The Sudrians: The Archive Collection

Helicopters, Races & Promises

~1955~

Cold, wet and miserable.

Percy sat on the branch line. With Annie and Clarabel twittering anxiously to each other. He didn't like this at all. Not one bit. The rain paltered down onto his green, saddle tank. Water droplets going down it as quickly as they had arrived.

The small pond of water splashed beneath Percy's footplate, after they had filled up halfway to his wheels.

He sighed and shivered, he was hoping that something will bring hope to him soon...

***
~Two Weeks Earlier~

Percy was enjoying himself at building the new harbour at Thomas' junction. Bringing loaded stone from the top station, and bringing it back down. Toby would help too, but some trains were too heavy for the tram engine, and Percy would sometimes take his trains.

Thomas was pleased with how Percy was getting on at the harbour. He would sometimes visit the place and see how it doing.

"Great job Percy!" he beamed, one morning. "the Fat Controller will be pleased with how well you're doing here!"

An airfield was built, a few years before I arrived to the railway. A helicopter had came there too, and now whirled about the skies. Mainly going over Percy whilst he worked.

Percy hated it dreadfully. "Stuck-up whirly bird thing," he grumbled to Thomas. "Why can't it buzz somewhere else?"

Thomas didn't say anything. He and Toby has to put up with the helicopter for a while now, and had gotten use to it's loud noise. Percy, stubbornly refuse to.

One day, Percy met the helicopter whilst on his way back to the branch line. A signal was red and he had to stop next to the airfield, right where the helicopter was sitting near the line.

"Hello," said the helicopter, a posh accent that was too much for Percy's liking. "I've seen you around here a lot recently. I'm Harold, who are you?"

"I'm Percy," replied Percy, "what whirly great arms you've got!"

"They're nice arms," said Harold, "I can hover like a bird. Don't you wish you could hover?"

"Certainly not," whooshed Percy indignantly, "I like my Rails thank you!"

"I think railways are slow," said Harold, "they're no use and quite out of date."

Percy's eyes widen. He was about to reply on Harold's rude comment, when his pilot hopped into the helicopter. "Come on!" he called to Harold, "we need to go!"

"Splendid!" cried Harold, his arms began to spin, faster and faster. Wind began to fly into Percy's face, making him loose his air. "Goodbye Percy! I hope to see you quite soon!"

Harold took off to the sky. Leaving Percy fuming down below on the ground.

***

"Ah! There's Ethan," called Percy's driver, as the fireman walked his way through the rain.

"So? What did the signalman say?" asked the driver, as the fireman got into the safety of Percy's cab.

"Well, the rain is apparently going to slow down in a few minutes," replied the fireman, "so if the weather continues to get better, they might send in air support."

Percy sighed miserably. The water was now getting deeper and deeper beneath his wheels, and he was getting colder and colder.

***