Harvey's Goods Train

**Harvey's Goods Train** is the ninth episode of the first season.

## Plot

There are many types of cranes on the Island of Sodor; there's Merrick up at the Blue Mountain Quarry, Rocky the large search and rescue crane who rescues anyone in trouble if there is an accident on the east coast, there's the breakdown train Judy and Jerome, who help to clean accidents on the west part of the island and then Cranky who works at Brendam Docks, but there is one crane who is unique to all those other ones, and that is Harvey the crane engine, he is number 27 of the Fat Controller's railway and he usually helps put engines back on the rails or lift cargo and shipments, but sometimes while he is not busy, he pulls goods trains if the engine who is sent to do the job is unable to do so.

One morning, Harvey chuffed into the docks, the Fat Controller had sent him to work there while he was off duty. Porter was shunting, "Oh, hello there, Harvey." the dockside tank engine steamed, "I haven't seen you in a while, probably since the day I first met you."

"I think that too." Harvey chuckled, "how's work been Porter?" he asked.

"Oh, fine," Porter replied, "I'm always busy hauling and shunting trucks, it never usually tires me out." he said.

"I see," puffed Harvey, "but you should know that trucks can be troublesome, as every engine knows."

"I know," Porter steamed, "I've had troubles with them myself back when I first arrived on the Island, now they just don't bother me."

"You're lucky that the trucks behave for you," Harvey wheeshed, "other engines find it so hard to handle with them."

"But just give them time," said Porter, "then they'll behave."

"But as I don't usually pull goods." Harvey chuffed, "I don't know what they'd think of me."

"Well, let's see then shall we?" Porter puffed.

Then Bill and Ben puffed in to take some flatbeds to the clay pits.

"Ooh, look Ben." peeped Bill, "it's Harvey at the docks."

"Yeah, good one, Bill." chuckled Ben.

"Is he going fishing." Bill asked cheekily.

"I think so." Ben snickered.

"Now, what's my job?" Harvey asked.

"Harvey!" Bill and Ben exclaimed. Harvey looked over to find Bill and Ben near Cranky.

"Oh, what do you two want?" he asked, "you're not playing any tricks are you?"

Bill and Ben pretended to look surprised. "No!" hissed Bill.

"Playing tricks when we have work to do?" exclaimed Ben.

"We have to take these flatbeds to the clay pits." Bill puffed.

"Yeah, that's right, what he said." muttered Ben.

"Well, okay." Harvey chuffed, "but don't bump the flatbeds around, the Fat Controller wouldn't like it."

"Stop being such a worrier, Harvey!" retorted Bill.

"We're doing our work, and we don't need orders from an engine who looks, dunno... *different*." added Ben.

"Oh no, not the difference." Harvey groaned.

"What's wrong with being different?" Porter asked.

"I'll tell you later, Porter." Harvey whispered.

"Ha! Are you go fishing, Harvey?" said Bill cheekily.

"No, I'm not." he puffed, feeling a little cross.

"Oh, be off Bill and Ben." Porter said sharply.

"Okay." the twins said trying not to burst out with laughter and they backed away out of the docks.

"Oh, those two are so bedevilled with their twins." Harvey sighed.

"I know." Porter puffed, "you know them more then me, I've only been on Sodor for four years." the Viridian tank engine steamed.

"Well, forget about Bill and Ben, but I wasn't told what my job was?" Harvey puffed.

"Oh well," Porter began, "Arthur is taking that goods train over there to Vicarstown, and I have to shunt his goods train, and I believe, you were asked to load the cargo onto the flatbeds." Porter chuffed. "Am I right?"

"Yes Porter, you're right, that's why I'm here.", Harvey chuckled. "Now let's get these flatbeds loaded." and Harvey got to work.

"Okay, Harvey." agreed Porter.

A while later, Porter had shunted Arthur's goods train and Harvey had loaded all the cargo onto the flatbeds.

Porter was surprised by Harvey's hook. "Wow, Harvey." he said, "I never knew you could lift heavy objects like those pipes." he observed.

