that fits my personality the most, no. Anyway, please continue."

Rick is sizzling nicely when BoCo is done explaining everything he needs to know. Two shunters approach him after the green diesel has left. One of them is a red BR class 07 and the other is a greenish-blue H.K. Porter 0-6-0st. The diesel buffers up to Rick. "Heard you needed to be shunted matey." he says in a piratelike voice. "My name is Salty, by the way. And this is Porter." Rick smiles at the two. "Pleasure to meet you two. The name is Rick." "Why do you need to be shunted?" a cranky voice asks. Rick looks up to see a greenish-grey crane looming over them. "I have some modifications that allow me to change the maximum boiler pressure at will. It is on the highest setting right now, and just moving single engine puts to much strain on my system. So I need to be shunted onto my train by another engine. My name is Rick by the way." "My name is Cranky, nice to meet you." "Same to you Cranky."

Salty shunts Rick onto a very long goods train. A 4-10-0 + 0-10-4 painted red with blue lining is standing on the track next to the long train. He looks sceptical at the green engine as Salty is uncoupled from the red diesel and coupled to the train by a couple of workmen. "So, you are the Rick the Furness twins have been blabbing on and on about for weeks now. You are not quite what I expected." Rick looks blankly at the big garratt. "Is that a good or a bad thing?" he asks dryly. The red engine chuckles with his deep voice. "Depends on whether or not you are pretending to be able to pull this train or, by some sort of miracle, you are able to handle it." Rick smiles at him. "You already know my name, so could you tell me yours?" "Mark, the name is Mark. You don't seem like a bad guy, but your claim of being able to handle trains this size is hardly believable. And I hate people pretending being something they aren't." Rick smiles gently at Mark. "I can assure you that I am what I say I am." Mark gives him a sceptical look, before reversing onto a siding to fill up with water and coal.

"Why haven't we left yet?" Rick asks one of the workmen 15 minutes later. "There is a load of China clay that needs to be added to your train, so we need to wait for the twins. They should've been here thirthy minutes ago though." "Twins?" Two high pitched whistles ring through the air as two small yellow saddletanks steam onto the docks pulling a row of China clay trucks. Their faces are red and they seem out of breath. "We're sorry for being late, some points jammed, trapping us in a siding." one of the yellow engines says when they catch their breath. Steam suddenly escapes through Rick's safety valve loudly, startling the twins beside him. "Whoa. Oh, didn't see you there. Who are you?" one of them asks. "The name is Rick. I am Edward and Edith's older brother. Who may you two be?" Porter passes the three engines by pulling some trucks. "Those two troublemakers are Bill and Ben. Don't let your guard down around them Rick." Rick grins mischievously at the twins, making them slightly uncomfortable. "Troublemakers aye. I can enjoy a good prank from time to time myself." he says as he winks at the twins. They slowly start grinning at him. "We'll remember that." "18200602, you have permission to depart." control says over the radio. Nore leans out of Rick's cab and looks back towards the brakevan. A moment later a familiar whistle rings through the air from Lynn and the black haired girl pulls on Rick's whistle cord. Mark looks over from the siding where he is waiting for his train to be assembled. Rick's front set of drivers slip for a bit as they try to find their grip on the rails, as he envelops himself in a huge cloud of steam as he slowly starts moving forward. Heavy puffs emanate from the green engine as he gets the heavy and long train moving. Mark and Porter whistle encouraging as Rick picks up the pace.

"What was the recommended speed again?" Nore asks, scratching the side of her head. "Really sis?" Hanne asks filled with disbelief. Nore looks indignant at her twin. "What? BoCo's driver was telling me pointers of handling this train." Rick chuckles. "25 miles per hour on the branchline and 45 on the mainline."

Lizzie chuffs into the Blue Mountain Quarry and looks around in awe. A green and yellow BR class 08 is standing near one of the loading platforms, being accompanied by light green cab-less Jouef Decauville 0-4-0PT. The narrow-gauge panniertank smiles at the red engine as she stops in front of them. "Ah, you must be Lizzie. My name is Atlas and this fellow here is Paxton. I'd like to welcome you to the Blue Mountain Quarry." Lizzie smiles at him. "Thanks. It is nice to meet the two of you." The light green engine whistles as he backs up to his trucks. "Paxton will tell you how things work around here."

