Scratchwood Station

Keab42 · Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:33 pm Post subject:

*pulling out of Peterborough. The A4 is resplendent in LNER Apple Green Livery*

Keab (shovelling hard): Say.... 'Fox... we still haven't named her yet...

Electricfox · Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:58 pm Post subject:

Electricfox: "Yeah, I thought about that, ordered this online last night."

*He pulls out a nameplate with 'Heron' written on it.*

Keab: "Heron?"
Electricfox: "Most of the A4s were named after birds."
Keab: "Nice. When we complete this run we can put them up."
Electricfox: "Sure can. Alright...to Stoke Bank!"

*He opens up the regulator and winds back the reverser a little.*
_________________
Jamie
The local 'Bobby'

Electricfox · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 10:57 pm Post subject:

*The A4 hurries along towards Stoke Bank*

Electricfox: "Speed?!"
Keab: "Ninety-eight point five!"
Electricfox: "Ok, here comes the bank, let's throw everything we have at it!"

*He winds the reverser forward into full and pulls the regulator towards him as hard as he can. Keab opens the dampers fully, and closes the blower.*

Keab: "All set!"
Electricfox: "Right then sweetheart...let's fly!"

*The A4 picks up the pace, surging forward. Electricfox keeps his eye on the road ahead of them.*

Electricfox: "Speed?!"
Keab: "One oh nine point seven!"

*An alarm goes off. Keab checks the cause.*

Keab: "The big end is starting to overheat, I'm compensating!"

*He hits some buttons and then checks the speed again.*

Keab: "One ten point nine!"

*Electricfox looks forward up the line and then back down it to the carriages they are pulling behind them. Weighted to exactly the same weight that Mallard pulled on her run.*

Keab: "One fifteen!"

*Another alarm goes off, Keab checks it.*

Keab: "Temperatures running high on the forward bogie."

Electricfox: "Just a little more...."

*The cab sways continuously as Keab quickly checks the firebox then shuts the firebox doors again.*

Keab: "One twenty!"

*There is an agonising wait.*

Keab: "One twenty five....point one....point two....point three..."

Keab: "One twenty six, one twenty six point five....ONE TWENTY SEVEN!!"

*They both whoop and holler and jump up and down, Electricfox pulls on the chime whistle hard and slams the regulator closed. The A4 coasts back down to ninety miles an hour.*
_________________
Jamie
The local 'Bobby'

Electricfox · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 9:33 pm Post subject:

*Somewhere between Grantham and Scratchwood*

*Electricfox is sitting on the drivers seat whilst Keab is shovelling coal into the roaring fire, 'Heron' is trundling along at line speed with a full head of steam pushing her on. Both driver and firemen have a broad smile on their face as they head for home after an exhausting couple of days.*

*Keab shuts the firebox door and opens the blowers fully as a tunnel approaches, Electricfox sounds the whistle and then with a loud roar the A4 is inside, the reverberations from the exhaust making speech near impossible and smoke and steam drifting past the footplate and occasionally into it. Within a few minutes they're back out into the open, and Keab shuts down the blowers and opens up the firebox doors again.*

*Electricfox turns around and looks at Dhall who is standing around at the back of the footplate.*

Electricfox: "So...what was it you wanted to say?"

*Keab stops shovelling for a moment and looks at Dhall expectantly as Electricfox turns back and watches the road ahead.*
_________________
Jamie
The local 'Bobby'

Dhall · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 10:40 pm Post subject:

*Dhall turns to Electricfox.*

Dhall: Well.. okay. You know the month?

Electricfox: January?

Dhall: Yeah. Well... it's been two years since it happend.

Electricfox: What?

Dhall: *sigh.* Don't get mad at me because it wasn't my fault. Electricfox... I was the driver of that train that hit you in 2007.. that Deltic, RHF, was the one I was driving at the time and since the accident, I left it in the MPD for a while to clear my head and forget about all it. When I was in the cab, I honestly thought I killed someome, but I was very releived that I didnt.
_________________
Dhall.
Driver of British Rail.
Serving the line between Milton Keynes, Scratchwood and Birmingham!