"Oh, of course I can." Harvey wheeshed, "I've done it lots of times."

"At least it can keep your strength up." Porter chuckled.

"I know." Harvey remarked. Finally, the cargo had been loaded. "Okay, that's it," whistled Harvey, "this cargo's ready to go."

"Good job, Harvey." the dock manager commented. "Arthur should be here anytime soon." They waited and waited, but still Arthur didn't come.

"What's taking him so long?" asked Harvey.

"I don't know," Porter chuffed, "but it's been over half an hour now."

"Wait a minute, let me check." the dock manager said as he walked up the stairs to his office.

Harvey and Porter waited as the dock manager finally came down the stairs with some unhappy news.

"Arthur won't be pulling this goods train." the dock manager said.

"Why, what's wrong?" asked Porter.

"Because he had an accident at some broken points." the manager explained.

"Then, if Arthur can't pull it then," puffed Harvey, "who can?" Then Bill and Ben puffed beside Harvey.

Harvey then got an idea. "Oh, how about Bill and Ben take it." he suggested, "they're not doing anything, they're just wandering around the docks." Harvey teased.

"Wandering?!" Bill exclaimed.

"We wouldn't wander around a silly dockyard." added Ben.

"I'm only teasing," Harvey puffed, "but maybe they could pull the train."

Then the twins thought of a idea. "Oh, we just remembered." said Bill, "we have to get back to the clay pits right away." he steamed.

"That's right." Ben chuckled, "we have such a lot of work to do there." he said. "Timothy is just resting in the shed leaving us to do all the work, lazy eh?"

"Why don't you take the train Harvey," asked Porter, "besides, you're not just a crane, you're an engine too, besides just a reminder, water off a duck's back."

Harvey thought carefully. "Well, last time, the train wasn't that heavy." he excused, "but now it's much heavier, with wagons, flatbeds with pipes and box vans."

"Well, didn't I say about lifting keeping your strength up?" asked Porter.

"Uh... y-yes." Harvey stammered.

"Well, I'd say pulling much heavier trains can keep your strength up too." Porter steamed.

Harvey thought, he didn't know what to do. "I could give it a try, but I'm-"

Before Harvey finished, a voice came from the dock manager's office. "I quite agree." the voice said, it was the Fat Controller, he had overheard the conversation with Harvey and Porter, and was pulling up with Winston, he agreed with the idea. "Porter is right, Harvey." he said. "Pulling goods trains can also keep your strength up, besides you're a crane *engine*, not just a regular crane."

"Well, yes sir, I'll try sir." Harvey muttered.

"Great!" said the Fat Controller excitedly. "Now I must attend a meeting with the Dock Manager, I won't be long now Winston." he said.

"Okay sir." said Winston, "do your thing, I don't mind waiting."

"That's what I like to hear." the Fat Controller said, and he walked into the office.

"Water off a duck's back." reminded Porter.

"I know." Harvey puffed, "I just hope I'll be able to take all these trucks to Vicarstown."

"Oh, I'm sure you will." Porter puffed. So Harvey was coupled to the train. Then Bill and Ben steamed up again.

"If you don't mind, Harvey," laughed Bill. "If you see a fish, why don't you stop on the way and grab it with your hook?"

"Yes," agreed Ben, "everyone will think you're great enough to participate in a talent show."

"Talent show? Fish?!" Harvey exclaimed. "Huh! What nonsense."

"Ignore them, Harvey." Porter chuffed, "you know them very well."

"Ha, I know." Harvey chuckled and he chuffed away.

"Be careful of the troublesome trucks!" warned Porter.

"Don't worry, Porter." Harvey whistled, "I'll take care of these nuisances."

"And look out for fish!" Bill chuckled.

"Everyone will like to see you!" added Ben.

"Quiet!" Porter exclaimed.

"Sorry!" the two twins retorted.

Harvey just rolled their eyes.

The trucks however were offended. "Nuisances!" exclaimed one. "Who does he think he's talking to?"

"I don't know." huffed another.

"We'll pay him back!" came another, but Harvey didn't hear them.

