The "Ghost" Warrior

**The "Ghost" Warrior** is the eighth episode of the first season.

## Plot

On the Mid Sodor Railway was an old mine where Bertram the Old Warrior used to work. A few years back, it had been rediscovered by Toby who was taking the Fat Controller and his grandchildren on an expedition. Bertram had also been found and he was put immediately back into service, while the old mine was restored and turned into a tourist attraction with a huge fairground where Toby, Skarloey, Rheneas and Bertram would often bring passengers. But nowadays, Bertram regularly works on the Skarloey Railway, leaving the mine mostly unoccupied.

One sunny afternoon, Bertram was showing tourists around the mine. "And see that spot over there?" he said to the passengers.

"Yes?" they all responded.

"That was the spot where I was left abandoned for years until a brown tram engine came along and found me." Bertram told them.

"I see, interesting," commented an elderly man.

"So why exactly are you called the 'Old Warrior'?" One man asked.

"Well, a couple of reasons actually," puffed Bertram. "Don't want to sound too smug about it, but one time on my old railway, there was this engine that had an accident on the mountain line and he was dangling dangerously over the edge of the cliff. But luckily, I immediately chuffed into action and pulled him back to safety. But that's not all, and what you're going to be hearing now ladies and gentlemen is the true reason why they call me the Old Warrior. You all knew that I was left abandoned in this mine for years, but guess what? Throughout my whole time being abandoned in this mine, I never felt scared once because I was sensible enough to know that ghosts don't exist."

The passengers were amazed. "Wow, you're indeed brave!" gasped an elderly woman, which appeared to be one of Dowager Hatt's friends.

"Not even my husband would do such a thing, and he's always boasting that he's brave, when he clearly isn't." chuckled another.

"Neither is my brother," added a man.

Bertram chuckled at the passengers. "Anyway, shall we continue the tour?"

"Yes, indeed!" replied an elderly man. "This is your mine after all."

"Well I wouldn't say mine, but thanks anyway," said Bertram. "Now with all that out of the way, where shall we go next?"

"The fairground!" cried a little boy in excitement and that's where Bertram headed next. As the passengers disembarked, Toby arrived with Henrietta who was full to the brim with passengers.

"Hello Bertram, how's your tour been so far?" asked Toby.

"Fine, thank you Toby," replied Bertram, "the mine's never quiet these days... well in the summer that is."

Toby chuckled. "I've just came with some tourists from the Fat Controller's railway," he said. "We were going to take them to the beach, but they decided to visit here instead." And out of Henrietta came the Fat Controller's grandchildren, Stephen and Bridget, along with the Fat Controller himself dressed in a shirt and shorts.

"Grandfather, can we go on the carousel?" asked Bridget Hatt.

"Quick, there's a massive cue!" cried Stephen.

"Be patient, you two," groaned the Fat Controller who was licking on an ice lolly. "I knew we should've went to the beach instead."

Toby and Bertram chuckled at their antics. "As we were saying Bertram, what are you doing right now?" asked Toby.

"I'm showing tourists around the mine," Bertram replied. "And then tonight I'm keeping guard of this place to make sure that no trespassers enter."

"Seems like a suitable job for a brave engine like you," remarked Toby. "Even an old engine like me wouldn't be able to not feel scared if I was doing that job."

At the carousel, Stephen and Bridget Hatt were lined up in the cue while the Fat Controller was sat licking on his ice lolly. The sun was shining brightly and the Fat Controller was sweating profusely. "Oh, I might as well take off my top hat and buy a resort hat from that store." he muttered to himself.

"Like a safari hat sir?" teased Toby.

The Fat Controller looked at Toby and scowled. "Don't remind me please, Toby!" he scolded as he walked over to the hat store.

Bertram chuckled. "It seems like your controller's not in a good mood, is he?"

"Maybe the sun's gotten to him," suggested Toby. "Bertram, I'd love to stay and talk with you, but unfortunately I have more tourists to deliver. I'll see you later." and Toby puffed away.

Bertram on the other hand just stayed and watched people laughing and cheering on the carousel. "That's me done for the day," he puffed to himself. "Right now I need a rest, and fresh air." And with that, the Old Warrior chuffed away to the depot.

At the depot, all the engines were resting in the sheds when Bertram came in. He was red in the face and felt very warn-out.

"What's wrong Bertram, you look warn off your wheels?" observed Peter Sam.

"I know, I am indeed," Bertram replied softly. "I've had a busy day over at the mine. People coming and going, it's just non stop."

