A Shock For Bronwyn

Alan, the former ironworks engine, was resting at Crovan's Gate after a long, hot day. Since Geoff had been bought by The Fat Controller for use on his mainline, the works had brought the large red saddle tank as his replacement. He didn't mind his new position, as he didn't have to deal with the Fell twins anymore.

The rain had started to pitter-patter on the shed roof as he dozed happily. He was then woken up by two deep booming whistles and a line of electric engines backing in next to him.

"What are all you lot doing here?" He yawned.

"You wouldn't believe it?!" Billie cackled.

"The only place the electric wire was sagging and Bronwyn stupidly hit it!" Tenby replied.

"Caused a massive power surge and blew the generators up big time." Billie continued. "Poor guys behind, they never looked so stunned."

"I see." Alan yawned again."Well, thanks for bringing them, you two, much appreciated."

"Our pleasure!" The Midland pair laughed as they puffed away, Alan looked over at the electric engines. They all looked rather dishevelled, like the life had been sucked out of them.

"I know it's been hot." Alan wondered. "But how did Bronwyn manage to hit overhead wires?"

"I could tell you if you would like." called a voice, Alan looked next to him and saw Abbey next to him. She seemed to be looking better than her brothers.

"Well, none of us are going anywhere." Alan said. "So, I'm not going to say no."

"Well..." Abbey said as she began her tale.

"Is that a good idea, sir?" Bronwyn asked The Fat Controller. "I didn't think steam engines were allowed on the Peel Godred line because of the steep gradients."

"That may have been the case before Bronwyn." The Fat Controller said, "But our maintenance team has done a fine job in making those gradiants not so steep, besides, from what Mr. Richards has told me. His electric engines need as much help as they can get, so I have assigned you and Tenby to help on passenger traffic."

Bronwyn was doubtful, but with her sunniest smile set off towards Killdane, the junction for the branch line, when she arrived, she met Tenby, who was waiting to cross over, the gold mogul was watching something, something which made him sigh.

"That's enough one of those buzzboxes gone." He said.

"I'm sorry? What?" Bronwyn asked.

"Another electric engine, they've already had Hawin gone, now Peel's gone too." Tenby replied. "Any wonder they need our help."

Browyn looked over sadly as Claire shunted them into the storage sidings, as the weather was hot and all the engines were busy, no one could take them to the works.

"Poor dears." She said to herself, Mr. Richards kept the two mixed traffic engines busy. They were constantly moving to and fro with heavy passenger trains behind them. It was hard work, and the hot weather wasn't making it easy for them. Somehow, they managed to get to Peel Godred without setting the ground alight. By the end of the day, both engines were exhausted.

"I never thought I would live to see the day where I would struggle climbing hills." Browyn panted.

"All this heat is making my boiler warp!" Tenby replied. "I'll blow up before long."

"It's not the hills or the heat I would be worried about." Dane said next to them. "It would be the sagging wires."

"Sagging wires?" Bronwyn and Tenby asked.

"Yep, it happened hundreds of times before." Abbey replied. "Wires get too hot, start to sag and begin melting, once the wiring touches a metal object, kaboom! Everything stops."

Tenby and Bronwyn listened closely, both once engines that worked under the wires, they knew all about the risks.

The next day, relief was had amoungst the staff and crews, rain was forecast followed by a thunderstorm the next day, Bronwyn was waiting at Kirk Machin for Dane to pass with a freight train, the sun was at it's hottest now.

Above her, the wires hummed contently, all  were in fine order with the exception of one part outside the Culdee Fell sheds, Bronwyn and Tenby had been so hard up the grade, hot ash began to melt the wires, the guard blew his whistle and Bronwyn set off, not looking up once.

Before the Std 4 knew it, she noticed a large piece of wire sagging in front of her.

"DRIVER!! BRAKES!!" She cried, but it was too late, Bronwyn passed under the sagging wire, which melted across her boiler. The wires inside hit her boiler, and huge flashes could be seen from miles. The crew bailed to avoid being electrocuted, but poor Bronwyn felt like she had been struck by lightning, the whole branch ground to a halt.

Tenby was back at Killdane when the call came. Both Abbey and Dane had been electrocuted, too, and the mixed traffic engine was to stand by before taking them to the works, time passed before Tenby was given the all clear, Billie had also arrived too, she and Tenby were to take the electric engines away.

"....So that's how we got here." Abbey finished.

Alan was intrigued, yet not at all surprised.

"Electricity and metal don't mix." He said.

Abbey was about to reply when Donald backed in, pushing a rather wet, cold, shocked looking Browyn, Alan looked over at Abbey, then at Bronwyn, and then decided to go back to sleep.

His comment otherwise would have been absolutely shocking.