Edward gently stops behind the brake coach of the express. "Good morning Gordon." he whistles at the big blue engine. Gordon groans frustrated. "You'd think that I would be able to get up this hill on my own by now. What is wrong with this darn hill?" he complains. Edward chuckles softly. "Don't worry Gordon, you will figure it out eventually. Besides, you aren't the only engine that needs help getting over your hill." Gordon smirks at that. "I guess so. I hope you haven't lost your touch dear Edward." Edward laughs. "Don't worry, I haven't. That reminds me, how is Preston? Is he doing better?" Gordon sighs. "I am afraid not, he still has trouble steaming." Edward sighs sadly. Sidney tabs the side of his cab. "Your brother is coming through in a minute." Edward smiles as he buffers up to the back of the express. "Rick will be coming through soon." he tells Gordon as he begins pushing. Gordon up the hill. "Really now. Do you think that he needs your help getting up the hill?" he asks the smaller engine. Edward smiles gently. "Nah, I don't think so. He has always been an expert clearing this hill." Gordon chuckles softly. "Right, I forgot that he used to work on the island before most of us came here. He would probably know some ways to climb this hill." They are interrupted by the loud sound of Rick's whistle.

"Morning Edward, morning Gordon. How are the two of you?" Rick asks as he pulls up next to his younger brother. "We're doing well, right Gordon?" The big blue engine huffs indignantly. "This hill is ridiculous." he mutters. Rick chuckles cheerfully. "I understand how you feel, I also had trouble getting up this hill at first, but over time I got used to the climb. I take it that you have a different reason why you have trouble with it now though." Gordon sighs. "Yeah, the express has been getting longer for the last few decades." Rick blows his whistle as he starts moving again. "Don't overwork yourself okay." he says as he passes the big blue engine. Gordon looks in awe as the green engine slowly climbs up the hill with his long and heavy train.

Lizzie yelps in surprise as her pony truck jumps the rails and her front scrapes against a wall. She smashes through some slate trucks, tears in the corners of her eyes as she comes to a screeching halt on a crossing. "Auch." she groans in pain. Scott gasps and hangs on Lizzie's whistle as he sees a lime green Baldwin Class 10-12-D comes towards them with quite some speed, pushing a train of loaded slate wagons in front of him. The American engine gasps and slams on his brakes, and they stop with the buffers of the first truck mere inches away from Lizzies side. "Phew, that was close. You alright there lass?" the lime engine asks. Lizzie hisses through her teeth as she regains the sense of her surroundings. "I- I think so. What happened?" Katie pats her footplate as she walks along her engine's side to inspect the damage. "Your pony truck jumped the rails. Not that big of a surprise actually, since you don't have the same enchantments on your wheels as most articulated engines back on Obbeeys." The lime engine looks at her sympathetically. "You should let some workmen look that issue over. Derailing often isn't something you would want to do, believe me." Lizzie looks at him, giving him a slight smile. "I will. My name is Lizzie, what's yours?" "The names Stanley. We better get you back onto the rails." Katie and Scott shake their heads, having finished looking their engine over. "It won't be that simple unfortunately. Several rocks have jammed themselves into her valve gear and some parts seem to be damaged. She will need to be lifted onto a flatbed." Lizzie looks nervously at her crew. "Am I in trouble?" Katie shakes her head. "This wasn't your fault."

Rick steams into Barrow yard around 2 o'clock with his heavy train. "Hanne and Nore pat the sides of his cab, smiling at a job done well. The stationmaster walks up to the green engine, looking annoyed. "You need to take a goodstrain to York." he snarls at Rick. "Is sir Topham aware of this?" The stationmaster nods and points to a siding. "There is a railway inspector that needs to go with you for some reason. Take your brakevan and take that goodstrain over there." He grumbles as he walks away. "I am not told anything!" Rick chuckles. "Let's get ready then."

Inspector Nopkins looks sceptical at Rick as he fills his tender up with coal and water. "Are you sure you can make it to York?" he asks sceptically. Hanne and Nore grin at the man. "He can go further than you would think." He sighs and pushes himself away from the wall he was leaning against. Rick grins confidently at the inspector. "Don't worry, I will make it. What I am more interested in is why this train requires an inspector?" Nopkins glares at the green engine. "Are you even allowed on the mainline with those claws of yours?" he asks him instead. Rick smiles ominously. "Trust me, if I wanted to inflict damage on someone or something I'd have way more effective methods to do so." Nopkins shrugs and starts walking around the engine. "To answer your question, we are testing out several new types of rollingstock. The original engine broke down, and sir Topham suggested that you would fill in for it." He finishes his short inspection of the green engine. "I must admit, I am curious to see what you are capable of. Your design is quite unique." Rick smiles at the inspector. "You will not be disappointed."

