Transcript/Nia and the Trouble With the Twins

**Narrator:** After she had been refitted and repainted, The Fat Controller had arranged to have Nia the Kenyan Engine live with Edward on his branch line. She delivers goods trains with BoCo or when he is away on the Main Line. She also shunts trucks for him and Edward in Wellsworth Yards. Nia became instant friends with the two engines because of their kindness and wise advice. In fact, they were the only friends Nia has had in a long time.

**Nia:** “This is only a branch line, but it’s much bigger than my old railway. And it’s nice having a few engines to help me with all this work.”

**Narrator:** One day, Nia was asked to take some empty trucks down to Brendam Docks. They were needed for Bill to take to the China Clay Pits. But when she arrived, she didn’t know where he was or where to park her trucks.

**Nia:** “Wow. This dockyard is huge. The sidings could be anywhere.”

**Bill:** “Oh, hello. Sorry I’m late, I had to fill up on water.”

**Nia:** “Oh, are you Bill?”

**Bill:** “Indeed I am. You can park your trucks over on the sidings over there. They’re not hard to miss.”

**Nia:** “Okay, thank you Bill.”

**Narrator:** But Nia, being new to Edward’s branch line, was not aware about Bill and Ben and their tricks. She didn’t see Ben cheekily hiding nearby, when she shunted her trucks into the south sidings.

**Ben:** “What d’you think you’re doing?! I told you to leave those trucks in the north sidings.”

**Nia:** “But, you told me to park them here.”

**Ben:** “No I didn’t. I said the sidings at the top.”

**Narrator:** Nia was getting confused as she made her way up north. Ben was trying hard not to laugh too loud. For most of the morning, Bill and Ben tricked Nia into going all across the docks. Up and down, north to south and round in circles.

**Nia:** “Ooh! This is so confusing! Does Bill want them here or does he want them there?! Can’t he make up his mind?!”

**Bill:** “Actually, Nia, you can just leave the trucks here, next to Cranky.”

**Ben:** “Oh yes. That’ll do nicely.”

**Narrator:** Nia stared at both sides.

**Nia:** “What the- There are two of you?! Wait a minute. Have you two been playing a trick on me?”

**Ben:** “Yes, we did.”

**Bill:** “We’re just having a bit of fun.”

**Narrator:** And the two cheeky engines zipped back to the Clay Pits, laughing all the way. When BoCo rolled in with his goods train, Nia told him all about the twins.

**Nia:** “They had me puffing up and down the docks, making me very muddled. And all for the sake of a joke. Well, let me tell you, that joke was anything but funny.”

**BoCo:** “You shouldn’t take much notice of Bill and Ben.. Those two can be nothing but trouble, especially to engines new to the railway. Trust me, I know.”

**Narrator:** BoCo told Nia about the time the twins tricked him so much, his eyes nearly popped out.

**Nia:** “Oh, I am so sorry to hear that.”

**BoCo:** “Ah, that was years ago. Me and Edward had been a lot firmer to them since then. But let’s just hope they won’t trick you again.”

**Narrator:** At the Clay Pits, Edward spoke severely to the twins.

**Edward:** “Nia was treated poorly on her old railway and has come here to live a better life. And your tricks are not helping!”

**Bill and Ben:** “No, Edward. Sorry, Edward.”

**Narrator:** Two days later, some zookeepers were washing a mother elephant at the Animal Park. The park’s gates were left open, so the public could walk on through. But as the keepers were rubbing her down, she saw what looked like a mouse running along the ground. It wasn’t a real mouse, it was a wind-up toy mouse a toddler was playing with. But the elephant didn’t know that. She shouted, jumped over her enclosure fence and ran for her life out of the park. She had just ran onto the platform, when Bill and Ben thundered by with some clay trucks. This frightened the elephant even more and ran away to the docks. The keepers tried to make her stop, but it was too late. Then, they heard Nia’s whistle and flagged her down.

**Nia:** “Oh. What’s the matter, sir?”

**The Elephant Keeper:** “There’s a frightened elephant on the loose. She’s on her way to the docks.”

**Nia:** “Elephants? You have elephants on this island?”

**The Elephant Keeper:** “Only here. Now let’s go after her quickly, before she damages anything.”

**Narrator:** The keeper climbed into her cab and Nia puffed away. At the docks, Bill and Ben have never seen anything like it.

**Bill:** “What’s an elephant doing on the line?”

**Ben:** “I’ve no idea. but we can’t hang about much longer.”

**Narrator:** They both whistled at the elephant, angrily and impatiently.

**Bill:** “Will you get out of our way, you big, ignorant dipstick?!”

**Narrator:** When Nia arrived, she could see that the elephant didn’t like the way Bill and Ben were treating her. She trumpeted and charged forward to teach them a lesson.

**Bill:** “Whoa, whoa, WHOA!”

**Narrator:** He shut his eyes as the elephant crashed right into his face. She was so strong, she started to push the whole train backwards. Ben braked hard in order to stay put, but it was no use.

**Ben:** “What’s happening?!”

**Nia:** “Oh you poor thing. She is frightened and your shouting and whistling is scaring her even more. She’s just defending herself.”

**Bill:** “Just do something!”

**Ben:** “I can’t hold on for much longer!”

**Narrator:** Luckily, Nia knew just what to do.

Nia: "Ssshhhh. Get on board. Take your time. Get on board. It will be fine. We’re in no hurry, so don’t you worry. Get on board. Ssshhh.”

**Narrator:** She kept on singing and slowly but surely, the elephant ceased pushing Bill and walked away to Nia’s flatbed.

**Nia:** “There you go, nothing to worry about.”

**Narrator:** Bill and Ben were amazed.

**Bill and Ben:** “How could you do that?”

**Nia:** “I used to live in Africa, remember? I used to see elephants all the time. They’re actually really friendly when you’re not cross with them. I learnt that song whenever I rested in a village. It usually calms them right down.”

**Narrator:** The twins were ashamed. There was more to Nia than meets the eye.

**Bill:** “Nia? We’re sorry we tricked you the other day. You’re way too special to be pranked.”

**Ben:** “We don’t know what we could’ve done without you and your singing. Thank you.”

**Nia:** “No problem, you two. I’m just being really useful.”

**Narrator:** The Fat Controller was so impressed with Nia’s act of intelligence, he offered her the chance to be the delivery engine for the Animal Park. Nia was quick to accept. Now, some of her jobs include sending in some food for all the different animals. And when the keepers need to clean the elephants, she is usually there to sing them her nice, lovely lullaby.

**Nia:** “Elephant, go to sleep. Close your eyes and go to sleep. We're in no hurry, so don't you worry. Go to sleep. Ssshhh.”