The Ghost of the Arlesdale Railway

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Characters

 * Bert (small railway)
 * Rex
 * Mike
 * Frank
 * Jock
 * Blister I and Blister II
 * Sigrid of Arlesdale
 * Ted (Willie's Tractor)
 * Willie

Voice Cast

 * Keith Wickham as Bert and Willie


 * Tom Stourton as Rex


 * Tim Whitnall as Mike


 * Rob Rackstraw as Frank


 * Colin MacFarlane as Jock


 * Darren Boyd as Blister I


 * Steven Kynman as Blister II and Ted (Willie's Tractor)


 * Rachael Miller as Sigrid of Arlesdale


 * Olivia Colman as Small Railway Coach 1


 * Tracy-Ann Oberman as Small Railway Coach 2


 * Nicola Stapleton as Small Railway Coach 3


 * Clive Mantle as Wool Truck


 * Nigel Pilkington as Ballast Truck

Transcript
Narrator: It was fall on the Small Railway. Bert was delivering some passengers along the line. And Mike had to take some ballast to Arlesbrugh.

Mike: Hello Bert.

Bert: Hello Mike.

Mike: Frank tells me the trees look spooky with no leaves.

Small Railway Coach 1: Honestly Mike.

Small Railway Coach 2: Yes why do you think so many things are spooky at this time of year?

Mike: But they are. Sometimes they look like big hands, reaching over the tracks to grab you.

Bert: And pick you up like a toy train, right?

Mike: Yes.

Bert: (laughs) Yes, well you do have a big imagination you know.

Mike: I do?

Bert: Yes, they're only trees.

Mike: Well then if you're sure.

Narrator: A little further along the line, Bert noticed that one of Willie the farmland's fences was broken.

Bert: Oh dear.

Small Railway Coach 3: (gasps) Careful Bert, there could be a runaway animal on the track.

Narrator: Bert didn't see any animals on the track, but he did see Willie and his tractor Ted, working close by.

Willie: Hello Bert.

Bert: Hello Willie. Hello Ted. There's a broken fance by the track by there.

Ted: Oh is there? Well we'll go and tell the farmlands.

Willie: Yeah, they'll want to get that repaired before an animal escapes.

Narrator: That night in the shed, Bert told Rex about the broken fence.

Rex: That sounds spooky.

Bert: (giggles) Don't get us started.

Frank: Yeah, Bert's already had Mike telling him about those spooky-looking trees.

Rex: But think about it Bert. What or who could it had been that broke that fence? It could had been anything.

(Blister, Jock and Sigrid gasp)

Bert: It was probably just an animal Rex. Now go to sleep.

Sigird of Arlesdale: I quite agree. Go to sleep.

Rex: I wish I could, but I've got a night-time job to do tonight.

Narrator: Poor Rex had frightened himself. But the others didn't think there was really anything to be frightened of.

Rex: (nervously) Hello? Is someone there? Ahhh!

(Other engines are asleep, until Rex comes whistling back and bumps right into Jock)

Jock: Oh gracious! Where on earth am I?

Sigrid of Arlesdale: Honestly Rex, what is the matter with you?

Blister II: Yeah, why are you racing in and bashing into Jock in the middle of the night?

Rex: Sorry everyone. But I had something very spooky out in the woods.

Frank: Dither, I've heard quite enough of this spookiness.

Blister I: So have I. Just deliver the mail.

Bliser II: That's right. And let the rest of us go back to sleep.

Narrator: The next morning, it was bright and sunny.

Rex: And then as I crossed the bridge outside the woods, Bert, I heard this strange moaning sound. (imitates ghost) It was like nothing I've ever heard before you see. It was very very spooky.

Bert: Well Rex, it's daytime now. And the sun is shining, and I'm sure whatever it was will be long gone away.

Mike: I hope so. I had to take the workers across the bridge to get them to the quarry.

Rex: I have to go over that bridge today too.

Bert: So do I. We all have to go over that bridge. But I'm quite sure there's nothing to worry about.

Narrator: Bert wasn't worrying at all, as he puffed along the line with some coaches.

Ted: Hello Bert.

Narrator: But then he came to the bridge outside the forest.

Small Railway Coach 1: Bert, what's the matter?

Small Railway Coach 2: Why are we slowing down?

Small Railway Coach 3: Is there an animal on the line?

Bert: No, it's just... Well Mike said he had something spooky last night as he went over this bridge, but I'm sure there's nothing to...

(Ghostly baa)

Bert: Ahhh!

Small Railway Coaches: Ahhh!

Mike: Did you hear it, Bert?

Small Railway Coach 2: You mean that terrible moaning and groaning?

Small Railway Coach 3: Under the bridge?

Rex: It must be a ghost.

Bert: A ghost?

Rex: I saw something white at the bottom of the ravine.

Mike: Rex is right. There may be something creepy-looking under the bridge.

Rex: Forget it. I can't take this much longer.

Mike: I'm going first.

Rex: Second.

Ballast Truck: Honestly Mike, slow down. What are you racing for?

Rex: Go on Mike.

Bert: We can't wait here forever.

Small Railway Coach 1: We can't hear anything now.

Small Railway Coach 3: Maybe that silly old ghost's gone away now.

Wool Truck: There's probably nothing to worry about.

Ballast Truck: Yeah, whatever it was has probably gone... Oh!

Mike: Don't eat me! Don't eat me! Don't eat me.

Rex: It's still here. Don't eat me! Don't eat me! Don't eat me! The third one has to be brave Bert. The third one has to make the troll go away.

Bert: What are you talking about Rex?

Mike: What do you think this is, the Three Billy Goats Gruff or something?

Rex: That's right Mike. You're the smallest goat, I'm the middle one, and Bert is the biggest one, I think.

Mike: And does that mean, the ghost is playing the part of the troll.

Rex: Yes, and Bert had to make it go away. Oh Bert, he's very hungry now!

Small Railway Coach 2: You know, I don't think that's a ghost after all.

Small Railway Coach 3: I do believe you're right.

Small Railway Coach 1: Yeah, it sounds more like a sheep to me.

Bert: (stops) A sheep?

Rex and Mike: A cow?

(Then Bert can't help laughing)

Narrator: One of the farmland's sheep had broken through the fence and wandered down into the river, where it got stuck in the mud. Willie and Ted brought a winch to help, and left the stranded sheep back up again. And Bert carried the small frightened sheep back to the farm. That night back at the sheds, Bert, Rex and Mike told the others about their big adventure.

Frank: A sheep you say? You were frightened of nothing but a sheep?

Mike: It's not that funny.

Bert: You can laugh Frank, but the farmlands were glad when we found her.

Jock: Imagine thinking a sheep was a ghost.

(All except Rex and Mike laugh)

Rex: It's not that funny. It was really scary.

Bert: It's just a little baa, alright everyone?

(This time all the engines really do laugh)