November 1918.
The ROD's continued their work, but still things kept going wrong for them.
6654 suffered a hot axle box, 6655 and 6653 crashed while Double heading a goods train, and the week after that, 6650 burst his safety valve, scalding his crew.
6648 was beginning to worry, she spoke with 6647 about it.
"I'm worried Brother." She said, "All these accidents and incidents we've been going through, I don't think it endears us to the directors."
"Eh, thrills and spills happen." Said 6647, simplistically. "It's war time after all."
"Yeah, but we're supposed to be top of the line war machines." Said 6648. "We can't keep blowing it like this!"
"So what are we gonna do then?" Asked 6647.
"I guess…" 6648 thought aloud "We just need to keep doing good work, and not make a mess, then the Directors will surely see our Value! Enough to keep us around!"
"Uh, Aren't we owned by the ROD?" Asked 6647.
6648 gave her brother a look. "Yeah, for now.
Over the next few days, the remaining ROD's worked as hard as they could, pulling whatever trains they could from morning till dusk, determined to prove their worth to the railway.
One day, The yardforman came up to the two engines and 6645.
"There's a goods train needing to go up to Knapford." He said. "I'll need an engine to take it there."
"I'll take it sir!" Said 6648 eagerly.
"No, I'll take it!" Said 6645, who was eager for another go at a train.
"I only need one engine!" Said the Foreman. "Not two!"
"Then I'll do it." Said 6647.
The Foreman agreed and off 6647 went.
"Don't screw it up." Said 6648.
Soon, 6647 was hooked up to the goods train, and was on his way.
"Nothing to fret, nothing to fret." He huffed and puffed along, the trucks behaved themselves well, until they reached the top of the Hill. (Which was not named Gordon's hill yet.)
6647 really began to feel the strain here. He chuffed and puffed as hard as he could, thanks to his eight wheel tractive effort, he soon reached the top of the hill and was content to let himself coast down the otherside, This is where the Trucks played their tricks.
"On! On! On!" They yelled and surged into him, 6647 yelped as he sped down the line, almost coming off at the side.
"Stop! Stop! Stop!" He cried, but the trucks just hooted and cackled as they continued to push, His Driver checked every control to try and stop them, as they raced through Wellsworth and Crosby.
They soon burst out of the Tunnel to Knapford and up ahead, they could see the Station, where Edward and a few other engines were waiting with their Passengers.
"What's that?" Asked one Engine, A Midland Spinner.
Edward looked ahead and gasped. "Runaway!"
A Quick thinking signalman quickly switched the points and diverted 6647 away from the Passenger trains and down towards a siding. The ROD was applying his brakes as hard as he could, and slammed into the end of the siding!
He didn't crash through them like 6646 had and stayed on the rails, But the trucks were everywhere, derailed and blocking the line, but they didn't care, they were quite pleased with themselves.
"Well!" Said the Spinner indignantly. "If this is what you engines call "Pulling your weight" I'd hate to see what pushing it looks like."
Later, 6648 came to help clear the mess, Topham Hatt was with her.
"I did not expect this to go wrong, Sir." Said 6647 as 6648 gave him a dirty look.
"Be that as it may." Said the Fat Director Sternly. "This mishap could have brought serious harm to our Passengers, furthermore-"
"IT'S OVER!"
All heads turned rapidly, as the Stationmaster burst out of his office, leaving a sizable hole in his door. "IT'S OVER! IT'S OVER! IT'S OVER!"
"What's over?!" Asked a Passenger.
"There's news from the Prime Minister!" Said the Stationmaster. "An Armistanc has been declared, the War is over!"
There was a long silence and then the whole station erupted into cheers, the Passengers forgot about their delayed trains and whooped and hugged each other for joy, Edward, and the engines, Alice and Parker blew their whistles.
While the Fat Director and the RODS looked on in disbelief.
"It's… over?" Asked 6647.
Soon the Fat Director threw off his top hat and joined in the celebrations, But 6648 didn't celebrate, a crestfallen look was on her face as she realized she and all her Brothers… had become Surplus to requirements.