05/09/2026
So excited to be returning to the museum, Quarryman couldn't stop singing.......🎶🎶
"They're 2, they're 4, they're 6 they're 8, shunting trucks and hauling..... ,"
"Hey, I'm not doing any shunting thank you very much' peeped Katie.' "And I'll thank you not to serenade me with that modern theme tune. We want the proper version, just like Whitehaven Brass Band played when all of the visitors strangely turned up in Victorian costume a couple of weeks ago"🎩
"Yes, I thought that was very unusual ',whistled a little voice at the bottom of the train shed.
"Was that you, Bunny?", wheeshed Katie, in a puzzled tone.
"Not me! And please use my proper name" grumbled ICL 1.
"Behave you two" sizzled Synolda. "Have you not noticed, it's not only us in here now!"
"Who else is here?" quizzed ICL 1.
"Have you been sleeping all summer?", puffed Synolda. "Look beside you. There's a little engine with a very grand name".
"Hey! Where did you come from?!", bellowed Bunny (sorry, we mean ICL 1).
"I came from Eastleigh Lakeside Miniature Railway", peeped Sir Arthur Heywood "I've been here since Northern Rock's Golden Jubilee gala. 🎉 How have you not noticed me?"
"Well, you do look familiar. But you are a bit, errrr....... small", commented Bunny (sorry, we mean......well you know what we mean)."I'm sure you're normally out carrying passengers on the main Ratty line".
"I'm not Northern Rock" said Sir Arthur, "I'm Sir Arthur Heywood. And I'm not small. I'm perfectly proportioned.....If the proportion is to 7 1/4 inch"
"I wondered who that was at the bottom of the train shed", Katie said. "Jolly rude of you not to have made formal introductions before now"
"Well it is on my nameplate and the lettering on my tender clearly says Eastleigh Lakeside Miniature Railway", sulked Sir Arthur.
"There's no need to be all 'tender' about it", instructed Synolda.
"Stop showing off, 'Ms two tenders' over there", cackled Katie.
"Hey, stop it", exclaimed Quarryman, "Don't you know, life is short and you shouldn't take your friends for granite!"
"Well it can't be that short", Sir Arthur said,"Doesn't that headboard you're wearing say 'Centenarian'?"
"Good of you to notice", Quarryman quipped."Alot of people got very excited about my 100th birthday this year. You should've seen the cake!"
"You don't need to tell us about the cake", frowned Katie,"It's all they could talk about".
"Who?", Synolda asked.
"You know, the non- engine types. They prefer to use coffee for fuel instead of coal"
"Well coal isn't to everyone's taste", exclaimed Quarryman.
"Here, here!", Bunny agreed.
"Where, where?", came a little voice from Little Giant.
Synolda sighed at Little Giant," It's just an expression Little Giant. You carry on resting on your rails"
"I was", Little Giant lamented,"But then someone came and spun me around"
"Like a record player. ...Right round.....round, round?", sung Katie.
"Well yes actually", said Little Giant,"Talk about stating the obvious "
"Okay Katie. Just because you enjoy a spin on the turntable doesn't mean we're all as outgoing as you!", Synolda stated sternly.
"I don't know what you mean!", Katie wheeshed.
"You should know by now Katie, that there's always someone with a camera at a heritage railway. And they love nothing more than spotting a good coupling on the turntable'.
"Oh, you saw that did you?" Katie queried.
"Not in person", replied Synolda. "But there is such a thing as WhatsApp".
"Zapp what?!", yawned Little Giant
"Go back to sleep Little Giant", instructed Synolda.
"Okaaay..zzzzzzzzzzz"
"Well, Quarryman might be 100 years old, but nobody has remembered that I'm 130!", cried Katie."I thought if I took a twirl on the turntable with the Centenarian, I might get a cake too"
"What on Earth would you do with a cake?", laughed Synolda.
"I would pose for photos with the cake and be celebrated all over social media", Katie smiled smugly, "That is the modern way of things, is it not?" 📸
"Works for me", Quarryman concurred......
......And on that note boys and girls, we will leave our engine story here. Whether it is your birthday or not, may you have your cake and eat it. And if you can't eat it, bring it to the museum, and when the engines have finished boosting their social media profiles, the non-engine types will gladly take care of it! 🍰
Please give us a like and a share and help Katie's quest for social media fame 👍
