#Traintober2023

[philosopherbouquet]

Chapters: 31/31

And here it is! My completed Traintober 2023 contribution! This was my first year doing something like this and I had fun writing 31 different little one-shots for some of the characters from my childhood.

Many thanks to @theflyingkipper for creating the prompts list!

Below the read more are the tags attached: relationships, characters, and additional tags.

Relationships: Refreshment Lady & Peter Sam (Thomas the Tank Engine), Donald & Douglas (Thomas the Tank Engine), Donald & Dilly (Thomas the Tank Engine)

Characters: Diesel 10 (Thomas the Tank Engine), Toby (Thomas the Tank Engine), Mavis (Thomas the Tank Engine), "Devious" Diesel (Thomas the Tank Engine), Harvey (Thomas the Tank Engine), Percy (Thomas the Tank Engine), Peter Sam (Thomas the Tank Engine), Refreshment Lady (Thomas the Tank Engine), Duck (Thomas the Tank Engine), Dilly (Thomas the Tank Engine), Thomas (Thomas the Tank Engine), Gordon (Thomas the Tank Engine), Spencer (Thomas the Tank Engine), Skarloey (Thomas the Tank Engine), Rheneas (Thomas the Tank Engine), Nancy Rushen, Neil (Thomas the Tank Engine), Edward (Thomas the Tank Engine), Rusty (Thomas the Tank Engine), Lady (Thomas the Tank Engine), Cranky (Thomas the Tank Engine), Neville (Thomas the Tank Engine), BoCo (Thomas the Tank Engine), James (Thomas the Tank Engine), Henry (Thomas the Tank Engine), Sir Stephen Topham Hatt III, Flying Scotsman (Thomas the Tank Engine), Salty (Thomas the Tank Engine), Harold (Thomas the Tank Engine), Luke (Thomas the Tank Engine), Donald (Thomas the Tank Engine), Douglas (Thomas the Tank Engine), Bertie (Thomas the Tank Engine), Bulgy (Thomas the Tank Engine), George (Thomas the Tank Engine), Sir Charles Topham Hatt II, Lady Hatt (Thomas the Tank Engine)

Additional Tags: Fandom Month, traintober23, traintober2023, Traintober 2023 (Thomas the Tank Engine), Slice of Life, author has never read the books, Fluff and Humor, Canon Universe, Canon Compliant, Fluff, Friendship, Engine to engine friendship, Engine to human friendship, Some chapters refer to specific episodes, Minor Angst, Non-Canonical accidents and injuries, Some chapters refer to specific ttte movies (that I haven't watched in fullness), Complete, My wifi tried to stop me but I prevailed :)

[hazel-of-sodor]

Day 22-Succession

Traintober 2023

Other Stories

Day 22-Top Hatt

Succession

Autumn 2016

Edward simmered lazily outside Tidmouth Station, the crisp autumn air swirling around his boiler and down to his wheels pleasantly. He stretched slightly, sighing. His valve gear had to started to have minor aches lately, signaling that he wasn't far from an overhaul.

Finally, the back door to the Controller's Office opened and she stepped out.

Jane Hatt II, the newest Fat Controller, cut a striking figure in the traditional 3 piece suit and top hat. She had exchanged the black tie for one in North Western Blue with red lining. Rather than black, her pants and overjacket were a very deep blue, her undershirt a light purple in honor of her grandfather.

"You look splendid Ms.Hatt!" Edward said with feeling.

Jane shrugged, "It feels like I'm playing dress up." She said.

Edward chuckled, "Your father said much the same thing, and your grandfather too. I think that's why Charles chose purple instead of yellow, the difference made it feel more real to him."

"Rather than just playing at being his father." Jane guessed. 

"Exactly." 

"What was he like? The first I mean."

Edward blinked, "Topham?"

"Yes, Dad and Grandpa have told me about him but..." She hesitated.

"You wanna know from one of his engines, not his children."

"Yes."