Alyssa blows on her whistle and waves her green flag. Rick blows his whistle in return and departs. "From what I can see, Rick appears to be a former passenger engine rebuilt into a goods engine. How does he work?" inspector Nopkins asks Hanne. She smiles excitedly. "He has a boiler that is capable of raising steam pressure up to 500 psi. His boiler has several different modes, each with their own maximum pressure level with that lever there. He has an high efficiency Peesh firebox and advanced Rowlander valve gear. He also has an advanced braking system and a Verheiden superheating system. He is one of the most advanced steam engines in the world." she explains eagerly while shovelling coal into the green engines firebox. Nopkins looks confused at her. "Okay, I must say that most of what you just said went over my head. I am an expert on rollingstock, not steam engines though." Hanne chuckles at him. "I can understand that, steam isn't used that much these days anymore." The inspector nods. "Indeed."

Ailie climbs out of the underground pit underneath Lizzie and shakes her head. "We should have checked her wheels earlier. Without th' enchantment tae keep th' wheels better on th' rails she will be rather bouncy. It is better tae keep her on better quality tracks tae prevent this frum happening until we can replace her wheels with better ones." she declares. Lizzie sighs sadly as the bear woman pats her on her buffers. James, who is sitting on the track beside her, smiles at her sweetly. "Cheer up Lizzie. You won't be taken out of service from what I understand." he says. Lizzie looks sadly at him. "But what about my father?" she asks worried. James laughs. "You shouldn't worry about that. If Edward and Edith can be believed, he would give you some tips at worst. He doesn't seem like the kind of engine to make fun of someone that has had an accident." Lizzie looks at the other red engine hopefully. "You think?" James chuckles. "Of course." Ailie walks back to the two red engines. "Ah've just gotten word that Rick will be spending th' night in York. Something tae dae with taking over frum another engine." James looks curiously at the brunette. "Will he visit the railway museum there?" Ailie shrugs. "Probably, he knows some of th' engines there. Ah can imagine that he'd want tae visit them."

Rick gently eases himself into a slower pace as he enters the yard at York. "So inspector, does the rollingstock pass the test?" he asks. The inspector takes his cab in his hands. "We still need to look them over, but it looks quite good so far." He turns to Hanne and Nore. "I must thank you for allowing me to ride along in the cab." The twins smile at him. "Don't mention it." A black class 08 stops in front of the green engine. "Leave those trucks on that siding steamy." she says snobbishly. Rick smiles kindly at her. "Sure thing. Is there somewhere I can stay for the night around here?" he asks her.

Rick backs into the brightly lit sheds in which three big engines are resting. "My my, look who we've got here. Rick, it has been so long. How have you been old boy?" City of Truro greets the triplex. Rick smiles at him. "I have been doing decently for a while now, how have you been Truro?" The other two engines look at the newcomer with curiosity. "And who might you be?" the Flying Scotsman asks him. "My name is Rick. Who are you?" Tornado and Scotsman look surprised at the triplex. "You don't know who I am? How? I am the Flying Scotsman!" Truro chuckles. "Remember those stories I told you about the Obbeeys Railway? He comes from there." Scot frowns. "Still, there must be a version of me in his world." Rick looks amused at the A3. "And what are you known for?" "I was the first engine to officially reach 100 mph. Didn't that happen in your world?" Rick smiles at him. My brother was the first engine to reach 100 mph in my world back in 1893. If your record is the reason you were preserved then it is likely that you weren't preserved in my world." Tornado looks confused at the three green engines. "Other world, what are you guys talking about?" she asks. Truro smiles at the blue engine. "Let me explain to you."

Henry wakes up the next morning to the sound of an unfamiliar whistle. He glares at the dark red CR class 294 that steams into the yard with a coal train behind him. "Could you be quiet, some engines are trying to sleep." he complains. The red engine gives him an apologetic look. "Ah am sorry, ah dinnea mean tae wake ye up. Me name is Declan." Henry sighs. "I might as well stay awake now. My name is Henry. Where do you come from Declan?" the Black Five asks. "Ah come frum th' island of Obbeeys. Ah am delivering some Peesh coal fur ye guys." Henry looks curiously at the coal trucks. "I heard about Peesh coal in my early days. Is it really as good as it is rumoured to be?" Declan grins. "Indeed it is. There is nae a type of coal that is better fur steam engines than Peesh coal." Henry looks exited. "I can't wait to test it out in that case."

Lizzie and James are being steamed up in the steamworks as sir Topham Hatt walks towards the two. "I see that the two of you are ready to get back to work. James, I need you to bank trains up Gordons Hill. Lizzie, I need you to take a goods train from Barrow to Killdane. And tonight you'll double head the Flying Kipper with Henry." James looks doubtful at his controller. "Are you sure that is a good idea sir?" Topham frowns at the red mogul. "Why do you ask?" James looks uncomfortably at his buffers. "The Flying Kipper doesn't have the best track record." The stout gentlemen's expression softens. "Don't worry James, the chance that something will go wrong with the Kipper tonight is low." Lizzie looks from James to sir Topham, curiously. "What do you mean 'the Flying Kipper doesn't have the best track record'?" she asks.

