New Begininngs
I wrote this for english class. My Tutor said it was really good, and he liked the formatting and charecters! So you guys can have it too. It's not quite based in this AU, the engines here are faceless, but I think it counts enough. The word count I had to meet was 500, this is 1000 and odd LOL. The title was the prompt
Yard worker
“This is different from the mainland” is all I could think, as I stood with at least 20 other men (and a few women), waiting for the yard manager to turn up.
The yard was cold, and the thin jackets they gave us that we wore under our overalls didn’t help much. The smell of coal that wafted through the air from the engines was strangely invigorating though, that physical sense of “I made it here!”
A lot of people apply for the NWR, most get sent to the other railways around the island, it’s only a lucky few that get put straight here.
After a while, a ginger haired man, in at least his mid 30s, bounced up towards us. A blonde stationmaster in toe.
He took off his flat cap and waved to us.
“Hullo!”
The stationmaster gave us a nod and stood next to him, he seemed tired.
The ginger turned to him “I love new starts don’t you, look at them all!” He gestured to us “Fresh faces, ready to go!”
The blonde shrugged. The ginger either didn’t notice the blondes indignance or didn’t care, as he continued “I know yard work isn’t the most fun job, but it’s necessary if you want to
progress and perhaps become a Driver one day.” He clapped his hands loudly. “A few of you are going to go with Matthew here and see how you clean out coaches. The rest of you are going
to come with me! And see how you load trucks.”
A hand went up.
“Yeah?”
“...What's your name?” The hand said meekly.
“I’m Albert! If you ever have any issues, you can come to me!”
Albert showed us how-to pick-up crates and load them into the trucks, sounds simple enough, but you’d be surprised how badly behaved those trucks are.
All in all, my first day went alright! I was the only one who came out of it with no injuries.
Fireman.
“This is a shovel” The old fireman said grouchily.
I nodded.
“You use it to shovel coal.”
I nodded again.
My back was at a perfect straight angle, my shoulders not past my hips, I was stood like an army soldier. And like a soldier, I didn’t speak unless I was spoken to.
“Now there's a knack to it!” he snapped, “You must make sure you shovel it to the back.”
His tone was so stern, and his eyes were very cold.
He practically threw the shovel at me and barked at me to have a go.
I did as he instructed.
Backstraight, shovel straight in under the coal of the tender, lift the shovel with your knees, crouch down slightly and throw it straight into the back.
The heat from the fire attacked my senses, it was pleasant, until you shovelled in coal. I knew I wouldn’t be enjoying this during the summer months.
“...Good.”
The Driver popped his head up into the cab.
“Hiya!!” he extended his hand towards me “You must be the newbie!”
His starkly opposite tone from the fireman threw me.
“Y-yes I am!”
“You ready to go?! Is he ready to go!?” He looked over at the Fireman, who shrugged. “Alright let’s go! Short trip at first, just to Brenham, get your sea legs on!” he nudged the fireman “Pun intended” He got glared at.
Guard
“Oh”
Those rocks look like they’ll slide.
I put the brake-van brakes on just slightly and waved my red flag.
The fireman looked out and gave me a thumbs up, and I took off the back brakes.
And the train came to a stop.
Suddenly, there was a rumble around us.
“GO BACKWARDS!” I yelled.
The engine was quickly thrown in reverse.
Large rocks came thudding down directly on top of and in front of where we were.
After the rockslide was over, I breathed a sigh of relief.
Suddenly there was a knock on my van door. I peeked out to see the Driver standing there angerly, “WHAT WAS THAT?”
“A rockslide.” I said flatly.
“WHY’D YOU STOP US?”
I stared at him for a moment, is he serious?
The fireman came over and tried to calm him down
“I stopped you because there was a rockslide?”
“We would’ve gotten through!”
“Driver, honestly I don’t-”
“You listen here mister! I know your new around here but let me make something clear! You don’t get to make the decisions on whether I stop or don’t!”
“...Well, that’s literally my job, so...”
“WE PULL THE EXPRESS!” He yelled louder, “IT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT TRAIN ON THE ISLAND, AND NOW IT’LL BE LATE!” He clearly had more but stopped as the fireman put his hand on his shoulder.
“Mike.” He started, “leave it.”
The Driver huffed, and yelled some choice words at me as he went back to his engine.
The Fireman hung back, “Cheers mate. Cause of you I managed to stop ourselves and reverse in time.”
“My job.” I shrugged.
“It is! And it’s important. Don’t let him hurt your spirits”
Driver
I was oiling my engines axles when a meek looking yard worker walked up to me.
“Sorry to bother you sir. But... uhm”
I looked up at him, expectedly.
“I’m lost.” He sighed. I smile warmly at him.
“Ah.”
“Yeah...”
“Happens!” I stand up brushing the dust off my knees. “Where do you need to go?”
“Uh, the B block of sheds? I’m looking for driver Wilkins?”
“Ooh! Yeah, I know him! He’s lovely. The B block is just down there, and to your left!” I gesture, “He’ll be in the bright green engine, number 3!”
“Ah! - Thank you, Sir!”
I give him a nod, a smile, and a wave off.
I turn to my engine and continue oiling.
“I’ll never shake being called sir.”
I look up to my engine, the number 12, the one I was trained as a fireman on.
She’s got her quirks. But she’s my own.
“All done Emily!” I say patting her buffer. “I’ll see you tomorrow old girl”
Stationmaster
“You’re 16.”
“Yes Sir!”
“Okay.”
I look over his CV.
It’s well written, he’s got good skills.
“What's regulation 25-D?”
“Regulation 25-D states that crews must triple check their water sources before use when using a third-party source.”
“And 26?”
“If a fish, or other foreign object, happens to get stuck inside the boiler of your engine, inform a engineer as soon as possible and clear the area. You may only use worms for bait, and not smaller fishes.”
He’s good.
I stand up, and offer my hand “You can collect your uniform from the yard tomorrow.”
“Sir?”
“You got it.”
“Thank you sir!” He took my hand quickly.
I watch him as I leave, he wants to be a Driver.
I think back on my career and smile.
He’s got a hell of a train ride.