Author's notes: The actual story in the Railway Series is very short, so I'm glad that atsf has fleshed it out a bit more. I added in a few details here and there, but the story is fairly much the same.

Deep Freeze

Narrator: Winter had come to the Island of Sodor and for many days now it had held everything in an icy grip. The countryside was frozen hard, the trees were white with frost, and icicles hung from tunnels bridges and water columns. It was also getting very close to Christmas which meant the engines were getting a increased work load for the holiday rush. Normally, the engines and ponies don't mind the increasing workload. But sometimes the extra hard work could sometimes make them feel tired and impatient. One morning, James with Miss Ravens Rarity backed down onto James' 6:30 AM slow goods. He was grumbling bitterly about the increased workload, Henry, Applejack and Mr. Holden were also there with 9:00am stopping passenger train.

James: Ugh! We've got to much work as usual on the holidays! I mean, it wears an engine out!

Rarity: I know darling! And my mane is freezing up. Ah well at least you and I I still have my scarfs miss ravens.

Henry: Pfff! Oh yeah really, it would try you two out if you two actually did any work.

Applejack: Yeah, so lighten up James!

James: Oh shut up Henry! I'm no in the mood today!

Mr. Holden: Oh no!

Miss Ravens: Not this again!

Henry: Well, we're just saying we've had hard work too. We've had to shunt my own trains morning, noon and night, pull the flying kipper in the early morning, goods trains, the Flyer of Vicarstown, and stopping trains!

Applejack: Yeah, and y'all never hear us complaining!

James: Well, at least I can do my work with out losing my tender without starting a fire!

Henry: (Angry) Oh well at least I can do my work without smashing into siginalboxes.

Rarity: At least we can do our work without bashing coaches and damaging ourselves.

Applejack: At least we can do our work without angering trucks on simple job!

James/Rarity/Henry/Applejack: Well at least we can….

Narrator : at last Mr. Holden and Miss Ravens finally lost patience.

Mr. Holden/Miss Ravens: (Angry) OH FOR PETE SAKE! WELL YOU 4 JUST SHUT UP!

Henry/James: He started it!

Rarity/Applejack: She started it!

Mr. Holden/Miss Ravens: (Angry) WE DON'T CARE WHO STARTED IT!

Mr. Holden: You 4 have really been acting like children all year long!

Miss Ravens: I know we're sick and tired of this! It's nearly Christmas and you 4 are still at each others throats!

Mr. Holden: So just shut up!

Miss Ravens: And quit grumbling! Your arguing has gone on for far too long we've all had to work hard on the holidays.

Mr. Holden: So quit this petty argument and just quit making things difficult!

Narrator: Mr. Holden and Miss Ravens were right to have scolded the two ponies and engines. James' and Henry's rivalry and Applejack's and Rarity's rivalry had been going on for a year and the increased workload had made only made things worse. One morning when the frost seemed harder than ever, James stopped at Tidmouth station for the first morning Tidmouth Thunderbird train. He and Rarity were very cross when they collected the coaches and went to the water column near Tidmouth station.

James: Ugh! Why me?! The first morning Tidmouth Thunderbird and I'm to pull it at crack of dawn in this sub zero cold weather! Gosh!

Rarity: Same here. I feel my mane getting colder.

Miss Ravens: Oh quit complaining! Just be thankful theirs no snow. Brrr. At least it's not cold enough for that. Thank goodness.

Narrator: And she and Rarity huddled near the firebox before filling James' tender. James had open footplate so Miss Ravens and Rarity had came to work every day with scarves and pull overs.

Miss Ravens: Right. I better get the water into the tender.

Narrator: But there was trouble. Because of the cold weather, water columns froze to and so engines couldn't get the water they needed. When Miss Ravens tried to turn the tap, nothing happened.

Miss Ravens: Oh great! This is frozen too? Perfect, just perfect!

James: Oh for crying out loud! I'm dying of thirst here!

