Little Danny was excited as he stood and stared at the locomotive and its rake of nine carriages. He thought it looked like a dragon with the plume of steam rising from its chimney and from the cylinders either side of the front wheels.

Suddenly, there was a loud hiss as another blast of pressurised steam shot upwards from the safety valve on top of the long boiler. Danny turned and ran, hiding behind his father. To a three-year-old, it was all rather frightening.

“Don't worry, little fella,” his father said through uncontrolled chuckles. “It won't hurt you.”

With tiny fingers clinging to the loose fabric of the trousers, he very slowly peered around from behind his father's legs. The locomotive was still hissing and steaming, but nothing more.

Slowly, the train began to move. More steam hissed from the cylinders, and white smoke began to puff from the chimney. Danny watched intently.

He clapped his hands gleefully as the train picked up speed, and then he was off! Danny broke free and ran after the train trying to keep up with it.

“Danny! No!” his father shouted but it was too late, Danny tripped and fell onto the tracks, in front of the train!

There was nothing his father could do but watch as the train hit his son.

His mother had seen it all happen and ran, horrified to the scene.

“I do wish you would take more care of him, Henry!” she scolded her husband.

“Me?” he responded in awe. “Do you know how much these models cost?”