Electricfox · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 12:37 pm Post subject:

*Electricfox turns around for a moment and smiles*

Electricfox: "It's alright, it all turned out alright in the end. I came around, even had a wierd, WIERD coma based dream thing. The therapist had a field day with that one let me tell you. I know how you feel, and unlike you, I have got blood on my hands."

Dhall: "What...how?"

Electricfox: "Let's just say, some work for my employers, we clean up stuff, and it can get pretty dirty at times."

*He shoots a knowing look at Keab who just nods and shovels some more coal on the fire.*

Dhall: "But still...everytime I just hear that thud."
Electricfox: "Oh it wasn't too bad, you just caught me a glancing blow on the offside buffer, it was my own bloody stupid fault for crossing without looking. If my father had seen me, well, it's a good thing he's down at Wateringbury 'box, he'd have tanned my backside for doing something so stupid."

*He laughs and Dhall joins in.*

Dhall: "You never mention your family much."
Electricfox: "Not much to mention, in a way, I'm the combination of their jobs, my father is a signalman on the Southern Region and my mother, works for the same agency I do. She doesn't do as much field work as she used to, she's mostly office based now."
Dhall: "Oh."
Electricfox: "What about you, Dhall? You see your parents much?"
_________________
Jamie
The local 'Bobby'

Dhall · Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 11:40 pm Post subject:

Dhall: My parents? Well...

*Suddenly, Dhall's phone rings, he picks it up.*

Dhall: Hello?

*Dhall pauses, listening to what the guy on the other end was saying. In turn, his expression gradually changed from happy to shocked. By then, he dropped the phone onto the footplate.*

Electricfox: What's wrong?

Dhall: That was Louis. I've just been informed that Microsoft shut down ACES studio. MSTS 2.... will never be released...
_________________
Dhall.
Driver of British Rail.
Serving the line between Milton Keynes, Scratchwood and Birmingham!

charlierc · Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2009 12:20 pm Post subject:

Electricfox: I didn't know you were interested in that.
Dhall: Yeah, but it's a shame really. And...
*Electricfox's mobile rings.*

Electricfox: Hello?
*There is a mumble from Charlie, who is heading into a music shop near the recently-finished Scratchwood Arena and Junction station. Electricfox grins as the mumble progresses.*
Electricfox: Alright. Bu-bye.
Dhall: Something pleased you?
Electricfox: AC/DC and David Bowie are joint-headling Charlie's little festival in July.
Keab: Bowie? Nooooo!!!!!
Electricfox: Quiet you. Also saves me going to somewhere like Wembley for AC/DC.
Dhall: Anyone else?
Electricfox: Just his acts. Depeche Mode, Muse, Interpol... etc.
Dhall: Fair enough.

*The train heads down the line, but is being held up again due to signal faults at West Highwood Halt. *
Electricfox: Damn it! They must not want us to return to Scratchwood.
*This is proved as the train is sent into a goods loop so the following Newcastle-Kings Cross express can overtake.*
Keab: Just 5 more miles. We can do it.
_________________
Charles, PA Announcer and light show guy (and owner of C&X Group).

Electricfox · Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 11:37 am Post subject:

Electricfox: "There goes Moss Junction, next station is ours..."
Dhall: "I never thought we'd get back all the times they put us on the slow line."
Electricfox: "Yeah, you wouldn't have thought we'd just broken the world steam speed record. Ah well."

*Electricfox steps up off the drivers chair and beckons to Keab.*

Keab: "Huh?"
Electricfox: "There's bound to be a welcoming committee at Scratchwood, you built her, you drive her in."
Keab: "Really?"

