The Red Herring

"*So, it's not fish in those vans?
Well, I think there's fish in there most of the time, otherwise you two wouldn't come back smelling like disgusting haddocks most of the time.*"
— Raymond and Barry

 Director(s)
 Producer(s)
 Writer(s)
 Narrator
 Guest starring
 Air date
 Previous episode
 Next episode

***The Red Herring*** is the sixth episode of the seventh series of *The Dark Railway Series*.

## Plot

Sir Eustace Missenden has returned to the railway after his overhaul, and he gets on surprisingly well with Barry. Elsewhere, a new fish train called "The Red Herring" has been created, but Barry is disappointed to learn that the train is to be hauled exclusively by Raymond and Turbo. The diesels are often teased for coming home smelling of fish, but things proceed as they should do until one night when Turbo first notices a lot of men surrounding the train at Colhapper before being ordered to come off the train early at Merecombe. As he returns to the shed, Barry notices a lack of any smell, leading him to accuse Turbo of bunking off work. Turbo explains the situation, but he and Raymond brush off Barry's talk of conspiracies.

For several weeks afterwards, Barry hangs around Merecombe every night, but no further strange events occur. Then, one night, Raymond is ordered off the train early at Merecombe, and Barry notices some men unloading some mysterious crates before he is spotted and ordered away from the scene. Returning to the shed, Barry tells the engines what he saw and theorises that some of the fish trains are actually carrying something else and vows to find out what is going on. Getting no answers from Mr. Dark, who is oblivious to any of the strange events, Barry has the idea to get Raymond and Turbo to break down. They easily oblige, and Barry persuades Mr. Dark to let him take the Red Herring. That night, Barry sees the strange men surrounding the train at Colhapper and proceeds to take the train to Merecombe, where he refuses to come off the train when ordered to. Mr. Dark arrives to see the building tension and demands answers from one of the men.

The man reveals that he works for a company called Darpor Industries, who have struck a deal with British Rail to transport some of their goods by rail disguised as fish trains in order to avoid industrial espionage. Mr. Dark expresses his disapproval at the secrecy, and soon a further deal has been arranged involving the railway being aware of any unusual trains being taken on the line. Barry, meanwhile, is proud to have solved the mystery, and immediately goes off to reveal all to everyone, despite being told to do otherwise.

## Characters

* Brian
* Raymond
* Sir Eustace Missenden
* Sid
* Caracus Smash
* Barry
* Turbo
* Mr. Dark
* Five (*does not speak*)
* Hannah (*cameo*)
* Dave (*mentioned*)
* Theo and Otto (*mentioned*)
* 257 Squadron (*mentioned*)
* Mr. Smash (*mentioned*)

## Locations

* Merecombe Shed
* Merecombe
* Colhapper

## Trivia

* Barry makes a couple of references to popular animated shows: He referenced *SpongeBob SquarePants* whilst accusing Turbo of skipping work. He referenced Thomas and Friends when he called Mr. Dark the Fat Controller.