Edward considered the question carefully, I'm honestly not sure there is all that much of a difference in later years honestly."

He looked at Jane seriously, "He was a serious but passionate man. He cared for us deeply, even early on, but...it was a very different time. Men were expected to be stronger, harsher...He had to learn how to be a controller, and he sometimes got it wrong in the early years."

"The tunnel incident."

Edward snorted, "Remind me to tell you what actually happened with all that when we have time. Topham was fair most of the time but had quite the temper when wronged.  He learned to control it in later years, but by then he had his reputation."

Edward paused, "I think the clearest image I can give you of his later years was the last time I saw him. He was taking your namesake for a picnic, and had come to talk to me while waiting for their trains." Edward closed his eyes, remembering, "He'd been having health problems for months but refused to let them slow him down...they finally caught up with him."

Edward took a deep breath, "He asked me to look after Charles, to help him as controller. He wasn't worried about himself, he was worried about his son having someone to turn to as Controller."

He looked at Jane seriously, "I have kept that promise to him ever since, from Charles to Stephen, and now to you."

He smiled suddenly, "He would have loved you, you know. You would have reminded him of Jane, who he always said was his better half. He often looked back at his early years as a controller far too harshly. He got us through the 20s and 30s, with all of us intact. No other controller could say that."

"So he would be okay with me being controller instead of Richard?"

Edward snorted, "He would be relieved. He'd have loved Richard too, but he reminds me of a young Thomas in all the wrong ways." he chuckled. 

"He would have been very proud of you, and proud of your brother for realizing you were the better fit."

Jane snorted, "If only the news agreed.,

"Just ignore them." Edward advised, "It's what he did."

She patted his buffer beam, "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Edward."

"Any time Ms. Hatt."

The fourth Fat Controller turned and walked towards the platform and her first day running the North Western Railway, collecting her Top Hatt from her office as she did so.

Edward happily closed his eyes and began to doze before his next train, confident they were in good hands.

[lswro2-222]

Summary:

Edward’s in the Works for maintenance, so an engine from the Other Railway arrives to fill in on his branch line. She soon proves herself to be a bully. Bill and Ben aren’t about to let that slide.

I would like to give special thanks to @mean-scarlet-deceiver, @sparkarrestor, and @joezworld for helping me decide which engine this story’s antagonist would be! I’d also like to thank Joezworld a second time for letting me borrow the idea that Bill and Ben learned to speak German for the sole purpose of messing with people, and a third time for coming up with the title. You guys are the best!

[togetherness23]

S7EP8: The Refreshment Lady’s Tea Shop (2:44-4:30)

Traintober Day 7: Refreshment

[ttte-paint-shop]

Traintober Day 13: Something New

[klauskrusty]

Day #1: Free Day

Ideally, I would have liked to have inked and coloured this one, but I'm not sure I'm that confident yet...

Prompt list:

[togetherness23]

Traintober Day 6: Special Letters

[hazel-of-sodor]

Traintober is almost here!

Tomorrow Morning Traintober kicks off! I really enjoyed last years, so we're gonna try to do all 31 again! Its going well so far. This years prompts have proven more challenging for me, but I'm kinda enjoying that.So far its been lighter than alot of my entries for last year, but theres still plenty to do so that may change.

What can you expect form this year? Returning original characters, not only form last years traintober but my other fics. More of the famous eight, I specifically set a goal this year for each of the famous 8 to either be the focus character or pov character of at least one fic. We'll also see a return to the narrow gauge lines of Sodor and their engines. As anyone who has read my fics expects, Gordon and Thomas are already hijacking fics (even working together to steal one from poor James). Several fics unexpectedly turned to trauma, others turned gay...Its a Hazel Traintober. I can't wait to share all of these with you!

[hazel-of-sodor]

Alright, whos making the traintober list this year? I've asked around and it seems everyones response is "I don't know lol?" I have trauma that needs to be given to locomotives and their favorite humans.