#look gordon loves the people and engines of Sodor it’s his home

[hkpika07]

The Choice

The story is that Gordon is offered a job racing and touring the world alongside his brother. He wouldn’t have to pull goods trains or shunt his own coaches. He’d be the most famous and important engine in the world. He’d be showered with praise. And he gets to be with his brother again just how they used to be before Gordon came to Sodor and Scot went away. Duck even says that there’s a good possibility that Gordon would even outlive most of the engines on Sodor because of this position. It’s Gordon’s dream that he’s had ever since he was first built. It’s all he’s ever wanted.

But he turns it down. He turns it down because as perfect as that position sounds he’s already happy staying with his family on Sodor. And he wouldn’t trade the world for that. The others are confused at his decision. And Gordon hides it under his usual Gordon Jargon like “Leave? And who’d pull the express? James? Henry? Pah! You’d be lucky they stay on the rails.” But the people who know Gordon know. They know why he declined.

[hazel-of-sodor]

Sodor in the age of scoial media

Sodor in the age of social Media

2. Henry

Henry was perhaps the slowest of the famous eight to adapt to the internet. Henry prefers to spend his free time in quiet nature, and the internet had little appeal to him. He would occasionally post inline about some mishap that befell his shedmates, but was largely inactive till the early 2000s.

In 2005 Cyclone Gudrun flooded the North Western coast, which was home to a large part of the Island's population of the endangered Welsh Pine Martin. He worried endlessly for several days. It came to a head one night when Gordon finally snapped. The express engine was sympathetic, but days of evacuation and emergency supply trains had left the mighty pacific sleep deprived and irritable. He had been looking forward to his well deserved sleep, and Henry's rambling was keeping him awake.

"Henry my dear engine, the poor Pine Martians.."

"Pine Martins"

"...Indeed. The poor Pine Martins have my deepest sympathies, but I am desperately in need of sleep, and since it has escaped your notice, all of us here are engines, with little ability to help the creatures even if we had the time."

Henry's face fell, leaving Gordon feeling as if he had kicked an 80 ton puppy.

The No.4 sighed, and turned his attention to the problem, "what is it they need?"

"Pardon?"

Gordon eyed the 4-6-0 grumpily, "What is needed to save the creatures, as I am quite certain you will not be able to rest until something is done. The last thing needed right now is for you to have an accident because you went without sleep."

"One would think you hadn't been listening to him at all these last few days." James snarked from Gordon's opposite side.

"Listening and understanding are not the same thing Little James. I understand the Martins homes are flooded, and they are already quite rare, but I do not know what can or should be done to remedy their plight."

Henry considered his pseudo cousin. "We need volunteers mainly, to search for Martins displaced by the storm, and the funds to care for them until they can be returned to the forest once the flood waters. recede." He paused thoughtfully , "The main problem is people don't know. All the focus is in the displaced people. Which that is just as important but..."

"Post it." Gordon interupted.

"What?" James asked.

Gordon sighed, "Post the situation online. When a engine in the mainland needs funds for overhaul, they often ask for Thomas to make a post online to raise awareness. I do not see why you could not do the same for the Pine Martins. We will all share the post as well so more people will see it."

Several engines stared at the Pacific, but Henry slowly started to smile, "Really? You would do that."

Gordon hrmped, "I can spare a few moments to help the critters so we can all finally sleep. When I see little Thomas tomorrow I will ask him to share it as well."

It should come as no surprise that having Thomas the Tank Engine ask for help saving cute little creatures with wide pleading ideas was just as effective as a full broadside from HMS Hood. Volunteers and funds poured in, and a foundation was quickly established to help look after the Islands population of Pine Martins, but this gave Henry an Idea.

Henry began to chronicle his encounters with Sodor wildlife, his crew helpfully taking videos, which he would post as he read descriptions of the animals. This quickly gained traction (and followers.) Children loved listening to one of the Famous Eight talking about new animals.

