#Neil ttte

[siderods]

Now this is just my opinion, but I don't get how one could find Very Old Engines unmemorable. I love what it does by showing us the goofy things that Skarloey and Rheneas got up to back in the day. not only that, but it also gave us the only book appearance of Neil!!! How couldn't you love the boxy man himself?

I wish we got a volume on the precursor railways, The Buried Truck did a bangin one for the Wellsworth & Suddery engines but I wanna see what the box tanks and their dysfunctional railway got up to.

Okay Neil distraction over I think Very Old Engines is a fine book that has memorable moments like Skarloey being put in Gay Baby Jail and Rheneas and Skarloey losing it in the sheds at the end while being judged by the cleaners at the end.

tossing my two-cents in here: Gonna have to AGREE with the Skarloey books anon, but specifically Very Old Engines for being unmemorable and basically an advertisement for the real-life Talyllyn (moreso even than the other Skarloey stories).

'Fuck the Entire Skarloey Railway' Anon is clearly tonight's star, none of us are on their level

RIP to Very Old Engines, becoming the second book to get name-checked in The Great Hate

[tam-o-shunter]

@traintrainingmontage Got me onboard the Neilloey Express

[dieseltentrillion]

Boats too

[railway323]

HAPPY NATIONAL TRAIN DAY!!!!

take some multi-colored trains

[traintrainingmontage]

What I like most about Neilloey as a ship is the idea that they very much feel like (best) friends to lovers, and that despite their seperation, what they meant to each other and how they helped shape each other can't and won't be erased. They've left such deep, indelible marks on each other's lives, their relationship built on quiet nights with Neil on a standard-gauge siding next to Skarloey's shed and the two of them talking and whispering to each other in the starlit hours, taking comfort in each other's presence, dreaming of what tomorrow would bring, and over time, dreaming of each other. It's not passion or mutual interest that drives their eventual shift in relationship from that of friends to partners, but trust—trust built over the course of decades.

I really do think that, second only to Rheneas, Neil was one of the most important and impactful engines in Skarloey's life, and the two complement each other incredibly well. I've spoken about it in previous posts, but Neil's calm, analytical, laid-back attitude is a wonderful foil to Skarloey's initially bouncy, exuberant nature. Given that the two knew each other for at least 50 years (Skarloey arrived on Sodor in 1865 and Neil survived the founding of the NWR in 1915 before disappearing by WWI's end), it's quite possible and even likely that the two rubbed off on each other personality-wise, with Neil becoming a bit more energetic and Skarloey becoming a bit more calm and thoughtful, as we see him in later years. I imagine that their bond becomes incredibly tight, with the two of them being each other's confidants for everything they can't share with their respective siblings.

When the war seperates them, I think that Skarloey is heartbroken, but the work doesn't stop. He has to mourn in the wee hours, when he thinks Rheneas is sleeping, and hope and pray that they might be reunited one day. Neil would want him to keep going, he knows that. So he will, and he keeps his cherished thoughts of Neil safe and deep in the pit of his flame, and focuses on what he needs to do.

100 years pass. It's 2017. And... Neil is found. He's still technically owned by the Crovan's Gate Mining Company, which has since rebranded, but that still makes him one of Sir Handel Brown's engines, and Sir Handel Brown IV is all too happy to reunite Skarloey and Neil. And there's the worry of awkwardness, for it's been so long, but then... they just pick up right where they left off.

It's so easy, it seems almost effortless, and in some ways, it is; time has passed, but the trust has remained. And although neither of them are the same engines—the scars of years of trauma are etched deeply into Skarloey's frames and psyche both, and the guilt of abandoning his partner and almost being tempted to let himself answer the call of the void and let himself succumb and rest will forever haunt Neil—that also adds another depth, a new dimension, to their relationship.

Skarloey and Neil are not young, new engines. They know how to work together to overcome. And so they do. They talk to each other. They communicate. They unload. They support. And in the end, yes, they both have changed. But who they are—the exuberant red engine whose love runs as deep as his namesake lake, and the calm green box tank who always has good insights to share—haven't changed a bit. They're still the best friends who can talk until morning, still the partners who can entrust each other with their deepest secrets, who want each other to be the first thing they see in the morning and the last thing at night.

Imo, what makes Neilloey so great is that theirs is a relationship that could overcome such a long absence, and their bond is as rock-solid as it is because it had so much time to grow organically, between two complementary personalities. Sure, they had their fair share of friction, but nothing that couldn't be solved fairly easily, especially once Skarloey settled down a bit personality-wise. There's something comforting about the ship, and part of it is meaning so much to someone that you're not forgotten even if you disappear. Another part is recognizing that even as time has worn you both down, you're still the same engines that fell in love with each other over a century ago. Your time together gave you the strength to make it through your time apart. And you get to that point through trust, through care, and through being vulnerable—and having that vulnerability reciprocated—all of which is very typical of (best) friends to lovers, between two wise, kind engines who very much deserve only nice things after what they've been through.

