The Flying Kipper

S1 Ep.19

The Flying Kipper

Summary: Henry is chosen to take The Flying Kipper, a good trains fish to markets across the Island. It’s a cold winter and there’s been bad snowfall, which makes for trouble further along the line. Henry has smooth run up until a point, unknowing that a signal has been forced down with the heavy snow and he’s being diverted into a siding due to frozen points! Through pure chance the crew of the train parked in the siding have just left the brake van, which is torn to pieces, which Henry crashes into it, along with the good load of cocoa being ruined! Sir Topham Hatt seizes the opportunity of the crash to rebuild Henry, sending him to Crewe to be given a new shape and larger fire box, eliminating the need for special coal and making Henry the engine deserves to be.

Script

Narrator: One winter evening Henry’s driver said…

Henry’s driver: We’ll be out early tomorrow, we’ve got to take The Flying Kipper. Don’t tell Gordon, but I think if we pull The Kipper nicely, Sir Topham Hatt will let us pull the Express. The special coal they gave you is working well.

Henry: Hooray! That will be lovely!

Narrator: All kinds of ships use the harbor at the big station by the sea. There are passenger ships, cargo ships and fishing boats also come here. They unload their fish on the key. Some of them goes to shops in town. And the rest in a special train to other places far away. This is the train railway men called “The Flying Kipper”. Henry was ready at 5:00. There was snow and frost. Men hustled and shouted loading up crates of fish. The last door banged and the guard showed green lamp and The Flying Kipper was ready to go.

(Henry whistles and set off)

Henry: Come on come on! Don’t be silly don’t be silly!

Narrator: Puffed Henry to the freight cars. The cars shuttered and groaned.

Freight cars: Trickety trunk! Trickety trunk! All right! All right!

Henry: That’s better! That’s better!

Narrator: Puffed Henry.

(Henry whistles)

Narrator: Clouds of smoke and steamed poured from his funnel into the cold air. And the fires light shone brightly.

Henry: Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!

Narrator: Panted Henry. They were going well the lighter better. The signal light shone green as they passed. Then a yellow signal appeared ahead. His driver prepared to stop. But the home signal was down.

Henry’s driver: All clear Henry! Away we go!

Narrator: They couldn’t know the switches from the main line to a siding, frozen and the home signal should’ve been set a danger of the snow and forced it down. A freight train was waiting in a siding to let The Flying Kipper pass and the driver and the fireman were drinking cocoa in the caboose.

The conductor: The Kipper’s do!

Narrator: Said the conductor.

Henry’s fireman: Who cares?

Narrator: Said the fireman.

Henry’s fireman: This is good cocoa!

Narrator: The driver got up.

Henry’s driver: Come on, fireman back to our engine!

Narrator: They got out just in time.

(Henry crashes into the brake van)

(Henry derails of the rails)

Narrator: Henry’s driver and fireman jumped clear before the crash but Henry lay dazed and surprised. Sir Topham Hatt came to see him.

Henry: The signal was down, sir!

Narrator: Said Henry.

Sir Topham Hatt: Cheer up, Henry. Wasn’t your fault. Ice and snow cause the accident. I’m sending you a crew, a fine place for sick engines. They’ll give you a new shape and a larger firebox. You’ll feel a different engine and you won’t need special coal anymore. Won’t that be nice?

Henry: Yes, sir.

Narrator: Said Henry doubtfully. Henry liked being a crew. But was glad to come home. A crowd of people waited to see him arriving in his new shape. He looked so splendid and strong that they gave him three cheers.

Henry: Peep. Peep.

Narrator: He whistled.

Henry: Thank you very much!

Narrator: I’m sorry to say that a lot of little children are often late for school. Because they wait to see Henry go by. They often see him pull the Express  he does it so well and Gordon is jealous. But that another story………….