Author's notes: Ooh, this one was a lot of fun. If you guys don't remember, Hero is a GNS railway Class 1 at this time.

The Time Trials

(1899)

Elizabeth Ravens narrator: The year is now 1899 and we've been getting more immigrants coming from England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and even my mother's home country of Australia. So as you can imagine, more passenger trains were needed to help Ferry the immigrants along our line. We even had to create fast nonstop passenger trains to accommodate the needs for immigrants whom wanted to get to Crovans Gate faster. Two fast trains were created, these trains were called the Stage Coach Flyer and the Kirk Ronan Cannonball. Both running nonstop to Crovans Gate and return, with the exception of the Kirk Ronan Cannonball which makes only one stop at Rolfs Castle. On the S&M Railway, there were 6 engines in total: Rolf, Neil and Sean, whom were all Neilson box tank engines, handled shunting, pickup goods and stopping passenger trains. Then there was Winfred, a North Eastern Railway's 2-2-4T X1 whom handed heavy goods trains. Then there was Hero, a class 1 2-4-0, one of the first passenger express engines on the line and Emily the great northern stirling single 4-2-2. When Emily first arrived on the railway, she was first tried as a passenger engine taking the stopping train the shire horse. With her pony helper Jewel and my mother Emily Ravens, she had been preforming admirably. The manager came to see her.

Manager: Jewel, Emily and Miss Elizabeth Ravens, I am very pleased with your work. Now, you must be tried on express services. You'll be taking the Kirk Ronan Cannonball.

Elizabeth Raven narrator: Emily and Jewel were excited and so was I. We'd never taken an express train before.

Emily: Yes please Sir!

Jewel: Oh thank you sir. We'll do our best.

Elizabeth Ravens: We'll all do our best sir.

Manager: Very good then. You will be taking the train to Crovans Gate non stop making only one stop at Rolfs Castle, then return. But please note that the Stagecoach Flyer has top priority, though so at Rolf's Castle, wait for Hero to clear the section with the train. He goes non stop to Crovans Gate.

Elizabeth Ravens narrator: The next morning, Emily was coupled on to the Cannonball waiting at the port when Sky Dasher and Angus Holden backed Hero down with his coaches for the stage coach flyer.

Jewel: Hullo there Sky Dasher

Elizabeth Ravens: Hullo there Angus.

Emily: Hullo there Hero

Angus/Sky Dasher/Hero: Hullo Miss Elizabeth Ravens. Hullo Jewel. Hullo Emily.

Elizabeth Ravens: So how have things been for you lot?

Angus Holden: Not bad really. My son James Holden has been promoted to driver and he's really really enjoying the job.

SkyDasher: Heheheh. He's a chip off the old block for Mr. Angus holden.

Jewel: Same with young Marie Elizabeth Ravens, right?

Emily Ravens: That's right, and she and James are both great friends. She is making me and my husband very proud indeed.

Emily: So Hero, what are you to do today?

Hero: We're just taking one of the fast passenger express trains on the island to Crovans Gate.

Emily: Oh. Same here. I'm taking an express train too. The Kirk Ronan Cannonball.

Hero: Well congratulations Emily, but that's only a small step to express work. The Stagecoach Flyer is very important train and often as not, a very heavy trains on the line. I always finish my journey's twice before tea time. The Cannonball its self is important as well but you have to remember to stop at Rolf's Castle. That too is very heavy, so take care you Emily.

Angus: OY! You could have been nicer when saying that!

Sky Dasher: Your starting to push it.

Hero: Pah! I'm just teaching her how express trains work.

Jewel: Well your going about it the wrong way, Hero!

Elizabeth Ravens narrator: But Emily felt jealous and cross.

Emily: Oh really? You look like you couldn't even pull a crate!

Jewel: Now Emily, don't make the situation worse!

Emily: Hmph I have bigger wheels and I've been made and Doncaster works. I can go at twice your speed.

Elizabeth Ravens: Remember, useful engines don't do anything brash! Emily, you are really pushing it.

Hero: Oh you want to bet! How about a competition?

Emily: What do you purpose?

Hero: A time trial! Let's see whose the real fastest engine here we each make one complete round trip run on schedule at top speed.

Emily: Your on Hero.

Angus Holden narrating: Soon, everything was arranged for the time trial race. We were first to go since we've been here longer than Emily. Hero was a very experienced engine and we were going at top speed. But Me and Sky Dasher were worried and so were the coaches as we bumped along the line. He was so determined to beat Emily in the time trial.

Sky Dasher: Whoa! easy Hero! We nearly upset that cart!

Hero: Come on! Come on! I've got to show that Stirling Single how express trains are to be pulled.

Angus Narrator: The coaches swaggered along and the passengers were biffed and bounced.

Angus Holden: Steady boy! Steady!

Angus Narrator: But Hero took no notice until he felt a big bump in the rails.

Hero: Oh dear. That doesn't sound safe. I will have to go slower. We'll need to warn Emily at the next station.

Elizabeth Ravens: Emily was Racing along too, still cross about what Hero had said and was more determined to prove to him that she was more capable at pulling expresses. She simmered impatiently as she waited for the stage coach to arrive.

Emily: (Angrily) Come on! We're going to lose the bet!

Jewel: Calm down darling. Remember, we need to stay to schedule.

Emily: Hmph! At this pace, he'll have already beaten me.

Elizabeth Ravens narrating: Finally, the stage coach arrived and the passengers got in and they set off again. Emily was going nicely she soon approached Corvans Gate and her anger quickly turned to relief, then she felt a bump in the rails.

Jewel: Whoa! That felt like a bump in the rails. We'll have to go slower on our return journey.

Elizabeth Ravens narrator: Reluctantly, Emily agreed. And she slowed down and reached Crovans Gate safe and sound. Later when both engines finished the trips safely, Hero and Emily called off the race.

Emily: I'm sorry I teased you Hero.

Hero: Same here. It's no fun trying to get the better of one another, especially if it comes at the expense of the passengers.

Emily: We just need to keep to our timetables, that's how a railway is suppose to be run safely. Not by how fast we can go.

Jewel: I'm very proud of you.

Sky Dasher: Same here. Speed may be needed, but it's keeping to schedule that makes for a safe railway.

Jewel: Couldn't agree with you more Sky Dasher. Couldn't agree with you more.

Elizabeth Ravens: With that, the engines went happily to sheds together and went and began talking about their express trips.

Emily: Hero, how would you like to be friends?

Hero: I would love it, and both Angus Holden and Elizabeth Ravens are going to talk to the manager about mending that bad bit first thing tomorrow.

Alright! Onto part 3.