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One day, James and Edward were at the sheds talking to a group of workmen. Some nasty things had happened in a town on Edward’s branchline, and James had some questions about it.
“Wait?” he asked for the umpteenth time. “What do you mean by ‘money laundering’? Laundry is the thing you do to clothes. Why would you wash money?”
One of the workmen, who was doing the bulk of the explaining, scratched his head. “Erm… you see… it’s a kind of expression when you put money you got through illegal means into a le-”
“Blimey! It’s the boss!” yelled another workman. “Let’s go back to work!” they cleared from the shed like magic. Edward and James watched as the Fat Controller’s car rolled into the yard and came to stop just outside the shed. The Fat Controller walked up to the two engines.
“Afternoon, Edward. You too, James.” he then turned his full attention towards the blue engine. “Tomorrow morning, I need you to leave your passenger duties for a while.”
Edward raised an eyebrow.
“The new mayor of Suddery has ordered a new water wheel to be put on display in the town square, as a little boost of morale after… that.” he paused, reading Edward’s befuddled expression. “The mayor has requested it be delivered by rail to the unveiling ceremony. As many people as possible need to see it during the journey there. But beware… some people aren’t happy to see it…” and he walked away without saying another word.
“Yeah, try getting a boosted morale after hearing this ominous speech…” remarked James. “We should call him Sir Topham Vague or something like that…”
But Edward wasn’t listening. He was a bit miffed at being sidelined from his usual duties, but a job was a job, even if it was a special special.
Edward’s driver and fireman came early the next morning. They were wearing jackets and were eager to set Edward’s fire.
“What weather to hold an outdoor ceremony in!” grumbled Sidney. “Not only is it freezing, but you can’t see anything in this fog!”
Just as he said that the first drops of rain started falling.
“Let’s just hope they didn’t tell anyone to wait by the lineside to watch the wheel go by.” said Charlie.
By the time Edward reached the terminus, it was positively pouring. His crew put a tarp between his roof and the tender to keep themselves dry. A diesel from the other railway had already brought the water wheel to the yard, and Edward went to pick it up.
The wheel looked magnificent, the dark oak holding out gallantly against the rain. Its rims were made of steel so shiny it could be used as a mirror.
“That’s a looker!” peeped Edward.
“I say!” said Sidney. “This was quite a good idea from that new mayor.”
Then, a sleek black car screeched to a halt right next to Edward. Out stepped a couple people dressed in black, and a pale man in all green and sunglasses.
“It’s the mayor!” whispered the crew.
The mayor walked vigorously up to the engine, and when they were face to smokebox, he took off his sunglasses.
“Hello, Thomas!” he greeted.
Edward gave a smile he had to do way too many times these days. “I’m Edward, sir.” he corrected.
The mayor furrowed his brows. “Oh… nevermind. I’ve come to wish you good luck. I’ll be waiting when you arrive, in the meantime, I need to greet my delegates… so, push the wheel to Suddery, and we’ll meet there!” he singsang as he headed back to the car. It took a couple seconds for Edward to understand what he’d said.
“Did… did you say push?” he asked. The mayor looked back.
“Yes… didn’t Sir Hatt tell you? You need to push the wheel. Then, the people will see the wheel, the symbol for the unbreakable will of the Sudderians, first!”
“In this fog?” whispered the fireman. But the mayor was already back in his car, and didn’t hear him.
“We’ll just have to take it like that, I guess…” grumbled the driver. “Can you do that old boy?”
“I guess…” sighed Edward as he looked at the mighty wheel. It would be hard work, but he’d done harder things in the past.
Soon, Edward was behind the wheel, and they set off. It was hard work indeed, as the wheel just barely fit the clearances of the bridges and tunnels. Edward, his driver, and his fireman did their best to look ahead, with minimal success. After painfully passing through Henry’s tunnel, disaster struck. The rain made the sharp steel rim of the wheel slippery, and the rope holding it in place on the flatbed damp. Edward hit a bump in the track, and the rope snapped. The wheel rolled off the flatbed and started making its way down the line as if it were self-propelled.
