Author's notes: I really like this one, though I must ask the Rev W Awdry, what the heck happened to the lesson that Sir Handel learned back in 'Old Faithful'?! Hmm, maybe he had a nightmare the previous night or maybe George got to him again. I haven't the slightest. But anyway, love the touches thrown in here and the fact that we see Miss Ravens' mum and Mr Holden's dad.

Dear Rachel, Mike and James

Back in 1926, before you guys joined up, me, Rachel and the mane 6 ponies went on a railtour once to visit the mountain of Culdee Fell. The mountain is not only well known for being one of the tallest sudrian mountains on Sodor, but it is also well known having a rack railway that traverses the mountain to Summit. This is the famous Culdee fell railway owned by chairman Lord Harry Barrane, whilst Mr. Walter Richards fills in as general manager. It is a beautiful line to ride on. Lots of people travel on it in the summer. But lately Mr. Walter Richards had being having a difficult time. The railway was having a bit of a locomotive crisis. No sooner had one of the original engines had returned from being mend in Switzerland then another had to go to be mend. This eventually led to a getting more 3 more steam locomotives. Prince Shining Armor was very kind. He had volunteered to help him with general management of the railway and his wife Princess Cadence was kind enough to enlist the help of some of very special ponies for the special railway called crystal ponies. Coupled with our help, we really helped Mr. Richards out of serious backlog. Anyway, here are the stories of what had happened.

Your Best friend

William James Holden.

1964

Mountain Engine

Narrator: Sir Handel had had bad day. The old original coaches Agnes, Ruth, Jemima, Lucy and Beatrice had been awkward. They had made him slip to a standstill twice and he was furious. Skarloey and Rheneas resting in the sheds being serviced by Pipsqueak, Mr. Hawkins, Miss Ravens, Mr Roberts, Babs Seed and Apple Bloom. They were talking to each other when Sir Handel came fuming in.

Sir Handel: Rubbish! The lot of them are rubbish!

Skarloey: Oh dear. Here comes trouble!

Rheneas: Oh yeah. He's got that look in eyes

Apple Bloom: Oh dear. It looks like he's rant mode again.

Babs Seed: Oh yep, he's got that scowl on his face. brace yourselves.

Miss Ravens: Oh good lord, not again.

Mr. Hawkins: Oh dear lord! Why now!

Apple Bloom: Uh… hey Sir Handel, Sweetie Belle, Mr. Holden. Uh… having a good mornin'?

Sir Handel: NO AM NOT HAVING A Good morning!

Sweetie Belle: We had a little hiccup with the coaches.

Mr. Holden: Yeah. Apparently some engine forgot how to treat coaches.

Sir Handel: Coaches?! Coaches?! More like cattle trucks to me!

Narrator: Mr. Holden, Miss Ravens, Mr. Hawkins, Mr Roberts, Rheneas and Skarloey and the three other fillies looked at each other gravely.

All Barring Sir Handel: He must mean Agnes, Ruth, Jemima, Lucy and Beatrice.

Sir Handel: I tell you, those blasted cattle trucks should be scrapped!

Narrator: Skarloey was shocked and so were the 3 fillies.

Skarloey: I won't have it! I am ashamed of you. Those old dears need kindness not bad names.

Rheneas: Exactly so.

Narrator: He winked at Skarloey.

Sir Handel: Dear?! Dear?! Pah, don't make me laugh!

Sweetiebelle: He's right you know Sir Handel! It was pretty much your fault that they held back for calling them names.

Rheneas: Sweetie Belle is right Sir Handel. You just be thankful that we're not a mountain railway.

Sir Handel: A mountain railway? Whatever is that?

Rheneas: It's a railway which climbs mountains of course.

Apple Bloom: Really? Awesome!

Pipsqueak: How extraordinary!

Babs Seed: Wow, that's far out!

Sir Handel: Rubbish, it can't. It's engines wheels would slip. The track needs to go around the mountain. I know that from experience on my old line… (Thinks) Oh great! That was a slip. Peter Sam will never forgive me for that.

Rheneas: But it can. We've heard of one quite near here, and the track actually goes straight up the mountain.

Mr. Holden: I can vouch for that.

Miss Ravens: Same here.

Sir Handel: It can't!

Rheneas: It can!

Sir Handel: It can't!

Skarloey: it can!

Sir Handel: It can't!

Miss Ravens: It can!

Sir Handel: it can't!

Mr. Holden: It can!

Apple Bloom: seriously?

Narrator: A noisy argument started when Donald shunted a flat truck into a siding with Big Machantiosh. On it, stood a queer looking engine. He had six small wheels and a stovepipe chimney. His boiler was tilted downward and his cylinders were back-to-front.

Donald: (Whisper) Wheest! Dinna wake the wee engine. It's tired he is. He's awa back from Switzerland and England after been mended. Ye ken how it is?

Big Macintosh: (Whisper) Eeeyup.

