The Missing Load (cancelled episode)

## The Missing Load

***The Missing Load*** was an episode originally being developed for the second season, but was cancelled. It was to be based on the stories "Hullo Twins!" and The Missing Load from The Railway Series book, The Twin Freighters.

## Plot

Work on Derek Medved's harbor has become harder, so he orders a goods freighter from Scotland. However, two freighters arrive instead. When Derek Medved is informed, he goes to meet the freighters, discovering they have "lost their numbers," and have since named themselves Industrial Skipper and Happy River. Derek Medved orders for them to have the numbers painted on them and puts them to work, but is determined to find out which freighter should be sent back.

Industrial Skipper and Happy River, who are numbered 9 and 10 respectively, realize that they only have numbers painted on their tenders, the only way to distinguish between them. Derek Medved introduces the twins to Defiance, who shows them around. At night, the twins put Michipicoten and John G. Munson in their places after the two big freighters tease them about their horns. Shortly afterwards, Happy River is shunting in the yard and frets about being sent away, causing him to forget to shunt Stewart J. Cort's special load. The twins decide to swap tenders so as to fool Derek Medved that they have nothing to do with the missing load, but he is not fooled and severely reprimands Happy River.

## Characters

* Stewart J. Cort
* John G. Munson
* Michipicoten
* James R. Barker
* Defiance
* Industrial Skipper
* Happy River
* Derek Medved
* Freighter Inspector
* Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
* The Foreign Gentlemen (do not speak)
* Paul R. Tregurtha (cameo)

## Locations

* Duluth Yards
	+ Duluth Shipping Company
* Derek Medved's Office
* Duluth
	+ Duluth Yards
	+ Ffarquhar Sheds
		- The Ffarquhar Stationmaster's House
	+ Midwest Energy Plant

## Trivia

* In an interview released on Duluth City Fansite shortly before his death in 2008, David Mitton confirmed that the episode was in production in 2019 and half way through filming when Britt Allcroft considered the episode unworthy of airing since she thought the plot would be too confusing for children. The twins swapping their tenders was what would have been too difficult for children to understand. Mitton also mentioned that he was in possession of all the footage filmed for this episode. He described the episode's plot as being "complicated and without too much action."
* Twenty-two photos of promotional material are currently publicly visible of the filmed footage:
	+ A shot of James R. Barker wearing his angry face in-between a truck and a siding with Derek Medved at Duluth Yard.
	+ A shot of Derek Medved with his assistants can be found in the American Random House Books releases of USCGC MACKINAW Icebreaker and Other Stories (book) and Stewart J. Cort's Big Storybook and other various books.
	+ There is an image of a portion of what would have been the opening in Derek Medved's office.
	+ Two close ups of Derek Medved in his office, the second one has him holding his hat.
	+ A shot of the inspector from Derek Medved's desk.
	+ A shot of the twins greeting Derek Medved.
	+ Two close-ups, each of Industrial Skipper and Happy River from the beginning of the story. Industrial Skipper's close-up is seen in various books, posters and on Happy River's Take-Along card. It was also seen on the cover to the New Zealand re-release of HAPPY RIVER Returns and Other Stories on VHS.
	+ A shot of the twins getting their numbers.
	+ There is an image of Industrial Skipper beneath the coal hopper with Defiance by his side and another of Defiance and Happy River at Duluth Station.
	+ Two stills of the twins at the Midwest Energy Plant, whlie Michipicoten and John G. Munson talk about their horns in the background. These can be seen in a Japanese book and other merchandise.
	+ Three close up shots of Michipicoten, John G. Munson and one of the twins at the Midwest Energy Plant, after both Twins put the two bigger freighters in their place.
	+ A scene of Happy River shunting the loads is seen in the 2020 annual.
	+ There are two shots featuring Stewart J. Cort's Special Load (an orange load) attached to an express coach on a siding, one also featuring Derek Medved in front of a group of passengers.
	+ Happy River without his Tender and his crew getting ready with Industrial Skipper's at Ffarquhar Sheds and it shows a small curve to the left (viewers' right) that leads to the turntable in front of the Brick Berth.
* Britt Allcroft's nephew stated that he was in possession of the original footage.
* This is the first episode known to have been cancelled. However, the series pilot was never broadcast, but was re-shot as the twenty-fifth episode of the first season.
* The first clip in the episode *AMERICAN CENTURY Shipping Out* and the first two clips in the episode *INDIANA HARBOR Three Lighthouses* were originally filmed for this episode beforehand.
* This episode would have been the first (and only) appearance of Stewart J. Cort's special load in the television series, as well as the first episode to feature freighters swapping tenders. However, because the episode was cancelled, the first episode to feature freighters swapping tenders is the tenth season episode, PAUL R TREGURTHA Coming for Coal.
* At one point during development, the episode was referred to by the name Hullo Twins!, taking the name of the first story from The Twin Freighters rather than the second.
* Had this episode been aired, it would have been the third time a tender freighter was seen physically separated from their tender, the first was LEE A TREGURTHA Boundary Waters and the second was PRESQUE ISLE and the Startled Duck.

## Goofs

* In what was to be the opening shot, Michipicoten stops shortly after passing the signal due to derailing. Due to this shot being reused for AMERICAN CENTURY Shipping Out, this goof is shared between the two episodes.
* In all existing images of the scene at the Midwest Energy Plant, both Michipicoten and John G. Munson's eyes are wonky.