Southern Island Railway

Chapter 18: The Great Western Way, or the LMS Way

Jinty and Smith were working hard to their frames, and needed help. The American Controller looked around, seeing if he could move one of his engines to work, but none were available. It was then he looked in the books, and contacted the Fat Controller.

The next day, Duck the Great Western Railway was brought to the island. He was excited to work on another railway! He was asked to help move around trucks for the minerals that are from the Barrelstone Railway. Duck didn't mind, he knew how to handle trucks.

"Thank you Duck," said Jinty, "We're happy to have some help."

"Of course," said Duck, "It's my pleasure of helping out."

Smith backed down, and said, "Gotta say, it's been easier since you came here."

"Indeed," said Jinty, "As I always say, there are two ways of doing things."

"Oh no," said Smith.

"The way of the LMS, and the Wrong Way," said Jinty.

Duck looked at Jinty, and said, "Don't you mean, the Great Western Way?"

"Great Western Way?" asked Jinty, "I've only known the ways of the LMS. On the LMS, we do our work just fine, without fuss, or complaining."

"The Great Western Way is just that," said Duck, "Whoever heard of something as silly as the way of the LMS."

Jinty hissed steam indignantly, saying, "HOW DARE YOU INSULT THE LONDON, MIDLAND AND SCOTTISH RAILWAY!! WHY I'D ADDA-"

"ENOUGH!!" yelled Smith, already tired of the bickering, "We've all got a busy day ahead of us, so STOP your whining, and go to sleep!"

The two 0-6-0 tank engines just huffed, and went crossly to sleep.

The next day, they were still at it with each other. Jinty would whistle rudely at Duck whenever he passed him, and Duck would hiss steam at Jinty.

Smith tried to make peace between the two, but nothing worked. The trucks themselves were actually getting annoyed. They also preferred Jinty over Duck.

"Who does that green bird think he is?" they said amongst themselves, "Jinty knows best!/Jinty knows how to handle trucks!/He can take his Great Western Way, and shove it!"

The trucks then made a plan. Someone, was going to be their's.

The next day, Duck backed down onto his train, as Dutchess pulled up along side him from the miniature railway.

"Hello, was it Duck, or Montague?" she asked.

Duck saw Dutchess, and said, "It's really Montague, but I prefer Duck to be honest."

"Well Duck," said Dutchess, "I couldn't help but hear you arguing from our sheds with Jinty the other night."

Duck then said, "Beg pardon, I didn't mean to disturb you. It's just that silly tank engine there!"

Duck looked to Jinty, who was getting turned around for his next passenger train.

"Says that the Way of the LMS is better then the Great Western Way!"

"That's what this is about?" asked Dutchess, "Letting heritage get in the way?"

"I'm proud of my heritage!" said Duck, "I'm Great Western, and-"

"You sound just like Jinty!" said Dutchess.

Duck looked at Dutchess, as she said, "Jinty often gets upset when someone says something bad about the LMS. And I can see you must have insulted it for the way you're going about. How would you like it if someone said something horrid about the Great Western Railway?"

Duck looked at Dutchess, and then shamefully at his buffers.

"Yes, there ARE two ways of doing things," said the blue miniature engine, "The wrong way, and the RIGHT way. The Right Way can be called anything, as long as you follow the rules, and have common sense."

The guard's whistle blew, and Duck set off. The trucks, meanwhile, were putting their plan into fruition.

Duck trundled down the line, thinking of what to say to Jinty to make amends. He was so caught up, he didn't hear the trucks whispering. Just then, they started bumping into each other, as they cried, "ON!! ON!! ON!!!"

Duck, caught off guard, raced down the line from being pushed. He tried to break, but it was too much for him on his own! The brakevan was also struggling to help slow down the train as well. Jinty was just going down the line, when he heard Duck whistling!

"LOOK OUT!!" cried Duck.

Jinty, with quick thinking, whistled himself, and the signal man saw Duck rushing down the line towards the train. He quickly changed the points, and diverted Duck into a sighting, and Duck saw a building ahead of him.

He ran through the barrier, and hit the wall. Opening his eyes up, he saw that he had crashed into a barber shop.

"Not again," he groaned, "Pardon my intrusion."

However, the barber was not having any of it.

"No I won't!!" he said, "I won't have engines come crashing through my walls, startling my customers!!"

Duck's face was then covered with shaving cream, and Duck just frowned.

Soon, the mess was being cleaned up, as Jinty said to the trucks, "You should be ashamed of yourselves! You could've caused a serious accident!"

"We're sorry Jinty," said the trucks, "We just didn't like a strange engine being rude to you."

"I appreciate your thoughts," said Jinty, "But this is not the way to go about it."

Jinty then pulled out Duck, as the barber was explained the situation. He then cleaned off the cream from the Pannier Tank, and Duck was taken to the works by Jinty.

"Jinty," said Duck, "I'm sorry about what I said about the LMS. I..... I just only saw the right way of doing things to be the Great Western Way."

"I should apologize as well," said Jinty, "I thought about what I said, and we're both proud of our heritage. But in these times, there's no Great Western Railway, or LMS anymore. But that doesn't mean we can't carry on the legacy of both."

Duck smiled, as he said, "From now on, how about we be friends? Former rivals, now working together!"

Jinty laughed, "Just imagine the builders of our works seeing us now!"

Duck laughed as well.

When Duck returned from the works, Jinty let him take Abby and Daisy, while Jinty took the trucks.

"He's a nice sort of engine," said Abby.

"Wonderful engine as well," said Daisy.

Duck even got an apology from the trucks, which surprised him greatly. Soon, it was time for the Great Western Engine to head home. Jinty was there to see him off, as he said, "Now remember, there are THREE ways of doing things, the Great Western Way,-"

"-The Way of the LMS-," continued Duck.

"And the wrong way," they finished together, "And the first two are the right way!"

They laughed, as Duck was loaded onto a ship, and sent back to Sodor.