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Description

There was Stanley in his shed - and a very old, rusted engine sat beside him. It had an ominous look on it’s face. Molly wasn’t sure if it was the mist, but it was as if she could see right through it! Stanley was pale and quivering as the engine stared him down.

“Where...is...it?” groaned the engine.

“I-I don’t know,” cried Stanley, “I’ve b-been searching e-e-everywhere-“

“Wheeeeeere...iiiiiiiis…iiiiiiiit?” the engine repeated in a loud growl.

“I-I don’t know,” Stanley wailed, almost in tears, “but I-I-I promise I’ll-“

“Stanley!”

Molly rushed forwards - Stanley looked even more afraid now!

“What is going on, and who is this?” she demanded, eyeing the old engine.

Before Stanley could say anything, the old engine began to crawl forwards, it’s rusted wheels groaning. Molly winced as the engine drew near.

“WHERE...IS...IT?” demanded the engine, louder than ever.

“I don’t know what you’re looking for,” Molly snapped, trying to sound brave, “but you’re not welcome here - leave Stanley alone and-“

Everything stopped as a whistle cut through the air. It was Neville - he was pushing a flatbed with the old tender perched atop it! Neville jumped and braked hard when he saw the old engine!

To Molly’s surprise, the grimace on the engine’s face curled into a smile, and it’s eyes began to twinkle.

“Yoooooou...fouuuuuuund...iiiiiiiiiit,” it drawled, happily, “thaaaaaaaaank...youuuuuuuuuuu…”

Without another word, the engine crept slowly towards the flatbed - and disappeared into the mist. Out of Neville’s cab stepped Sir Topham Hatt, who was most surprised!

“Where did you find that tender?!” Stanley gasped.

“It was mistakenly taken to the scrap yards when the restoration began,” replied Sir Topham Hatt. “I had asked that it remain here, in honour of...him.”

“But who is he, Sir?” asked Neville.

“An engine who once worked this line,” replied Sir Topham Hatt. “A man who lived in the village told me of it’s legend. When the line was forced to close, the engine was left behind in hopes that the villagers could find him a new home. I’m told that, when they returned to rescue him, he was gone - only the tender remained. It’s believed scrap merchants found him, took him to pieces and…”

Sir Topham Hatt paused to compose himself.

“That was that. Many of the surrounding villages claimed they heard whistles and steam after the line closed, but there was never an engine to be found. It seems that engine has been visiting you, Stanley.”

"The Tender" Written by the Buried Truck

Update ~ Updated Stanley to his most recent sprite

Thomas & Friends/The Railway Series ~ The Awdry Family, Britt Alcroft, & Mattel
Sprites © Cj-The-Creator , Princess-Muffins , wyattloughrie , Swiftwin4ds , CrystalCaden53, & Myself

Description

There was Stanley in his shed - and a very old, rusted engine sat beside him. It had an ominous look on it’s face. Molly wasn’t sure if it was the mist, but it was as if she could see right through it! Stanley was pale and quivering as the engine stared him down.

“Where...is...it?” groaned the engine.

“I-I don’t know,” cried Stanley, “I’ve b-been searching e-e-everywhere-“

“Wheeeeeere...iiiiiiiis…iiiiiiiit?” the engine repeated in a loud growl.

“I-I don’t know,” Stanley wailed, almost in tears, “but I-I-I promise I’ll-“

“Stanley!”

Molly rushed forwards - Stanley looked even more afraid now!

“What is going on, and who is this?” she demanded, eyeing the old engine.

Before Stanley could say anything, the old engine began to crawl forwards, it’s rusted wheels groaning. Molly winced as the engine drew near.

“WHERE...IS...IT?” demanded the engine, louder than ever.

“I don’t know what you’re looking for,” Molly snapped, trying to sound brave, “but you’re not welcome here - leave Stanley alone and-“

Everything stopped as a whistle cut through the air. It was Neville - he was pushing a flatbed with the old tender perched atop it! Neville jumped and braked hard when he saw the old engine!

To Molly’s surprise, the grimace on the engine’s face curled into a smile, and it’s eyes began to twinkle.

“Yoooooou...fouuuuuuund...iiiiiiiiiit,” it drawled, happily, “thaaaaaaaaank...youuuuuuuuuuu…”

Without another word, the engine crept slowly towards the flatbed - and disappeared into the mist. Out of Neville’s cab stepped Sir Topham Hatt, who was most surprised!

“Where did you find that tender?!” Stanley gasped.

“It was mistakenly taken to the scrap yards when the restoration began,” replied Sir Topham Hatt. “I had asked that it remain here, in honour of...him.”

“But who is he, Sir?” asked Neville.

“An engine who once worked this line,” replied Sir Topham Hatt. “A man who lived in the village told me of it’s legend. When the line was forced to close, the engine was left behind in hopes that the villagers could find him a new home. I’m told that, when they returned to rescue him, he was gone - only the tender remained. It’s believed scrap merchants found him, took him to pieces and…”

Sir Topham Hatt paused to compose himself.

“That was that. Many of the surrounding villages claimed they heard whistles and steam after the line closed, but there was never an engine to be found. It seems that engine has been visiting you, Stanley.”

"The Tender" Written by the Buried Truck

Update ~ Updated Stanley to his most recent sprite

Thomas & Friends/The Railway Series ~ The Awdry Family, Britt Alcroft, & Mattel
Sprites © Cj-The-Creator , Princess-Muffins , wyattloughrie , Swiftwin4ds , CrystalCaden53, & Myself