Nightmares From The Workshops

Possessed Push-Pull

Edward had been taken to the works to be fully overhauled, after many years of great service, The Fat Controller wanted the blue engine to be in tip-top shape for the next summer season, so an overhaul was just what the blue engine needed, with that in mind, he went over to the Ffarquhar branch to ask Thomas to run the Brendam line while Edward was away.

Thomas: "It would be an honour sir!"

TFC: "Excellent! Percy can look after Annie and Clarabel while Stanley takes over Percy's work."

Thomas was now feeling excited, he could'nt wait to set off towards Wellsworth, once the path was clear and the signal showed green, Thomas set off an his way, it was a long journey to Wellsworth, but Thomas didn't mind, he liked travelling down the mainline, especially light engine.

Thomas: "So many new things I get to see when I leave my branchline..... I hope Percy is doing OK with Annie and Clarabel."

Driver: "He'll be fine Thomas, it's not like he hasn't taken them before."

Thomas: "Yeah, you're right."

Though secretly, he was a bit disappointed that Annie and Clarabel weren't going with him, when he reached Wellsworth, BoCo had just arrived with a branch line passenger train.

Thomas: "LOOK OUT WELLSWORTH!! THOMAS' IS IN THE STATION!!"

BoCo: "Thanks for the warning. Bill and Ben are ecstatic to you again."

Thomas: "So I can save them from a flood again or get covered in eggs again?"

BoCo: "Both probably!"

The two engines laughed as they set off to work, while BoCo was trusted with taking passengers, Thomas handled trucks, he knew how to handle them now and they didn't dare play tricks on him, he also had the tedious task up of clearing the yard up at Suddery, he often found himself shuffling about with goodness knows what he would find.

Thomas: "Where are Bill and Ben when you need them?"

Driver: "They have there own jobs to do at the pits."

Thomas: "Oh yeah, I forgot about that."

Later that evening, BoCo arrived back at the sheds, the sun was setting and the coll breeze soothed aching wheels, the big green diesel was about to go to sleep when two whistles sounded out.

BoCo: "Here comes trouble."

Bill: "BOCO!! BOCO!!! COME QUICK!!"

BoCo: "Why?:

Ben: "Thomas has found something amazing in the yard!"

BoCo: "This better not be a trick you two."

Bill/Ben: "It's not! Honest!"

BoCo: "Very well."

The big green diesel rolled over to the turntable, he had to admit, the yard looked tidier now than it ever had, Bill and Ben scampered in front like two overactive puppies, when the green diesel arrived he saw Thomas in a state of ecstasy.

Thomas: "Do you know what these are you three?"

Bill/Ben: "Coaches?"

Thomas: "Not just coaches, these are push-pull fitted coaches, they don't require you to run round at stops, meaning you can have a more efficient passenger service!"

BoCo: "So... what do you suggest we do with them?"

Thomas: "Introduce a new push-pull service, be much more efficient for this branch."

Bill: "But none of us are.... push-pull fitted."

Thomas: "I am."

Without saying another word Thomas puffed away with the coaches squeaking and rattling behind him, Bill and Ben followed on but BoCo stayed back a while, he looked at the old coaches and got a funny feeling in his radiator.

The Fat Controller was also most pleased when he found out about Thomas's find and sent the coaches to be overhauled at once, they looked immaculate when finished, new blue fabric seating, brand new controls and even painted in a beautiful teak livery, Thomas was excited, on the first day of services, he was to take it.

Thomas: "Now I've got two sets of push-pull carriages, Annie and Clarabel are going to be so jealous!"

Fireman: "Well, you just go steady now, we don't want any high speed mishaps thank you!"

Thomas just scoffed as the guard blew his whistle and Thomas set off to a chorus of cheers and whistles, all except BoCo, who became to weary of them.

At first things went well, the passengers loved the increased and efficient service, Thomas loved feeling important and the branch line began to receive more tourists, specially for these trains, later on though, weird things began to happen.

Doors began to open and shut by themselves, whether at the station or en route causing the emergency brake to be pulled, Thomas often found he would begin to move while his crew were still on the platform or at random times of the day, his whistle would be pulled with no-one in his or the brake coaches cab, even worse, passengers began to become physically ill or run out the compartments screaming, it was extremely baffling.

Thomas: "I really don't understand what on earth is going on? It seems that the day I found those push-pulls, things keep getting stranger and stranger."

BoCo: "Well Thomas, I am going to be quite frank and say that those coaches give me a very bad feeling, as if.... something isn't right with them."

Thomas: "Oh come off it BoCo! You're not going to tell me those coaches are haunted right?"

BoCo: "Perhaps."

Thomas just scoffed and went to sleep, BoCo looked over at the little blue tank engine, then back at the coaches, he could be sure but he thought he could see shadowy figures shuffling around in the coaches.

That evening, Thomas was rostered on the last push-pull of the day, BoCo stood on the other platform with the twice daily service from Wellsworth to Tidmouth, Bill and Ben were in the yard ready to take a goods train to the harbour, Thomas sizzled nicely as he was ready to depart.

Thomas: "My last push-pull train of the day and what a perfect evening for it!"

BoCo: "Well, just take care, I don't like the look of.... FIRE!!"

Thomas: "Fire?"

Suddenly Thomas heard the sounds of screaming and panicking from behind him, people were slamming and banging to get clear of the coaches, without even a warning, the coaches had gone up in flames, the station staff, crew and other passengers rushed over to try and get the doors open, but they wouldn't budge, all attempts to break doors and windows down were in vain too, then Thomas felt his whistle being blown from the push-pulls before jerking into life.

Thomas: "HHHHEEEELLLLLPPPPPP!!!!"

But no-one could. Thomas was racing down the branch line with the flaming coaches dragging him along, the little tank engine could do nothing but roll faster and faster, he was soon going as fast as Gordon as they cleared Upper Brendam, the little blue tank engine was scared coalless, he then heard a demonic laughing and thought through the smoke he saw a face, that looked like the devil itself, Thomas shut his eyes, he could'nt take it anymore.

At the harbour, dock workers had been warned about the runaway and quickly set the points to slop down into the sea, suddenly they saw the blazing inferno come rushing straight towards them, they all dived out of the way, as Thomas rocketed through and splashed straight into the sea, soon the noises died down and the fire was put out but Thomas now felt very shaken.

The next day, the bodies of the people who died in the coaches were rescued, Thomas was taken back to Ffarquhar by Stanley and the coaches, what was left of them, were taken away to be scrapped, BoCo was thankful to see them go.

Because of this incident, James was sent o work on the Brendam line while Thomas was kept in his shed at Ffarquhar, the poor engine couldn't even comprehend what had happened but every waking day, tuck away in his shed, the blue engine relives that fateful evening over and over again, ever regretting finding those old push-pull coaches in the yards at Suddery.