“Just what we needed…” groaned the fireman. “Why does it fit perfectly on the tracks?”
“Faster!” called Edward.
“Steady!” advised his driver. “The rails are slippery!”
“Then… just a little faster!” said Edward.
Skarloey and Rheneas were at their sheds. Rheneas was getting prepared for a passenger train, while Skarloey was shunting trucks to take to the quarry. He had a bet going on with Rheneas that he could shunt more trucks in one day than ever before.
“Fifty one… fifty two…” mumbled the old engine, lost deep in his counting.
“You skipped one…” smirked Rheneas, without as much as opening his eyes.
“I did not!” snapped Skarloey. “I’m not that old!”
“Says you.”
Skarloey smiled, and rolled his eyes. “Listen Rheneas, if you’re right, a massive wheel will roll by, followed by chariots and Neil!”
Just then, with a rumble and a roll, Edward’s water wheel whizzed by them, followed by a puffed out Edward whistling frantically. Rheneas started howling, while Skarloey went as red as his paintwork.
“Say hi to Neil for me!” laughed Rheneas as he set off to find his coaches.
The wheel was not slowing down, passing by more and more bewildered engines. Edward tried. He really did. He put all his puff and steam into catching up, but somehow, the wheel evaded him. Soon, he could not see it in the deep fog.
“It’s done for.” panted the fireman, leaning against the cab door. “Best case scenario is a farmer finding it in his field.”
“Would Mister Oblivious even notice it’s gone?” joked the driver. “He seemed like the kind of chap who’d hold the ceremony with no wheel!”
“We should at least try to find it!” said Edward as they came to a junction. One line continued on to Cronk and the Big Station, while the other line, where the points were set, led to…
“The Ironworks!” exclaimed Edward as he rushed down the line where no steam engine would ever go willingly…
‘Arry and Bert’s day started like all the others. This entailed spending all morning arguing about who would shunt the trucks, and who would get the smelting job. They were so loud that the Ironworks manager had to come to stop the noise. In a flip of a coin, it was Bert who had to fetch the trucks.
“Mingers…” he groaned. “That joke of a manager can’t even tell us apart, what does he even care? He should just move his office if the noise is so bad! He’d be doing us a favour-”
Bert’s monologue was cut short as a line of trucks came crashing into him. He yelled sharply, only calming down upon seeing what had caused the trucks to move.
“Oh… that…” he chuckled. “The manager will love me!”
‘Arry was getting ready to take his load to the smelting shed when Bert arrived, pushing and shoving the water wheel.
“What’s that?” oiled ‘Arry.
“The water wheel that the new mayor of Suddery wants to show off with…” grinned Bert.
‘Arry was annoyed by his brother getting some glory, but the prospect of scrapping the wheel excited him too much.
“Perfect! Let’s cut to smithereens! That’ll teach them for deposing Clarence the Clement!”
The two yellow diesels took the wheel to the smelting shed, and came out laughing and joking as Edward rolled into the yard.
“Give me the wheel back!” he demanded.
“Nuh uh.” said ‘Arry, looking away.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” growled Bert.
Edward narrowed his eyes. “You know, you and your Ironworks is the reason why they even had to elect a new mayor. So, if it’s anywhere, it’s here. Not to mention the points were set here when it rolled down the line…”
‘Arry and Bert’s faces quickly grew stern as they glared at the blue engine.
“Now,” sneered ‘Arry. “Where’s your evidence?”
“‘Arry,” whispered Bert. ‘Arry looked at his brother, and realized what he was trying to say.
