“The mechanical cart requests you stay inside the vehicle.”

She tutted. “Go faster!”

“The mechanical cart requests…”

Then, above the crunch of wheels grinding on gravel, a low deep horn came from the east. It was a proud noise that declared itself unapologetically across the land.

“Can’t you go up a gear?” she called.

“Gear change activated.”

There was a whirr and clunk. The legs moved faster for three seconds, then it slowed back down again. Prue huffed.

“Engage turbo!” she ordered, hoping it had a similar mechanism to the mechanimal farm dogs.

“The turbo drive is deactivated during intertown leisure travel for your safety.”

As the distant horn sounded once more, Prue couldn’t help herself. She opened the door and climbed on to the step, then edged along the rim of the cart. Reaching out, she flipped back the main cavity door of the automaton’s torso and peered across as best as she could. The internal mechanism was similar to the mechanimal horses. A restrainer had been fitted to save on fuel. She unclipped it then twisted two disconnected wires together. With a sudden grind and whirr, the legs of the automaton suddenly doubled in speed. “There, who’s deactivated now!” she said.

They hurtled upwards and were soon at the brow of the hill where the ground levelled. A great town spread in the valley below – large brickwork buildings with orderly windows, mills with tall smoking chimneys, the dome of a town hall. To the east, an inconceivably large steam locomotive chugged great clouds, leaving a storm-grey streak melding into the air as far as the eye could see. It was the Gigantrak arriving in town. Right on schedule.

With a bolt to her chest, Prue realized that the gradient of the landscape had suddenly changed – they were pointing down at an alarming angle, with the turbo now in full motion. Wind rushed through her hair as her hands clutched the edges of the mechanicart with all her strength.

They zoomed down the path, her teeth rattling in her jaw. At this rate, there was no way she could risk climbing back in; all she could do was grip as tightly as she could. The Gigantrak was slowing as it approached Batterthwaite, but the mechanicart kept gaining speed and was out of control. Trees whizzed past as it reached the bridge that crossed the river to the north of the town. The mechanicart clanked and battered across the wooden planks.

Prue yelped and pressed her body against the side of the cart as they narrowly missed another cart travelling in the opposite direction.