The Sudrians: The Archive Collection

Fire-Engine

~1952~

Now first of all, this story was depicted in 1983. But it didn't happen in that year at all. It happened in the year of 1952.

The year Harvey joined the railway, the year Edward got his extensive and well-earned overhaul, and the year the London Midland Region of British Railways came and made a contract with the North Western Region. Of course, the regions were apart of the same railway, but because it was so big they were split into sections. North Western being the obvious smallest and this sheer tinniest, their were only eleven engines running on the railway.

Seven steam engines were officially owned by the North Western, which were of course Thomas, Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy and Toby.

Another three were the electric engines, Ellie, Nelson and Ross.

And the twelfth was Eagle the Midland Engine, who was still being loaned by the private business company.

Because of this lack of engines, it would become more and more difficult for the engines to work. With lack of engines on the mainline and a branch line completely inoperative ever since the older engines were scrapped in the 1930s.

At that time The Fat Controller was running low on money, so he had no choice but to make another deal with the LMS, who agreed to run the Norramby branch line.

But now life was repeating itself, with more and more work. The Fat Controller had to get more engines, but didn't want to buy any at the time. So he decided that other engines from the other regions can come and take mainline trains as well.

Engines such as Regional would come and take passenger trains whilst other engines that were built for goods came and did what they built for and take them to the mainland.

Some engines were friendly, some were not, some were just plain average.

But there was one engine who worked along or lines just as much as Reginald. His name, was Peter.

Peter was a Stannier 8F, built to pull the heaviest of goods trains. His wheel configuration proved it and he would stroll away with any train granted. He was a calm engine, being a bit naive at times but a favourite of us engines.

He was reallocated to this part of the London Midland Region, because he was to collect Aluminium from the Sodor Aluminium Works at Peel Godred, and then take the entire heavy train to the mainland and beyond.

This meant he had to go along the Peel Godred branch. Which of course he didn't mind. He liked taking long journeys here to there, the runs stretch his wheels quite a lot.

One time he said to us, "I had never been able to get a good run back when I was running at Bradford. Now that I'm reallocated to do this job, my wheels have been so much better."

Because of these runs, Peter has a large stannier tender, these tenders are for long distances so they store much more coal and water. Peter looked very smart with it. Even Molly had a good lock at it, much to James' jealousy.

But no one was more jealous, than the green engine himself...

Henry wasn't really a 'Black Five' he had different modifications. Being given the nickname, 'Green Five'. But to Henry's disadvantage, he had a fowler's tender instead of what most of his brothers and sisters had.