Sidney's Chance

"Sidney's Chance" is a story written by Loco123456.

Story
Sidney was in the Dieselworks for repairs. Winter had come, and with Christmas around the corner, everyone was busy. "I didn't mean to forget about the speed limits," moaned Sidney. Den and Dart felt sorry for him; they knew that Sidney wanted to be really useful. "I've got an idea," whispered Den. "But I'll need to ask the Foreman about it." Sidney's repairs required him to get new buffers. He'd ran into the back of another goods train in a passing loop on the Ulfstead Branch Line. The Foreman came to see him. "Once you're mended you'll be working with some workmen to help repair you memory," he said kindly. "At long last," sighed Sidney, but he was worried; what if it didn't work?

A few days later Sidney was repaired. Some workmen came to see him. "Right Sidney, we're going to run you through some tests." Sidney listened carefully. "You shall go to the Foundry and bring back some empty flatbeds and trucks into the sidings near the entrance. Then take diesel fuel to the pumps to refill the pumps." Sidney hooted twice and set off on his scavenger hunt. He arrived at the Foundry, but he had already forgotten what to collect. "Maybe I was to collect those coaches that are ready to return to work," he thought. He coupled up to them and shunted them to the Dieselworks entrance. What he didn't know what that the workmen were watching him to see what they had to work on to make Sidney better. After taking the coaches to the entrance he picked up the fuel tankers. "Now, I suspect that these go to the sidings inside the Dieselworks." When he rolled inside, he found that they weren't needed there. "Oh dear! I've failed!" "You've just showed us how we can help you," replied a workman kindly. "Now, let's begin."

"First, you must repeat things. Repeating things sometimes helps." "Or reciting a list in order, using numbers to mark things," added another. "Let's try this; first take trucks and flatbeds loaded with scrap to the Foundry." "Then bring empties to the entrance to be returned to the Smelter's Yard." "First, take loaded trucks to the Foundry, and then bring empties to the entrance..." Sidney repeated this over and over, but eventually he got himself confused. "Oh dear! I'v-" "Keep going," called his driver. Sidney did; he felt silly, and could hear laughter from the sheds. "Getting better I see, or should I say worse!" laughed Dennis. Sidney ignored him.

"What else can we try?" pondered the workmen. "How about making things simple," suggested a workman. "Maybe the less information he gets the easier it is to remember." The next morning the workmen arrived again. "Sidney, today you're to make a Fuel Delivery to the pumps. Then shunt Derek for repairs." "Yes Sir," tooted Sidney as he rolled away. The workmen watched in amazement as Sidney collected the fuel tankers and delivered them to the Fuel Pumps. Then he shunted Derek inside for repairs." "Great work Sidney," exclaimed Dart. "You're getting better," added Derek.

With it being Christmas time, every engine was needed to do the jobs that had to be done. While Sidney was getting better, things at the Docks were beginning to become worse. "Come on Porter, time for your washout." "There's no time for that!" refused Porter. "I've got to help the others." "Don't be silly! We're going." "I'm not!" "He'll have to realize his mistake his own way," whispered the fireman. "Fine, have it your way," grumbled the driver, climbing back into the cab. Porter puffed around the Docks, but he started to find it difficult. "I...can't...seem to puff," he groaned. "Everything alright?" asked Harvey. "Yes, never better," lied Porter. Later on Porter's tubes had clogged up so much with soot that he came to a halt on the line beside Cranky. "Salty, stop!" shouted a workman, switching the points to prevent the trucks from crashing into Porter. Salty was too late; the trucks loaded with coal came off the rails, luckily not falling into the sea. "Now everyone's going to be late because of you, which means extra work for everyone else!" grumbled Cranky. Cranky and Harvey soon had the mess cleaned up; Salty shunted Porter to the sheds. "What happened matey?" "Clogged tubes." "What prevented you from getting them cleaned out?" "Work." "Work is important, but keeping yourself healthy is even more important. A healthy engine is a useful one."

That evening at the Dieselworks the Foreman came to see Sidney. "As a reward for your hard work and gain of memory, you shall help out at Brendam Docks." Sidney cheerfully tooted his horn as he left. "Where is he?" asked Salty, becoming a little concerned. "No idea, and besides, he's probably for-" "Sorry I'm late!" shouted Sidney as he arrived. "Slippery tracks. Need to refill my sandbox before starting work." "Go ahead matey." Soon Sidney was hard at work, and because of his new memory, he was able to help the others help him. He soon had trucks shunted, coaches ready, and waited for trucks to be loaded and unloaded. "I bet he's faking it," thought Crankyy. "I'll show them all." Sidney arrived to collect some flatbeds of farm machinery. "These need to be taken to the Warehouse on the other side of Docks," said Cranky. "Um...alright." He passed a shunter on the way. "Cranky didn't help me out. Where do these farm machines go?" "Warehouse, east side." "Thanks."

Cranky soon heard about Sidney ruining his trick. "He won't get away with his 'memory' this time." There werer tracks on the line beside Cranky that were being repaired. Sidney had shunted flatbeds and vans over to Cranky to be loaded with furniture like couches, and home goods like plates and drinking glasses. "Take this track to Warehouse, west side." Sidney started up and shunted the trucks away. "Sidney! STOP!" shouted Harvey. Sidney applied his brakes, but was too late; some of the vans and flatbeds came off the rails, hitting the bare ground that awaited for new rails, and derailed. "Sorry Harvey," said Sidney sadly. "I guess I still need to practice my new memory." "Actually, I'm the one who tricked Sidney," admitted Cranky. The Dockyard Manager came to see Cranky that night. "You shall stay idle until you've thought over how to be really useful." His crane operator positioned Cranky to look out over the sea. Cranky was left to ponder how to make himself better for three weeks. A couple of days after Christmas he returned to work, crankier, and full of tricks, but was careful on who he played tricks on and gave others to a chance to prove that they too were really useful.