Sir Handel: He's an engine? Well if he is, they can't have done a good job by the look of it.

All: Oh shut up Sir Handel!

Skarloey: Don't worry, we understand and we won't wake him, but who is he?

Apple Bloom: More importantly, where is he from?

Donald: He's called Culdee, named after the mountain his railway climbs.

Big Macintosh: Eeyup! And mighty famous for it too.

Skarloey/Rheneas: Well did you ever. Heheheh.

Miss Ravens/Mr Holden: Told you so!

Sir Handel: Hmph! Rubbish! I don't believe it!

Donald: Oche then ye best ask him yerself! Then ye'll learn it's the truth I've been tellin ye!

Big Macintosh: Eeeyup! It's the apple truth.

Narrator: Donald puffed away with Big Mac, offended. Culdee woke to fined the little foals and the little narrow gauge engines all gazing at him and Mr. Holden and Miss Ravens grinning.

Culdee: (Yawn) Pardon me, but could someone please tell me where I am?

Skarloey: Your near Crovans Gate my dear friend

Mr Roberts: This is is the famous Skarloey railway.

Culdee: Oh well, that's good. I'm not far now to home now. Anyway, my name is…

Mr. Holden: Culdee. It's me, William James Holden!

Miss Ravens: And its me, Rachel Marie Ravens!

Culdee: The same children that visited us back in 1926?

Mr. Holden: That's right.

Culdee: (Smiling) Why, I don't believe it. Why, you two haven't aged a bit. How did…

Mr. Holden: Um… An alicorn pony princess granted us eternal life and youth when rescued James back in 1953.

Culdee: Oh yeah, I heard about that from Edward before I went to be mended. Good show you two. (Sees Sir Handel.) Hmm. You look a lot like one of the engines that Janna and Stafford had described to me. Did you once work on... oh, what was the name of that other railway that closed a long time ago?

(Toink)

Narrator: The last few words made Sir Handel go very pale, as did Miss Ravens and Mr Holden.

Miss Ravens: Uh... hehehehe. Your probably referring to one of his brothers.

Culdee: Oh. I must have been mistaken. Sorry about that.

Pipsqueak: So do you really climb mountains?

Culdee: Heheheheh…. I've done it for years my dear little colt.

Skarloey: Wow, you must be clever. We couldn't. Our wheels might slip.

Culdee: Oh I'm not really clever. I was just drawn that way.

Sir Handel: Like what?

Culdee: With pinion wheels on my driving axels. They're basically a circular gear with teeth, sort of speak, that fits on to a linear "gear" bar called a rack rail. They lock into place, so I can't slip, however steep the line is.

Pipsqueak: Amazing! Very fascinating. So that's what helps you coming up.

Rheneas: But if your line is so steep, aren't you frightened coming down?

Culdee: Not really, why? We've got good brakes.

Rheneas: Well, coaches sometimes try to push us down hills and some (cough) engines find it hard to stop them from time to time.

Narrator: The little foals and Mr. Holden, Miss Ravens, Mr. Hawkins and Mr Roberts all snickered as Sir Handel blushed and looked at his buffers.

Culdee: Oh never. Our coaches are never silly like that. They know that such tricks are dangerous especially on those slopes. Then again, we're always pleasant to our coaches.

Apple Bloom: Your right there Culdee. All engines should be pleasant to coaches.

Skarloey: Heheheh couldn't have said it better myself, right Sir Handel?

Sir Handel: (Gritting his teeth quietly) Shut up.

Culdee: I never had that sort of accident. But however, I was frightened once. Very frightened indeed.

Foals/engines/Main 4 drivers: Ooh Culdee, please do tell us.

Narrator: And the little foals grabbed their notebooks ready to write historical facts as Culdee told his tale.

(Flashback, March 1900)

Culdee Narrator: One day long ago in March of 1900 before our line was open, our drivers made all 5 of us engine stand ready outside our shed at Kirk Machan.

Culdee: What's going on?

Driver: The inspector from the Board of Trade is coming along with 2 veteran engine drivers to test our lines safety and reliability. We don't know which of you they'll choose.

Narrator: soon the inspector and the veteran Sodor engine driver arrived to pick the engine.

Inspector: Well, I suppose any engine could do couldn't they. Well, hmmm.. what say you?

?: Hmmm.. How about that one? No.4 Culdee named after the mountain too, so it could give us the luck of the Irish.

?: Indeed. Good choice there my friend.

Inspector: Alright then, will take that one out then. I say driver, is No.4 ready and in steam.

Driver: He certainly is Sirs and ma'm.

Culdee Narrator: So the inspector and the veteran engine drivers walked over and introduced themselves.

Inspector: Good morning Culdee. Allow us to introduce ourselves. I am inspector Reginald. Inspector of trade.

Mr. James Holden: I'm James Angus Holden, a freelance engine driver around Sodor.

Miss. Marie Ravens: And I am Marie Elizabeth Ravens.

