The Other Railway Series: Season 1

Episode 10: 1056 and the boulder

Febuary 17th 1923

One morning the engines were sleeping quietly. Until...

PEEEEEEEP PIP PEEEEP!!

The engine woke up startled and look down the yard to see a LMS Compound coming stright towards them.

She came to a stand still and The Old Director stepped down her cab and walked in front of her buffer beam.

"Meet 1056," he said, "she'll help with the light passenger and goods traffic work with Ashfull. Please make her feel welcome."

As he walked away 1056 looked at the engine, its alright," she said, "but I hope I'm not sleeping in it forever."

"Don't worry,'' chuckled Ashfull, "me, you and Anderson and moving up to a bigger station at the top of the island."

"Good," smile 1056.

Soon the engines started talking away. But soon Christen puffed away to shunt some coaches into place for 1056's train.

When the train was shunted into place 1056 was told to back up.

As 1056 sizzled at the station she looked around curiously and then said, "your enterence to your yard is werid."

"That's because we need to save money for the stations, rolling stock, water, coal and other things to keep are railway going," replied Christen.

1056 said nothing and puffed away.

Near the mainline there's a very steep hill and on top of it, there's a boulder.

Even so it isn't fully round, it could easily roll down the hill and on to the tracks.

Some boys were playing around on the hill and saw the boulder. Then one had an idea.

"Hey let's push it down the hill so it goes on to the tracks," he said.

"No," said one.

"People could get hurt or even killed Jack!" quivered another.

But some others and Jack didn't listen, so the other two left.

Soon, the boys were pushing boulder and with a heave they manage to move boulder out of place and it's place and rolled down the hill smashing the fence and came to a stop on to the rails.

The boys just laugh and ran. Unknown to then 1056 was puffing stright towards it.

By the time she saw it, it was to late.

1056 opened her eyes to find herself tilted sideways on the ground. Her passengers weren't serverly hurt, just some cuts and broises and her driver was exsamerning her whilst the fireman wentvto get help.

He did so and Ashfull came in with . But as 1056 was being put back on to firm rails, she saw somethink shining in the boulder.

"Sir," she said to her driver, "whats that in the boulder?"

The driver looked and was amazed. "Well bless me," he exclaimed, "it's a crystel."

The men camed to look at it and by the time it was lifted on to a flatbed. People had came to see it.

1056 said nothing in the shed that night but The Old Director said to her that she will had a new coat of paint, new parts and a naming ceramony afterwards.

The other engines didn't say anythink ethier but they did do a some sort crack that a rock makes when it brakes.

1056 thought that they had a very weird sense of humor.