Steam of Britain

Chapter 40: High Speed Diesels

Soon, the Steam of Britain engines had gotten well underway of working. Barrow was worked off his wheels at times, but managed to pull through. Silver Link had been given a double chimney blast pipe to help improve speed. He was even able to break his own record once, by going at an average 115 mph without stopping. But the engines were not too happy about the relief engine that was brought to help while Scotsman was away. It was one of the new high speed diesel engines. He was a Class 180 Diesel Electric. In fact, there were two of them.

Their names were Nathan and Boris. They would often boast about how fast they was, and how they were going to be Scotsman's permanent replacement. "YOU WILL NEVER REPLACE SCOTSMAN!!!" snapped John. "Just wait," said Nathan, "You'll all be scrapped, and be replaced by us modern engines." They then headed off to Edinburgh. Boris looked back, and blew a raspberry at them. "WHAT CHEEK!!" said Alex. "Just ignore them," said Bertram, "they just want to harass us."

But it was easier said than done. All around the yards, the engines were teased non-stop, and they were getting annoyed. The two diesels even kept them up at night. Archibald then came up to them, and Boris said, "Oh, another electric engine? Nice to meet you." "I wish I could say the same," said Archibald. "What's wrong?" asked Nathan. "You have been annoying us all to no end, and keeping us up at night. I even saw Crovan sleep shunting! He was lucky the buffers woke him up when he bumped into them!!" "Not our fault that the engines are so old and need a nap," said Boris, "It must be torchere for you to work with such relics." "If your referring to my friends, then you should just stop calling them that!!" "Oh please," said Nathan, "What's gonna happen." Just then, City of Truro came up, and bumped Nathan hard. "THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN!!!!" Nathan then came, and bumped City of Truro back. Soon, the two engines we pushing and shoving each other. "Guys stop it!" said Archibald. Soon, Silvia came, and she started bashing Boris. Bertram came, and tried to calm everything down. Only for Silvia to be bashed into coal wagons. It was then Bertram lost his temper. He then raced forward, and he smashed right into Boris, who then rammed into Nathan, derailing them both!!! City of Truro was shocked. In all the years he had known Bertram, he never acted out like that. "Um, Bertram, are you okay?"

Soon, the station and shed masters came to sort everything out. "Bertram," said the shed master, "we are very disappointed in you. We expected this from Truro or Silvia, but you? You are much wiser than any other engine here, other than Trooper." Bertram looked down at his buffers sadly. "SCRAP BOI!!!" yelled Nathan and Boris. The station master then turned, and said, "Have you two got something to do with this?" Archibald, Silvia, Truro, and Bertram all explained what the two engines had done. "Yes, you are modern, but that doesn't excuse you for being bullies!!! It's engines like you that make people like US prefer steam over diesel and electric engines. All engines are useful, and none are useless. Unless they are like you, suffering from derailments, and no way to get back up." The brothers looked embarrassed.

The next day, Mallard had returned from the works, and was put on the Flying Scotsman, as Barrow had already left with the Elizabethan. He enjoyed his run, and was even told the story of what happened while he was gone. But this year was also special for him: It was the 50th year of his record run from 1938.