In 2007, the newly prosperous Sodor Conservation Society officially partnered with Henry, and began an online docuseries about the endangered animals of Sodor. The Series, aptly named Preservation and Conservation, would become a run away success. Series Three saw the series leave Sodor (although their steam powered narrator remained on the island), with Series four and beyond playing on the BBC in Britain, and Series Five and beyond playing on PBS in the United States. Preservation and Conservation is now on its sixteenth series, with series 18 greenlit.

Henry is now the Mascot and board director of the SCS, and a well respected figure in ecological conservation. From 2008 onwards he has carried the society's emblem on the side of his cab.

If you find his pages online these days, Henry can be found documenting the animals and plants he sees on his daily runs, and. Occasionally documeting the hijinx of his fleetmates as well (most notably the time James got sprayed by a skunk during the filming of series 7) While more Niche than many of the other online engines in the North Western fleets, Henry would argue his online presence is one of the most important.

[unpopularvivian]

More Characters For Classically Modern!

FINALLY, IT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR SINCE I MADE THE ORIGINAL POST.

I finally got more concepts for the characters that were wips! So now we got Diesel, Henrietta, Hannah, Emily, Henry with actual personalities! Also, we got some new characters like Alfred and Timothy! Let's get right to it!

Recap on the swaps:

Diesel ⬅️➡️ BoCo

Henrietta ⬅️➡️ Hannah

Emily ⬅️➡️ Henry

Alfred ⬅️➡️ Timothy

Characters:

BoCo: Looks intimidating, rough, brooding and is somebody that you wouldn't want to mess with. But he's actually really nice and kind just like his og self. Though he can and will bend you into a balloon animal, he is very strong. Is often weary and distrustful of people because of rumors spread at his old railway of how dangerous he was made to be. He is very good at telling twins apart without looking at them. Inspo: Bo from the Epic Tales of Captain Underpants.

Henrietta: Spunky, doesn't care for rules, bouncing with life and motivation and is just a cool old lady! She and Toby are partners for life and crime! Although, unlike og Hannah, she does have the ability to calm herself down and stay focused. Also fuck the police haha. Inspo: Madame Foster from Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends.

Hannah: Is basically that fun teacher, parent or relative that you meet at some point in your life. She loves to teach new engines or coaches how to be Really Useful while also teaching them how to relax and to have a good time when your work is done! Is besties with James. They love to shit talk about modern society. She does not get along with Edward, there's something about him that feels off whenever she looks at him in the face.... Inspo: Two From TPOT.

Emily: Instead of Henry being one of the First Three engines on Sodor, she instead takes his place! Which means, she was a guy when Sodor just had its own railway. She didn't have any mechanical problems but she was horribly miserable inside because of her gender dysphoria. Fed up, pissed at everybody and everything and bites more than she chews. (Literally) So she would often vent to Gordon or Edward about her problems. Eventually, Emily was sent to Crewe to be given gender reassignment surgery. Once she was done, she felt like a new engine completely! It seemed like all of the world's problems just disappeared in a snap! Loves to collect gems and crystals from the quarry or mines. Is now determined, amiable and huffs and puffs! Inspo: Frankie Foster from Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends.

Henry: Fatherly, generous and is an excellent shoulder to cry on. Instead of having trouble burning coal, he now has problems with his wheels and brakes. They either don't let him move, let him move too soon, don't allow him to stop or can't let him stop at all. The infamous Flying Kipper crash actually happened due to the tender engine's brakes not working at the last second. Repairs were made to fix the wheels and the brakes. Still loves nature but is now interested in sea life. Inspo: Mr. Ree from The Epic Tales Of Captain Underpants

Alfred: Sure, he still might be snobbish, arrogant and rude. But this time, he actually has a hidden heart of gold that somehow nobody has seen yet. Not even Gordon, the optimist that than happens to know everybody on the island! That all changed when a little green tank engine came to the railway. As quick as a fox landing headfirst into the snow and then getting stuck in it, Alfred and Percy quickly formed one of the most brotherly bonds that the quaint island has ever seen. He helped, defended and hanged out with Percy whenever the pair had time to see each other. However, the pair were unfortunately taken away from one another when Alfred voluntary sacrificed himself in a raging fire and got burned alive. Inspo: Mr. Krupp from Captain Underpants.

