Enterprising Engines



"Enterprising Engines" was first published in 1968. It was written by the Reverend W. Awdry and illustrated by Gunvor and Peter Edwards.

=Stories=

Tenders for Henry
The engines wrongly attribute Gordon's surly mood to boiler sludge from a dodgy water-tower on the mainland, and matters are made worse when Gordon finds only one of his brothers are left in existence. The Fat Controller feels sorry for Gordon and arranges for his 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. Henry is delighted and accepts, but is made to look like a fool when it is revealed they are full of boiler sludge!



Super Rescue
Two diesels, 7101 and 199, arrive. 7101 is friendly, but 199 is rude, saying diesels are more reliable than steam engines. Later, Henry is riding 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, bravely takes 199, the oil-tankers and the passengers to the next station. Flying Scotsman, to the delight of the passengers, takes the passenger train, while Donald takes the goods. 199 is sent away in disgrace and Henry helps 7101 home.

Escape


Douglas has taken the "Midnight Goods" to the Other Railway, and is preparing to return when a stranded steam engine, Oliver, asks for help. Douglas buffers up, and the two crews scribble "Scrap" over Oliver. However, a diesel shouts out a warning, and the foreman stops them. They manage to sweet-talk their way past, and eventually reach the Works. A friendly watchman shows them where to hide Oliver, his coach Isabel and his brakevan Toad.

Little Western
Douglas arrives in time to see Flying Scotsman off, and tells the others his news. 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. Douglas is about to interrupt when the Fat Controller reveals Oliver is being mended.

In the end, 7101 stays and is renamed "Bear" after the growling noises he sometimes makes; Oliver, Isabel and Toad are repainted, three new coaches are rescued from scrapping and given to Oliver and Duck, and the Fat Controller re-opens the Arlesburgh branch and asks Oliver and Duck to run it.

=Featured characters=
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Duck
 * Donald and Douglas
 * Oliver
 * Flying Scotsman
 * 7101
 * 199
 * Toad (does not speak)
 * Isabel and Dulcie (do not speak)
 * Alice and Mirabel (do not speak)
 * Other Railway Diesels (do not speak)
 * The passing diesel (not seen)

=Trivia=
 * 1968 was the year steam was finally scrapped on British Railways.

=Goofs=
 * In the last illustration of "Tenders for Henry" Henry is missing his "3".