Mountain Engines

"Mountain Engines" was first published in 1964. It was written by the Reverend W. Awdry and illustrated by Gunvor and Peter Edwards.

=Stories=

Mountain Engine
Sir Handel has had a bad day with the coaches, who made him stall twice, and says they need to be on a scrapheap. Skarloey is cross, and Rheneas quips that Sir Handel should be lucky that they don't work on a mountain railway. Sir Handel doesn't believe such a thing exists, and an argument breaks out until Donald arrives with Culdee, a queer-looking mountain engine. When Culdee wakes up, he tells the little engines about his line, and an adventure he had on the first day.

Bad Look-Out
Duncan is in a bad mood - his coaches nearly derailed him, and the Thin Controller blamed him. Skarloey and Rheneas, who were talking to Culdee, asks him about his coaches. The conversation soon drifts to Culdee's automatic brakes, and the story of Godred (named after an ancient Sudrian king), an engine who held too much faith in his automatic brakes. Even though everyone tried everything, they found nothing. Then one day, Godred fell off the rails and was sent to the back of the Shed, where he was cannibalised for his parts. Sir Handel and Duncan are scared, and remain silent, but neither Skarloey nor Rheneas ever mentioned the tale was made up.

Danger Points
Donald brings Culdee home, and he discovers from his friends Ernest and Wilfred that three new engines have arrived - Alaric, Eric and Lord Harry, a loud, risk-taking engine. The next day, Culdee makes fun of Lord Harry's supposed "super-heat" (he says it is "conceit"), and Lord Harry determines to pay him out. Unluckily, he derails at the summit, preventing Wilfred from taking his "down" train, and when Culdee helps him home, Lord Harry is sent to the back of the Shed.

"Devil's Back"
Lord Harry is punished by having his name taken away (he is now referred to as #6), and, after hearing Culdee’s story of Godred, asks the Manager to be let out. The Manager agrees, but forbids him from pulling passengers train, so #6 is kept taking supplies and workmen to the Summit station. One day, he is preparing to continue up "Devil's Back" when a message comes about a group of injured climbers, and #6 is sent to rescue them. Despite the strong wind, he gets there, and the next day, the leader of the climbers asks the Manager to rename Lord Harry after a friend who helped him when he was injured. Nowadays, #6 is known as Patrick, is good friends with the others and only takes risks when absolutely necessary.

=Featured Characters=
 * Godred
 * Ernest
 * Wilfred
 * Culdee
 * Lord Harry
 * Skarloey
 * Rheneas
 * Sir Handel
 * Duncan
 * Donald
 * Catherine
 * Patricia
 * The "Truck"
 * Alaric (mention only)
 * Eric (mention only)
 * Agnes, Ruth, Jemima, Lucy and Beatrice (mention only)