Timothy: He may look like a nice and harmless fellow, but don't be fooled. He is actually one of the most abusive and callous engines to ever exist. According to Thomas, he was known to be physically and verbally abusive towards his younger brother and constantly terrorized him. And was the only reason why Thomas started inventing new items, it was to protect himself from Timothy. Died when he got pushed off by Thomas on a bridge and fell into a rapid stream below. Inspo: Terrence from Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends.

[ratslovepinktoo]

My Thomas AU I suppose? (Headcannons and what not)

Age

In this AU, everyone has the ability to become a human. Engines live for a significantly longer amount of time than an average human being does. Despite the fact that they can get older, their physical appearance doesn’t change. They’re kinda just eternally young. Engine years are much different from human years. An example being that my oc Pamelle is only around 30 in engine years even though she was built in 1920.

Speed + Strength

The engines (when in human form) are significantly faster and stronger. Their speed and strength in human form depends on the speed and strength of themselves in engine form (E.g. Percy can move at a speed of about 35 mph, meaning that he can go this fast in his human form)

Gender(s)

The engines can really be any gender they want, if they use enough energy then they can possibly make their human for the desired gender. Or they can just use an identity. Whatever floats their boat.

Shifting Form

It can feel uncomfortable at first, as their bodies are quite literally reforming into something they generally aren’t used to. It can be awkward to walk at first, but after some time it does eventually become easier.

(In case you, or anyone else is asking, no. They can not reproduce)

The main 6 in my au

(Please be respectful about what headcannons I might have)

Thomas

💙 Adopted by Edward 💙

💙 Can go at a speed of about 30 - 70 mph 💙

💙 All of his siblings were scrapped, causing him to have depression for quite a long time 💙

💙 He’s #1 because he was actually the first to be officially purchased to work on the NWR 💙

💙 He stayed at Edward’s home until he was confident enough that he knew just enough to start working on the lines 💙

💙 Based off an LBS&CR E2 class tank engine 💙

💙 Very cheeky and loves playing jokes on others (especially the big engines) but knows when to act mature and serious 💙

💙 Can get very salty if he feels like he’s going to be replaced 💙

Edward

🩵 Adopted Thomas and kept him at home until he felt ready to let him work on the mainline 🩵

🩵 He’s #2 on the NWR because he was the 2nd to be bought 🩵

🩵 Has a speed of about 70 - 80 mph 🩵

🩵 Very wise and kind 🩵

🩵 He currently has feelings for James, but is very subtle about it 🩵

🩵 Overall just very relaxed 🩵

🩵 Eldest of the main 6 🩵

🩵 Based on a Stewart and co “Larger Seagull" K2 Class 🩵

Henry

💚 He had helped Edward take care of Thomas if he ever had to leave for work 💚

💚 #3 on the railway because (you guessed it) he was the 3rd to be bought 💚

💚 The plans for his construction were failed plans and were accidentally stolen, therefore causing him to be a failed prototype and thus leading to his extensive rebuild 💚

💚 He’s probably a tree hugger 💚

💚 Has a huge garden 💚

💚 He also probably names his plants too 💚

💚 He’s kind of like a father or big brother to Percy 💚

💚 Has Ombrophobia 💚

💚 Can go at a speed of about 96 mph 💚

Gordon

💙 Obviously very moody and grumpy 💙

💙 LOVES COFEE 💙

💙 Doesn’t like most animals but will tolerate cats 💙

💙 He loves all his friends. He just doesn’t show it 💙

💙 THRIVES when it come to certain interests 💙

💙 4th to be bought 💙

💙 Can go at a speed of about 100 - 105 mph 💙

💙 Likes reading the Sodor newsletter 💙

💙 Fiercely loyal to his controller, friends, and railway 💙

💙 HAS TOO MANY SIBLINGS AND COUSINS (lots of which sadly were scrapped) 💙

💙 Based of an LNER A1 Pacific Express Engine 💙

James

❤️ HE THE LIVING DEFINITION OF PRIDE (Both the self-conscious emotion and the 🏳️‍🌈 kind) ❤️

