Rusty Rescue

**Rusty Rescue** is the twenty-fifth episode of the first season.

## Plot

Rusty is an orange little diesel who works on the Skarloey Railway, he mainly checks on lines that need repairing or bridges, every morning Rusty would check on every bridge on the island to make sure it is safe enough for engines to cross, while sometimes there can be dangerous hazards, the engines will always make sure to never cross the bridge at all time.

One day, Rusty was doing his usual morning duty which was checking on the many lines and bridges in the hills, but Rusty also checked on a bridge that hadn't been used in a long time, it was made of timber and was very rusty. Rusty's driver was worried. "I don't think this bridge will be safe." he worried. "This bridge hasn't been used in a long time!"

"Well if it isn't, then we must tell the other engines." tooted Rusty and the little diesel oiled away.

Rusty arrived back at the depot where all the narrow gauge engines were. "Hello Rusty." whistled Skarloey. "What's wrong?" Rusty looked serious.

"There is an old timber bridge that I just found, it is very old and no engine should cross it." Rusty ordered.

Duncan just scoffed rudely. "Pah! Nonsense!" he spluttered. "'A can cross any bridge even if it is under repairs." And he chuffed arrogantly away. Duncan had trucks of stone to take to the quarry. "I'll show that little diesel I can cross unsafe bridges." he said determined.

"We should listen to what Rusty says." cautioned his driver. But Duncan just snorted.

"Well, whatever..." He snootily replied and he puffed away with the stone.

Meanwhile, Rusty pulled into the Tea Room Station to tell the Thin Controller all about the bad news. "Thank you Rusty." he said sternly. "You are in charge of the bridge, explicitly no engine should cross it."

"Yes sir." said Rusty urgent and he oiled quickly away.

After Duncan had delivered his stone, he was sent to take a train to Bertram's old mine. "So now I'm workin' at the dirty ol' mine." he huffed. "And do 'a need 'ta take any bridges?"

"To be honest you do," his driver said, "But it's the bridge that Rusty warned us not to cross..."

"Oh, ye mean the old timber bridge... Huh! Rusty thinks he knows it all." wheeshed Duncan.

Duncan's driver was stern. "But Rusty is right about this Duncan." he said. "He wants to make sure every engine on Sodor is safe."

"And that's the Thin Controller's job." retorted Duncan. "Not Rusty's."

"Instead of just sitting here, shouldn't we being doing work?" His driver asked.

"Uh, course." muttered Duncan and he steamed away to the old mine. When Duncan got there, he saw Bertram shunting trucks in a siding.

"Oh, hello Duncan." Bertram whistled. "How are you?"

"Just being mah personal self." replied Duncan. "Have 'ta take this train to the mine." he explained.

"Ah, I see." said Bertram.

"Did Rusty come along?" Duncan asked.

"Yes he did." replied Bertram. "He was telling me about the old timber bridge that hasn't been used in ages." he said.

Duncan started to feel jealous. "Rusty isn't the engine for this job." he puffed. "It's the Thin Controller's."

"But Rusty is just working as a works engine, that's all." said Bertram.

"Yeah, but it doesn't make a difference." Duncan retorted and he steamed crossly away.

At the depot, Rusty was talking to Skarloey. "Duncan thinks he can cross any bridge." Rusty complained.

"I know." said Skarloey. "Even when we weren't allowed to cross the old wooden bridge, Duncan ignored the warnings and simply crossed it." Skarloey huffed.

"He thinks he knows more about bridges then us." Rusty muttered. "He'll have another accident if he does." And the little diesel oiled away to start work again.

At the old timber bridge, there was a sign saying "Engines must not go down here!" And as a result, the engines were late with their trains, and the Thin Controller was not happy when they finally finished, but he still understood about the bridge. Duncan was thinking of crossing the old timber bridge, but he didn't want to end up in another rescue like last time, but he still went down the line heading for the bridge. "Duncan, where are you going?" his driver asked him.

"Where do ye think?" asked Duncan. "Across the bridge."

"But-" Duncan's driver said nothing else after that and just watched as his engine was heading for the bridge. Duncan had approached the bridge, he was slightly worried, but determined.

