Random TTTE Fan Episodes and Rewrites

Downward Diesels [Season 9] [New]

One morning, Derek the big diesel had to pick up some milk wagons from Tidmouth Station. When he got there, he found Thomas waiting with Annie and Clarabel.

"Hello, Thomas!" honked Derek, "How are you this morning?"

"Very well, thank you!" peeped Thomas. He then looked in the direction of the shunting yards and whispered, "I'm not sure Diesel is, though."

Before Derek could ask any questions, he spotted Diesel slowly approaching with a line of trucks. The trucks were giggling and Derek thought he could hear Diesel growling.

When Diesel was finally at the platform, he looked exhausted.

"Please," he panted, "help me! The trucks are worse than ever today!"

"I'm sorry, Diesel," said Thomas, "but I've got an important job to do. I can't keep my passengers waiting."

"I have an important job too!" said Diesel haughtily.

Neither Thomas nor Derek knew what to say. They stayed silent, which only made Diesel angrier.

Thomas' guard blew his whistle.

"How am I supposed to deal with these trucks if you won't help me?" demanded Diesel.

"Maybe you should just stop being lazy," Thomas said cheekily before pulling out of the station.

Diesel's face turned bright red.

Derek was very uncomfortable. He wanted to be away from all this drama as soon as possible.

Diesel started complaining to Derek, telling him how rude Thomas was and how unfair the whole thing was. Derek simply said nothing. As soon as it was his time to leave, he said a rushed goodbye to Diesel and sped away.

"Easy, boy!" laughed Derek's driver, "We don't want to ruin the milk."

"Sorry," oiled Derek before slowing down.

For a while, Derek's journey went smoothly. It was much more peaceful out on the main line with just the birds for company.

Derek got as far as Maron Station before trouble started brewing.

"Diesel's trucks are out of control," warned the station master, "they might stall on the hill but then again, they might not."

Derek knew Diesel wouldn't be far behind him. However, he still had deliveries to make so he got moving once again.

It didn't take long for Derek and his driver to hear screaming somewhere behind them.

"Do you think they'll make it over the hill?" Derek whispered nervously.

His driver looked back and then shouted, "Derek, get a move on!"

Derek jolted forwards.

Soon, the screaming was getting louder and louder, closer and closer. Derek could make out clanging noises, giggling, wheels screeching as they rolled faster and faster along the rails.

Derek couldn't go much faster or he would ruin his delivery! His eyes scanned the area for a siding.

"It's no good!" he shouted, "My delivery is going to be ruined anyway!"

"Hang on, Derek," called his driver, "we're nearly at Cronk!"

As soon as the station came into view, Derek blew his horn as loudly as he could. By now, Diesel was quite close. Derek's horn barely drowned out the sound of Diesel's brakes.

Derek shut his eyes and braced himself for impact.

There was a clang. The points had changed. Derek slipped onto a siding.

The signalman tried to change the points back to let Diesel through but he was a second too late. Diesel and his trucks bounced off the rails before coming to a stop. They had missed Derek's milk wagons by mere inches.

Many trains were delayed while the mess on the main line was cleared up. Passengers didn't get home until hours later than expected. The ice cream factory was already closed by the time Derek delivered the last of his milk wagons there. No-one blamed Diesel but no-one was happy.

That night, Derek was alone in the quarry sheds. He couldn't think of anything else but Diesel's mishap with the trucks. He thought about how he and Thomas had both refused to give Diesel any help when he'd clearly needed it.

"That accident was our fault," he whispered.

The next morning, Derek knew what he had to do: find Diesel and apologise.

Finding Diesel didn't take long at all; he'd had to go to the repair yard after the whole ordeal.

"Umm...hello, Diesel," said Derek sheepishly.

"What is it?" snapped Diesel.

"W-well," stammered Derek, "I j-just wanted to say that I'm...sorry for what happened yesterday."

"You'd really be sorry if the trucks did that to you!" oiled Diesel, "They bashed my buffers and wore down my wheels. They were so pushy they got me over Gordon's Hill and off the track!"

Diesel winced at the thought of it.

"Well," said Derek slowly, "I wanted to say sorry because...because I didn't help you."

Diesel stopped and stared for a moment. Then, his expression changed to a slight smile.

"It's fine," said Diesel, "you are forgiven."

Derek smiled.

Soon, it was time for Derek to collect some empty trucks. Thomas was already at the shunting yards when he got there. The trucks were behaving very badly for Thomas.

"Hurry up!" huffed Thomas.

"No no no, you horrible engine!" the trucks wailed.

Derek sighed and started shunting his own trucks into place.

"We're glad to have a nice engine," chorused Derek's trucks. They all glared at Thomas. Derek didn't say anything to the trucks or Thomas. He focused on his work.

Before he knew it, Derek was travelling towards the coaling plant with his line of empty trucks.

As he got closer to Wellsworth Station, he saw Thomas coming past with his full trucks. Thomas looked very cross. He didn't whistle.

The trucks had been causing so much trouble recently, Derek was glad to reach the coaling plant in one piece. Just as he was about to leave, though, the coaling plant manager came over to him with bad news.

"Thomas has derailed. You're the only engine available to fetch the breakdown train."

Derek was shocked.

"I should have warned Thomas!"

"Come on, Derek," said his driver, "You'd better go and help him."

Derek set off, more terrified of trucks than ever before.