Needless to say, Neilloey is my TTTE OTP for a reason. ❤️ 💚

[uselessalexis165]

tried making some ttte memes (333)

[sudrianspitfire]

Redward Lore pls.

NEEEEOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW

Ask and you shall receive!

Edward didn’t come to Sodor on very good terms. He got into some scrapes on the Furness, so his manager put him on loan to Sodor in 1915. He didn’t improve; he was rough with trucks, barely trusted with coaches, and had an awful attitude. The older engines like Neil, and even the other loaners like Albert and Zach, quickly got sick of him and tried to set him straight - they all failed. It wasn’t until he found a renegade tank engine in the yard one night that he finally started to change…

[ryan1014n2]

Skarloey comes to a realization

[duskstargazer]

[1868]

“Alfred!! Move yer ass!!”

“Up yer's, ya ----!”

“Say that again, and I'll shove yeh so deep inta Ballahoo Tunnel tha’ ‘ooever manages ta drag yer crumpled remains oot'll be crooned King Arthur!”

Neil sighed as his relatives argued. Although “relatives” was a strong word to use.

“What did Alfred call Delilah?”

Neil blinked. Skarloey stood close by, on his own side of the platform.

“Aa- don’ worry aboot it. How'rr you 'n’ Rheneas gettin’ on?”

“Great, actually!” Skarloey smiled. “He's finally gotten himself a cab like I have, and we've worked out bringing slate down in rotation, so neither of us feels stuck with the trucks.”

“Man,” Neil sighed, “I wish our railway had half the cohesion yours does.”

“I'm sure your railway isn't that bad.”

Neil made to retort, but a loud bang cut across the yard, followed by irate yelling beat him to it.

The guard's whistle cut across the station a moment later, and Neil gratefully set off, with no desire to be dragged into Alfred and Delilah's quarrels again.

[spc-rambles]

So fandom, what exhibits would you like to see in a Sodor Railway Museum? Doesn’t have to just be engines. It can be ancient tools, salvaged machine parts or even what uniforms railway staff used to wear, things like that.

I remember they were planning Duke and possibly Bertram to be a part of it but besides that, what else could work?

[weirdowithaquill]

Hear me out:

Tweak it a bit so an engine can work on this, then plop Neil on the skr with this, now he and Skarloey can go on a woodland date (double heading a train).

I would say yes, were there not a few technical difficulties with this set up - ones that have much more to do with the loading gauge of the SKR than the actual bogie wheel idea.

Obstacle one:

This is just outside the Thin Controller's house - this bridge is quite literally at the exit to Crovan's Gate yards! Neil would not fit under that - I mean, potentially he could if you chopped off his funnel - but that's a bit cruel to the poor engine.

Still, even if you made it past obstacle one - there's obstacle two:

This is at Cros-ny-Cuirn: the first station on the line. And it's another low bridge - one that's potentially (though it may be the angle) got an even narrower clearance than the first bridge! Were Neil to try and get through this spot, his funnel and possibly any other fittings atop his boxy boiler would have to be removed.

Surely - surely - after all this, they have to be in the clear, right? Nope. Cause here comes the real deal breaker - obstacle three:

It's Rheneas Tunnel. Rheneas Tunnel is the real dealbreaker behind why Neil (or any other NWR engine) could never traverse the SKR. This tunnel is tiny! Duncan caused the roof to partially collapse - and he's a narrow gauge engine!

And before someone mentions the rock and roll: Peter Sam lost his funnel to an icicle in this tunnel cause it's so narrow that an icicle can dangle low enough to do that kind of damage!

To be even more clear: the TV series does not do justice to just how tiny and narrow this tunnel is - look at it! It's a miracle the SKR engines fit; Neil has no chance.

Sorry to be a bit of a Debbie Downer, but Neil just couldn't traverse the SKR: he's too tall and too wide. Though I may be relatively open to the zanier ideas of the Thomas fandom, I am at heart a bit of a purist. I grew up on the books more than the TV series, and it very much instilled in me a similar outlook to the Reverend himself.

Then again, the Reverend would tell me I've lost my mind for entertaining the idea of engines being in relationships so...

Were it the CGI Skarloey Railway, they'd be fine - but both classic and book series would be a no.

(Then again, nothing after Season 7 actually exists...)