"I know, I'll cross the bridge really quickly." he puffed. "And then I will be alright." And Duncan used all the steam he had in him and raced quickly across the bridge, he finally made it to the other side. "I've done it!" Duncan shouted. "See, I know exactly how to cross bridges." But then suddenly, a quarter of the bridge came loose and fell into the ravine below. Duncan's driver saw it.

"Duncan!" he exclaimed. "You've just made a quarter of the bridge collapse." But Duncan didn't care, he just kept on puffing until he was back at the depot. While he arrived there, the other engines were there. Skarloey was stern.

"You mustn't cross a bridge if Rusty tells you not to." he warned.

"And why do you have to act to me like you're controller?" Duncan retorted.

"Rusty is right whatsoever, you shouldn't cross the bridge." said Peter Sam.

"Yes, especially what happened last time." Skarloey wheeshed. "You decided to cross the old wooden bridge and you got stuck and Rusty had to rush all the way to the rescue." he said.

"Ugh, don't remind me!" Duncan spluttered. "Besides, I crossed the bridge and I went very fast, and nothing happened." he said.

"Yes there did." His driver called. "You made a quarter of the bridge collapse."

The other engines gasped. "You didn't did you?" stammered Skarloey.

"Whuh? Of course not." Duncan lied. "Well... I did sort of-"

"Why do you never listen to Rusty's warnings ever?" Skarloey asked crossly.

Duncan scoffed. "Cos' I don't like being told what 'ta do by a silly diesel, I know exactly what I'm doing." he wheeshed, and he chuffed away leaving Skarloey and Peter Sam to both roll their eyes.

Meanwhile, Rusty was doing bridge repairs as normal, he stopped on the old timber bridge, so his driver could inspect the damage, he looked down at the ravine and then the timber. "We'll have to make sure that no engine crosses this bridge." he said.

"Indeed." agreed Rusty, but as he was just about to continue on his work, more parts of the bridge collapsed and then suddenly... A loud crack could be heard, even more pieces of the bridge collapsed and Rusty was about to fall down into the ravine, and even his brakevan's back wheels were already off the edge of the tracks and the guard had no room to jump out. "Oh no, helllppp!!" Rusty cried.

"I'll go and get help." said his driver, and he phoned the Thin Controller.

The Thin Controller was in his home watching TV when the telephone rang. "Peregrine!" said Mrs. Percival. "The phone."

The Thin Controller sighed and got up from his couch. "Bother that telephone!" he remarked. "Hello, what's going on?" said the Thin Controller with the phone at his ear. "What's that? Rusty is about to fall off the old timber bridge? I must get Duncan right away." And he put the phone down and ran out of his house. His wife was confused.

"Dear, where are you going?" she asked.

"One of my engines is in trouble." The Thin Controller said swiftly as he ran to the depot. Duncan however was just resting his wheels when the Thin Controller hurried up. "Duncan!" he exclaimed. "You need to help Rusty, he's had an accident at the old timber bridge." Duncan was surprised.

"But sir, can't Skarloey do it instead?" asked Duncan.

The Thin Controller looked serious. "No Duncan, I'm telling you to do it, and Rusty is your friend, isn't he?"

Duncan was still Rusty's friend, even if he did make rude remarks about the little diesel. "Of course I am sir." he said.

"Then hurry up to the bridge, or Rusty will fall into the ravine." cried the Thin Controller.

"Yes sir." whistled Duncan and he sped off to the bridge.

Rusty looked down at the streaming ravine, he saw more timber pieces collapse. "I can't take this any longer." he moaned. "When's help gonna arrive?"

"Sure enough." said his driver, then they heard a whistle echoing through the valley. It was Duncan, who raced up the mountainside to save his friend, but as he arrived at the bridge, Rusty was dangling dangerously back-first on the bridge.

"Don't worry Rusty." called Duncan. "I'll get you back on track."

"Ooh, hurry!" Rusty cried, so with all the determination he had in him, Duncan pulled Rusty along with his truck and brakevan off of the collapsed part of the bridge, he strained and struggled as he finally managed to pull Rusty back on track, but his truck and brakevan were still dangling over the edge. Duncan was red in the face, but carried on.

"You... are... heavy \*pant\*!" Duncan burst out. "That truck and brakevan of yours may need to be uncoupled."

"Uncoupled?!" Rusty exclaimed. "But my guard is in the brakevan, and he has no room to jump out.

"Do what 'a say." said Duncan sternly.