❤️ He most likely tries to kiss himself when looking in a mirror ❤️

❤️ He prefers to take passengers coaches rather than cars ❤️

❤️ HATES dirty stuff ❤️

❤️ Short tempered ❤️

❤️ Seems like the guy who only cares about himself. Most of his room actually has pictures of everyone he cares about ❤️

❤️ Can go at a speed of about 70-80 mph ❤️

❤️ He’s easy to humble, most people don’t try though. They think he’s too selfish to even try to humble ❤️

❤️ Based off a LYR class 28 engine ❤️

Percy

💚 He’s just as cheeky as Thomas. That’s why they’re so close 💚

💚 Very selfless 💚

💚 Often seen as a not-so-bright person, but this is only because he’s easy to put upon 💚

💚 He’s a baby. Protect him at all costs. 💚

💚 He’s a child at heart 💚

💚 He still treats his plushies like real people 💚

💚 Has trouble paying attention 💚

💚 Smallest and youngest of the main 6 💚

💚 Based off an Avonside 0-4-0ST and can go up to speeds of about 35-45 mph 💚

💚 LOVES mail runs 💚

[johnny-kobayakawa-television2015]

Thomas and Friends: Sodor Online Journeys (Story 3): Edward, Gordon and Henry/Henry Saves The Day

Gordon always pulled the big express. He was proud of being the only engine strong enough to do so. It was full of important people like The Fat Director/The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt for example, and Gordon was seeing how fast he could go.

"Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!" he said. "Trickety-Trock! Trickety-Trock! Trickety-Trock!" said the coaches.

In a minute, Gordon could see Henry's Tunnel where he stood there bricked up feeling lonely.

"Oh dear." thought Henry. "Why did I worry about rain spoiling my lovely coat of paint? Will the Fat Director/The Fat Controller ever forgive me and let me out again?/I like to come out of the Tunnel." but Henry wasn't sure how to ask.

"I'm going to Poop Poop at Henry." said Gordon. He was almost there when…

And there was Proud Gordon going slower and slower in a cloud of steam.

His driver stopped the train. Henry was surprised. "What has happen to me!?" asked Gordon. "I feel so weak!" "You've burst your safety valve." said the Driver. "You can't pull the train anymore." "Oh dear!" said Gordon. "We were going so nicely too. And look, there's Henry laughing at me!" Everyone came to see Gordon. "Hmph!" said the Fat Director/the Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt. "I never like these big engines. Always going wrong, send for another engine at once./These big engines are always causing me trouble. Send for another engine at once." While the guard/conductor went to find one, they uncoupled Gordon who had enough puff to slink onto a siding out of the way.

Edward was the only engine left in the yard. "I'll come and try." he said.

"Pooh!" said Gordon. "That's no use. Edward can't pull the train." Kind Edward puffed and pulled and pulled and puffed, but he couldn't move the heavy coaches. "I told you so." said Gordon. "Why not let Henry try?" "Yes." said the Fat Director/the Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt. "I will." "Will you help us pull the train, Henry?" he asked. "Oh yes!" said Henry. When Henry had got up steam, he puffed out. He was dirty and covered with cobwebs. "Ooh, I'm stiff! I'm stiff!" he groaned. "Have a run to ease your joints, and find a turntable." said the Fat Director/the Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt kindly.

When Henry came back, he felt much better.

Then they put him in front. "Peep! Peep!" said Edward. "I'm ready." "Peep! Peep! Peep!" said Henry. "So am I!" "Pull hard! Pull hard! Pull hard!" puffed Edward. "We'll do it! We'll do it! We'll do it!" huffed Henry. "Pull hard! We'll do it! Pull hard! We'll do it! Pull hard! We'll do it!" they puffed together.

"We've done it together! We've done it together!" said Edward and Henry. "You've done it hooray! You've done it hooray!" sang the coaches. Everyone was excited. The Fat Director/The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt leaned out of the window to wave at Edward and Henry, but the train was going so fast that his hat blew off into a field where a goat ate it for tea.

They never stopped til' they came to a station at the end of the line. The passengers all said "Thank you." And the Fat Director/the Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt promised Henry a new coat of paint. "Would you like blue and red?" "Yes please." said Henry. "I'll be like Edward and Gordon."

