Author's notes: Sorry for the hiatus. I was a very busy bee. Anyway, here's the next story of 'Mid Sodor Legacy'. It's about Miney and Tim and how they friendship gets off the ground.

Miney and Tim

(Crovans Gate, present day, 1990)

William: Awww... that was so nice of the manager to let Millie and Atlas work together. It really must have made Millie very happy.

Duke: Indeed it did, William.

Rachel: Uh pardon me, Duke, but may I ask a question?

Duke: Sure, what is that?

Rachel: You mentioned something about Miney being annoyed by Tim being pessimistic.

William: Did the 2 ever get along?

Duke: Well, some what. Miney was annoyed by Tim's pessimistic behaviour, but she learned to tolerate him.

Sweetie Belle: Well that's good. I think...

Duke: But, when she first arrived and started working with him, them getting along together was no picnic.

Sir Handel: I remember that like yesterday.

Freddie: Heh, so do I.

Rex: So what happened with them?

Narrator: Duke cleared his throat and told them the story about Tim and Miney.

(Mid Sodor Railway, 1922)

Narrator: Every since Atlas went to work both shifts at the coal mine and the lead mines at Cas-yn-hawin, Miney often had to work with Tim more regularly. Miney was younger than Atlas but was bit more stricter than Atlas was. She always got annoyed and angry whenever any in the mines or the on tramway ran a cropper. But she did have heart nevertheless. One morning, the manager came to see Miney and Tim.

Manager: As you two are well aware, Atlas is now working once a day at the coal mines with Millie and down at the lead mines with you two. So this means you two will have extra harder together.

Narrator: Then the manger left. Miney was not happy. She thought Tim was very annoying and regular old worry wart. One day, Miney had arranged some trucks for Tim to take down to Arlesdale junction, but Tim hadn't arrived. Miney grew crosser.

Miney: Ugh! Where is that Tim anyway? He should be here by now.

Miss Ravens: Calm down. He's probably just been held up by sheep or something. Remember, patience is a virtue.

Miney: (Sighs) Your right Miss Ravens.

Narrator: Tim soon arrived with some coaches full of workmen to be ready on hand. Miney was very annoyed.

Miney: (Angry) Where have you been Timothy? Your 3 minutes late. Now you better your train ready and moving soon!

Tim: (Feeling sad) I'm sorry Miney. I didn't mean too. The sheep got in my way and...

Miney: Rubbish! Your suppose to be running efficiently around my mining yards, not dilly dallying around playing grandmothers steps with a flock of sheep.

Narrator: Mr. Holden and Miss Ravens were cross with Miney.

Mr. Holden: Sheesh Miney, rude enough!

Miss Ravens: Yeah. Don't be so hard on Tim. You know how sensitive he can be.

Narrator: Miney grunted and as soon got the lead train ready.

Tim: Oh dear... I was late. I don't like this at all. What if I'm late again… manager might scrap me… I'm doomed…

Miney: (Annoyed and angry) Oh will just put a piece of coal in it Timothy and just quit dawdling around here. It's impacting the efficiency!

Narrator: Tim jumped as Miney shunted his train for him to get ready. Mr. Holden and Miss Ravens were shocked and appalled by how hard Miney was on poor Tim.

Mr. Holden: My goodness Rachel... and I thought that Yankee fool Stanley was rude. Sheesh.

Miss Ravens: I know. At the very least, Stanley did befriend that little filly. But Miney is just shouting at Tim for no good reason.

Mr. Holden: Your right there about Stanley, but most certainly are right about Miney. Anyone would think that she was learning off Albert.

Narrator: The two drivers quivered.

Mr. Holden/Miss Ravens: Oooh… Perish the thought.

Narrator: Then they went to speak to Tim.

Tim: Oh dear... I'm so sorry Miss Ravens. I didn't mean to embarrass you or Miney. Please, I'm sorry.

Miss Ravens: Not your fault Tim. It was those sheep. They were out of control on the line.

Mr. Holden: Yeah it's not your fault Tim my boy.