Rick backs into the sheds at Barrow for a little rest. He shuts his eyes as Hanne and Nore walk into town to get lunch. His attention is grabbed several minutes later as he hears soft sobbing from the corner of the shed. He looks over at a rusty 0-6-0 tender engine, who seems to be crying. "Hey there, what's wrong dear. Are you hurt?" the old engine asks her. She sniffs as her gaze lands on the green engine. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to bother you." Rick smiles reassuringly at her. "You didn't dear. Tell me, is something wrong?" The rusty engine looks at her buffers, tears in the corner of her eyes. "My owner has passed away last week, and his daughter wants to sell me for scrap. She has been 'looking after' me for the past decade because her father was put into a retirement home, but she didn't do much to maintain me, and I got in such a bad shape as this because of her." she explains to the old green engine. He thinks for a second, and opens his mouth only to be interrupted by a familiar whistle. Lizzie backs up in the shed next to her father. "Hello dad, how are you?" she asks him as she comes to a standstill. "Good, how are you?" Lizzie blushes as she looks at her buffers. "I derailed yesterday. As a result, I spend the night in the steamworks with James." The rusty engine perks up. "James!? As in a LYR class 28 with a pony truck?" "Yeah, you know him?" The rusty engine looks exited. "Yeah, he is my older brother. I haven't seen him in ages." Her sad attitude return suddenly. "I would like to see him once more before I die." Lizzie looks shocked at her, while Rick sighs as Hanne and Nore return to him. "Nore, could you call sir Topham? I believe he would like to save James' sister from scrap." As Nore walks away to make the phone call, the green engine turns towards his daughter. "Did anything interesting happen while I was away?"

James stops next to the water tower at Maron to get a drink after having banked Rebecca and the express up the hill. He looks surprised as he sees sir Topham's car stop in the yard and the stout gentlemen himself walk towards him. "Good afternoon sir, can I help you?" the red engine asks. "Yes James, you can. I have just gotten word that one of your younger sisters is located in Barrow and is up for sale from Rick's driver. I want you to take me there so we can purchase her." James looks dumbfounded at his controller for a second before he whistles loudly. "Hop in sir."

Jasmine laughs as Rick finishes his story. "Oh, that was a good one." she says, tears in her eyes. Rick chuckles, as a whistle is heard. James backs into the sheds next to Rick and sir Topham climbs out of his cab. "Hello Jasmine, it has been way to long." the red engine greets his younger sister while crying from joy. "Hello brother." Jasmine greets him back, starting to cry as well. A middle-aged woman walks towards the sheds and shakes sir Topham's hand. "You must be sir Topham Hatt. You wanted to negotiate to purchase my engine?" Sir Topham nods. "Let us talk in the station."

About an hour later the Fat Controller walks back to the sheds with a big smile on his face. "Jasmine is ours." he says, being met with loud whistles from Rick and James.

Lizzie stops on the track next to Henry at Brendam that evening. "Ah, good evening Lizzie. How has your day been?" he asks the red engine. Lizzie smiles at the Black Five. "Decent, I am kind of nervous for this train though." Henry smiles gently at her. "Never run a train at night before?" he asks her knowingly. Lizzie blushes in embarrassment. "Yeah. How are we going to do this?" "How about you go in front and I will be behind you. Your headlights will illuminate the tracks much better than mine ever will." Lizzie hums. "If you say so."

Lizzie and Henry thunder through Henry's Forest later that night, cutting through slight rainfall. "You are doing quite well." Henry compliments the red engine. Lizzie smiles at that. "Thank you Henry." She turns her gaze back to the tracks in front of her, but something white catches her eyes. A faint woman wearing an old-fashioned white nurse costume is waiving a piece of red cloth, trying to grab the attention of the engines. The woman's eyes are black and empty pits, and she seems to be drenched in water. "Is that a ghost?!" Lizzie asks spooked. Henry spots the woman as well, and he begins to freak out before he notices the red cloth. "We better stop. Whether she is a ghost or not doesn't matter, it is best to be cautious." The two engines put on their brakes, and not a moment too early. A big fallen tree lays mere inches in front of Lizzie's buffers on the tracks by the time they have stopped. Scott and Katie lean out of Lizzie's cab. "That was close." Scott says. Katie nods as she reaches for her radio. "Dispatch, this is 20200605. We have encountered a fallen tree on the line."