On their way home, Edward and Henry helped Gordon back to the shed. All three engines are now great friends.

Henry doesn't mind the rain now. He knows that the best way to keep his paint nice is not to run into tunnels, but to ask his driver to rub him down when the day's work is over.

Story End

[number1spongebobfan]

Thomas and Gordon

In Shining Time Station, Matt is busy dusting off Mr. Conductor's tiny house. "You work so hard!" Mr. Conductor told Matt. "Would you like me to tell you a story about someone who works just as hard as you?"

Thomas is a tank engine with six small wheels, blue spiky hair, short stumpy boiler skates, and a blue sweatshirt. He works in a big station called Knapford on the Island of Sodor. His job is to fetch wagon-coaches for the other engines and then take them away when they are done pulling them.

Thomas thinks no roller-skating train works as hard as he does. He loves playing tricks on them, including Gordon, the largest and proudest of them all.

Thomas whistles rudely at Gordon. "Wake up lazy bones! Why don't you work hard like me?"

One day, after going on a large journey, Gordon arrived back at the sidings, very tired. He was just about to go to sleep in his heart-patterned underpants, until Thomas started jumping on his big fat belly.

"Wake up lazy bones! Do some hard work for a change! You can't catch me!" And off he ran, laughing.

Instead of going to sleep again, Gordon thought about how he could get back at Thomas.

One morning, Thomas wouldn't wake up. His very poorly drawn driver and fireman couldn't make him start. It was nearly time for the express. Stick people were waiting, but the coaches weren't ready.

His driver and fireman took off his nightcap and nightgown, then dressed him up in his uniform. At last, Thomas started.

"Oh dear, oh dear!" Thomas yawned.

"Hurry up you!" said Gordon.

"Hurry yourself!" replied Thomas

Gordon began making his plan. "Yes," said Gordon. "I will."

And almost before the coaches started moving, Gordon reversed quickly and held the first coach's coupling.

"Get in quickly please," he whistled.

Thomas stood behind the coaches. Gordon started so quickly, they forgot to let go of Thomas. Now his chance had come.

"Come on, come on!" puffed Gordon to the coaches. The line went faster and faster, too fast for Thomas. He wanted to stop but he couldn't!

Thomas let go of the coaches. Gordon saw him spiraling all over the other railroad track. He grabbed the hem of his sweatshirt as he pulled the express.

"Stop, stop!" cried Thomas. "Hurry, hurry!" laughed Gordon. Ruby, Peridot, and Garnet from JewelPet (don't ask why they're here) were standing on the viaduct, looking at Gordon tricking Thomas.

Ruby: What's going on?

Peridot: I don't know, but it's entertaining.

Garnet: Do they have popcorn stands on this island? I know it's the 1950s.

Poor Thomas was going faster than he ever was before. He was out of breath, and his feet hurt him, but he had to go on. I shall never be the same again, he thought sadly. My roller skates will be quite worn out.

At last, they stopped at the station. Thomas let go. He felt very silly and exhausted. Next, he stood on the turntable, thinking of the jewelpets laughing at him. And he ran onto a siding, out of the way.

"Well, little Thomas," chuckled Gordon. "Now you know what hard work means, don't you?"

Poor Thomas couldn't answer. He had no breath. He just puffed away slowly to rest, and had a long, long drink.

He went home slowly, and was careful afterwards never to be cheeky to Gordon again.

Based on the book by Wilbert Awdry, the Shining Time Station pilot and the episode starring Ringo Starr.

[pxmun]

Star of the ocean ends on a bitter note.

Olympic is over the moon when she finds out that Gordon sees her as a mother. For the first time in a while Olympic feels genuinely happy.

Gordon gets confronted by a fellow express engine and is challenged to a shunt-off. If Gordon wins the big engines will leave Gordon and his small engine friends alone. During the challenge, Gordon sees that he is beating his competition by a long shot. This causes the young engine to become cocky and accidentally ends up ramming his train into his narrow gauge engine friend Delma.