Harvey was now chuffing happily through the countryside, he was enjoying the scenery and green, he was pleased.

"Nice to pull a goods train for a while, so I can rest my hook." he said to himself. "Perhaps it wasn't as heavy as I thought."

The trucks were still cross. "Whoever this crane is," oiled the first truck.

"Is nothing, but very useless." commented another.

"Yeah!" the other trucks agreed, but Harvey bumped them hard.

"You lot better be not playing tricks, like Bill and Ben." he puffed crossly.

"Huh, like Bill and Ben!" huffed a truck.

"They're as naughty as us." remarked another.

"You're both the same, now shut it!" huffed Harvey.

The trucks were getting crosser and crosser.

"This engine is probably the worst I've ever been pulled by." snapped one.

"I agree." said another.

"He's getting too big for his buffers!" a truck snarled.

Then Derek passed by. "Oh, hello Harvey." he said cheerily, "pulling your first train I see."

Harvey laughed, "Well, not my first." he noted, "I've pulled a goods train before."

"Oh, right." chuckled Derek, "See you later then." and he oiled away into the distance.

Harvey was now approaching Gordon's Hill. "Oh, great." he sighed, "I hope I don't have another accident." Harvey muttered, but the trucks heard him and had an idea.

"Hey!" hissed the first truck, "I've got a plan."

"What is it?!" the trucks asked.

"Shhh! Will you be quiet?" snapped the truck.

"Oh, sorry." whispered the others.

"This engine was saying that he hopes he doesn't have another accident." the truck explained.

"And...?" said another.

"We will push this bossy train down the hill." the truck said.

The other trucks agreed. "Yes! Yes! Let's do it!" they cried.

"Shhhh!" the truck hissed again.

"Sorry!" they whispered.

Harvey heard them. "What are you lot planning at?" he asked sharply.

"N-Nothing..." the trucks stammered.

"Well, you'd better." Harvey said sternly. He began to puff up the hill, Harvey puffed and panted while trying to puff to the top. The trucks' plan had came.

"Hold back! Hold back!" the first truck shouted to the others.

"Yes sir!" the other trucks replied, and they did what they were told.

Harvey noticed that they were slowing down and that the train was getting heavy. "T-This \*pant\* train is \*pant\* heavy." Harvey stuttered.

"Ha! Serves him right!" said the first truck.

"Yeah!" and the other trucks giggled menacingly.

Harvey was now crosser then ever with the trucks. "Is this \*pant\* your doing?" he asked stern.

"Yes it is!" the trucks admitted, "because you don't know how to be nice with another fellow truck." one retorted.

"I wasn't acting mean." groaned Harvey, "I just wanted \*pant\* you to \*pant\* behave." the crane engine puffed. Harvey struggled as he was nearing the top. "Nearly there." he panted. At last, Harvey reached the top of the hill. "I did it!" he cheered, "now I can keep on moving."

"On! On! On!" yelled the trucks.

"W-What?!" Harvey stammered, but he was lost in words when he was being pushed down the hill by the trucks.

"Faster! Faster! Then ever before!" the trucks laughed.

Harvey was scared, especially if he rounded the sharp bend at the bottom of the hill. "I mustn't have another accident." Harvey chuffed. And determinedly, he tried to put his brakes on, but the trucks were too strong and plus he couldn't stop. "Oh no!" Harvey wailed, "Help!" Harvey raced down the hill and rounded the bend, and with a mighty crash and a bash, the pipes on the flatbeds toppled onto the rails and so did the trucks.

"Ow!" groaned one truck.

"What just happened?!" shrieked another.

"This is your fault!" one truck snapped to the first.

"Me!" exclaimed the truck, "well you lot weren't being quiet when I told you to."

"Shut up!" spluttered the truck.

"That's enough!" Harvey shouted as he whistled loudly. The trucks then stayed unintentionally silent. "Now what can I do?" he thought, "I can't possibly lift heavy wagons like these."

"We could get Rocky." suggested his driver.

"I think he's busy with something else." Harvey muttered. Then Porter and Bill and Ben's flew around his funnel. "That's it!" Harvey burst out.

