CHIGLEY EPISODE 7

Episode 2. Bessie to the Rescue

IN BRIEF - a missed shipment at the Biscuit Factory requires everyone to pull together to get it to the station on time....



...or does it ?

We meet Farmer Bell at his farm and watch as he loads up his truck with a regular order for the Biscuit Factory of 16 boxes of eggs,1 box of butter & 4 milk churns.We ride along with him and he's met by Mr.Fletcher who supervises the unloading,and then the owner,Mr.Cresswell,who takes him on a tour inside.White walls,gleaming white machines and lots of talk of effeciency,but they emerge to discover a shipment of 3 cartons of biscuits that should've left 20 minutes ago. They have to get to Wintlebury Station to catch the 5.23pm train for London.But there's no van available and too much traffic in Trumpton at that time of day (!) for Farmer B to drive it there himself in time.So Cresswell rings round and enlists the help of Lord Belborough and Chippy Minton.And then gets a lift to the Pottery courtesy of Farmer Bell,where they rendezvous with Lord B and Bessie.It's then on to Treddle's Wharf minus Farmer B,but with Winnie along for the ride. Where they find The Minton's waiting to take the cartons on to the station,who just happened to be working there fitting a new counter for the snack bar.So the Wharfinger/Crane Driver,Mr.Swallow,loads up their van and they drive off with enough time to spare.Panic over.But he then informs those remaining that it could've gone directly there by road after all.Because the new summer timetable had kicked in the previous thursday and the train now left at 5.43pm and not 5.23 as Cresswell had thought.But there's a general air of 'nevermind,no harm done' and still just enough time to get back for that all-important 6pm whistle.Phew !