The Sudrians: The Archive Collection

Standoff

~1955~

Two years, has Ava been apart of working on the Sudrian parts of the railway. She spoke a lot, didn't mind her punishment, and enjoyed listening to others. Peter took special interest in her, and Ava even said that she enjoyed life here more than she did back in London. I wouldn't blame her.

She is an old friend going back from when I die say came to Paddington. So let us begin our story.

Peter and Ava were laughing one morning. Ava was telling one of her stories to the 8F from back in London.

"And then, and then," grinned Ava, "he slid across the rails so much that he collided with a heap of coal!"

Peter almost choked from laughing. "That's," he said, "that's hysterical!!"

Ava gleamed in pride. "Thank you," she replied, "now, tell me something that will make me think the same thing before I came here."

Peter's face dropped for a second. "Well...um-well," he stammered, "there's this one time in 1952, when the first few weeks when I arrived here, Henry blew his tender up."

"Mmmh," replied Ava, not knowing that Peter had finished. The sound of a tug's whistle luckily saved the 8F from an awkward position.

"Hello there you two," said a posh, sounding voice.

"Top Hat!" exclaimed Peter, "hello to you too!"

Top Hat stared at them for a second with suspicion. "Have you seen Percy?" he continued, "he's suppose to bring some empty cans for me three minutes ago. It is rare for him to be this late."

"Well, he has been getting a lot of extra work recently," Ava replied, "he most be backlogging."

"Mmm, he most be so," scowled Too Hat.

There was a peep, and Percy soon came running in with the empty vans Top Hat needed. He looked quite worn out.

"Well it's about time you showed up!" called Top Hat, as Percy came to a stop nearby. "What kept you?"

"Coaches..." replied Percy, who was completely out of breath. "...tight...schedule."

Top Hat huffed. "Better make sure there isn't a tight schedule then," he said indignantly, "hurry up now! Otherwise I'll be late too."

Percy groaned and followed Top Hat to where the vans were needed. Peter sighed as he watched them leave.

***

Percy was overworked.

He kept going backwards and forwards, to the harbour and shunting yards, then to the station and coach shed. Both separated by the town of Tidmouth.

Henry, Gordon and James didn't much to help either.

"Collect my coaches now, otherwise I'll be late. And it'll be your fault,"

"Shunt my trucks, I'm not going near those dirty things."

"Come now Percy, I need my coaches to be shunted out of the station. Trucks aren't as important as grand, express coaches. Now of you pop! Otherwise passengers will be upset by the sitting coaches."

Percy felt terrible in the evening. All the orders and bossing about by the bigger engines. They barely even helped in with shunting their own coaches!

Two hours after the others finished there's. Percy was finishing off his work. He then heard a formal voice. "Hello Percy."

Percy does recognise the voice. But hadn't really been adjusted coming from the man in the top hat that was once the first Fat Controller.