"FOUR LITTLE ENGINES" Written by the Rev. W. Awdry Illustrated by C. Reginald Dalby First Published 1955
"Dear Friends, Sir Handel Brown is the owner of a little Railway which goes to Skarloey and Rheneas. Skarloey means 'Lake in the Woods', and Rheneas means 'Divided Waterfall'. They are beautiful places, and lots of people visit them. The Owner is very busy, so Mr. Peter Sam, the Thin Controller, manages the Railway. The two Engines, who are called Skarloey and Rheneas, grew old and tired, so the owner bought two others. The stories tell you what happened. The Author"
The Fat Controller had sent Edward to the works to be mended. Near the works station, Edward noticed a narrow-gauge engine standing in an open-sided shed. "That's Skarloey," he thought, "What's he doing here?" He remembered Skarloey and his brother Rheneas, because in the old days he had often brought passengers who wanted to travel up to the Lake in their little train. As the men at the works could not mend him at once, Edward asked them to put him on a siding close to Skarloey.
Skarloey was pleased to see Edward. "The Owner has just bought two more engines," he said. "He told me I was a Very Old Engine, and deserved a good rest. He gave me this shed so that I could see everything and not be lonely. But I am lonely all the same," he continued sadly, "I miss Rheneas very much. Yesterday one of the new engines pushed him on a truck, and now he's gone to be mended. "I wish I could be mended too, and pull coaches again."
"Have your coaches got names?" asked Edward. "Oh, yes, there's Agnes, Ruth, Jemima, Lucy and Beatrice. Agnes is proud. She has cushions for first-class passengers. She pities Ruth, Jemima and Lucy, who are third-class with bare boards; but they all four sniff at Beatrice. Beatrice often smells of fish and cheese, but she is most important," said Skarloey earnestly, "she has a little window through which the Guard sells tickets. I sometimes leave the others behind, but I always take Beatrice. You must have tickets and a Guard you know." "Of course," said Edward gravely.
"Rheneas and I," continued Skarloey, "used to take turns at pulling the trains. We know everybody, and everybody knows us. We whistle to the people in the fields, at level crossings, and in the lonely cottages and farms, and the people always wave to us. "We love passing the school playgrounds at break-time, for then the children will always run over to the fence to watch us go by. The passengers always wave, because they think the children are waving to them; but we engines know better, of course," said Skarloey importantly. "Yes, we do indeed," agreed Edward.
"We take your tourists to the Lake and then get ready to pull the train back. "We enjoy the morning journey home, because then our friends from the villages come down to do their shopping. "We whistle before every station, 'Peep! Peeeep! Look out!' and the people are there ready. " 'Where's Mrs Last? asks the Guard. " 'She's coming.' " 'Peep peeeeeep!' we whistle, and Mrs Last comes running on to the platform. 'We'll leave you behind one of these days, Missis,' laughs our Driver, but we know we never will.
"We stop elsewhere too, at farm crossings and stiles, where paths lead to lonely houses. Rheneas and I know all the places very well indeed, and our Driver used to say that we would stop even if he didn't put on the brakes! "Sometimes, on Market Day, Ruth, Jemima, and Lucy were so full of people that the Guard would allow third-class passengers to travel in Agnes. She didn't like that at all, and would grumble. 'First --- class --- coach --- third --- class --- people.' "That made me cross. 'Shut up,' I'd say, 'or I'll bump you!' That soon stopped her rudeness to my friends."
Just then some workmen came. "We're going to mend you now, Edward," the said. "Come along." "Goodbye, Skarloey. Thank you for telling me about your Railway. It's a lovely little line." "It is! It is! Thank you for talking to me, Edward. You've cheered me up. Goodbye!" Skarloey watched Edward being taken back to the works; then, shutting his eyes, he dozed in the warm afternoon sun. He smiled as he dozed, for he was dreaming, as old engines will, of happy days in the past.
Holy shit my childhood. Thank you OP I appreciate you
Owen Sullivan
I lived on the show and only go through my book copy once every few years so I forget how good the art is.
Cooper Parker
I think he actually liked it. Everybody has something off brand they do.
Jack Taylor
A lot of the original stories have this incredibly bitter melancholy to them. Even as a kid it makes you sad to know that Skarloey and the Duke, etc. are all "old engines." Where another childrens story like "The Little House" shows the wearying marks of progress, the end of the book sees the old, outdated house moved and made new again, whereas the old engines are simply given a long and typically permanent rest. Despite this, the fond memories and their legacy are more than enough to satisfy these characters. There's something really important and beautiful in that.
Benjamin James
"SIR HANDEL" The new engines looked very smart. One was called Sir Handel, and the other Peter Sam. "What a small shed!" grumbled Sir Handel. "This won't do at all!" "I think it's nice," said Peter Sam. "Huh!" grunted Sir Handel. "What's that rubbish?" "Sh sh!" said Peter Sam, "that's Skarloey, the famous old engine. "I'm sorry Skarloey," he whispered, "Sir Handel's upset now, but he's quite nice really." Skarloey felt sorry for Peter Sam.
"Now Sir Handel," said the Fireman next morning, "we'll get you ready." "I'm tired," he yawned, "let Peter Sam go, he'd love it." "No," said the Fireman, "Owner's orders, you're first." "Oh well!" said Sir Handel sulkily, "I suppose I must." When his driver arrived, Sir Handel puffed away to fetch the coaches. "Whatever next?" he snorted. "Those aren't coaches; they're cattle trucks!" "Oooooh!" screamed Agnes, Ruth, Lucy, Jemima, and Beatrice, "what a horrid engine!"