“Well then,” he drawled as a delighted grin formed on his face. “If you want to accuse us, maybe it’s not us who you need to deal with…” the two diesels scurried back into the smelting shed as quickly as they could. Edward didn’t follow them. He didn’t need to. A few moments later, a rumble of a single engine echoed from inside. The creaking of metal on tracks, and the hiss of hydraulics. An unmistakable silhouette appeared before Edward. The shape of a diesel engine with an attachment on its roof slowly formed.
It was Diesel 10. All that is awful on the railways, rolled up into a single locomotive.
Diesel 10 scowled as his eyes locked with Edward’s. Edward wasn’t afraid. He stood firm. Pinchy hissed and snapped at him, but he didn’t even grace the claw with a look. All his attention was directed at the engine it was attached to.
“Say it, steamer.” gnarled Diesel 10. Edward stood firm and let off some steam.
“I want my wheel back,” he declared. Diesel 10 scrunched his nose in disgust.
“First, you drag your sorry tender to our yard, then you have the audacity to demand something?” he bellowed. “I could scrap you right here and now.”
Edward rolled his eyes. “Can you now? Pretty much everyone would know where to look if I disappeared.”
Diesel 10 stalled for just a moment, giving Edward a chance to go on.
“What would you even win with that wheel? It’s not worth the effort. Only a bit of metal on the sides, and that’s it. If you were to scrap…” Edward looked around, before he saw an unrecognizably twisted piece of metal. No doubt, Pinchy had had a go at it. “...that, you’d gain much more. Maybe enough to keep your Ironworks afloat without Clement the Clarence or whatever his name was giving you ‘donations’. Sounds good?”
If Diesel 10 had a boiler, he would’ve been boiling with rage. Pinchy jerked and snapped uncontrollably. But Edward remained stoic. Soon, Diesel 10’s engine cut out entirely. He snarled once again.
“You got your way today, old man. But you dare come here again…” and he scuttled forward until he was buffer-to-buffer with Edward. Pinchy was almost pinching the top of Edward’s funnel. Diesel 10 stayed like that for a few moments, before he descended back to the smelting shed. Then, slowly, someone inside shoved the wheel back outside, with it coming to a stop just in front of the flatbed.
“Phew…” said Edward’s driver. “Would you believe it?”
“I don’t think I’ll be coming in tomorrow.” replied the fireman. The two men inspected the wheel to check for any damage. When they didn’t see any, they propped two rusty rails between the wheel and the flatbed and attached the former to Edward, and he pulled it back safely. Then, some chains nearby helped secure it into place.
“Finally,” peeped Edward. “Maybe we won’t be so late after all!”
“The rain has stopped. Maybe we’ll fare better now.” said his driver as they set off again.
At Suddery, James was waiting impatiently. He had brought visitors to the grand unveiling, but Edward was still nowhere in sight.
“Figures!” he puffed. “I won’t call him an Old Iron, but he should at least-”
The red engine was interrupted by the massive water wheel appearing in his field of vision. Followed by a tired, but happy Edward.
“Hope I’m not too late,” he panted.
James hummed. “You are… but you still arrived before the delegates!”
Edward didn’t believe him, but what James had said was indeed true. The delegates were nowhere to be seen. Just as Edward let out a sigh of relief, multiple cars came screeching into the station parking lot. The mayor, the Fat Controller, and many other important looking people stepped out.
“Sorry for keeping you waiting,” he said. “Traffic jam.”
Edward and James told him that it was fine, and the wheel was unloaded to be put on its pedestal. The ribbon was cut, the champagne was opened, and everyone appeared to have a grand old time in spite of the weather they were given. When the celebrations seemed to be winding down, the Fat Controller came up to Edward.
“My informant at the ironworks told me all you did, Edward.” he smiled. “And I’m proud of you. Next time, I’ll tell them to make the wheel a little smaller to avoid things like that.”
“Oh, it was nothing, Sir.” soothed Edward. The Fat Controller nodded and left him and James to themselves.
“What happened at the ironworks? Why were you even there?” enquired the red engine. Edward supposed they had the time, so he told him all about it…