NRS Bert and Donald's duck
Transcript
00:00 Mavis' visit had done wonders to Frank's attitude. He worked very hard and would talk of nothing
00:07 but Mavis. At first the other engines enjoyed talking about Mavis, but soon the subject
00:26 was wearing thin. "We all miss Mavis, but there's no need to go on about her all the
00:33 time," sighed Jock. "Anyone would think you were obsessed," teased Mike. "Or infatuated,"
00:41 added Rex. "You don't think?" "Yes, I do." "Our Frank is in love." "Shut up, you two,"
00:48 snapped Frank. "I'm not in love. I just thought she was really nice." "Denial!" Rex and Mike
00:55 shouted loudly as Frank, who was looking rather flushed, rolled quickly away.
01:02 A few days later the subject of Mavis was brought up again, but this time for good reason.
01:09 Frank and Jock were stood alongside Donald at the chute when Mike snorted in late with
01:14 his passenger train. A herd of sheep had escaped from their field, which in turn had delayed
01:20 Mike and made him very cross. "Stupid sheep," he grumbled. "It's the same every year. They
01:26 escape from the field and take no notice of when I'm coming. I'm sick of it." "At this
01:31 rate you'll have to have cowcatchers and side plates like Mavis," observed Frank. "We may
01:36 all have to." "We better not," shouted a voice. Bert came storming up alongside. "It
01:44 would ruin my image." "Image?" said Jock. "You look exactly the same as me." Ever since
01:51 Bert had been given a new appearance due to his major overhaul, the other engines had
01:56 noticed that they made him quite conceited. "Yes, but I look more well-proportioned than
02:01 you," puffed Bert cheekily. Jock rolled his eyes. "Anyway," continued Bert, "we can't
02:08 have cowcatchers. It would make me look as if I was scared of animals, when really it
02:13 should be the other way around." "They're probably more scared of your attitude," huffed
02:18 Jock. "The animals are most likely used to us by now," said Frank. "That's why they aren't
02:24 scared." "Well, they should be. Animals and engines do not mix," scoffed Bert.
02:31 Donald had overheard the conversation and interrupted. "You don't know how to talk a
02:36 lot of rubbish, Bert. Animals and engines do mix. Just take a wee look at me and me
02:41 quack out of you." "Your what?" "Me quack out of you." "He means his duck."
02:48 There, happily perched on Donald's tender, was a small duck, more affectionately known
02:54 to everyone as Donald's Duck, or as Dilly. The small bird had formed an unusual friendship
03:03 with Donald, and occasionally came for rides down the Little Western with him. Bert was
03:09 unimpressed. "You should be reprimanded for having livestock on your footplate."
03:14 "She's no livestock, she's me friend," snorted Donald. "Fine, a pet then, which is far worse.
03:21 She's never done anyone any harm." "That's as may be, Donald. But animals cause confusion
03:28 and delay, as proved by Mike's incident today. It'll only be a matter of time before she'll
03:34 do the same. You're absolutely crackers to think otherwise."
03:39 Bert puffed lordly away. "Dinner fast yourself, me quack out of you. You'll get his comeuppance
03:46 sooner or later." Donald fumed away.
03:57 A few days later, the spring weather took an unseasonable change. A storm raged across
04:04 the island. The coast felt the brute strength of the storm. High winds and torrential rain
04:14 battered the Little Western. The small railway was closed. "We won't have any passengers
04:23 in this horrid weather," said Rex miserably. "Wouldn't be safe either," added Jock. "Most
04:28 likely we'd be blown off the rails." The storm continued to sweep through Sodor for
04:35 over a week. Donald grew worried. He hadn't seen his duck for quite some time, and hoped
04:44 that she was safe. At last the storm passed. The small controller came to see his engines.
04:52 He was pleased to see they were all right. "Frank, I need you to take some workmen with
04:58 the engineers train to see what the damage is," he announced. "After that, report back
05:03 to me, and if safe, we'll begin a reduced service with covered coaches only."
