Steam of Britain

Chapter 15: Alivia's ignorance

Alivia had not changed her attitude very well. She was still ignorant to the other engines, and was rude to all of them. When she was coupled up to her train, she watched photographers take her picture. Soon, she was out on the mainline. While she was puffing down the line, she was looking for more people to take her picture. She was so consumed, that she passed a red signal.

Up ahead, City of Truro was waiting for the signal to change, when Alivia came steaming down the line. She blew her whistle, and came to a halt, just inches from the break coach. "WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!!" said Alivia, "YOU COULD'VE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT!!" "ME!?!" yelled City of Truro, indignantly, "MY SIGNAL'S STILL RED!! YOU MUST'VE GONE PAST YOURS!!" "RUBBISH!" said Alivia, "I WOULD NEVER DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT!!"

Later, Alivia was in the yard, when Barrow and Arron came up to her. "You need to be more careful!!!" scolded Barrow. "Indeed," said Arron, "We take overrunning a red signal very seriously!!" Just then, Alivia started to whimper. 😪  "Oh," said Barrow, "We-we're sorry." "We didn't mean to make you cry," said Arron. The two then headed off, and Alivia said to herself, "Men."

Alivia still didn't pay attention to what she was doing. She then backed down onto the Elizabethan express. "Get me from platform 2," said Alivia, "that's my best side." "That's not you're train," said Max, "Yours is right there." "Of course," said Alivia, "I always leave from platform 1." Max tried to argue with her, but Alivia wouldn't listen. Just then, Mallard came, and was coupled up to Alivia. "What are you doing!?" asked Alivia. "This is the Elizabethan, is it not?" asked Mallard. Alivia then realized her mistake. She then asked to be uncoupled from the train. "I don't think so," said Mallard, "You're going to make me late. Like it or not, you're coming with me. Perhaps it will teach you a lesson in humility." "B-B-B-But I wasn't looking where I was going!" said Alivia. "And whose fault is that?" asked Mallard. Before Alivia could reply, the guard blew his whistle, and Mallard steamed off.

Max laughed, as Mallard took Alivia with him to Scotland. "HELP!!!" said Alivia. Rattler came with Flying Scotsman's coaches, and asked, "What's going on?" "I think Alivia is having a lesson in humility!" said Max. "Wait a minute!" said an enthusiast, "Where's our engine?" "Oh dear," said Max and Rattler.

Later, the railway board sent an inspector and museum curator came to speak with the shed and station masters. "Eddie, Jordan, what is the meaning of this?" asked the railway board. "Our engine has been kidnapped!!" said the curator. "I highly doubt it's kidnapping when you know where she is," said the shed master. "Now, what happened?" asked the inspector. "Well," said the station master, "Mallard is a sensible engine, and I doubt that he would act out like that for no reason. A4's can be boastful, but Mallard and Silver Link are not always like that." The five men stood, until the curator said, "YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY!?! We'll see how funny it is when we never bring our engine here again!! We will only come back when you learn to control your engines!!" "Please," said the shed master, "Don't judge us when you can hardly control your own engine." "What do you mean?" asked the inspector. Just then, Alivia was seen steaming in. She bumped Max furiously. "OH!!!" "This is all your fault, you sniveling littl-, oh, um, h-hello gentlemen." The inspector and curator looked at Alivia. "She's been a pain for the crews," said the station master, "A nuisance to the other engines, and a danger to her passengers, when she over took a red signal. I believe the fame has gone to her head." The railway inspector looked at Alivia, and said, "You will be banded from hauling railtours until we can trust you. You will pull regular trains until you learn to be more vigilant! Maybe that will teach you to not be so vain." Alivia then said, "Y-Y-yes sir." The inspector turned, and said, "never doubted you two for a second." He then walked off, with a very embarrassed museum curator.

Soon, Alivia was put to work, hauling regular trains. She was put on passenger work, and it did nothing to improve her state. The shed master soon put end to that: Alivia was ordered to haul only goods trains. She didn't want to be seen now. She once, even pretended to cry again. "Put a sock in it and get going!" said Mack, "Crocodile tears won't work on me!" "Oh pah!" said Alivia. "Do you think she's learned her lesson?" asked Barrow. "For the time being," said Harold, shunting Alivia's trucks in place, "Until she's allowed to pull railtours again." "Some engines never learn," said Mack. While it seemed odd coming from Mack, they had to agree.