"It's not what I'm used to," clanked Sir Handel rebelliously, making for the station. He rolled to the platform just as Gordon arrived. "Hullo!" he said. "Who are you?" "I'm Gordon. Who are you?" "I'm Sir Handel. Yes, I've heard of you; you're an express engine I believe. So am I, but I'm used to bogie coaches, not these cattle trucks. Do you have bogie coaches? Oh yes, I see you do. We must have a chat sometime. Sorry I can't stop; must keep time, you know." And he puffed off, leaving Gordon at a loss for words!
"Come along! COME ALONG!" he puffed. "Cattle trucks! CATTLE TRUCKS!" grumbled the coaches. "We'll pay him out! WE'LL PAY HIM OUT!" Presently they stopped at a station The line curved here and began to climb. It was not very steep, but the day was misty, and the rails were slippery. "Hold back!" whispered Agnes to Ruth. "Hold back!" whispered Ruth to Jemima. "Hold back!" whispered Jemima to Lucy. "Hold back!" whispered Lucy to Beatrice, and they giggled as Sir Handel started and their couplings tightened.
"Come on! COME ON!" he puffed as his wheels slipped on the greasy rails, "Comeon comeon COMEON COMEON!" His wheels were spinning, but the coaches pulled him back, and the train stopped on the hill beyond the station. "I can't do it, I can't do it," he grumbled, "I'm used to sensible coaches, not these bumpy cattle trucks." The Guards came up. "I think the coaches are up to something," he told the Driver. So they decided to bring the train down again to a level piece of line, to give Sir Handel a good start.
I'm surprised George Carlin was even considered for the role. You'd think a deeply Christian man like Wilbert Awdry would've gone "YOU HIRED WHO?!" and immediately had Carlin fired before he could do a single episode.
The Guard helped the Fireman put sand on the rails, and Sir Handel made a tremendous effort. The coaches tried hard to drag him back; but he puffed and pulled so hard that they were soon over the top and away on their journey. The Thin Controller was severe with Sir Handel that night. "You are a Troublesome Engine," he said. "You are rude, conceited, and much too big for your wheels. Next time I shall punish you severely." Sir Handel was impressed, and behaved well for several days!
Then one morning he took the train to the top station. He was cross; it was Peter Sam's turn, but the Thin Controller had made him go instead. "We'll leave the coaches," said his Driver, "and fetch some trucks from the Quarry." "Trucks!" snorted Sir Handel, "TRUCKS!" "Yes," his Driver repeated, "Trucks." Sir Handel jerked forward; "I won't!" he muttered, "so there!" He lurched, bumped, and stopped. His Driver and Fireman got out. "Told you!" said Sir Handel triumphantly. He had pushed the rails apart, and settled down between them.
They telephoned the Thin Controller. He came up at once with Peter Sam, and brought some workmen in a truck. Then he and the Fireman took Peter Sam home with the coaches, while the Driver and workmen put Sir Handel back on the rails. Sir Handel did not feel so pleased with himself when he crawled home, and found the Thin Controller waiting for him. "You are a very naughty engine," he said sternly. "You will stay in the shed till I can trust you to behave."
"PETER SAM AND THE REFRESHMENT LADY" As Sir Handel was shut up, Peter Sam had to run the line. He was excited, and the Fireman found it hard to get him ready. "Sober up, can't you!" he growled. "Anybody would think", said Sir Handel rudely, "that he wanted to work." "All respectable engines do," said Skarloey firmly. "I wish I could work myself. Keep calm, Peter Sam, don't get excited, and you'll do very well." But Peter Sam was in such a state that he couldn't listen.
When his Driver came, Peter Sam ran along to fetch the coaches. "Peep pip pip peep! Come along girls!" he whistled, and although he was so excited, he remembered to be careful. "That's the way, my dears, gently does it." "What did he say?" asked Jemima who was deaf. "He said 'Come along, girls,' and he . . . he called us his dears," simpered the other coaches. "Really one does not know what to think . . . . . . such a handsome young engine to . . . . so nice and well mannered." and they tittered happily together as they followed Peter Sam.
Peter Sam fussed into the station to find Henry already there. "This won't do, youngster," said Henry. "I can't be kept waiting. If you are late tonight, I'll go off and leave your passengers behind." "Pooh!" said Peter Sam; but secretly he was a little worried. But he couldn't feel worried for long. "What fun it all is," he thought as he ran round his train. He let off steam happily while he waited for the Guard to blow his whistle and wave his green flag.
Where's the one where Thomas the Tank send the Jews to Auschwitz
Cameron Adams
Peter Sam puffed happily away, singing a little song. "I'm Peter Sam! I'm running this line! I'm Peter Sam! I'm running this line!" The people waved as he passed the farms and cottages, and he gave a loud whistle at the School. The children all ran to see him puffing by. Agnes, Ruth, Jemima, Lucy, and Beatrice enjoyed themselves too. "He's cocky . . . . trock trock . . . . but he's nice . . . . trock trock; he's cocky . . . . trock trock . . . . but he's nice . . . . trock trock," they sang as they trundled along. They were growing very fond of Peter Sam.
Every afternoon they had to wait an hour at the station by the Lake. The Driver, Fireman and the Guard usually bought something from the Refreshment Lady, and went and sat in Beatrice. The Refreshment Lady always came home on this train. Time passed slowly today for Peter Sam. At last his Driver and Fireman came. "Peep peeeeeep! Hurry up, please!" he whistled to the passengers, and they came strolling back to the station. Peter Sam was sizzling with impatience. "How awful," he thought, "if we miss Henry's train."