Delma is severely damaged and the crew at the Belfast steam works don't when or if she can be repaired. Sheldon becomes enraged and has a fight with Gordon. He blames the big engine for letting his pride get the better of him. Gordon argues that it was an accident and tells Sheldon that he was only trying to help his friends. Gordon tells Sheldon that his (Gordon's) mentor professor Winslow was right; little engines don't appreciate what others do for them, with that the two young engines friendship ends.

Olympic's passenger ship and best friend Nomadic heard the whole fight and tells Olympic what had happened once the ocean liner returns to port. Olympic is devastated by the news, she comes to sad conclusion that the docks are bad for Gordon and she must send him away for the young big engine's sake.

Nomadic tells Olympic she overheard the passengers talking about a railroad controller from an island called Sodor. She tells Olympic that this Sir Topham Hatt is looking for an A1 Pacific for his railway. Nomadic goes on to say that the passengers all had positive things to say about this Fat Controller, but Olympic wants to meet him personally, just to be sure.

So, the next day, White Star invite Sir Topham Hatt to the docks to chat with Olympic. The Fat Controller is a gentleman and gives a very polite greeting to Olympic, why he even feels honored to be meeting such a famous ocean liner.

Olympic tells Sir Topham Hatt that she knows he is looking for a Pacific. Olympic says she has a young Pacific, but Olympic wants to be sure that the young engine will be going to a good home. Sir Topham Hatt fully agrees and Olympic begins her interview.

In the end she agrees to hand Gordon over to the North Western Railway, but only on the condition that Sir Topham Hatt takes proper care of the young engine and helps Gordon to become a good engine. Sir Topham Hatt agrees.

Olympic tells Gordon the news, but the young engine is devastated. He thinks Olympic doesn't love him anymore because what he has done. Gordon apologizes profusely, begging Olympic not to send him away and that he promises to be good. Olympic comforts her son, assuring him that she loves him very much, it's just that sometimes love has to hurt in order to help and better those one loves.

Gordon asks if he'll ever see Olympic again. Olympic tells Gordon the truth and that she isn't sure if they will, but she tells him that even if they never meet again, she'll always keep him in her heart and will never forget Gordon. Gordon promises not to forget her either.

The two spend Gordon's last night at the docks by each other’s sides, promising not to leave the other until it was time for Gordon to go to Sodor.

Baby mine, don't you cry Baby mine, dry your eyes Rest your head close to my heart Never to part, baby of mine Little one when you play Don't you mind what they say Let those eyes sparkle and shine Never a tear, baby of mine If they knew sweet little you They'd end up loving you too All those same people who scold you What they'd give just for The right to hold you From your head to your toes You're not much, goodness knows But you're so precious to me Cute as can be, baby of mine - by: Frank Churchill (music), Ned Washington (lyrics),

[rygoespop]

Thomas and Friends: Tales from Sodor (Story 75): The Brazil Trip

Narrator: The Brazil Trip

Scene opens with Sir Topham Hatt arriving at Tidmouth Sheds with a Letter

Narrator: One morning, Sir Topham Hatt arrived to see the engines

Sir Topham Hatt: Morning everyone! I got a letter, from Brazil!

Thomas: That means, Raul!

The Engines Cheered

Sir Topham Hatt: Silence!

The Engines were silent

Sir Topham Hatt: The Brazilian Controller requests 8 Engines to go to Brazil! He requested: Molly

Molly: Oh

Sir Topham Hatt: Emily

Emily: Alright

Sir Topham Hatt: Percy

Percy: Oh!

Sir Topham Hatt: James

James: Heh heh!

Sir Topham Hatt: Henry

Henry: I always wanted to see the Rainforest

Sir Topham Hatt: Edward

Edward: Oh, thank you sir!

Sir Topham Hatt: And...

The Engines listened

Sir Topham Hatt: Thomas the Tank Engine

The Engines were surprised, as Gordon was flabbergasted

Gordon: Thomas!?

Thomas: Oh! Thank you sir!

