Back To Passengers

"Back To Passengers" is a story written by Loco123456.

Story
Back To Passengers

Bulgy had been bored being a vegetable stand on wheels, so he had decided to go back to being a bus. He had his old red livery back, along with new seats and everything else a bus needs. Due to it being summer the Sodor Roadway Bus Services Company put Bulgy to work on Stepney’s Branch Line. Passengers couldn’t travel by rail due to work on rebuilding Rolling River Bridge. Bulgy sped along between the Transfer Yards and Great Waterton.

Bulgy pulled into Great Waterton to find Bertie leaving. “What are you doing here?” asked Bulgy. “I’m helping out on Stepney’s Branch Line too,” said Bertie proudly. “With the increase of passengers the Manager needed more buses, and I was one that was chosen.” “I don’t think you would make a difference,” said Bulgy. “I can carry more passengers than you.” “At least I’m really useful!” said Bertie defensively. Bulgy wanted to prove that he was important. So he decided to play a trick on Bertie. Bertie usually picked up passengers within the town of Great Waterton before heading up to Bluebell Valley Station. Bulgy would pick up these passengers along with passengers that came on the stopping trains. When Bertie stopped at his regular bus stop there was no one there. “That’s odd. I wonder where they’ve all gone.” He soon found out. That afternoon he was running late. He sped up to his bus stop to find Bulgy taking his passengers. Bertie continued to his next stop still feeling cross. That night when Bulgy returned to the bus garage at Knapford the Bus Service Manager was waiting for him. “I’ve heard that you’ve been taking Bertie’s passengers,” he said sternly. “This company won’t tolerate mean buses. You shall stay in the garage for a few days. And when you come out you better prove yourself worthy of continuing to work with us. Otherwise it’s back to vegetables!”

Bulgy was horrified. He wanted to do something that he really enjoyed doing. After a few days had gone by he went back to work. Some of the buses in Great Waterton weren’t talking to him and Bertie was holding a grudge. “I’ll show them,” said Bulgy. Things went fine for a couple of weeks until one day a porter came out to see Bulgy. “We need a bus to take passengers up to Crovan’s Gate.” “But we’re assigned to work on Stepney’s Branch Line,” explained Bulgy’s driver. “Doesn’t matter. You shall take these passengers to Crovan’s Gate. Arrangements for this have already been made.” “We might as well do it I suppose,” sighed Bulgy. He didn’t think the Bus Service Manager would agree. He was right. When he and his driver came to the Bus Garage that night the Manager stood waiting for them. “You were to stay on Stepney’s Branch Line,” he scolded. “I see that you mean well Bulgy, so you shall get a second chance. But be careful of what you do. You’re very close to becoming a vegetable stand again.” “But a porter said that arrangements were made,” said Bulgy’s driver. “Rubbish! I never approved anything.” Bulgy and his driver were cross.

When Bulgy came back to work once more he was placed to work only within the town, taking passengers to and from bus stops and the station. This time nothing went wrong but still Bulgy worried about losing something that he enjoyed so much. Eventually the bridge had been finished and services on the branch line were back in place but there was worse to come. As Flora took the first service to Great Waterton it began to rain. Soon the storm got intense. “I hope it doesn’t cause any problems to our train,” said Flora worriedly. But she was wrong. After crossing Rolling River Bridge she puffed through Green Hills Junction. The line ran through a forest until it neared Great Waterton. As she chuffed through here a tree was struck by lightning and fell onto the line. Flora was able to stop in time but she was trapped. Bulgy had arrived at the station. Passengers flooded out of him to get onto their trains as quickly as possible. The stationmaster came running up to them. “Flora is stuck in the forest. A tree fell across her line.” “Then we must go and help,” said Bulgy. “But what about the Manager? He needs to approve.” “Never mind him,” said the stationmaster. “I’ve called him and he says that a bus must go and help.” “Then we’ll go,” said Bulgy. Bulgy sped along the roads to Great Waterton Forest. He soon found the train. As the passengers boarded him another tree fell, this time along the road. Luckily it didn’t trap Bulgy but he was worried. “Please hurry up. We don’t want to be stuck in here any longer,” said Bulgy. Finally they were all on board and Bulgy rushed back to the station. He pulled in just as the 12:03 stopping train for Vicarstown pulled into platform 1. “Hooray for Bulgy!” cheered the passengers as they boarded the train.

That night at the Bus Garage the Manager was waiting for him. This time he was smiling. “You are a really useful double-decker bus. You deserve to continue working with us.” “Thank you Sir!” said Bulgy cheerfully. As he rolled into one of the berths he found Bertie beside him. He was pleased too. “How were you able to get out of the forest?” asked Bertie. Bulgy told him all about it. Before long Bertie had stopped holding his grudge and is now friends with Bulgy. And Bulgy is more cheerful than ever taking passengers wherever they need to go around the railway.

Characters

 * Flora
 * Bertie
 * Bulgy
 * Sodor Roadways Bus Services Manager
 * Great Waterton Porter
 * Great Waterton Stationmaster

Locations

 * Stepney's Branch Line
 * Rolling River Bridge
 * Green Hills Junction
 * Great Waterton Forest
 * Great Waterton
 * Sodor Roadways Bus Services Garage