"But don't you have Toby and Rheneas helping you?" asked Sir Handel. "I know Skarloey's away, but surely you weren't showing all the tourists around on your own."

"Oh yes I was," puffed Bertram. "Besides Toby and Rheneas were already busy with their own loads of passengers."

"Exactly," cut in Rheneas. "I was taking holidaymakers to the beach and they were all begging me to take them to the old mine."

"All my passengers did was moan about it being too hot in the carriages," muttered Duke. "I must say, the passengers on this railway are nowhere near like the ones on the Mid Sodor Railway. On that railway, I used to pull this train called the 'picnic train' every morning from ten o'clock until tea time. I would stop at every station on the line to let the passengers have a good glimpse of the sights, and they never complained once to me whether it was due to being too hot or constantly pleading to take them somewhere. Times have changed drastically."

"I agree with you, Duke," said Bertram. "The good old days shan't be forgotten."

The sun shone brightly like a blazing beam of light and all the engines felt very exhausted and warn out.

"Och, I'm so hot," groaned Duncan.

"We all are Duncan, with this heat," murmured Peter Sam.

"It's a shame we can't lick ice lollies," joked Sir Handel.

"Aye, I would lick one right noow if I was more hotter," admitted Duncan.

"Surely all of us would Duncan," agreed Rheneas.

"Well, luckily I don't have any more jobs to do until tonight," chuffed Bertram. "I'm guarding the old mine."

"Dinna ever get scared?" quizzed Duncan.

"Me? Oh no, they call me the Old Warrior for a reason you know," Bertram boasted. "I ain't afraid of no ghost. They aren't a problem with me at all."

"Alright that doesn't mean you have to boast about it," retorted Sir Handel, "we came to the sheds to rest."

"Oh do show Bertram some respect, Falcon," scolded Duke.

"Huh, respect? If he's constantly bragging that he isn't afraid of ghosts? Pah!" Bertram started bragging to the other engines about how he became the Old Warrior and his past. His constant bragging was irritating the others, especially Sir Handel who blew his whistle loudly. "Can't you just shut it for once?!" he yelled. "All you do is talk about your past!"

Bertram felt a little offended. "Sorry Sir Handel, I didn't mean any harm really," and he became completely silent. Sir Handel snorted, while receiving a glare from Duke. "Imprudent scallywag!"

Soon, night fell and fog was approaching the Skarloey Railway. Bertram's driver had arrived to start up his engine. "Alright Bertram, we must get going now." he said.

Bertram yawned. "Alright… just give me a second."

Sir Handel snickered. "Be careful out there," he teased, "you never know what may randomly show up at the mine, a ghost perhaps?"

"Shut up, Falcon!" snapped Duke.

"Oh, don't be such a teaser Sir Handel," laughed Bertram. "I can assure you there's never a ghost at the mine, even if there was one, I'd scared it away. Hence why they call me the Old Warrior."

"And there he goes again, showing-off as per normal," huffed Sir Handel.

Bertram was now ready to leave for the mine. "Goodbye everyone!" he whistled as he chuffed out of the depot.

"Goodbye Duke!" whistled the engines in return including Sir Handel who couldn't help but snicker. All the engines glared at him. "What, what did I do?"

"You shouldn't talk to the Old Warrior like that!" said Duke gravely. "You never know what could happen if you were disrespectful towards him."

"Perhaps Bertram's ghost will come after you, Sir Handel." chuckled Peter Sam and the others laughed at his joke. Sir Handel was embarrassed and became immediately silent.

"Well that shut that scallywag up, didn't it?" smiled Duke. But in reality, Sir Handel felt a little worried for Bertram. What if there was a ghost haunting his mine?

Meanwhile, Bertram was chuffing through the misty valleys of the countryside. He wasn't scared of any old ghost. After all he is named the Old Warrior. "The mist is too thick," Bertram complained, "I can barely see a thing."

"We're almost there now, so there's need to worry," soothed his driver.

Bertram had arrived at his old mine. The mine didn't look as light hearted as it did in the daytime with the fairground closed and no engines or people in sight. "Ugh, I don't see the point of doing this job anymore," grumbled Bertram. "It made sense years ago because I was obviously abandoned here. Now's different, I'm a working engine just like the rest, and the mine's much more light hearted than it used to be, I just don't see the point."

"The Thin Controller's orders, I'm afraid," said his driver. "I suppose this mine is a common target for vandals. Surely you've seen vandals Don't forget you know a lot about this mine more than any other engine."

