ERS Volume 129 - The Trucks and the Engines

From Sodor Island Forums

Author

01Salty (with considerable assistance from Christopher)

Stories

Side-Splitting

James has the misfortune of working in the Yards with the Troublesome Trucks to help Bear. He soon finds out the trucks have a new leader titled Rickety- who causes trouble and spite for James all day. James then has to pull a train including him, and Rickety pulls a trick on James to delay him. His scheme however goes awry, and causes trucks to ram into him causing the sides of him to break off. Rickety is collected and supposedly removed from service, and James continued the train with behaving trucks and the relief of a quieter Yard.

Sign Language

The engines form an opinion that the trucks will always be troublesome, and there's nothing nobody can do to stop this. Edward says that trucks will respect an engine who respects them, but the engines don't listen. Later, Jinty has to shunt some supply trucks for the construction of a platform in the Yard. The trucks are grumpy, and push Jinty pass a Danger sign causing him to crash, destroying the easement. Jinty is damaged and scolded, and the engines now are certain that trucks can never be trusted.

Mind Your Manners

Edward once again tries to convince the engines about respecting the trucks. Henry then takes this advice the wrong way, and the next day starts to boss and order the trucks around- trying to force them to respect him. This only makes the trucks angrier, and causes Henry's tender to derail. Henry is sent to the Works, and the engines' opinons stay the same.

Kindness Costs Nothing

James is to take another goods train to the Eastern part of the Island, and beforehand BoCo encourages him to follow Edward's advice. James takes it in, and during the collection he uses his manners and doesn't bump the trucks. The trucks are surprised, and soon enough James and the trucks have a mutual respect. But on the way James' brakes fail, and the trucks decide to help James from crashing into Henry by applying their brakes. James and Henry survive scratchless, both in awe of their effort.

Notes

• Featured Characters: Bear, BoCo, Donald, Douglas, Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Jinty, Matt, Percy, Rod, Sodor Castle, Troublesome Trucks, Fat Controller
• Introduced Characters: Rickety the Troublesome Truck
• Introduced Locations: The Goods Platform in Tidmouth Yard
• This is the first volume conceived and initially written by 01Salty.
• The incident in 'Sign Language' is loosely based on an incident on August 1887 where part of a station was demolished in a shunting accident. A LNWR goods engine shunted some wagons into the station at a higher speed than was normal practice. As they entered the covered way the wagons jumped the points and collided with the south side iron columns that supported the roof, demolishing a quarter of the whole roof.