Thank you for the ask!

[jobsoldbootlace]

“I remember Neil.”  Skarloey mused.  “Ugly fellow, but kind all the same.  Nice, thoughtful, strong…”

“So did you like him or did you ‘like him’, like him?”  asked Duncan, who was tired of Skarloey avoiding the question.

The Little Old Engine blushed.  “Well… I, er, he– I mean, we… um, never had feelings like that per say.”

“Oh really?”  Teased Rheneas.  “I recall you being quite enamored when he called you a ‘Most Handsome Engine’.”

Skarloey’s face turned as red as her paintwork.  “I think I’m late for my train!”  She shouted, and scurried away.

[tam-o-shunter]

@traintrainingmontage has convinced me that Skarloey and Neil are, in fact, husbands

[anonymousboxcar]

RWS Stanley Time: Museum Edition

In my posts about my Moving Forward AU, I’ve talked a lot about Stanley on the SKR. So here’s tidbits about his life at the museum!

———————————

-Stanley pulls visitor trains around the museum grounds. He doesn’t like being an indoor exhibit, but he can manage being stationary if visitors see him in his shed with the doors open.

-The museum primarily uses him as an example of a trench engine, educating its visitors about trench railways. As part of his job, he’ll explain his class and his WWI service to visitors.

-If guests ask about his MSR days, he’ll wince. But he’ll still talk about them. It’s important for people to know how railways used to treat their engines, even if it’s difficult to talk about.

-Stanley also shares embarrassing stories about the MSR management. Is it petty? Yes.

-Does he delight anyways in generations of children knowing That Time Manager Fell in a Scummy Pond Trying to Catch His Hat? Yes.

-It can be difficult for him to discuss WWI, too. But unlike the MSR management, he respected and befriended the soldiers. Those young men never left him behind. He wants to make sure people remember them — and what they endured.

-On Remembrance Day, he wears his wartime livery. He also pulls replicas of the rolling stock he hauled in the trenches. He tells guests about names and faces, about in-jokes and tragedies.

-For the most part, Stanley gets along well with the visitors. He’s still a little rough around the edges, but he’s a smooth runner and he’s patient while answering questions…

-…unless you’re rude to him, other engines, or other guests. Then he’ll make a game out of telling you off without violating museum policy about “professional language.” And he’s very creative.

-He credits Neil with teaching him how to interact with visitors. In fact, Neil showed him the ropes of museum life in general.

-In return for helping him adjust, Stanley covers Neil’s work during Skarloey’s visits so he can spend more time with him.

-Because he goes back and forth between the SKR and the museum, Stanley is popular with the museum’s full-time residents. They crave information about “the outside,” hounding him for news and gossip.

-He spills the tea during a weekly occasion: To practice for his poker nights with Duke, Skarloey, and Rheneas, he teaches the museum engines how to play. One of the coffeepots is his star protégé.

-But there’s one person with whom Stanley isn’t popular — George.

-I don’t have any justification for how it happens, but I like to think George winds up at the museum after his company retires him. He demonstrates how little sense he learned when he tries to razz other “has-been, useless” engines in front of Stanley.

-George says he’s only being honest. Stanley snaps back that since George is out of service, he’s describing himself, too.

-George hates Stanley for this. He either tries to goad him or sulks whenever he goes by. For his part, Stanley manages not to waste too much time needling him.

-However, others notice that if anyone else tries to trash-talk Stanley, George shuts it down with the insistence that only he gets to do that. It’s up for debate if this is a sign of character growth or not. Stanley, who learned the value of hope, spares a little bit for George.

[choc-ice-on-wheels]

I'm not blessed enough to own ERTL toys (I HAVE A PETER SAM THOUGH), but they are gorgeous little things, aren't they? That said, has anyone ever brought up Neil?

What did they do to my mans? Why?

I know Skarloey calls him ugly, but first of all, Skarloey, chill. Second of all, he's got a cute face! He is CUTE! He looks friendly and nice! He is CUBULAR? He is a green box. His ERTL face isn't there, though, man. What are we doing here?

Wooden railway didn't do him wrong. That is a genuine Neil! 100% certified Neil! M&M's-melts-in-your-mouth-not-in-your-hands NEIL! Anyway, going back in time to gently advise the toy designers to put some respect on Neil's name. And face! Mostly the face!

[traintrainingmontage]

It's Love That Sits at the Heart of Violence

This is a rough excerpt from a piece that I wrote for the AU I'm co-writing with @tam-o-shunter! I like it quite a bit, so I wanted to share.

The AU itself is sci-fi themed, but for this excerpt, please envision this as a human!AU. Takes place around 1963. Angst with hurt/comfort and brotherly love.

