Enterprising Engines

Enterprising Engines
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Author:	Reverend W. Awdry
Illustrated by:	Gunvor and Peter Edwards
Publishers:	Edmund Ward Egmont Publishing
Published:	1968 - present
Previous book:	Small Railway Engines
Next book:	Oliver the Western Engine

Enterprising Engines is the 23rd book of the Railway Series.

Foreword[]

Dear Richard,
Do you remember the photographs you took of what happened to your train on the way to Waterloo in April 1967?

Your Mother (very kindly) gave me a set, and they helped our artist to draw at least two of the pictures for "Super Rescue".

Anyway, "Super Rescue" is the story which your pictures told me. I hope you will enjoy it, and the other three stories as well.
The Author

Stories[]

Tenders for Henry[]

The engines wrongly attribute Gordon's surly mood to boiler sludge from a dodgy water standpipe on the Mainland, and matters are made worse when Gordon finds only one of his brothers is left in existence. The Fat Controller feels sorry for Gordon and arranges for his remarkable brother (Flying Scotsman) to visit, but Henry is jealous of Flying Scotsman's two tenders and claims he deserves another. Duck offers Henry six tenders, kept round the back of the carriage-shed. Henry is delighted and accepts, but is made to look like a fool when it hits him not only are they dirty but they are full of boiler sludge!

Super Rescue[]

Two big diesels (7101 and 199) have arrived on trial. 7101 is friendly, but 199 is rude, saying diesels are more reliable than steam engines by a long shot, causing vulgar remarks. Later, Henry is heading home tender-first, his regulator jammed, and meets 199 with a train of oil-tankers at a signalbox. 199 (ironically) has failed, and so does 7101 after his ejector leaks and he is unable to pull his passenger train. Henry, with some help from 7101, still able to move, vigilantly hauls 199 and the oil-tankers and supports the passengers to the next station. Flying Scotsman (to the delight of the passengers) takes over the 'Limited', while Donald takes the goods. 199 is sent away in disgrace and Henry helps 7101 to the shed, surprising the hopeful diesel with the fact his regulator jammed.

Escape[]

Not long before the events of the other stories took place, Douglas had taken the "Midnight Goods" to the Other Railway, and was preparing to return when a stranded steam engine - Oliver - caught him out and asked desperately for help, as he was trying to escape scrap. Douglas wasted no time and buffered up, and the two crews scribbled "Scrap" over Oliver and his accomplices. However, a diesel shouted out a warning, and the yard foreman stopped them. They managed to coax their way past, and eventually reached the Works. The night-duty foreman showed them where to hide Oliver, his coach Isabel and his brake van Toad. Douglas left to finish his journey with quite the regard for what Oliver had accomplished.

Little Western[]

Douglas returns from a ballast run in time to see Flying Scotsman depart back home for Doncaster (his base at the time), and the Fat Controller's send-off message reminds Douglas about Oliver's plight, which he decides to tell the others about. The Fat Controller overhears and enquires about the fuss. Duck tells him they need another steam engine, but the Fat Controller gravely tells them they are rare to find. Donald is just about to speak up when the Fat Controller reveals Oliver is being mended, which changes the whole discussion round for the better.

In the end, 7101 stays and is renamed "Bear" after the growling noises he sometimes makes; he is pleased about this. Oliver, Isabel, and Toad are mended and repainted. Three coaches identical to Isabel have been rescued from scrapping and are given to Oliver and Duck, and the Fat Controller re-opens the Arlesburgh branch line to passengers, assigning Duck and Oliver to run it. They are delighted and accept the other engines' teasing nickname "The Little Western" for it.

Characters[]

Henry
Gordon
James
Duck
Donald and Douglas
Oliver
Flying Scotsman
Bear
199
The Fat Controller
The Passing Diesel (not seen)
Toad (does not speak)
Isabel and Dulcie (do not speak)
Alice and Mirabel (do not speak)
Other Railway Diesels (do not speak)

Trivia[]

1968 (the year this book was published) was the year steam was finally withdrawn on British Railways.
In the 2nd illustration of Super Rescue you can see a British Petroleum symbol.
"Super Rescue" is based off a real event which happened at Waterloo in 1967.
The Reverend acknowledged the help given by Flying Scotsman's owner (Mr. A. E. Pegler) and his assistant (Mr. E. Hoyle) in the preparation of this book.