Tim: But... Miney I upset her and…

Miss Ravens: Don't worry. She will get over it soon enough.

Narrator: Just then, the guards whistle blew. Miss Ravens returned to work with Miney and Mr. Holden climbed into Tim's cab. Tim puffed nervously away. Ever since his accident with Clayton, Tim felt very ashamed of himself. He felt anxious about his own reliability and was now even more anxious with Miney around. He didn't want to upset her in anyway. He was worried that if he was late again, the manager would replace him for Miney and have him be scrapped. Duke, Millie, Atlas, Freddie and Falcon felt sorry for Tim.

Falcon: Take no notice of that young fool Tim. She's just too full herself and rather cocky!

Millie: She is a good sort really, Falcon. I don't know what's gotten into her.

Atlas: Agreed sister. I think we should investigate.

Tim: Oh dear… what if… If… I'm late again…. What if they decide to scrap me and replace me with Miney? I'm doomed!

Falcon: Don't worry. They'll find what's wrong with her.

Millie: Calm down. It'll never come to that just take it easy... me and Atlas will go and speak to our sister right Atlas?

Atlas: We sure will Millie. She should be at the coal mines. Let's go.

Narrator: Soon, with the signalman's permission, the two engines set off to find Miney. Tim felt rather nervous. Miney was busily shunt coal trucks around the coal mines after her shift at the lead mines.

Miney: Goodness Gracious! Fancy that. Worry wart Timothy being late over some little stray sheep. How degrading.

Miss Ravens: Hey, leave him alone. He had to stop so not to hurt them.

Narrator: Miney was about to retort back, when her sisters Atlas and Millie puffed up next to her. Mr. Holden was with them too.

Atlas/Millie: Bonjour Miney.

Miney: Bonjour Atlas, Millie. I thought you 2 were on break.

Millie: We need to talk, Miney.

Miney: Well, maybe later. I've got a lot of shunting here.

Atlas: But Miney.

Miney: But nothing Atlas. I've got to get this shunting done and make up for the time. That worrywart Tim had made me lose by causing a delay in my mining yard at Cas-yn-Hawin.

Narrator: Both Miss Ravens and Mr. Holden stepped crossly down from their respected engines.

Mr. Holden/Miss Ravens: (Sternly.) We're going to talk now Miney!

Miney: What about? We have a very tight schedule to keep up.

Narrator: Miss Ravens checked her watch.

Miss Ravens: Firstly, we've got enough time to talk.

Mr. Holden: Secondly, the yards at Cas-Yn-Hawin mines are not your yards, they are owned by the MSR company.

Mr. Holden/Miss Ravens: Thirdly, what gives you any liberties to bully our friend Tim!

Narrator: Miney was very indignant.

Miney: But Tim has been worrying about things since day 1. 'My wheels feel wobbly', 'there were sheep all over the line', 'my whistle is jammed'. It drives me mad.

Millie: Now Miney, that is no way to talk about Tim.

Atlas: You don't even know what has happened to him when he 1st came in 1920, don't you?

Miney: Oh. What Pray tell did worrywart Timothy do, spill milk?

Atlas: Well, he ran well on the tramway for a while, but then, a rude traction engine started calling him an enigma. He started to have doubts about himself. Then, Clayton stopped on the tramway on purpose so that any engine coming down it would have an accident. Poor Tim crashed into Clayton. To this day, he thinks that the accident was his fault, but it was Clayton and his arrogance that caused it.

Miney: That's it?

Millie: No… after the accident he even felt even more guilty for wrecking Clayton because he cause his driver to lose his only job! But thankfully, Miss Ravens and Mr. Holden saved that man and now he works for us, but he's still guilty about making him lose his job.

Narrator: Miney was shocked by she had heard. She had a lot to think about.

Tim: Oh my. Miney will be cross if I'm late. I'm doomed...

Narrator: But, he wasn't the only one Miney surprisingly was worried.

Miney: I didn't know Tim had to go through all that. I should apologise for being so rude.

Miss Ravens: That's alright Miney... I know I know I'm sure he'll want to forgive you.

