This is the first instalment into the story of how Peter found his beloved steamroller, Bessie.

The idea's for this story comes from myself and  HackerRaccoon

Draygo ©

Enjoy. :3

One day Peter was strolling down the street. The air was sweet and clear and the sun was bright and hot. Peter was heading off to the park, maybe he'd get an ice cream and sit peacefully under a tree, so long as no one, such as a certain blue and yellow, winged, wolf/dragon hybrid friend didn't try and squish him, he'd have a pleasant day.

As he walked down the street, he suddenly noticed there were some workmen ahead that were resurfacing the road. His ears perked up to his greatest surprise as he saw that they were using an old fashioned, steam powered, steam roller. “Wow.” He exclaimed “I didn't know they still used these types of steamrollers! I thought they just used diesel rollers, what a joy!”

He jogged forward for a closer look. The steam engine had a coat of shining green paint. Well, shiny apart from a little bit of soot. But that was ok, it showed that this engine did its job and didn't mind about getting dirty.

Looking towards the front of the steam roller he noticed, that instead of the usual triangularish block which housed the pivot for the front roller, the engine had a round cylinder shaped smoke box much like a traction engine (steam tractor) had, there was also a little square plaque on the top of the smoke box with the number 12 on it, indicating that the engine was the twelfth in the fleet. He also noticed that the steam roller had eyes! He thought after a few seconds that they must be painted on eye for a joke, when suddenly the eye's moved and looked at him.

Peter jumped, he hadn't expected the steam roller to be alive, being a steam enthusiast he believed that steam engines were living machines, but not to the extent that they were like a creature. “Well hi there,” said Peter, stepping closer to the steamroller. “What's a beautiful steam roller like you doing here, ay?” he smiled, stroking the engine's smoke box with his paw. The steam roller hissed steam gently in an affectionate sort of way, closing its eye's in enjoyment.

Peter suddenly yelped in surprise as he felt something heavy crush his footpaw. Looking down, he saw that steam roller had rolled its front roller onto his paw, Peter chuckled “Hehe, What cha doing you Naughty steam roller?” he giggled.

Just then the workmen came round from around the side of the steam roller, who had apparently just finished their lunch, Peter thought he had smelled cheese and onion sandwiches near by.

There were four men, one was a big bear wearing denim overalls who Peter assumed was the driver and steersman, a husky, who was also wearing denim overalls who Peter assumed was the fireman, and cross fox and a skunk both wearing orange high vis jackets, these of course were the workmen.

“Heh, I see your looking over our steam roller.” chuckled the bear “Yes, she's a beauty, and she rolled onto my foot actually.” Chuckled Peter. They looked down at Peters foot with the steam rollers front roller crushing it. The bear laughed hearty “Hurr hurr, she does that, she doesn't mean anything by it, she's a sweet little roller.” said the bear, patting her boiler “Come on, get your roller of his foot.” the steamroller obliged and rolled back off Peter's foot “Thanks, steamroller.” sigh Peter as he wiggled his leg until his flattened floppy paw popped back to normal.

“She's a real beauty,” Peter said to the husky “I didn't expect to see an old steamroller, I thought you would have used a diesel one!”


The husky chuckled “hehe, we are aware that we are the last road resurfacing company still using steam power” replied the husky.

“Yup,” said the big bear “She is the last one in the fleet of twelve. Its a sad thing that she's being retired soon.” this sudden news was like a dagger in the heart to Peter “Oh no!” he exclaimed sadly “Yup,” said the bear, stroking the steamroller's boiler “This may be her last job.” “Then what after that?” asked Peter “...Scrap heap...” Said the bear, his voice braking slightly.

Peter's jaw positively fell open, it was dreadful to hear of such beautiful things being thoughtlessly destroyed when they clearly had years of life still ahead of them, he knew only too well that many old steam locomotives had been scraped years ago, some only having a ten year working span before dieselization came in, and there was nothing as beautiful or as romantic about a diesel, just mere boxes on wheels, no life in them what so ever, it was thankful that a few steam locomotive's were still running and doing regular services in the toon world, Peter thought himself lucky that he actually had a job driving them.

Peter felt sadder “Can't anything be done to save her?” asked Peter hopefully. The bear shook his head “Nope, there's this guy who, when she retires her will take her away and melt her down” he said sadly “Something CAN be done and it will!” said Peter strongly.

The crew and the workmen looked disbelievingly at Peter walked down the street, they thought nothing could be done to save the steamroller.

Before Peter had turned and walked up the street, he had taken note of the road resurfacing company decals on the side of the boiler, when he was out of site of the workmen, he pulled out a note pad from his toon hammer space and jotted down the company info.

Great! All he needed to do now was track down the location of the of the head quarters, then he would speak to the manager of the firm and see what he could do.

There was one, Peter knew roughly how much it would cost to buy a steam engine and he knew he would never have enough money, but determined to see what he could do.

Peter felt a tap on his shoulder “Hi there, Pete” said a voice that Peter knew only too well. Turning around he looked strait into the eye's of his blue and yellow hybrid friend “Oh, h...hi Draygo,” Said Peter, sweating a little. Draygo said nothing but held a mallet behind his head “N...now Dray,” Peter stammered “P...put that down, you don't know where its been where its been!” “No” said Draygo “But I know where its going to end up.” Draygo swung the mallet at Peter, but Peter was quick enough to dodge “Hey! Oh no you don't!” said Draygo with a menacingly, playful smile “Tee hee hee, you can't catch me!” Said Peter running off with Draygo chasing after him, swiping his mallet after the wolf.

To be continued...