Summary: Skarloey has recovered from the debilitating physical injuries that he suffered during WWII, but the scars upon his heart are still raw. Thus, he's turned to a rather unhealthy means of coping.

Characters: Skarloey, Rheneas, Edward, Toby, Henrietta (mentions of Neil)

Rating: Mature

Pairings: Implied Neilloey (Neil x Skarloey)

(CW: war-related trauma, slightly graphic depictions of violence, drug mention [violence as a drug], f-bomb, some mentions of blood.)

It's only when Skarloey gets out of the hospital that he learns that the entire underground fighting ring has been shut down, along with several others, in a huge raid. Furthermore, the ringleader, Walter, had been arrested, but after selling out the other rings, he had gotten a reduced sentence.

He's reading all of this in the paper one morning, eyes wide. "Rheneas… they've shut this all down! All of it!"

"Good," Rheneas says crisply, setting a mug of coffee down before each of them. "Perhaps this means they won't prey on the wounded and grieving anymore."

Rheneas keeps his tone neutral, but Skarloey has always had incredible insight, and his head snaps up as he glares daggers at his brother. "You did this."

Rheneas crosses his arms, his expression defiant. "That's right. I got the answers out of Walter, and reported it all. You're welcome."

Skarloey is livid, and he angrily tosses the paper to the table, standing up tall. "And why should I be THANKING you?! That place was my escape! Over there, I was strong! Over there, I wasn't a fucking failure!"

The crunch of cartilage beneath his fist. The spray of blood on his face. The feeling of skin ripping beneath his nails. The anger of his opponents. Skarloey hates it. He hates it all. He's hated every sensation that he's endured while learning how to fight. But he's grown stronger, and that fact far outweighs any hatred or disgust he has for battle.

And at some point--he couldn't tell you when--it wasn't about self-improvement anymore. It wasn't about being strong enough to protect the things he wants to protect. It was that the grief and guilt were so overwhelming that he wanted to escape them. He wanted be so strong, so useful, that he would never be too powerless ever again.

He never wants be a burden to Rheneas ever again.

The violence is a drug. It's bitter. It's disgusting. He hates it still. But it's the only thing that works, and he fears giving it up.

Rheneas's eyes go wide, and his arms fall to his sides. "Skarloey, what are you--"

"Don't play dumb with me, Rheneas!" Skarloey screams, tears beading in his eyes. "It was my fault we lost Neil! It was my fault you had to work yourself so hard, to the point of destroying yourself, and all I could do was be useless and watch!"

"Don't think I didn't hear you fretting over the bills! Don't think I couldn't hear you sobbing when you thought I was asleep! I tried to do any kind of work, but the fatigue from my injuries meant I couldn't, and you'd always say that I'd worked so hard and that it was your turn and that you were grateful, but how could you be grateful dealing with a useless lump like me?!"

"That's ENOUGH!" Rheneas shouts, angry enough that it startles Skarloey into silence. Tears are welling up in his eyes too, and ah, there's another reason why Skarloey is a horrible brother. He's made Rheneas cry.

"Don't you dare think of yourself that way," Rheneas says, his entire body shaking as tears fall down his cheeks. "You mean everything to me. I would do anything for you. You saved me during the war, time and again, whether it was dealing with the mountain of work or you keeping my spirits up so I wouldn't give into despair."

"Skarloey, you're… you're my brother. In every way that matters. Of course I would support you at your lowest. That's what family's for. You're my brother, and… I love you."

I love you. Those three words slam like weights into Skarloey's chest, overwhelming in their enormity. I love you.

"I… I love you too, Rheneas," Skarloey manages to stammer through the tears, his fists clenched. "So much. That's why I… I…" Rheneas slowly approaches, arms out for a hug. Skarloey stares as he comes closer, and then… he runs.

"Shit! Skarloey, wait!!" The unexpected flight catches Rheneas off guard, and he scrambles to catch up. However, thanks to his training/pit fighting, Skarloey is lighter on his feet and moves more efficiently than Rheneas does. The younger brother clocks that Skarloey is heading for the train station, but by the time he gets there, Skarloey is already gone.

Rheneas bites back a curse. He's going to have to make some calls.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rheneas, Edward, Toby, and Henrietta wind their way through the back alleys of Barrow-in-Furness, the noonday sun streaming down upon the warehouses, jutting up from the street like tight teeth.

Rheneas had heard through the grapevine that Skarloey was seen coming this way, but Skarloey would normally have no business in Barrow-in-Furness... unless, of course, he's actively looking for trouble. Initially, Rheneas is worried that finding Skarloey is going to be challenging. However, he's somehow more worried when it ends up being remarkably easy.

