Thomas & Friends. Season fan-made

Story of the Nightwalker

It was nearing the evening time on the Island of Sodor. Henry had been tasked with taking a goods train down to the Iron works. He was waiting patiently at Killdane for Neville to arrive with the remaining trucks he needed. He was getting impatient, he had been sitting around for what felt like hours. 

"Where is that Neville!" Henry complained to his driver "I thought he was the reliable sort. But now he's late." His driver just looked at the fireman and laughed. "What's so funny?"

"Oh Henry it's only been an hour. Neville's probably just held up at Wellsworth. Those demons are probably being a nuisance." His driver answered. He looked around, still waiting for Neville. Still, there was no-one in sight. Soon, they heard a whistle and Neville rolled into the yard. Out of breath. It was already getting dark when Neville came to a stop and began to run round the train.

"Took your time." Snapped Henry "I'm going to be late!" Neville didn't answer. He was too tired to argue. He just shunted his trucks into a siding and puffed off to his shed at Kirk Ronan. "Oi!" Called Henry "I'm not shunting these onto my train!" Neville didn't respond. He just continued off soon swerving off onto the branchline. "Come on Henry, sooner they're shunted on the sooner we can head off" Henry's driver called to the big green engine as he uncoupled Henry from his already arranged trucks. Henry grumbled furiously as he reversed into the siding. He bumped the trucks, annoyed and grumpy, and soon took them to the front of his train. Henry started off out of the yard, once they had been coupled on, with a mighty heave.

He trundled out of the yard still grumbling as he was soon diverted onto the old Peel Godred line. The trucks giggled and chuckled as they rolled after him. The heavy goods train rolled down the line soon passing the junction that would lead to Neville's bridge. However he wasn't due to head down that line thankfully, as it was still under construction, and so he puffed along the line, passing the packs original yard before they had been transferred to it's own side line near Crosby. He travelled along the line however, he soon reached a line which, for unexplained reasons, was always covered in fog, making it hard to see. Henry's lamp soon flickered on as he entered the misty line. They passed by a few of the dead tree's, none of them ever got to get their leaves back, and soon Old Bailey's station came into view. He passed the lakes station giving a friendly toot to Old Bailey as he rattled through. However he came to a quick stop before his brake van had even passed the station. Henry's eyes darted around as he heard a low growl. "What's that?!" Henry cried, still terrified. Suddenly, there came a loud "ROAR!" Henry looked directly ahead of him and soon a shape in the distance. He couldn't tell what it was but it got him frightened. It then looked like the shape was running towards him. The trucks were even scared. "Runaway! Runaway!" screamed the trucks as they tried to pull him back. Henry saw the figure getting closer and closer. Henry then screeched backwards pushing against the trucks. "What are you doing?!" cried his driver. "Getting away! It's after me!" Henry yelled as he flew back down the line. He didn't stop till he finally reached Killdane. Try as he might, his driver couldn't get the big engine to move.

They stayed there all night and in the morning Topham arrived in his car. "Henry!" He bellowed as he stepped out of his car, "What on Earth has gotten into you! This train was meant to reach the Iron works before the morning!" Henry looked shamefully at his buffers before turning back to the controller. "I- I- I saw a. A beast!" Cried Henry. "A monster!" cried one truck. "A- A creature not from this world!" added another. Topham just sighed. "There's no such things as monsters or beasts. I'm sure it was just an animal. You WILL take this train to the Iron works in the morning but until then, you can do some shunting at Crovans Gate." Once he had finished, before Henry could even speak, Topham climbed back into his car and drove off to make other arrangements. Henry did as he was told. However, he was getting careless. He bumped trucks roughly. Nearly crashed into the buffers. And even derailed a truck or two. He was distracted by his thoughts of worry about being forced down the line the next night. In the afternoon, Gordon arrived with the express just as Henry shunted Donald's goods train into the platform. "Fancy," Gordon began "a tender engine shunting. And because of what? A ghoul? Oh wait no. You said, A beast! Ohhh." Gordon finished mockingly. Henry just ignored him, looking away from him at his buffers. Suddenly, Gordon set off whooshing steam at Henry's face.

Later that night, Henry had just returned to Killdane and prepared to take the trucks down to the Iron works, he was still a bit scared. The guard was setting up his tail lamp whilst Henry sat idly in the station platform. Henry was slowly getting more confident before suddenly. Gordon thundered by blowing his big booming whistle as long and loud as he could. Giving Henry quite the jump. He surged backwards bumping his trucks fiercely. "Oh, oh, oh!" cried the trucks from their unexpected bump. They groaned in pain. Henry was just about to start when his driver suddenly placed a weird box like shape on his running board. "Oh! What's this?!" Henry cried. His driver finished placing it on before explaining. "Your lamp irons bent. Your lamps wont fit on them properly. We're able to place the lamps on this which allows us to still see." Henry wasn't so sure, but felt it best not to argue with his driver. The lamps were soon flickered on and with a blow of the guards whistle Henry started off letting off a lot of steam. He puffed slowly, carefully and wearily along the Peel Godred line heading into the foggy part of the line once more.

The trucks began to talk with one another. They talked about the possibility of a monster being out there. This didn't help with Henry's confidence as with the talk of monsters and beasts, Henry began to realise why he had feared the line once more. He soon neared the Lakeside station and began to slow fearing for the creature still being nearby. He didn't see anything nearby and soon was further than he had been before. However, he didn't even reach the bend when he heard a loud "Crash!" and was forced to a stop by the trucks. He looked back to see 3 of the trucks knocked over. And spotted, searching one of the derailed trucks, making a low growl with the occasional roar of frustration was none other than a bear. "There's you beast Henry." Said his driver. They then heard someone yell "Oi you! Get back here! We're off to home!" They looked back and saw an old man holding a cane. The bear turned around and walked over to the man. They thought it was about to attack but it didn't. It just looked sad, almost like it felt disappointed. "Sorry about the trucks." Called over the man "This fella loves to explore the rails. He especially loves to visit Mr. Bailey." Henry looked confused till he saw Old Bailey slowly walk over to the bear before giving it a stroke and a pat. "Oh right." Old Bailey began, "Introductions. Henry, this is my friend Lucas. The Bear is called Fuzz Bert. We just call him Bert though." "Well then," Said the driver. "There's your beast Henry." Henry didn't respond. He just looked at his buffers feeling foolish. "We best be off" Said Lucas, "We need to catch our boat back to Wales." "Oh!" Henry called. "If you ever find him can you say hello to Talylyn for Skarloey and Rheneas?" "Oh course" answered Lucas. "I'll see if I can find them." And soon they were off. Henry whistled a goodbye with the guard, Henry's crew and Old Bailey waving goodbye and calling back "Come back soon!" and Henry continued down to the Iron works where Arry and Bert collected them, complaining at Henry about the delay. 

Henry soon returned to Tidmouth sheds in the morning after his delivery. He felt very foolish indeed and after telling his story the engines all burst out into laughter. Henry ignored them and just reversed into his shed, he felt very satisfied having made new friends along the way and learning about Old Bailey's friendships.