Narrator: Miney found it very hard to concentrate on her work. When she was finished, she was so worried and bent on apologising to to Tim that she forgot she had to get another train ready.

Miney: Oh come on Tim. Hurry up, please. I want to apologise to you really badly please.

Miss Ravens: Miney, we've got another train to put together.

Miney: Oh my goodness I forgot! completely.

Narrator: She hastily dashed over to fetch the trucks. It might have been better if she wasn't hasty. Tim soon reached the tramway and was now race down as fast as he could to be at the lead mines on time.

Mr. Holden: Be careful Tim!

Narrator: But Tim was so worried about being late that he forgot to listen.

Tim: Oh dear... Oh dear I'm running out of time!

Narrator: Miney was being rather reckless too. As she wanted to get back in time to apologise to Tim.

Miss Ravens: Careful Miney. Your going to fast.

Miney: I've got to apologise to him right away...

Narrator: Tim was so worried about being a second late and Miney was so worried about not being able to apologise to Tim as soon as possible that the two engines forgot to watch where they were going. When Miss Ravens and Mr. Holden saw to their horror that they're trains were coming directly towards each other.

Mr. Holden: (Alarmed) LOOKOUT TIM!

Miss Ravens: (Alarmed) LOOK OUT MINEY!

Tim: Oh my! Mr. Holden, brakes!

Miney: Ooh la la! Mademoiselle Ravens, brakes!

Narrator: The two drivers applied their engine's brakes but were too late. As Tim collided right into Miney's trucks with a loud crash! Miss Ravens and Mr. Holden jumped clear but broken splintered wood and and spilled lead was everywhere. Luckily no one was hurt, but Tim felt very terrible and began to cry.

Tim: Oh dear. Now I've really done it. I'm really in for another scolding from Miney. I'm doomed. (Bursting into tears )

Miney: Tim, please, don't cry. I should have been more focused today. I was very behind on the shunting.

Tim: But I've caused another horrible mess. I guess the manager will have to replace me before I cause Mr. Holden and Miss Ravens to lose their…

Narrator: Then Tim stopped mid sentence. He realised to his horror that he had was giving away his horrible past but Miney spoke kindly to him.

Miney: Tim, Millie and Atlas told me what happened. And, that accident wasn't your fault either. Clayton was just being arrogant and rude. Also, for being rude to you before, I'm really sorry. I had no idea what you went through.

Narrator: Tim, for first time since he was built, managed a small smile.

Tim: But what about Miss Ravens and Mr. Holden? What if they lose their jobs? It'll be my fault! We're doomed.

Mr. Holden: Calm down Tim. It'll be alright...

Tim: Are you sure.

Miss Ravens: We aren't going to loose our jobs, Tim. It wasn't anyone's fault here. It was just an accident with some trucks.

Miney: Good luck to you, Tim.

Narrator: Then she heard Tim whistle happily in reply.

Tim: (Smiling) Thank you so much Miney.

Mr. Holden: That's the spirit Tim. Let's get going.

Narrator: And soon he set of down the line to Arlesdale for Falcon to take to the port. He made very good time and when he reached the station he made it there right on the dot. Later that day, the manager came to see them.

Manager: Well done everyone. Despite that one mishap in the yards, you put things right and made it on time.

Miney/Tim: Thank you very much sir.

Manager: Just make sure not to let it happen again.

Narrator: This made all of them laugh.

Tim: Um, sir, mind if ask a question? Are Miss Ravens' and Mr. Holden's still going to work with us? I was scared that that accident would have got them fired.

Narrator: The manager smiled.

Manager: Not at all Tim. You and Miney weren't damaged much, it was an easy repair. And we can get more trucks to replace the ones that got broken.

Narrator: Tim felt so happy he let out a happy whistle. Tim and Miney are now good friends. Tim was still a little nervous from time to time, but Miney had learned to cope with it for he is now her greatest friend. It just goes to show how much a little patience and understanding can help someone out.

Not really in the mood to chat. Let's go to 'Stuart Storms Through'.