Rarity: Oh calm down James. We'll just get some water at Crovan's Gate Works Station. That column never freezes.

Narrator: The green flag waved, the whistle blew and they set off. Rarity was right. Thankfully, the water column had not frozen and they soon stopped beside it.

Miss Ravens: Right then. We'll give you a good topping while we can cause given this weather we don't when we'll get some again. Rarity, I need you to help fill tender!

Rarity: But this frosty weather will…

Miss Ravens: Rarity just do it! (In her mind) Ugh! I wonder if Will having this much trouble with Henry?

Rarity: Ugh fine.

Narrator: James shivered as the icy water cascaded into his tender but he and Rarity knew that Miss Ravens was right. They filled James' tender to the brim because Rarity unfortunately forgot to tell Miss Ravens to turn the tap off. Water overflowed onto James' tender making him shiver again.

Rarity: Right! Lets be off Miss Ravens! Chop chop! I want to get warm by shovelling coal.

Miss Ravens: We can't go yet. They haven't finished loading the parcel van.

Rarity: Ugh! Well I wish they would hurry it up! I'm freezing standing on that tender!

James: Well then, next time watch what you're doing! Gosh, my is freezing now thanks to you!

Rarity: Oh be quiet James.

Narrator: Finally, the guards whistle blew, the green flag waved and James puffed away speeding away down the mainline. All steam engines have a tap called a feed water injector. It allows the driver and fireman/firewoman/firepony to transfer water from the tender into the boiler. It is very important because without it, the water in the boiler could become too low to make steam properly, and at worse it could cause the engine to explode. They had not gone far when James began to feel thirsty.

James: I need a drink please.

Miss Ravens: Alright, just let switch on the injector.

Narrator: Miss Ravens did so but nothing happened.

Rarity: Oy! What's going on?

Miss Ravens: The injector's jammed. Try the duplicate!

Rarity: Right.

Narrator: So Rarity did so, but still nothing happened

James: (groaning ) Arrgghh! I've got such pain! I feel like I'm going to burst!

Miss Ravens: Oh great! Your injectors have failed. We'll have to stop and deal with your fire. Can't go on without water.

James: (Horrified) OH NO! DON'T SET THE SLEEPERS ON FIRE! Henry will never let me forget!

Rarity: And neither will Applejack.

Miss Ravens: Don't worry guys. You'll be alright if we just dampen your fire down James. Theres no need to through fire out like Henry did.

Narrator: They stopped near a signal and Miss Ravens asked the signalman to telephone for help. Sally, Flitter and Mr Hawkins soon arrived to collet James' passenger train.

Sally: Oh my James. What happened?

James: Failed ejector! That's what. Ugh! Can't even take my Tidmouth Thunderbird now.

Rarity: And now we will have to stand out here!

Flitter: Don't worry. We'll get it back down the line.

Mr Hawkins: And that other engine will be coming to get you.

Rarity: Who is it then?!

Sally: Um… I don't know his name, but he is a BR Class 47 "Brush" Co-Co diesel.

(Guards whistle blows)

Mr Hawkins: Oh, gotta go. See you later.

Narrator: With that, Sally puffed away. James and Rarity were disgusted.

James: You gotta be kidding us! Rescued by a diesel!

Rarity: It's degrading!

James/Rarity: I won't go.

Miss Ravens: Fine. You can just sit out here and freeze your side rods and mane off. I can just get the next train home.

Narrator: But they quickly changed their minds because now that James' fire was out, the boiler began to cool and they could feel the icy wind.

James/Rarity: Alright, alright, we take it back!

Miss Ravens: Good. I knew you two would see sense.

Narrator: The diesel was friendly. James and Rarity were quiet at first.

?: Alright James. Lets get you to the works.

James/Rarity: (Sarcastic) Oh joy!

Miss Ravens: Manners you 2.

?: What's the problem?

James: Failed feedwater injector. Heh, like you'd care anyway…..

