Head On!

"Head On" is a story written by Loco123456.

Story
Early one spring morning the Earl came to see Millie with some bad news. "Luke has to go to the Steamworks to be repaired. So you'll take over his job of delivering stone to help rebuild the castle!" "Yes Sir!" Workmen set to work; the firelighter lit her fire, and another shed workman fitted her with headcodes. Headcodes help the signalmen to send the trains onto the right tracks. The headcode Millie got was a square with two small black dots and the letters BMQ. This indicated that she'd be pulling an "empty stock" train to the Blue Mountain Quarry. "I don't think this'll help the signalman," said Millie worriedly. "You know it does," said the fireman. "But is this a code that signalers use on the Skarloey Railway?" Her fireman couldn't answer that; he didn't know what to say.

She was soon puffing down the line. Ahead was a signalbox and a junction. "What does that mean?" asked the signalman. "I don't know," said another, confused. "Just switch it onto another line. Probably means a goods train." But they were wrong; Millie passed by with her crew and herself having good faith in the signalmen. "This is strange...I think we're on-" "STOP!" Up ahead was Peter Sam pulling a long goods train. Both crews jumped clear. The two engines smashed into each other, damaging their fronts and funnels bent. "What were you doing on this...what does your headcode mean?" "I knew this would cause trouble," sighed Millie. Rusty brought workmen and cranes to lift the two engines onto flatbeds. "If you hadn't came down this track, I wouldn't be damaged!" fumed Peter Sam. "Millie is-" "She did nothing wrong," said Rusty firmly. "Whoever put that headcode on her is to blame." But Rusty was wrong too.

The Inspector soon found out about the Earl and his headcodes. "Engines travelling on different railways must wear proper headcodes to avoid confusion and accidents." "I'll get ones for the SR immediately," promised the Earl. Soon the two engines were repaired. When Millie returned to the castle she saw that it was three-fourths complete. "Hey, Millie's back," exclaimed Stephen. "We're g- what's the matter?" "Peter Sam still thinks I caused the accident," said Millie gloomily. "I hope he realizes it wasn't a mistake!" "Calm down Millie, I'm sure he'll learn eventually," added Glynn.

At the Blue Mountain Quarry Peter Sam worked hard, loading trucks with stone. "It's not fair, it's not fair," he complained. "It's Millie's fault, it's Millie's fault." Duke had had enough of the complaining, and he too knew that Millie wasn't the cause of the accident that had happened two months ago. "Peter Sam, maybe you should take an extra long like of stone to the Castle," advised Duke. "Duncan, please go along with him." The two engines happily buffered up and puffed away; they were glad to finally get out of the Quarry for a change. They were soon speeding along the line and making good time. "You're not pulling hard enough! We're starting to slow down," complained Peter Sam as they climbed up a hill. "It's these troublesome trucks," said Duncan crossly. "I'm pulling my hardest!" "Pull harder!" "I'll do what I know I can do!" As they started to go downhill the trucks pushed into each other. "Faster! Faster!" they chuckled. "Nooooo!" wailed the two engines. The two crews jumped clear; the train derailed at the bend, and the two engines landed on their sides, only getting starched. "This is your fault!" "Your fault too!" retorted Duncan. Peter Sam understood now why Duke had chosen the two engines. "It's actually neither of our faults," sighed Peter Sam. "I should have known better than to quickly blame others."

Characters

 * Stephen
 * Glynn
 * Peter Sam
 * Duncan
 * Rusty
 * Duke
 * Millie
 * Sir Robert Noramby
 * Skarloey Railway Ulfstead Line Officer
 * Luke (mentioned)

Location

 * Ulfstead Castle
 * Blue Mountain Quarry
 * Sodor Steamworks (mentioned)