The Sudrians: The Archive Collection

The Spectre Of The Viaduct

~1955~

It was dark evening on Sodor, autumn time had arrived and now the green leaves were turning organs and yellow. With the flowers dying out and brown earth fields were seen across the island.

Henry waited next to the first platform at Tidmouth. He was to take the final passenger train for the night before Edward and Gordon's night train services.

The big green engine was waiting at the platform patiently, when he heard a familiar voice.

"Hullo Henry! Been a while, hasn't it?"

Henry beamed brightly, his mood shone up so fast that it could beat an the Mallard.

"Wilbert Awdry!" exclaimed Henry, "yes of course it has been so long!"

Wilbert chuckled. "Listen," he said, "I'll be taking the train to Vicarstown, so when you get there, I want to have a private conversation with you at the sheds there."

"I wonder why?" chuckled Henry.

Wilbert smiled, but as he got into a coach, it changed to pitiful glance at the green engine.

Henry stormed the island, his speed ever increasing as he travelled along the mainline. He reached the station at the other end of the line just before the moon had risen from the sea.

But when as he was waiting for the passengers to disembarked, he saw a London Midland engine with BR green, standing sadly in the old station pilot siding.

"What's up with them?" he pondered. Then the stationmaster came up to his crew.

"I'm sorry about this," he said, "but right now an engine was going to take a train to Glasgow but has failed, you're the only engine available so you'll have to take it."

Henry gaped. "I can't," he said, "I have trains here to look after!"

"I'm sorry," replied the stationmaster, "but right now these passengers need to get to their destinations and with how British Railways is showing the public on how 'reliable' they are, we need this urgently. Don't worry control will have everything sorted after you've returned when you reach the end of your trip."

Henry sighed, and stubbornly agreed. Wilbert was surprised to see Henry back down into another train half an hour, especially one that was heading in the direction of the mainland.

"Sorry Wilbert," apologised Henry, but engines breaking down and all sorts. Can the news wait."

Wilbert looked at Henry, then smiled. "Of course," he said kindly.

Henry smiled back, and with a blast of his whistle, he left the station with long and heavy train. Wilbert watched with his glasses sparkling under the moonlight.

***

I and the most of the other engines were a bit shocked on Henry leaving to go to Scotland for a while. But once being told on why, we understood.

We just continued our daily routines with even not having Henry.

Eagle the midland engine tended to help out on the work whilst the fleet had lost an engine. Even Ava was allowed sometimes encase necessary.

A week later we were still managing to keep the workload going. One night, I was in the yards with Peter and Ava. I was to take a small handful of goods until I reached Killdane, where one of the electric engines would take the rest on down their branch line.

Peter and Ava were just there to see me off and have small talk. Well only one for talking.

"Y'know," started Peter, "that the Americans do this trick or treat thing for halloween."