Inspector Reginald: We have chosen you for a very important test. we shall be testing you and looking at your railways safety and reliability,

Culdee: Yes Sir's and Ma'm. What does the test involve?

Mr. James Holden: We will be testing you on your traction, your strength and you're braking.

Miss Marie Ravens: You shall be pushing two coaches up to the summit and then we'll test your braking coming down.

Culdee: Yes Sir.

(Pause flashback)

Narrator: Mr. Holden's and Miss Ravens' eyes opened wide with amazement.

Mr. Holden: Did you say that one of the veteran engine drivers was James Angus Holden?

Miss Ravens: And the other one was Marie Elizabeth Ravens?

Culdee: That's Right Mr. Holden and Miss Ravens.

Mr. Holden/Miss Ravens: (surprised and amazed) I don't believe it! Do you guys know what this means?

Babs Seed: I don't get it. What are you talkin about?

Mr. Holden: The veteran engine driver…. That… That was my father… James Angus Holden.

Miss Ravens: And the other one was my mother, Marie Elizabeth Ravens.

Narrator: The others barring Culdee, Skarloey and Rheneas eyes widened with surprise, Sir Handel also pretended to be surprised.

Mr Hawkins: Wow, how incredible. They were freelance drivers all over Sodor?

Mr Roberts: You are the luckiest man and women alive William and Rachel.

Mr. Holden/Miss Ravens: Thanks Mike and James.

Miss Ravens: Anyway, sorry about that Culdee.

Mr Holden: Do continue.

Culdee: Oh quite alright Mr. Holden and Miss Ravens, I knew you would get excited. Anyway, back to the story.

(Flashback, Culdee Fell, 1900)

Culdee Narrator: So the inspector, Mr. James Holden and Miss Marie Ravens chose me, climbed into my cab and made me push two coaches to the summit. We made it safely up the hill with in time. The inspector, Mr. James Holden and Miss Marie Ravens were very pleased.

Inspector: There we are. Strength, check. Traction, check.

Mr. James Holden: Very good Culdee, considering how steep Culdee Fell is.

Miss Marie Ravens: I am quite impressed too Culdee.

Inspector: Yes indeed. So far so good. Now, we shall test your brakes. Mr. Holden and Miss Ravens, please take him to the steepest part of the line.

Mr. James Holden: Righto Reginald.

Miss. Marie Ravens: You got it.

Narrator: So we stood on the steepest part of the line and by jove, if you were afraid of heights this job would scare the side rods off you. Down down, down, it sloped with a nasty curve edging a precipice.

Inspector: Right then, brakes of young drivers. Let's see him roll.

(Foals, engines and 4 drivers): (horrified) OOOOHHH MY GOODNESS!

Culdee Narrating: They did just that. The brakes went off and began to roll. At first I drifted slowly backwards but soon the coaches nudged me and the weight and momentum of the coaches drove me faster and faster down the hill. The other driver reached for the brake handle.

Inspector: No young driver! Hands off the brake.

Other driver: What are you crazy…

Culdee narrating: he tried to leap for it, but Mr. James Holden smacked his hand.

Mr. James Holden: You heard him, hands off the brake.

Miss. Marie Ravens: Trust us, we know what we're doing.

Culdee narrating: We gathered speed down the gradient. The coaches swayed. My wheels rattled and shook as if we were going to fly right off the track. Everything had happened so fast that I was terrified, but then I remembered I had automatic brakes. How silly of me to forget, heheheheheh. I could put these on myself. Perhaps the inspector, Mr. James Holden and Miss. Marie Ravens wanted to see if I could. They worked beautifully. Time seemed to stand still and soon we came safely to a stop. The inspector, Mr. James Holden and Miss Marie Ravens stepped down to congratulate me on my valiance.

Inspector: Well done Culdee. You'll do.

Culdee narrating: I smiled of course but felt rather shaky. My other driver and even Mr. James Holden and Miss Marie Ravens mopped their faces. They were nervous too.

Mr. James Holden: Heheheh well exciting exploit there Culdee. heheheh to be honest with you old boy I was bit nervous and I'm a veteran engine driver of Sodor.

Miss Marie Ravens: Me too Culdee. Don't worry, will give a nice easy journey back down to Kirk Machan. Your a valiant engine and we'll tell you about my mother's and James' tests and trials as freelance drivers.

(Flashback end)

Pipsqueak: Wow how exciting, and yet terrifying. You were truly brave Culdee and so was you're father Mr. Holden and your mother Miss Ravens.

Sweetie Belle: Well surely, you are a little scared.

Culdee: Well actually, after that I've grown more accustom to climbing the Culdee fell, so I'm never afraid now. Why should I be? As long as you play by the rulebook, there's no need to be.

Yeah, that inconsistency was Wilbert's fault, not yours atsf. Other then that, great work. Keep a good look out for 'Bad Lookout' next. (Pinkie Pie comedy drums)