The Sudrians: Barry the Rescue Engine

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Arthur paused as he process what Jinty had said to him. "And you are certain?"

"Well... like I said," replied Jinty, "it's just a theory."

"But I thought he wanted to face his demons," said Murdoch, who was also in the Vicarstown yards, taking his last train of the day back to Tidmouth, "he named himself Barry to remember the engines that were lost in that scrapyard."

"Yes," said Arthur, "but he did that out of guilt, he was one of the surviving engines from that scrapyard, but... others are still there."

"Well... I certainly think he's got some... PTSD? Trauma?" said Jinty, "I don't know, I'm a train, ask an inspector to diagnose him or something."

"Steam engine," muttered Murdoch under his breath, slightly agitated but Jinty's humourous comment of them being 'trains'.

Arthur huffed, ignoring the maroon engine's comment. "We must try and help him," he said, "but how do we do that?"

"We simply get an inspector to help him," said Murdoch, "get engines to come and talk to him. That's what happened with me."

"Yes!" grinned Jinty, "and look at the big guy now! Or big, and maroon! And... maroon..."

"Happier," added Arthur, turning to Murdoch and giving a smile to his friend, "and I think Murdoch is right. If you could tell Stephen about this tonight or in the morning perhaps?"

Murdoch smiled back. "Don't worry," he said, "I'll see what I can do." And with that, Murdoch headed out to the mainline, heading back to Tidmouth.

***

When reaching the end of the line, Murdoch got to the yards and left, leaving it to be shunted by one of the harbour engines. He went to the depot and smiled in relief to see Stephen talking to Alfred, Douglas and Alice.

"Good evening sir," he greeted.

Stephen turned and smiled at the heavy goods engine. "Hello Murdoch," he replied, "how are things."

"Everything has been going swiftly for me," replied Murdoch, his smile faded a little to turn to the matter on him, "although, I don't think so for Barry."

He then told Stephen everything and once he had finished, Stephen was thinking thoughtfully. "Yes, I have heard from engines about the matter," he said, glancing at William specifically, the western diesel just shy away a little. "I'll see if I could get one of the inspectors that can help him, most likely the same one who helped you," he said after a moment of thought, "hopefully, we might be able to see what's the matter with him. Right now, I am very busy with this whole new arrangement."

The engines all looked curious. "Excuse me sir, but what new arrangement?" asked Alfred.

"The arrangement is that new diesels will be coming to the NWR to be trialled out," stated Stephen importantly, "we're in short of a lot of engines and I am hoping to get diesels off British Rail... if they work well or not. But don't fret, I won't be replacing any of you, they will only fill in the gaps. The first trial will begin tomorrow."

He then nodded his head and said goodbye to his engines. "Was it me?" asked Douglas with a sly grin, "but was he trying tae get us to ask that question?"

"Most likely," chuckled Alice, "he did look excited by it!"

"Well, at least he's excited about something," Alfred noted.

***

The next day, the first diesel arrived with a long, heavy goods train. He didn't say a word to anyone as he travelled across the island to Tidmouth. He didn't even look at the engines, only the rails below him. But some engines had to look twice to see who it was.