Chapter Text
There was another little railway on Sodor, but this one was newer than the MSR, and even the Sodor and Mainland.
“We need an engine!” The manager exclaimed. “But where do we get one?” He wondered. He looked everywhere, but even the engine works at Crovan’s Gate were busy.
“Sorry, but we’re building another engine, we can’t help you.”
“Bother!” Grumbled the manager. Before long, he was so upset that his family decided it would be a good idea to go on holiday. They had a very nice time in Wales, before coming across a little railway that had just opened. The manager was fortunate to see a little green engine with four wheels and no cab, and he liked the look of it so much, that he had to ask where they had gotten it. After his trip, he ended up in Whitehaven.
“I understand you build locomotives?” The manager asked.
“Yes.” One of the workmen nodded. “Would you like to order one?”
“I would. A C class, please.” The manager requested.
Luckily, they already had one built, and they opened the shed to reveal a very small engine, one that was almost completely identical to the one the manager had ridden behind.
“Oh, hello there!” The little engine beamed. He hadn’t been outside in a very long time.
“Hello there.” The manager smiled. “I would like to buy you. Will you work hard if I do?”
“Yes, sir.” The engine smiled.
“Excellent. You will work on my railway, but first, you will need new wheels. Your current ones are too far apart together.” The manager reasoned. “What is your name?” He asked.
“I haven’t got one, sir.” The little engine wheeshed.
“Our railway will run to a lake in the woods. Where I’m from, that’s called Skarloey. Would you like that name?”
“Oh, yes sir!” The little engine grinned.
“Skarloey it is, then.” The manager smiled. “You may call me Mr Mack.”
It took a few weeks for Skarloey to arrive at the Balladwail Wharf, during which he was on a boat. When he finally did arrive, he was lifted by a crane. He swayed around, before being lowered onto a flatbed. A big green engine was waiting for him.
“Hullo. You must be the new engine.” The green engine smiled.
“Yes. I am.” Skarloey smirked. He felt rather splendid being pulled. But he hadn’t been paying attention when Mr Mack had told him why that was. “My name is Skarloey, doesn’t it sound grand?”
“Sounds a bit odd to me.” The green engine muttered under his whistle. “My name’s Harry, and I’m taking you to the works.”
“The works? Why, is there something wrong with me?” Skarloey worried, his face drooping.
“Not to my understanding.” Harry admitted. “You’d have to ask the workmen.”
“Right. Well, where is it?” Skarloey asked.
He was there before long, and the engineer smiled at Skarloey.
“There’s nothing wrong with you.” He chuckled. “Your wheels are just too far apart for our railway, we need to bring them closer together.” Skarloey thought that sounded serious, but the engineer reassured him that it was a quick repair. Unfortunately, it was not. It took them a few weeks to take off Skarloey’s chassis, and then another few weeks to fix it! By the time Skarloey was ready to run, he had been waiting for a long time. But he was very happy when they finished. After he puffed out of the engine works, Mr Mack walked up looking quite proud.
“Hello, Skarloey. How do your new wheels feel?” Mr Mack asked.
“They feel quite nice, sir.” Skarloey admitted. “And I can’t wait to run on them, sir.”
“Then how would you feel about being at our ribbon-cutting, to pull the first train of the railway?” Mr Mack asked. Skarloey was thrilled!
“Yes please, sir!” Skarloey whistled.
And so he did. Skarloey was waiting at Crovan’s Gate Station, his red paint gleaming in the sunlight. Bertram and Harry thought he looked very smart, and Skarloey knew it. Mr Mack stepped onto the platform.
“Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen!” He proclaimed, all eyes on him. “I am very proud to tell you all that this is the start of a new railway. We will reach Skarloey by rail, and I promise that to you, by naming my first engine Skarloey.” Skarloey blew his whistle in pride. “And it may take a while, but we will get there!” He added. “By engine or by horse, we will reach Skarloey! And I present to you, the first train of South Sodor Railways!” He signalled to Skarloey’s driver, and he opened the regulator. Skarloey puffed forwards, and cut the ribbon with his buffers.
“Fancy-pants.” Harry chuckled.
“I never got to do that.” Bertram mumbled. But Skarloey didn’t hear them, he just kept going. And he kept puffing until he reached the other end of the line, all the way at Cros-ny-Curin.