The Old Branchline

Molly the yellow engine and Neville the black engine are best friends. They shunt trucks together, pull coaches together, and even help other out when they're in trouble. One morning, they were pulling a goods train to take to the other railway. Henry was late when he arrived.

Henry: Sorry I'm late! I got held up at a signal, and cows made it worse!

Molly: Rubbish! You don't work hard enough!

Neville: We do need another engine to help!

Soon, Henry's goods were loaded on Molly and Neville's vans, and they set off. They arrived at Gordon's hill. The vans were heavy, but Molly and Neville would not give up.

'Molly': Come on! Come on!

Neville: Pull harder! Pull harder!

Eventually, they made it to the top, but the trucks pushed them down hill fast!

Neville: HELP! We're going to crash!

They raced past Toby who was taking on water.

Toby: Be careful! The switches ahead are faulty!

But neither Molly nor Neville heard him. They came to the broken switches, but instead of going to the other railway, they were diverted onto an old branch line! At last, they stopped.

Molly: Where are we? This line's become a jungle!

Molly and Neville carried on. Bushes, leaves, and dirt were everywhere, but they moved on. Soon, they came to an old four-space shed. In the shed were two red engines. One looked like James, except he had red wheels, and the other looked like Whiff, only with a 0-4-4 wheel arrangement. They looked very sad. Molly and Neville were surprised.

Neville: We've found an old branch line!

Molly: I'll help those engines, and you find someone to spread the word.

So, Molly was uncoupled from the train, and helped the two red engines. Neville continued down the track, and blew his whistle. Then he heard two whistles of tugboats. Neville whistled again. Ten Cents and Sunshine, the Star-fleet switchers, were headed to the docks to deliver rock.

Neville: Ten Cents! Sunshine!

Sunshine: Neville, what are you doing?

Neville: Molly and I have found this old branch line!

Ten Cents: Suffering smokestacks! We've got to tell the others!

When Ten Cents and Sunshine arrived at Brendam docks. They told Cranky the crane about it. Cranky told Salty, Salty told Henry, Henry told Gordon, Gordon told Stanley, and Stanley told Thomas and the narrow gauge engines.

Stanley: So, I've heard your girlfriend and her friend have found this old line.

Thomas: Yeah.

Stanley: What was it called before abandonment?

Thomas: It was called Norramby Branch - an engine named Eagle arrived in the 1920's, and was chosen to run it, with a tank engine called Marty. I don't know what happened to them since the decline of steam, but I know that Marty had been withdrawn from service around 1928.

Stanley: But not restored until nearly 80 years later.

Molly had brought the old engines to Sodor Steamworks, where Victor the Hispanic tank engine and Kevin the road crane resided. Homeschool also worked here, helping to restore rusty, old engines.

Kevin: Hello, Molly! What's with those engines?

Molly: Neville and I found an old branchline lost years ago. I'm bringing those engines to be restored.

Eagle: {in a middle-aged voice} Hello, young engines! My name is Eagle.

Marty: {in a teenage-like voice} And I'm Marty! We were abandoned for years and not rediscovered until now!

Victor: You've come to the right place, my friends! Here at Sodor Steamworks, we repair and rebuild engines like the works.

Kevin: Let's get them restored!

Soon, Eagle and Marty were at Sodor Steamworks. Since Marty was the younger of them, he was started on first. Eagle was older than Marty, and wiser too. Whilst they were being repaired, Norramby Branch line was restored to it's former glory. The Pack was also involved in the project, and the Star Tugs and Z-stacks brought supplies they needed. When Marty was completed after a month, he helped out. By the time he was restored, the line was nearing completion. Eagle's repairs took three months, and when he was repaired, the line was fully restored.

Eagle: I feel like a young engine again!

Thomas: It's good to see you old friend!

The next day, the line's grand re-opening was set up. Marzipan made food and drinks for the guests. Sir Topham Hatt spoke up.

Sir Topham Hatt: Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure that I, Sir Topham Hatt, shall have my engines, Molly and Neville, to become members of Norramby Branch Line. They have found this line, and have proved themselves to be really useful engines.

Molly and Neville were surprised. Molly spoke up.

Molly: Does this mean the both of us?

Sir Topham Hatt: It means the both of you will be efficient members of the line. You will still see your friends from time to time, and I'm hiring a controller to run your line.

Eagle and Marty smiled at Molly and Neville. Looking at them, Molly and Neville felt that they were both one of the team.

THE END (of part 1)