"Okay." Rusty sighed, so his driver carefully legged over to the coupling where Rusty and his truck was, and he uncoupled them, the truck and brakevan rolled back even more and now the brakevan was about to fall into the ravine, the guard panicked, but cautiously jumped clear just in time.

"Oh, good to see you're alright guard." said Rusty.

"Indeed I am." said the guard with a sigh of relief. "But the brakevan is going to fall!" he cried.

"What are we going to do?!" Rusty thought.

"You'll see!!!" shouted Duncan. "Once I bring you off of this bridge."

"Right, but be quick now." warned Rusty.

"I know exactly what I'm doing, please stop givin' me orders." groaned Duncan. "You should be following mah orders, as you're the one who needs 'ta be rescued."

"Okay then." sighed Rusty, so as Duncan pulled Rusty off the bridge, he bravely went back to get the truck and brakevan.

"Couple me up noow!" Duncan said to the guard.

The guard quickly did so. "Right!" he said. "I've coupled you up now, on the start of three; three, two, one... NOW!" And as the guard finished, Duncan pulled with all of his might, the truck's buffers were resting atop the high level part of the bridge, but not the brakevan, that was still dangling dangerously over the edge.

"I... can't... do this \*pant\* Any... longer!!!" Duncan said in the loudest voice he had ever spoke, then the truck finally made it onto the track. "Yes, that's done." said Duncan, but more and more parts of the bridge collapsed, it looked as if Duncan would fall with the bridge. "I... mustn't... give... up!!" he cried and at last the brakevan was finally onto the track. Duncan was unable to speak because of all the breath he had used up. "...done..." he said breathlessly, and Duncan backed off of the bridge and Rusty followed... just in time as the bridge collapsed completely. Duncan and Rusty were heading back to the sheds.

"Wow Duncan, you did a heroic deed there for saving me." said Rusty.

"Heroic?!" Duncan exclaimed. "Are ye callin' me a hero?"

"Of course I am." chuckled Rusty. "You saved me from nearly falling into the ravine with that bridge." he said.

"Well... you're welcome." Duncan stuttered, he had never been called a hero before, and he wasn't really used to it, but as he arrived at the engine sheds, all the engines were there.

"There is he!" cried Freddie. "Now toot your whistles!" And all the engines blew their whistles loud and long.

"You're a hero, Duncan." said Peter Sam astonished.

"You saved Rusty from nearly collapsing with that bridge." added Rheneas.

"Indeed he did." said Rusty, Duncan didn't know what to say, but felt very proud about it.

"Thanks everyone." he said. "I really appreciate it... Well, kind of."

"Kind of?!" exclaimed Skarloey. "You should be happy about it, you did a heroic deed there by saving Rusty, you wouldn't want him to fall with that bridge would you?"

"No of course not." chuckled Duncan, then the Thin Controller, he couldn't believe the noise in the yard, and he rang his bicycle bell as loud as he had ever rang it before.

"Quiet please!" he shouted as his voice echoed across the entire yard. "Right, sorry for disturbing you all, but I've come here to make an announcement, and he stood in front of the depot and his engines. "Duncan here was able to save Rusty from nearly falling into the ravine on the old timber bridge, not just that, but he also saved the guard and the truck and brakevan Rusty was pulling, and I just wanted to say... Three cheers for Duncan!" announced the Thin Controller.

"Hooray!!!" shouted the engines and they once again blew their whistles loud and long. Duncan was glad that he was able to make a heroic deed, especially saving an engine who was about to fall off of a collapsing bridge. From that day on, Duncan would never forget about the events of the accident again.

## Characters

* Skarloey
* Peter Sam
* Rusty
* Duncan
* Bertram
* Freddie
* The Thin Controller
* Mrs. Percival
* Stepney (*cameo*)
* Rheneas (*cameo*)
* Sir Handel (*cameo*)
* Duke (*cameo*)
* Mighty Mac (*cameo*)
* Luke (*cameo*)

## Locations

* Stepney's Branch Line
* Rocky Ridge Line
* Sodor Castle
* Trestle Bridge
* The Depot
* Tea Room Station
* The Old Timber Bridge
* Mr. Percival's House
* The Old Wooden Bridge (*mentioned*)

## Trivia

* A reference to the seventh season episode *Trusty Rusty* is used.