Charlie Chuffer

Target Audience: 4-8 years

‘They don’t make them like they used to dad.’ Charlie held a newspaper cutting showing his dad the steam engine, ‘it’s a Victorian train’ said Charlie. He then copied a train’s movement ‘chuff, chuff, chuff,’ Charlie enjoyed making train noises, and he wants to be a train driver when he grows up. Charlie’s dad smiled, ‘come on get your shoes on you’re going to be late for school’ he said.

    It was raining and cold, but Charlie was still laughing ‘chuff, chuff, chuff,’ he then stopped in his tracks, as he got close to the railway line, near to his school, and he was hoping to see a train. He didn’t have to wait long, as a steam engine came along the tracks, ‘chuff, chuff, chuff.’ Charlie smiled and waved, and all the people on the train waved, even the controller waved; how Charlie wishes he could drive that train.

  He would wear a black hat, with blue overalls, and brown gloves. Charlie would leave the front window open, so he could see the large green trees, and smell different types of flowers.

  And suddenly Charlie knew that this train was a Great Western Railway king, this was his favourite, and he knew all about it. His dad told him how they work. He told him about the piston engine, which allows steam to come out of the train. Then there is the valve, which is why the sound ‘choo, choo’ is made, and the boiler makes the steam hot. Charlie thinks it is all very magical.

   He would take all his friends on a journey, Leo, Amy and Ben would be his helpers. Charlie would stop to allow people on, and then they would all sing a song, as they made their way around the town.

   When Charlie couldn’t see the train anymore, he told his dad ‘I want to drive a train with all my friends, like that one we just saw, and I will work hard at school to be just like you.’