Right on the pavement before the first row of warehouses, they find Skarloey's tie. More notably, however, is that there's a trail of bodies. Most appear to be thugs, but there's a BR railwayman or two as well. Fortunately, they're all still breathing, but they've been knocked out with a ferocity that's rather frightening. Despite their misgivings, the four press on.

At the end of the trail, there's a large warehouse. A door was there, as evidenced by the remains of broken hinges welded to the outside, but there isn't one now. Rheneas gulps, and steps inside.

In the center of the warehouse is Skarloey. He's panting hard, and he's covered in a mixture of blood and other substances Rheneas isn't sure he wants to identify. The group's not being quiet, but Skarloey doesn't turn to look.

Rheneas walks forward, even as Edward hisses "Be careful!"

"He's probably not in his right mind!" Toby calls softly.

Slowly, Rheneas approaches his brother. He begins to reach out a hand to place on Skarloey's shoulder, when suddenly, his brother moves.

His hand is balled up into a fist. That fist is aimed right for Rheneas's face. And his eyes… those eyes aren't seeing Rheneas. They're seeing an enemy. All of this flashes through Rheneas's mind as the punch comes toward him. He shuts his eyes; it's too fast for him to defend himself, and there's not enough time--

But the punch never comes.

Rheneas's eyes slowly flutter open, and he sees that Skarloey's fist is close to his face, and that all of his friends had begun moving in, but most importantly, Skarloey is staring at him. Seeing him.

Skarloey breathes heavily, wide-eyed. His fist is still suspended in the air. Off to the side, Henrietta fixes him with a long look. "That's quite enough, Skarloey," she says firmly, yet not unkindly. "Come back to your senses, please. Your brother is very worried about you."

Rheneas and Skarloey stare at each other, both of them now breathing heavily. Skarloey's fist retreats, falling limply to his side. "Rheneas…?" Skarloey murmurs, finally able to find words. "Rheneas, I…"

Then, it dawns on him, and Skarloey falls to his knees, crashing to the floor.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" he begins to scream, holding his hands up to his head as tears unfurl from his eyes once again. Rheneas's eyes widen, and he lunges forward, wrapping Skarloey in a huge hug, heedless of how disgusting his brother is right now.

"Easy, Loey. Easy."

"NO! NO! Rhen, I… AHHHHH!"

"Shhhhh. It's ok. You didn't hurt me."

"But I COULD have! I was so close! If I hadn't stopped myself, I'd have--"

"But you did. You did stop yourself, Loey. And that's what matters."

"Oh, Lord. What have I done? I'm… what happened to me? When did I get like this?"

Skarloey is shaking and shivering in Rheneas's arms, and his brother holds him close. "Loey… I know you're still beating yourself up over Neil. And about what you think you owe me. But… I know he wouldn't want to see you like this. He wouldn't want you to punish yourself for things you can't control."

The mention of Neil causes Skarloey to stop abruptly, and then sag. Rheneas's arm comes up to rub small circles into Skarloey's back. The other three railway workers nod to each other and step away, giving the brothers space.

"Skarloey…" Rheneas continues. "I can tell that you don't enjoy fighting. You've never been in it for the sport. You've always used it as an escape, as a way to make yourself feel stronger and more in control of things after everything felt so overwhelming during the war. But please… no more."

"I… I thought I was doing it for you," comes Skarloey's muffled voice, and Rheneas gently loosens his hold, letting his brother pull away to speak. Skarloey's hands come away from his head, dangling at his sides. "I just… didn't want to be useless anymore. I didn't want to lose my loved ones again. I felt so empty after losing Neil, and so guilty after you had to take care of me, that I… I…"

Skarloey takes a deep breath, and Rheneas lets him.

"I threw myself into work, and into learning to fight. It's a useful skill, and more than anything, I just… needed to feel like I'd never be as powerless as I was watching Neil disappear. Watching you work until you dropped. Watching as… I became an utter failure, a burden to the ones I love."

This causes Rheneas to pull Skarloey into another bone-crushing hug, and this time, Skarloey's arms rise up, reciprocating the hug. "You could never be a burden, Loey," Rheneas whispers fiercely, hot tears landing on Skarloey's shoulder. He thinks about what Skarloey had yelled about over breakfast, about hearing him worry about bills, and a shudder rips up his spine. "Not now, not ever. And I am so, so sorry that I ever made you feel that way."

Skarloey doesn't immediately answer, but he hugs his brother that much tighter. "I love you, Rheneas," he whispers.

"I love you too, Skarloey," Rheneas whispers back. "So much."