Heavy Load

"Pah! Never thought I'd have to help an engine!"

- George

Heavy Load, re-released in 2011, 2012 and 2013 as Team Effort with a slightly altered plot, is a magazine story.

Plot
Gordon is asked to pull a special load. As he pulls into the Docks to collect it, The Diesel offers to help, but Gordon refuses. It turns out that Gordon's special is a very heavy combine harvester which has to be delivered to a farm. Gordon is sure he can haul it, but his wheels just spin helplessly, so his driver puts more coal into the firebox. Eventually, Gordon strains out of the Docks. As Gordon passes a level crossing, his heavy load begins to slip. George, Bertie, Lorry 1, and 2 are waiting impatiently at the crossing gates. Gordon tells them they must all work together in order to get moving again. Soon, the combine harvester is back on Gordon's flatbed again, but then there is another problem. Gordon can see a low-hanging branch ahead which he knows his load is too wide to pass, so Bertie drives ahead and pulls the branch out of Gordon's way until he passes safely.

Soon Gordon arrives at a steep hill feeling very tired. Suddenly, The Diesel rolls up behind and helps by pushing Gordon to the farm. Gordon concludes that sharing a heavy load is a very good idea after all.

Characters

 * Gordon
 * The Diesel
 * George
 * Lorry 1
 * Lorry 2
 * Cranky
 * Bertie

Locations

 * Brendam Docks

Trivia

 * The front cover of the 2006 magazine shows Gordon pulling a speedboat instead of the combine harvester.

Goofs

 * In the 2006 version, Bertie's radiator is black in the eighth illustration.
 * Cranky does not have his ladder throughout the whole story.