"I suppose," Bertram was now keeping watch of the mine from inside a tunnel. The mist was very thick making it hard for Bertram to see ahead of him. "No one here so far," he muttered to himself, "I honestly feel like going to sleep."

"You can't go to sleep now," exclaimed his driver.

"Well, have you had any sleep yet?" retorted Bertram.

"Yes I have actually, while you were at the sheds," the driver replied. "It was a nice sleep as well."

"But where's the fireman?" quizzed Bertram. "Didn't he come along with you?"

"Unfortunately the fireman fell ill so he wasn't able to make it," was the reply. "But I suppose we can manage without him. We aren't really going anywhere."

"But still, what if I ran out of coal and needed more for the morning?"

"There's a coal hopper just over there, you can simply refill on that."

"Alright driver, enough chit chat. Just let me do my job, thank you," snorted Bertram. The Old Warrior continued to keep a lookout for trespassers, there was still no one around. All of a sudden, chuffing sounds could be heard in the distance.

"I can hear something," whispered the driver.

"So can I," agreed Bertram. The chuffing sounds were coming closer. "Who's there?" demanded Bertram. "Whoever this is, be off with you! You're not welcome here!"

But the only response was a menacing laugh. "Hahahaha!!!"

"Show yourself at once, and get out of here!" roared Bertram.

"Mwahahahaha!!!"

"I'm being serious, get out!" Bertram bellowed.

"Hahahaha!!! You have no right to tell me what to do!" came an eerie gruff voice.

"Yes I can, this is my mine, I used to work here, and like I said, show yourself at once!"

"No!!! No one must know my identity, I am your worst nightmare!" hissed the voice.

"But... who are you then?" stammered Bertram. "Some trespasser?"

"No, I'm who you think," replied the voice.

"Um, do I really know anyone on this railway with a secret identity?" pondered Bertram.

"Uh, Proteus?" his driver answered.

"No, I don't think Proteus would speak in an eerie voice like this engine."

"Rusty's ghost engine?"

"No!" Bertram hissed, the voice laughed insanely. "Well, even if you have a secret identity, you must be out of here at once!"

"Hehehehe!! You can't make me!" cackled the voice.

"Why not?" questioned the Old Warrior bravely.

"Because I'm... a ghost! Mwahahahaha!!!"

Bertram was confused. "This isn't a trick, right?" he asked sternly.

"Oh no it isn't, I am a ghost, I can roam this mine for you, Old Warrior! Mwahahaha!!!"

Bertram gulped, something wasn't right. "Just admit it, are you a ghost or not?"

"Hehehehe!! I'll show you," replied the voice and he came into view. As Bertram squinted into the fog, he saw a black electric locomotive with a freelance design, resembling a beetle. "Now do you think otherwise?" snarled the ghost.

Bertram was horrified, not because he was scared, but because of what the ghost actually was. "The Ministry of Defence?" he cried. "W-What are you doing here?"

"Hehehehe!!! Various reasons," replied the Ministry of Defence. "One, I'm to roam this mine once I'm done with you. Two, I'll be taking your place once you're scrapped!" and he laughed menacingly.

Bertram tried to be brave. "You can't do it, I'm the Old Warrior, I was given that nickname for a reason you know."

"Hahahaha!!! Well it won't be long before I turn you into a rusty kettle and your mine is left for me to roam, how exciting is that?"

"Uh..." Bertram was lost in words despite being called the Old Warrior and never feeling afraid of ghosts. "So what do you say?!" grinned the Ministry of Defence.

"Uh... uh," Bertram's boiler ran cold. He didn't know what to do. He was never normally afraid of ghosts, but this ghost was too much for him. "I'm outta heeeeere!!!" The Old Warrior cried and he shot forward out of the mine as fast as his wheels and driver would let him.

"Oh, no you don't!" snarled the Ministry of Defence. "You're to stay here and let me turn you into a rusty kettle, understand?!"

But Bertram wasn't listening, he was out of the mine within seconds. "Phew, I'm safe," he puffed to himself, but to his surprise the Ministry of Defence was right behind him. "But! How?!"

"Hahahaha!!! I'm invincible," replied the Ministry of Defence. "I can teleport anywhere!" and he appeared in front of Bertram again.

"Great, now I'm stranded," shrieked Bertram. "Somebody, heeelp!!!" But there was nobody around to help him, it was just him and the Ministry of Defence.

"You think you'll be getting help? Not anymore, mwhahahaha!!!" The Ministry of Defence chased Bertram all the way down the line. Suddenly, his eyes lit up bright red as he let out a menacing laugh. "Any last words Bertram?!?!"