*Electricfox takes Keabs shovel off him and tucks into the shovelling while Keab takes over the drivers controls.*

Keab: "Alright, lets take her home!"
_________________
Jamie
The local 'Bobby'

Electricfox · Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 10:16 pm Post subject:

*Keab, and Electricfox sit up front in the number one cab on the 47 as Dhall drives, thick blizzard like snow falls against the cab windows, the heaters are on full but the team still wear clothes and woollen hats, Keab exits into the engine room and then comes back with two cups of tea which he hands to Electricfox and Dhall, he then returns to get his own cup.*

Dhall: "Are you sure Heron will be alright back there?"
Electricfox: "Yeah, we dampened the fire down and left the reverser in neutral, you'll probably need to push her back into the MPD or Keabs lab back at Scratchwood, but there's ample power in this spoon to get us back."
Keab: "Seems a shame the trip was cancelled."
Electricfox: "Yeah, but look at this stuff!"

*The 47 hits a small drift but the plough around the buffers shoves it aside with a small impact.*

Dhall: "This is pretty heavy grade stuff."

*Electricfox suddenly sits bolt upright in shock.*

Electricfox: "Cock!"
Keab: "What?"
Electricfox: "The signalling and points will be frozen solid!"
Keab: "Don't you have heaters for that?"
Electricfox: "Yeah, but the damn things never work. I hope Ali is on the ball."
Keab: "Ali? We're doomed..."
_________________
Jamie
The local 'Bobby'

Electricfox · Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2009 9:58 pm Post subject:

*On the rocket train.*

Electricfox: "Say...this isn't too bad...pretty nippy too!"
Keab: "Huh? This is only half power..."
Electricfox: "How do you keep it on the tracks?"
Keab: "Electro-magnets...now...we're on the main line, so I shall go to full power.*

*There is a thump and the world goes blurry.*

Electricfox,Keab: "Ooooooooooo..."
_________________
Jamie
The local 'Bobby'

Electricfox · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:56 pm Post subject:

*A class 40 comes whistling up Scratchwood bank with a cartic train behind it.*
_________________
Jamie
The local 'Bobby'

charlierc · Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2009 11:07 pm Post subject:

*Somewhere just outside Lichfield, the 252 evacuation special is rushing down the main line. Charlie is on the phone to Louis asking for a Carlisle stop.*

Charlie *on phone to Louis*: Ok, thanks a lot. Bye.
Matt: Well?
Charlie: Yes, the train will stop at Carlisle. Apparently a lot of people requested a Carlisle stop. Must be all the lakes nearby.
Matt: Yeah.

*Meanwhile at the front...*

Dhall: So just Carlisle stop requested, yeah?
Louis: Indeed.
Dhall: Ok then. So until then we keep going.
Louis: Yup.

*The train passes along the line, overtaking a stopping Pendolino on the approaches to Stafford.*
_________________
Charles, PA Announcer and light show guy (and owner of C&X Group).

Electricfox · Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2010 8:05 pm Post subject:

*On board the snowplough train heading north out of Scratchwood*

Electricfox: "So, they roped you in too?!"
Keab: "Yeah, something about idle hands!"
Electricfox: "It's not far from Moss Junction apparently, so at least it's local."
Keab: "Probably why they roped us in!"
Electricfox: "Yeah."

*The train hits a snowbank, there is a shudder and a whooshing noise as the snow is flung aside.*

Electricfox: "Did you bring a flask?"
Keab: "Nuclear or tea?"
Electricfox: "Tea."
Keab: "Erm...I think so, although I may have mixed the labels up."
Electricfox: "...joy!"
_________________
Jamie
The local 'Bobby'

Mattaf · Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2010 8:06 pm Post subject:

*Just South of Scratchwood*

*Balowski is reading a paper on the train.*

Guard: The next Station is Scratchwood Junction, Scratchwood Junction will be our next stop.

*Balowski folds the paper in half and gets up*

Balowski: Двиньте вне людей!

*The entire carriage stands up and heads towards the door - it is the entire First Bad Russian Accent Brigade.*
_________________
Mattaf, Station Master
Scratchwood - "How the Rail Network Should be... sorta..."