Diesel's Return

**Diesel's Return**

By Bluebell55

The weather was terrible on the Island of Sodor. Wind swirled around and rain covered the island.  On the Little Western, there was a bridge going over a river. The water levels were rising due to the extensive amounts of rain. The weak supports began to break away. The bridge was not stable enough for an engine to go over it. Later, Oliver was talking to Edward, Bill and Ben.  “Be Careful,” warned Edward. “The rain has made the tracks very slippery,” he continued.

“Yes very slippery,” chuckled Bill.

“So be careful,” laughed Ben. Then Oliver heard a whistle.

“Best be going, my trains due to leave,” said Oliver and he left in a cloud of smoke. The rain had begun again and Oliver didn’t like it. “Bother this weather,” he said. “Let’s get home quick.”

“We’ll do our best Oliver,” said his driver. Oliver continued to go down the line. Rain swirled around his boiler. “Be careful now Oliver,” cautioned his driver as they approached the bridge. Then the fireman noticed the missing supports.

“STOP”, he cried. Oliver braked hard but he kept on going. SCHRRRCH! Oliver had hit some iron, damaging his buffer beam. He was now stuck on the bridge.

“Help!” he cried. The bridge began to break. “Oh dear” Oliver groaned. Oliver began to fall through the bridge. The fireman quickly jumped out and phoned for help and soon Duck arrived. Duck managed to get Oliver back on the rails.

“Don’t worry Oliver, it happens to the best of us,” said Duck. Oliver's buffer beam was dented and broken. The manager and Sir Topham Hatt arrived.

“This was not your fault Oliver, but you can’t work with buffer beam like that.” said Sir Topham Hatt “We’ll have to send for a new engine, with Donald at the works as well,” sighed the Manager.  Sir Topham Hatt phoned the other railway, which had one spare engine. He arrived the next day.  His name was Diesel and he had been to the island of Sodor before and he caused lots of trouble. Douglas and Duck were not happy to see him.

“Hello Duck, Douglas,” purred Diesel. “You have to do the work of the two other engines, but with me around it will feel like normal,” Diesel announced proudly.

“Oh shut up and just get to work, laddie,” said Douglas. Diesel behaved for a few days, but one day Diesel was taking a goods train with Toad.

“Be careful on the points Mr Diesel,” cautioned Toad. “It goes across the main line where Gordon takes the Express.” “Shut up you silly Brakevan,” Snapped Diesel rudely.

“I do know what I’m doing.” When Diesel got to the points though, he was moody and didn’t want go. “I’m tired and I want a rest,” demanded Diesel.

“Move you great silly engine,” said his driver. But he wouldn’t. Gordon was happily steaming along on the main line when he saw Toad sticking out on the points.

“Look out!” cried Gordon. Just in time, Diesel moved out of the way. That night Sir Topham Hatt was very cross with Diesel.

“That was very silly behavior and I will not accept on my railway,” said Sir Topham Hatt crossly. “Yes sir,” muttered Diesel. A few days later Diesel was organizing some trucks for Douglas.

“Hurry up,” said Douglas impatiently.

“I’m in no rush, you silly steamie, so shut up!” snapped Diesel rudely. Douglas puffed away grumpily. Diesel spoke to Douglas’s trucks later that day. “Can you bump Douglas for me?” asked Diesel. The trucks laughed and giggled. They had never been asked to bump an engine and the loved it. The next day Diesel went to the yards to pick up some trucks when the manager came.

“Douglas is a runaway, can you stop him?” said the manager quickly.

“We’ll try our best,” replied the driver and the raced away. Diesel felt bad as he remembered what he told the trucks. Diesel soon managed to catch up to Douglas.

“I’ll go in front of you and break,” said Diesel. “Then you break too.”

“Okay laddie, be quick now,” said Douglas. Diesel rushed across the points and buffered up to Douglas. The 2 engines braked hard. The strain was heavy, but the 2 engines did their best and slowly managed to stop.

“I’m so sorry,” said Diesel. “I told those trucks to bump you.”

“It’s okay, you saved me and I’m sorry for being rude yesterday,” replied Douglas. Sir Topham Hatt arrived and Diesel told him everything.

“Hm, I will have to send you back to the other railway as Oliver is coming back,” he said. “But you are always welcome back here.” Diesel was happy. The next day, Diesel left as Oliver returned. All the engines were happy that he was back, but they were also sad to see Diesel leave. They now know, Diesel or Steamie, you can still be really useful.

## Characters

Diesel

Oliver

Duck

Douglas

The manager

Sir Topham Hatt

Edward

Bill and Ben

Oliver's driver

Oliver's Fireman

Donald *(mentioned)*

## Loactions

The old Bridge

The yards