Blisters

**Blisters** is the 8th episode of Season 2

## Plot

There are two twin diesels on the Arlesdale Railway. They do not have real names, but have been given the collective nickname of "The Blisters." This name was given to them by Donald, for the problems they had with their engines in the snow.The Small Controller, on the other hand, says they are called the Blisters because they show up when the work is done, like a blister shows up on a hand after a hard day's work. The two diesels do tend to be lazy, and also quite troublesome, but the other engines are generally fond of them. All of them except Frank, another diesel on the Railway. Frank tends to be grumpy, especially when Blister I and Blister II were around.

One night, Frank was hard at work. He was moving some trucks under the coal hopper. It had been a busy day, and he was very tired. So tired, in fact, that he fell asleep right under the hopper! Unfortunately, Blister I and Blister II had seen him, and saw a chance for mischief. They told the workmen to unload the coal into the trucks. The particular workman was not very experienced, and didn't even see Frank under the hopper, until it was too late! Coal dumped all over him. Frank wasn't sleepy now; he was furious!

"You foolish engines!" Frank exclaimed, "Can't you see I'm sleeping here?"

"Doesn't look like you're sleeping to me," Blister I said cheekily.

"But I was!"

"Sleeping on the job, eh Frankie?" Blister II said, with a great deal of sarcasm in his tone, "That sounds really useful!"

Frank scowled. "We diesels have a position to keep up! On this island, steam is much more favoured, and I solely hope to change that! I'm sure you can imagine how hard it is to do that with engines like you making a mess of things everywhere you go!"

"Yeesh," said Blister II, "Someone needs to take a deep breath, and..."

"I will do no such thing!" Cried Frank, "Now move these trucks away, and for Stephenson's sake, get this coal off of me!"

"That's not something that *we* can do," chuckled Blister I, "You're gonna have to get the workmen to do *that*."

"Just get out of my sight and let me sleep!"

"Whatever you say, Frankie!" Teased Blister II.

The two diesels lauged and scuttled to their shed.

"Those roustabouts! I can't get a minute of sleep with those scallywags around!"

Next morning, the Arlesdale Railway had a quiet day. The engines stayed in the shed for a while, as the first train had no passengers. Mike had not slept well last night, and was eagar to let everyone know.

"It's disgraceful! Bert's being repaired for the third time this month, and the noise is the most obnoxious thing I've ever heard!" He grumbled.

"Second only to you after a poor night's sleep," teased Rex.

"I'm sure *none* of you would ever understand what I go through to get a good night's sleep on a daily basis!" Said Frank, angrily.

"If I ever could understand what went on behind that ugly bulb on your face, my mind would never be the same again! And not in a good way!" Mike said rudely. Frank stammered, at a loss for words.

"I got plenty of sleep," Jock proclaimed proudly, "I'm ready for anything."

"I *could* be if those blistering imbeceles hadn't dump coal all over me last night!" Frank exclaimed.

"By 'blistering imbeceles,' do you mean the Blister twins?" Jock asked.

"No, I mean Bert!" Grumbled Frank sarcastically.

"How dare you call Bert 'blistering imbeceles!" Mike shouted, "He's *a* blistering *imbecele*!"

"I meant the Blister twins!"

"You could've just said that!" Yelled Mike.

"I would've assumed you'd catch on!" Said Frank crossly, "I suppose it's my fault for expecting an idiot like yourself to catch onto *anythin'**g*****!"**

"That *was* a big mistake on your part!" Said Rex cheekily.

"Oh, stow it Rex!" Shouted Frank, infuriated, "I don't need your input!"

"Sheesh!" Said Jock, "Someone's in a bad mood!"

"What else is new?" Said Mike.

Then the Small Controller walked in. "Alright, calm down everyone. Jock, you'll be taking the first goods train today."

"Yes, Si..." Started Jock, but Frank interrupted.

"Excuse me, Sir. May *I* take it?" Inquired Frank.

"I'm not sure. It's quite heavy. Why do you even want to?"

"Well, it will be a good chance to stretch my wheels, and... TO GET AS FAR AWAY FROM THESE NIMRODS AS POSSIBLE!" Exclaimed Frank.

"Well, goodness!" Said the Small Controller, "If you insist, I suppose so, if you're so sure. The Blisters are shunting it right now."

"Yes, thank you, Sir. That'll be ver-WHAT?!?"

So Frank trundled to the yards, where the two little diesels were shunting.

"Looky here!" Said Blister I, "Looks like ol' Frankie's gonna be taking this one!"

"Well, in that case, let's make sure we shunt it 'extra special,' for our 'special friend,'" giggled Blister II.

"Oh, what are you mumbling about?" Grunted Frank, "Just shunt my trucks before I get mad!"

"He can get more mad?" Asked Blister I cheekily.

"Well, I guess we'd better get his trucks ready before he gets more mad!" Said Blister II slyly.

Blister II winked at his twin, and the two diesels chuckled as they continued working. Soon, it was ready.

"No tricks?" Asked Frank, doubtfully.

"No tricks," assured the diesels.

"So, there won't be any issues? At all?"

"Of course not," said Blister I.

"You can trust us!" Said Blister II.

Frank clattered away, with the trucks in tow. He was sure the twins had played some sort of trick, but he didn't know what.

"Oh, it doesn't matter anyways," he said to himself, "I'm ready for anything!"

But he wasn't. He soon came to the top of a hill. He thought the trucks might plan to push him down, so he gave them a bump. Frank didn't realize that the two diesels had organized their shunting so that an old truck with a faulty coupling was in front. When Frank bumped them, the coupling came loose, and the trucks thundered down the hill!

"Hurrah! Hurrah!" The ballast hoppers giggled, "We've broken away!"

"Oh!" Gasped Frank, "I knew they'd done something!" And he gave chase.

Frank chased the trucks all the way to the yard. In the yard, the trucks were sent to go onto the siding. Once they passed, they crashed into the buffers. No one was hurt, but more trouble lay ahead. The signalman reset the points to go into the shed, but Frank was still racing down the rails! With the momentum he had picked up on the hill, he wasn't able to stop and crashed into the back of the shed!

"Well!" Remarked Frank, "This is unpleasant! Where are those numbskulls?"

The two diesels clattered nearby.

"Whoops!" Lauged Blister I, "I guess that was the wrong truck!"

"Just shut up and get me out of here! I'm getting a strong feeling of deja vu, anyways."

"You got it, Frankie!" Teased Blister II.

The two diesels pulled Frank out of the shed. The Small Controller was cross.

"Frank, I am disappointed. I trusted you with this job, and this is what happens?"

"But Sir! It was those two diesels! They shunted a truck with a bad coupling to the front! That's why they broke away!"

"Is this true?"

"Sorry, Sir," faultered the diesels.

The Small Controller was very cross. He told the diesels that they would have to stay in the back of the shed for the rest of the week.

"This is going to be the longest week ever!" They complained. And it truly was.

## Characters

* Mike
* Rex
* Jock
* Frank
* Blister I and Blister II
* Fergus Duncan
* Donald (*mentioned*)
* Bert (*mentioned*)

## Gallery

640-20.pngFrank about to crash into the back of the shed640-19.png