Very Old Engines

"Very Old Engines" was first published in 1965. It was written by the Reverend W. Awdry and illustrated by Gunvor and Peter Edwards.

=Stories=

Crosspatch
Nancy is polishing Skarloey, but Skarloey calls her a fusspot. Nancy replies by calling him a crosspatch. Skarloey remembers he once was a crosspatch, and tells Nancy the story of it. ..

In 1865, Skarloey was first built (minus a cab and a pair of wheels) and sent to Sodor on a ship. After being lowered to a lowloader using the ship's derricks, he was taken to Crovan's Gate by an ugly but kind engine named Neil. The people there weren't used to engines, and it was dark by the time was on the rails. The next morning, he is told to take some trucks away, but he wants to pull coaches. The Manager, Mr. Mack, and some workmen come and try to steam Skarloey. He refuses to do anything, day after day. Eventually, they get tired of it, and cover him up with a tarpaulin.

Nancy says it served Skarloey right, but a crowd who came to listen tell him to go on. ..

Bucking Bronco
. . . So he does.

At last, Mr. Mack comes, and Skarloey says sorry. Mr. Mack tells him that Mr. Bobbie (a man who helped build Skarloey) has come, and Skarloey works hard to finish the line before the Inspector arrives.

When Rheneas arrived, he was a sensible engine, unlike Skarloey, who was bouncy and excited. When Skarloey is told to pull the Directors' train, Rheneas tells him to be careful, but Skarleoy scoffs at him and gets the coaches. The coaches have never seen him before, and don't trust him. When Skalroey begins to bounce, Mr. Mack, who was riding on Skarloey, closes the regulator too quickly and the coaches bump into each other. They bump him back, and Mr. Mack is knocked into a bush. He rides in Beatrice for the remainder of the journey.

The Directors were cross, and told Rheneas to pull the Inspector's train instead. He is satisfied with most things, but tells the Directors to give Skarloey an extra set of wheels. ..

Stick-in-the-Mud
Skarloey is up to the part where he returns with an extra pair of wheels and a cab when Rheneas starts telling the rest of the story. ..

The coaches are impressed by the cab and six wheels, and Skarloey gets conceited. When he tells Rheneas he should get a cab, Rheneas replies it makes him look like a snail, and he "doesn't go much faster, either". Skarloey calls him a stick-in-the-mud, and the argument goes on until the two fall out.

One morning, Skarloey is taking the workmen to the quarry in the rain. When Rheneas is warming up, the guard arrives and tells them Skarloey is stuck in a landslide. Rheneas refuses at first, but goes when reminded of the workmen and crew. Afterwards, Skarloey apologises, and they burst out laughing when they realises Skarloey is the stick-in-the-mud after all.

Duck and Dukes
Duck tells Peter Sam that there are no Dukes, having all been scrapped, and Peter Sam, who remembered the Thin Controller said the Duke of Sodor was coming to Skarloey and Rheneas' hundredth birthday, is horrified, and when he tells the others, they argue over who is right. But the next day, the engines are happy when they wake up, for it's Skarloey and Rheneas' birthday. Later, Peter Sam takes the TV train and films Rheneas. After Skarloey returns, having taken the Duke round the loopline, the Duke makes a speech, during which Peter Sam interrupts and asks him if he is real. The Duke tells him he is, and Rheneas makes a speech asking everyone to visit his and Skarloey's respective twin brothers, Talyllyn and Dolgoch.

=Featured Characters=
 * Skarloey
 * Rheneas
 * Peter Sam
 * Duncan
 * Duck
 * Neil
 * Agnes, Ruth, Jemima, Lucy and Beatrice
 * Sir Handel (does not speak)
 * Rusty (does not speak)
 * Talyllyn (does not speak)
 * Dolgoch (does not speak)
 * Douglas (does not speak)
 * Mabel (cameo only)