Rheneas' Risky Ride

"*If you inspectors keep calling our railway rubbish, then I'll tell the Thin Controller never to bring you to this railway again.*"
— Rheneas' driver

**Rheneas' Risky Ride** is the eleventh episode of the second season.

## Plot

It was a cool day on the Island of Sodor, the railway inspectors were coming to visit the Skarloey Railway, the engines weren't as excited, the railway inspectors had came to the railway a couple of times and they were very bossy. "Why are those railway inspectors coming to our railway again?!" fumed Rusty. "I don't know." said Bertram "But last time they visited here, they were very bossy indeed." "I remember that Sir Handel took the railway inspectors around the railway last time." said Rheneas "But it didn't turn out well." "Am not takin' th' railway inspectors either." huffed Duncan "Then who will be chosen to take the inspectors around the island this year?" asked Bertram "Shouldn't we be doing work here rather than sitting in the sheds?" asked Skarloey "I think you're right." said Rheneas "Then come on everybody, time to work." called Skarloey and the other engines chuffed off to work.

A few days later, the Thin Controller came to the sheds "Rheneas, I want you to show the railway inspectors around the island." he said "Yes sir." said Rheneas, but he wasn't happy that he was taking the railway inspectors. When Rheneas arrived at the station, the railway inspectors were standing on the platform, Rusty was at the station too collecting some passengers "So are you taking the railway inspectors this year?" asked Rusty "Yes." said Rheneas. But when the railway inspectors saw Rheneas, they scoffed "Who is this little engine here?" asked one of the inspectors rudely "He looks old-fashioned to me." said another. Rheneas was furious "Why you little-" "Anyway, let's board this stupid coach and let's see what this darn railway looks like now." said one of the railway inspectors. Rheneas wanted to respond back to the railway inspectors, but didn't want to get into trouble by the Thin Controller.

The first place Rheneas visited was Sodor Castle "Puh! What's this old-fashioned castle?" scoffed one of the railway inspectors "It's Sodor Castle!" Rheneas snapped, the railway inspector was cross "You dare talk to me like that little engine, I'll report this to the Thin Controller.", Rheneas remained in silence after that and chuffed away.

Then they arrived at Valley View "That view looks terrible." called one of the railway inspectors "Certainly not for me to look at." said another. Rheneas' driver heard the inspectors and was cross "If you inspectors keep calling our railway rubbish, then I'll tell the Thin Controller never to bring you to this railway again." he said, but the railway inspectors didn't care, Rheneas rolled his eyes and set off.

Then they came to the viaduct "This viaduct looks old. It should be scrapped." said a railway inspector, Rheneas' fireman heard them and responded back "Excuse me. But this viaduct is called Rheneas Viaduct and it was named after this engine here." "So this engine's name is Rheneas?" said a railway inspector. "That's a weird name." said another. Rheneas was about to go furious, but then his driver called him "Come on Rheneas." he said "Ignore the inspectors and chuff to the next location.", so Rheneas tried to ignore the inspectors as he puffed away.

Rheneas was puffing along the line still trying to ignore the inspectors. He was so busy thinking of what they would say next, that he didn't notice that the points were leading to the mountains rather than the station. Rheneas suddenly noticed he was on the wrong track "Oh no. This is the wrong track! I must stop!" he tried to stop but he couldn't. Rheneas raced past Rusty who was doing track repairs. "Be careful!" cried Rusty. Then he raced on the Rocky Ridge Line, he was now a runaway. "HELP!" cried Rheneas, the inspectors were surprised, they rocked and rolled, rocked and rolled all over the carriage. Rheneas didn't notice and was going even faster and faster, his driver applied the brakes, but Rheneas still didn't stop, he just went faster and faster. He raced across the Trestle Bridge, he was going so fast that an inspector's hat nearly blew off "Hold onto your hats!" cried the inspector. Rheneas splashed under the waterfall. The inspectors covered their eyes."

At last, Rheneas arrived at the station, the Thin Controller was there, Rheneas was worried, what would the Thin Controller say, the railway inspectors were soaking wet after Rheneas went under the waterfall. They were furious "Peregrine Percival. I am never traveling in this engine again!" snapped one of the inspectors. "He bumped us about in the carriage!" snapped another, the Thin Controller was cross "Rheneas, you have caused delay and confusion." he said "Sorry sir." said Rheneas, but then Rheneas' driver explained to the Thin Controller what actually happened "It wasn't Rheneas' fault sir." he said "Was it?" asked a puzzled Thin Controller "It was... the Railway Inspectors' fault." the railway inspectors gasped "Why was it their fault?" asked the Thin Controller "First they called Rheneas old-fashioned, then they called Sodor Castle old-fashioned, then they said the view at Valley View looked terrible and said that the Rheneas Viaduct is old and should be scrapped." the Thin Controller was cross "You inspectors have been doing nothing but trouble." he said "Calling my railway old-fashioned is not what I like to hear." the railway inspectors didn't care. "We don't care about this stupid railway anyway!" said an inspector rudely. The Thin Controller was shocked "That's it. You too are fired from being railway inspectors, and I'll report this to your manager." he said crossly, soon, the manager arrived, the railway inspectors gulped, the manager was very cross "I heard from the Thin Controller that you two have been saying that this railway is terrible." he said "I've visited this railway before and it is beautiful. But you two seem to not care." he said "GET IN THE CAR NOW!" snapped the manager, the inspectors sadly got into the car and the manager drove away. Then the Thin Controller turned to Rheneas "I apologize for being cross with you." said the Thin Controller "It's ok." said Rheneas "I'm just glad the railway inspectors were punished by their manager." he said "To be honest but it was kinda funny seeing the inspectors being told off." said Rheneas "Well, it was quite funny." said the Thin Controller and Rheneas and the Thin Controller laughed.

That night at the sheds, Rheneas was the last engine to come back to the sheds "So how was your day then?" asked Rusty "It was good." said Rheneas "But I became a runaway on the Rocky Ridge Line." "Another runaway." huffed Duncan "First ye became a runaway when takin' those children on a mountain trip, then another runaway wit' th' railway inspectors." he huffed "Yes, but the railway inspectors were calling our railway old-fashioned and everywhere I went the inspectors said rude things about the places. Skarloey was shocked "Why would he say such things about our railway?" he asked "I don't know." said Rheneas, then when I arrived back at the station, the Thin Controller fired the inspectors and were punished by their manager." said Rheneas "And it was kinda funny." "To be honest, it is a bit." said Bertram. "I agree." said Rusty "Me too." said Skarloey and all the engines laughed, Duncan wasn't laughing, but he thought it was a bit funny and started to laugh as well. Now, all the engines were laughing, Rheneas was pleased to be a part of the Thin Controller's railway.

## Characters

* Skarloey
* Rheneas
* Duncan
* Bertram
* Rusty
* The Thin Controller
* The Railway Inspectors
* Sir Handel (*does not speak*)
* Peter Sam (*cameo*)
* Duke (*cameo*)

## Locations

* Sodor Castle
* Tea Room Station
* Skarloey Railway Engine Sheds
* Valley View
* Rheneas Viaduct
* Rocky Ridge Line
* Trestle Bridge
* Whispering Waterfall

## Trivia

* A reference to the seventh season episode *Rheneas and the Roller Coaster* is made.
* This episode marks Mr. Percival's first appearance (after taking over the Fat Controller's role as controller of the Skarloey Railway).
* This episode marks the first and only appearances of the railway inspectors to date.