When Bertram saw the Ministry of Defence's eyes light up, his face went as pale as ever. "YIIIKKEEES!!!!" he wailed and with all the steam he had in him, Bertram reversed far off into the mist.

"Hey! Come back heeere!!!" shouted the Ministry of Defence, but Bertram was already out of sight. "Huh... Old Warrior? More like Old Worrier! Hehehehe!!!"

At the depot, the engines were all sleeping peacefully in their sheds when... "He's coming after meeeeee!!!!" Bertram came racing into the yard screaming in horror. The narrow gauge engines woke with a start.

"What's... going on?" yawned Rheneas. Then he saw Bertram rush quickly in very pale-faced. "Bertram?!" But Bertram didn't reply as he reversed into his shed and dared to speak a single word.

"What's all the noise about?" grumbled Sir Handel. "I was having a nice dream."

"Whut time is it?" mumbled Duncan sleepily.

"Bertram, are you alright?" demanded Duke. "You look like you've just seen a ghost." But he got no answer.

"That's strange to see Bertram scared," puffed Rheneas. "Something clearly isn't right."

"Did he encounter a ghost at his mine?" questioned Peter Sam.

This was the moment where Bertram finally spoke. "Y-y-y-yes..." he answered, still horrified. "...it wanted t-t-to turn me i-into... a s-s-scrap k-kettle..."

"Scrap kettle?" exclaimed Rheneas.

"Can I hear Bertram being a wimp?" scoffed Sir Handel. "You've got to admit that it does serve him right for boasting about being brave... and to add onto that, waking us up in the middle of the night."

"Aye, whut he said," Duncan agreed.

"Come on Sir Handel and Duncan, this is serious," said Rheneas gravely.

"But it's true," Sir Handel protested. "Surely everyone here agrees, right?"

"Enough now, please!" spluttered Duke. "Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?"

"Sorry Granpuff, not my fault," said Sir Handel cheekily.

"So Bertram, will you be returning to your mine?" asked Peter Sam.

"Do tell us about what happened," said Rheneas, but Bertram was already fast asleep. He had had enough of ghosts for one night. "Oh, never mind."

"I'd say we should just leave him, and give him some space," suggested Duke. "Now can we get back to sleep please?"

"Sure thing," replied the engines and soon they were all asleep again. Bertram, on the other hand, couldn't help but have nightmares about what he had experienced that night.

(*Bertram's nightmare begins*)

"(gasps) No! Ministry of Defence engine, what have you done to my mine?!"

"Hahahaha!!! It's all mine now! Any engine that dares to pass through here from now on will be scrapped, and that includes you... Mwahahahaha!!!"

"No, stop it, please! Please!!!!"

(*Bertram's nightmare ends*)

"No! Huh?" Bertram woke up, nearly jumping off the rails. "Was that another nightmare?"

From that night onwards, Bertram continued to have nightmares about the Ministry of Defence. He would explain the whole situation to the Thin Controller and he agreed to never let Bertram stay at the mine at night again. At least the mine was light hearted during the daytime. Ever since that very day, Bertram has a strong theory that on a misty gloom lit night. The Ministry of Defence will be roaming the rails of his mine waiting for an engine to pass by so he can scrap them. But I personally don't believe in that theory. Do you?

## Characters

* Toby
* Rheneas
* Sir Handel
* Peter Sam
* Duncan
* Duke
* Bertram
* The Ministry of Defense Engine
* The Fat Controller
* Stephen Hatt
* Bridget Hatt
* One of Dowager Hatt's Friends
* Rusty (*does not speak*)
* Henrietta (*does not speak*)
* Skarloey (*flashback; does not speak*)
* Emily (*cameo*)
* Mighty Mac (*cameo*)
* Bertie (*cameo*)
* Bulgy (*cameo*)
* Madge (*cameo*)
* Proteus (*mentioned*)
* Rusty's Ghost Engine (*mentioned*)
* The Thin Controller (*mentioned*)
* Dowager Hatt (*mentioned*)

## Locations

* Bertram's Old Mine
* Skarloey Railway Depot
* Sodor Castle
* Castle Loch Causeway
* Tidmouth Bay (*flashback*)

## Trivia

* A flashback from the fifth season television episode *Toby's Discovery* is used. References to said episode and the twentieth season television episode *Buckled Tracks and Bumpy Trucks* are also made.
* The clothing that the Fat Controller wears in this episode is the same as in the twentieth season television episodes *Ryan and Daisy* and *The Way She Does It*.