Rarity: Go ahead. Laugh…

?: Oh no no no…. It's alright. Stuff like that sometimes happens to any engine, even us diesels. Besides, I had bit of bother my brakes earlier this week.

Miss Ravens: Oh my. Sorry to hear. Glad you got that fixed though.

James: Really? Well yeah. I suppose so…

?: So um, what's your names, you know, since I'm new here.

James: I'm James

Rarity: I'm Rarity.

Miss Ravens: And I'm Rachel Marie Ravens, but you can call me Rachel or Miss Ravens.

?: James, Rarity and Miss Ravens? Oh yes, that's right. You're the three that went on that London trip last summer.

Miss Ravens: Yes, that's correct.

James/Rarity: Wait a minute. You know about that?

James: How did you know about that?

Rarity: I thought everyone had forgotten about that.

?: Nope, not really. My mates told me about it and said how good you did and how great it was to see steam again and a talking pony, not to mention one of the famous drivers who has been given immortality and eternal youth. You are the only girl in that category from what I heard too Miss Ravens.

Miss Ravens: Hehehehehe. Yeah. I will admit, some of the male drivers were a bit jealous, though sometimes I wish another girl could join the team too.

James: Wait, so your friends, um diesels, said it was great to see some steam engines.

Rarity: And talking ponies too?

?: That's right, and they are right too.

James/Rarity: Wow uh… thanks um… What's your name?

Brush: Ah, you can call me Brush, named after my designer.

James: Well thank you Brush.

Rarity: Yes, you really are quite a friendly diesel Brush.

Brush: Aw thanks.

Miss Ravens: "Brush"… Oh! I remember. Gordon saw you up at Barrow In Furness. Says that you stood up for him against a Class 11 shunter.

Brush: Oh yes. That's right.

James: You know Gordon too?

Brush: I sure do.

Rarity: Well, who knew?

Brush: Alright, here we are. Crovan's Gate Works.

Narrator: Soon they reached the works and by then, Brush had one them over and he, James and Rarity were soon talking together like old friends.

Brush: Here we are. Get well soon James.

James: Heheheh. Thanks again Brush. I really appreciate you helping me.

Brush: No problem James. Bye now.

Narrator: Later on, Miss Ravens climbed on to James' tender and tried to open the filler cap, but couldn't .

Miss Ravens: Ah, theirs your problem. Your filler cap has frozen. That's because the water overflowed and ice is stopping air from getting into the tank so the feedwater injectors can't work. Don't worry, you'll feel better once the ice has melted.

Narrator: He was alright next day and returned to Knaphord Sheds, but ever since James' injector freeze up, he and Rarity had had a change of heart. And they spoke to Henry, Applejack, Miss Ravens and Mr Holden about it.

Henry: Hey James, hey Rarity.

Applejack: Howdy James and Rarity. Good to have you back.

James: Yeah, thanks. Henry, Applejack, Mr Holden, Miss Ravens um… I'd like to apologise to you 4, for a being so rude to you.

Rarity: Same here.

Miss Ravens: Oh, quite alright you 2.

Mr Holden: That's ok.

Applejack: That's alright. I'm sorry I shouted at y'all.

Henry: Same here.

James/Rarity: And you lot were right. Diesels aren't all bad after all.

James: Why, me and Rarity actually friends with a diesel from the works. he's name is Brush and he is a really nice fellow too. He helped me out and we actually had a good chat together.

Rarity: And he and friends actually love steam engines and us ponies. And the famous drivers of this island too.

Applejack: Really, that's mighty good to hear.

Narrator: Mr. Holden and Miss Ravens chuckled.

Mr. Holden: Well Rach, what do you know about that?

Miss Ravens: Well, I think we both know what to say.

Mr. Holden: That's right.

Miss Ravens/Mr. Holden: And that's a lesson learned.

Narrator: And they were right. Thanks to their new friend from the works, Brush, James and Rarity now admit that even diesels can be useful engines too.

Ok! Another one done. Next, get ready to see the Skarloey engines again! See you there.