The Secret Railway (Female Controller Reader)

Chapter 16: Midnight Runners

Fog had covered Paradise Island, and the engines had to proceed with caution. Thomas, Duck, Edward and Edman were shunting in the yard. "It sure is foggy today," said Edman. "I know," said Edward, "We must be careful. You never know what might be in the fog." He then puffed off with some coaches. Penny came in, and she asked for her coaches. She couldn't see properly, and she accidentally bumped into some old coaches. They hit the buffers, and stopped right after they broke. Edman helped clean up the mess, while Penny looked down at her cow-catcher.

That night in the sheds, Dick said, "Leave it to Penny to have an accident with coaches." "It wasn't her fault!" said Thomas, "It was hard to see out there!" "Quiet Thomas," said Mallard, "The big engines are talking!" "Yes, she was lucky they didn't go down the mainline. Coaches moving on their own, now that would be something." Penny was about to say something, but Thomas beat her. "Oh," he said, "So you've heard of them too." "Heard of what?" asked Dick. "The ghost train," replied Thomas, "Penny told me about them. They're trains that run through the night, never stopping at any station, or letting off passengers. Just empty coaches gliding through the night." Dick and Mallard looked at Thomas. "You expect me to believe something as ridiculous as that!?!?" asked Dick. "You've been spending too much time with Edward," said Gordon. "Y-Y-Y-Yeah," said James, trying not to sound scared. "Say what you will," said Thomas, "But take my advice, be on your guard."

The next morning, Oltan Hall was in the yard, looking for a train to pull, when he saw a set of coaches rolling down the line. "GHOST TRAIN!!!" he yelled, and he ran into some trucks. Percy then appeared from behind, and said, "What's wrong Oltan Hall?" "Nothing," said Oltan Hall, "I just thought you were a ghost. I didn't see you there behind the wagons there." Penny and Diesel 10 then pulled up, and said, "Hey, remember that story Thomas told us last night? Well, here's my idea...." And he whispered it to Percy, Penny and Oltan Hall. The two engines agreed, and waited for the right time. 

Later, Oltan Hall had to take a goods train to the end of the line. Penny took the Non-Stop Express along the main line. Diesel 10 headed off to help the Scoop, Muck, Jack and Alfie clean up some scrap metal. And Percy was called to the coal mine. So the yard was empty. Edman was shunting at the other end of the line. Dick pulled in, and he said, "Edman, where are you?" "No one is here," said the yard manager, "You'll have to shunt your own coaches." Dick was non too pleased. He pulled his coaches down, and he went a bit too fast. He then biffed into the old coaches that Penny bumped into, and they glided down the mainline. 

The Fog had returned that night, and Mallard was pulling the late night passenger express. The fog gave everything an eerie gloom. Mallard only had his own wheels filling the void of silence. He then heard an old creaking noise, and he made out shapes in the fog. When they passed him, he saw only a line of coaches with no passengers and no engine. Mallard was FRANTIC! "IT'S THE GHOST TRAIN!!" he cried, heading towards Homestead Station at a speed he hadn't gone in years since his record. The guard then pulled the emergency cable, applying the breaks. Mallard screeched, the passengers shrieked, the station master blew his whistle, and waved his red flag, and Mallard stopped, just in time. Everyone was very surprised, and cross.

The next morning, (Y/N) came into the sheds, and said, "Mallard!" "AUGH!!" cried Mallard, "OH, PLEASE, NO, NO, LEAVE ME ALOOOOOoooooohhhh, heh, h-h-hello, ma'am, lovely morning, isn't it?" "No it is not," said (Y/N), "Not when I have been dealing with passenger complaints all night. I hope you've got a good explanation for this." "W-W-W-Well, ma'am," said Mallard, shaking, "I-I-I-I-I saw a-a-a-a-a ghost train." "What?" "It, it was just like Thomas described last night. Coaches with no engine, and no passengers, gliding through the night." Just then, a creaking noise could be heard coming from outside. "They've come back for me," said Mallard, "THEY'VE COME BACK FOR ME!!!!! OH, SIR GRESLEY, PLEASE HELP!!!!" Out from the shed opening came... Penny, pulling the old coaches. "Guys," said Penny to Diesel 10, Oltan hall and Percy, "These were at the junction. Did you play the trick with out me?" "What do you mean?" asked (Y/N). "Ma'am," said Oltan Hall, "We don't know anything about it, well, except for the ghost story." "What are you talking about?" "Surely you've heard of them ma'am? They're trains that run during the night, no passengers to pick up or let off, just empty coaches running through the night." "I am aware of that Oltan Hall," said (Y/N), "but those aren't ghost trains, they're merely formalities. Trains running the bare amount to keep branch lines from closing. A problem on the mainland, but not on my railway, I assure you." "Yes," said Duck and Oliver, "It won't be a problem here. We are just as efficient as the Fat Controller's railway." "Oh," said Oltan Hall, "Well, that sounds better than a ghost story. But, I don't know about bumping those coaches last night. I wasn't even in the yard last night. In fact, the only other engine that was there would be..." "Dick!" Dick just chuckled nervously.

Penny set off with the local, and Diesel 10 set off with the express. The main reason they were doing this, was Dick and Mallard were having a lesson. As punishment for their recklessness, (Y/N) Awdry had put Mallard on goods work, while Dick was relegated to shunting until he could be trusted to be more careful. The two engines felt very sorry for themselves, and made sure never to let ghost stories get the better of them.