Chapter 8 - A Close Shave

Stephen, the big 4-6-4t, steamed sadly to Edward's station. "It's not fair," he complained, "Diesel has been telling lies about me and made all the engines and The Fat Controller think I'm horrid." Edward smiled. "I know your not and so the Fat Controller. You wait and see. Why don't you help me with these trucks." Edward had @5 trucks. (Mail truck, hopper, lime box truck, low loader, flat truck, sausage van, milk van, tar tanker, oil tanker, three plank hopper, cattle truck, milk tanker , dogfish hopper, lowmac, fuel tanker, two gunflat trucks, meat van, poultry van, egg van, gypsum hopper, pipe wagon, gondola, auto carrier, container flat truck and a brake van) Stephen felt happier with Edward and set to work to help him with his trucks. The two engines had to work hard pushing and pulling the trucks up the hill. "Goodbye," whistled Stephen as he rolled over the crossing. At the level crossing as he rolled into view, the guard blasted his whistle. Stephen looked back and saw the trucks chasing him. The driver slammed his reverser into full speed ahead. When the trucks bumped him, his driver applied the brakes. Looking ahead, Stephen's driver saw Pip and Emma pulled away with their empty coaches. The signalman changed the points, into a siding where a barber set up shop in a shed at the end of the yard. He slid along the line and smashed the wall down and he had saved people's lives by derailing his trucks. The barber was furious. When Thomas arrived he had brought Oliver the GWR 0-4-2T, Rocky the crane, the breakdon train and The Fat Controller who was pleased that Stephen had stopped the trucks and he told Stephen that Diesel was gone and never coming back. After his trip to Crewe, Stephen returned.

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