05:08 "Yes, sir," said Frank. So off Frank went. There were a few fallen branches and fences,
05:19 but nothing too serious. He returned and reported back that everything was safe, to the delight
05:26 of all the engines and the small controller. Bert was chosen to take the first train. He
05:38 was pleasantly surprised to see there were quite a number of passengers boarding the
05:44 train. Soon he set off. All went well until he was halfway up the line. Here there is
06:13 a pond out of sight behind a small wood. The line climbs here. Bert was attacking the gradient
06:20 in fine style. But his driver quickly shut off steam. Ahead of them appeared to be a
06:28 duck. "It'll move," snorted Bert. "And what if it doesn't?" interrupted his driver. "Better
06:35 to be safe than sorry." "Stupid bird," muttered Bert. As they got closer, the driver recognized
06:43 the bird. "That's Donald's duck," he said. "What is she doing here?"
06:49 "Causing confusion and delay, no less," Bert sniffed. The train was brought to a halt a
06:56 few feet away from the duck. She began to look agitated and quacked loudly. "Go on, waddle
07:03 off!" shouted Bert, hissing steam. The duck took no notice. Instead, she began to fly
07:12 her wings and squawk loudly. Bert grew cross. He whistled rudely at her. The duck responded
07:19 and suddenly charged the train. "Urgh!" cried Bert pathetically. "She's gonna get me!"
07:30 The driver tried to shoo her gently away. But each time he walked back to the cab, she
07:38 would turn around and attack Bert. The silly small engine cowered every time.
07:45 Luckily there was an off-duty veterinarian on board. He came to size up the situation.
07:53 "I've never seen her this threatened before," explained the driver. "Is she ill or hurt?"
07:59 "Not at all," replied the vet. "But there is an obvious explanation. I think she's nesting."
08:07 The driver distracted Donald's duck with his sandwiches whilst the vet went to investigate.
08:14 He was right. There, nestled very close to the track, was a duck's nest. Inside were
08:21 five small eggs. The vet returned and told the driver everything. "She must have come
08:30 inland due to the recent stalls we've been having," said the driver. "We'll have to move
08:35 it. It isn't safe there and she'll keep defending her nest from trains until our eggs have hatched,"
08:41 said the vet. "But I'll need help." Bert's driver raged out for assistance and that a
08:48 blockage had halted the train. With permission granted to reverse back to the loop, Bert
08:55 puffed feebly away.
09:03 Frank passed Bert in the loop with some workmen. He was wondering what the blockage was.
09:10 He couldn't help but laugh when he saw it.
09:15 Under the vet's supervision, the workmen carefully caught Donald's duck and safely moved her
09:23 and the nest into the nearby woods, close to the pond.
09:31 With Donald's duck happily settled in her new surroundings, they all returned back down the line.
09:38 The vet rejoined the train and Bert restarted his journey. He was very silent. Frank giggled
09:52 knowingly to himself.
09:55 Donald was informed of his duck's whereabouts. He was glad she was safe.
10:01 "So wee quackaroos! I can't wait to see them," smiled Donald.
10:06 "Apparently she put Bert in his place," chuckled Frank.
10:09 "Hey, well, he deserved it. I did say he'd get his comeuppance soon," laughed Donald.
10:14 Bert returned to the sheds that evening feeling exhausted. He was most disappointed to find
10:21 the story of his incident had arrived back before him.
10:25 "Well, you were right about one thing," sniggered Chock. "Animals and engines don't mix.
10:32 Well, with you, that is. She must be a very good judge of character.
10:38 I went by earlier in the day and she didn't even try and attack me," said Frank.
10:42 "Imagine the damage to your image," teased Rex. "With or without cow catchers, you're still afraid.
10:50 "Of a duck, no less," Mike grinned. "How embarrassing. He's gone crackers."
10:57 "No, Mike." "You could say he's gone quackers."
11:02 The small engines thought the subject was funny. Bert thought they were being very silly indeed.
11:10 .
11:15 [BLANK_AUDIO]