"What is **it**?" asked a truck.

"Porter said that pulling trains will keep my strength up," Harvey said, "Bill and Ben were saying if I see a fish on the way, I should grab it with my hook, and perhaps I could lift you lot like a fish." Harvey chuckled.

The trucks were embarrassed, but said nothing.

"Only teasing," Harvey said, "but still, though you may have been troublesome as usual." the crane engine said, "I can't leave you just lay here in this field."

"I know," sighed a truck.

"I hate dirt plunging into my face." muttered another.

"Well," Harvey chuffed, "let's get you trucks back on the rails." he said.

Harvey was soon at work lifting the derailed trucks back onto the tracks, they were heavy, but Harvey still lifted them no matter what strength he had. "Ha, easy!" he chuckled to himself. At last, the trucks had been re-railed. "Good, now that's done." wheeshed Harvey. "Now let's go, I'm already late," he said, "oh and trucks, no more being troublesome. I'm already late."

"Yes." mumbled the trucks.

And Harvey chuffed away quickly to Vicarstown.

It was late by the time Harvey had delivered his train to Vicarstown and that night. He stayed at Knapford Sheds with Porter and Arthur.

"So did you manage to pull the train?" asked Porter.

"Indeed I did." said Harvey, "though I got into a little trouble with the trucks."

"I could tell," Porter chuckled, "every engine should know that you should never..."

"Trust trucks!" Harvey finished.

"Wow, good to end a sentence there, Harvey." laughed Porter.

"I know." Harvey replied.

"Thank you for taking my train to Vicarstown." said Arthur.

"Oh, it was nothing much." Harvey wheeshed.

"I've had troubles with the trucks before, I'm sure everyone has." said Arthur.

"Yes, I know." said Harvey. "You were taking vans of fruit to market, but the trucks raced down the hill and crashed into Duck's goods train, plus causing fruit to splatter everywhere, and I got sent to help clear up the mess."

"Yes, and that was my first ever accident." wheeshed Arthur. "I just hope them points I derailed at will be fixed soon. Just then the Fat Controller arrived on Winston, he had just finished his meeting with the dock manager and he came to see Harvey. "You've done a good job of pulling that train Harvey." he said. "I declare that from now on, you will pull goods trains when you're not busy."

Harvey was delighted. "Thank you sir," he said, "This is only my second run."

"I know that, Harvey." chuckled the Fat Controller. "Though, I agree that you are very good at handling trucks and lifting heavy flatbeds by yourself." the stout gentleman beamed.

"Good job, Harvey." praised Winston.

Harvey felt pleased. "See." said Porter. "You've gotten stronger then usual."

"Indeed." agreed Harvey.

From now on, Harvey would always pull goods trains if the other engines were not around, and he'd always enjoy it. "If it wasn't for Porter," he puffed to himself, "I would've never got a chance to pull another train, and get more stronger." Harvey chuffed happily.

## Characters

* Bill and Ben
* Harvey
* Arthur
* Porter
* Derek
* Winston
* The Fat Controller
* The Dock Manager
* Jerome and Judy (*do not speak*)
* Rocky (*does not speak*)
* Cranky (*does not speak*)
* Merrick (*does not speak*)
* Murdoch (*cameo*)
* Stanley (*cameo*)
* Ryan (*cameo*)
* Mavis (*cameo*)
* Salty (*cameo*)
* Butch (*cameo*)
* Gordon (*mentioned*)
* Duck (*mentioned*)
* Timothy (*mentioned*)

## Locations

* Blue Mountain Quarry
* Knapford Yards
* Brendam Docks
* Sodor Shipping Company
* Coastal Cliffs
* Gordon's Hill
* Knapford Sheds
* Sodor China Clay Company (*mentioned*)
* Vicarstown (*mentioned*)

## Trivia

* This episode is based on the seventeenth season episode *Gone Fishing* references to said episode and the seventh season episode *The Spotless Record* are also made.
* This is the first episode of The Adventures on Sodor to feature neither the Steam Team, nor the Skarloey Railway engines.