Rosie: Don't worry about your Branchline Thomas, I'll look after it

Thomas: Thank you Rosie

Sir Topham Hatt: Well, there's a ferry at Brendam Docks, so you eight must go there at once

Thomas: Yes sir! Come on everyone! *he blew his whistle as he puffs off to Brendam Docks*

Scene transitions to Thomas, Edward, Henry, James, Percy, Emily, and Molly all on a Rail Ferry, as Gordon, Toby, and Rosie, who is pulling Annie and Clarabel were there

Narrator: As soon as the eight engines were on the Rail Ferry, it was time to set sail

Gordon: First Japan, and now Brazil! Why couldn't a Country pick a big strong engine like me?

Rosie: Because you always boast about Gordon

Gordon: Oh the indignity

Thomas: Well, we better be going to Brazil, bye everyone!

Rosie: Goodbye Thomas! I'll keep your Branchline going!

The eight engines blew their whistles as Gordon and Rosie blew their whistles and Toby rang his bell

Narrator: Soon, Thomas and the other engines were sailing to Brazil

Scene transitions to the Rail Ferry arriving at Rio de Janeiro Docks, where Raul was waiting

Narrator: Soon, the Rail Ferry arrived at Rio de Janeiro

The drawbridge lowered, and waiting was Raul

Raul: Ola Thomas! Welcome to Brazil!

Thomas: Hello Raul! It's great to see you again!

Raul: I see you brought your friends with you

Thomas: Yes! Raul, meet Edward, Henry, James, Percy, Emily, and Molly!

Raul: Ola everyone!

Molly: Hello

Raul: Come, let me show you around *he blew his whistle as he puffs backwards*

Thomas and the others puff forward to follow Raul

Henry: Oooh, I can't wait to see what Brazil has to show us

Scene transitions to Raul showing the engines, the city of Rio de Janeiro

Raul: Here is Rio de Janeiro, it's where the Olympics took place!

Molly: Wooooow

Thomas: It's like the Great Railway Show

Raul: Yes, but for People!

Scene transitions to Raul, Thomas and the others puffing into the Rainforest

Raul: Here we have the Rainforest, home to various Wild Animals

Henry: I, I love the Rainforest! It reminds me of my forest back home on Sodor

Raul: Why of course it does Henry!

Scene transitions to Raul, Thomas, and the other arriving at the yards, in front of them, was an 8 Berth Shed

Raul: And here, is where you'll be sleeping

Thomas: Wooooooow

Edward: I'm impressed Raul!

Raul: Why thank you Edward

The 8 engines got in the berths

Thomas: Wait Raul, where do you sleep?

Raul: I got my shed! Good night, I'll see you all in the morning! *he blew his whistle and puffs off to his shed*

Scene transitions to the next morning, as Thomas was puffing down the line, pulling Freight Cars filled with Fruit

Narrator: The next morning, Thomas was taking Freight Cars filled with Fruit

Thomas: Gotta deliver all this fruit! *he stops as he sees a man waving a Red Card*

Man: Stop!

Thomas: What's going on?! And why are you holding a Red Card?

Man: It means Stop, it's the Brazilian Way

Thomas: Oooooh

Man: Anyways, Raul has broken his safety valve, he's stuck as he was delivering Coffee to cafes! So can you push him?

Thomas: Yes, I'll help Raul! *he blew his whistle and puffs off to Raul*

Scene transitions to Raul, pulling Cars full of Coffee, he wasn't moving

Raul: Oooh why didn't I listen

Thomas blew his whistle as he puffs up to Raul

Thomas: Are you ok Raul?

Raul: No Thomas, my safety valve broke! I can't finish my deliveries of Coffee!

Thomas: Well, what if I give you a push? *he puffs onto Raul's line and buffers up to Raul's Coffee Cars*

Raul: Thank you Thomas, your a good friend, even though we competed each other at The Great Railway Show!

Thomas: Your welcome Raul! *he pushes Raul and his Coffee Cars to the Cafes in Brazil*

Scene transitions to Thomas and Raul arriving at Rio de Janeiro

Narrator: Soon, Thomas and Raul arrived at Rio de Janeiro, where the final delivery is made

Raul: Thank you Thomas!

Thomas: Your welcome Raul

Unknown to Thomas, a familiar Manga Artist was visiting Brazil on vacation as he sees Thomas with Raul

Kyo Yamashiro: Oh! It's him, it's Thomas! *he began drawing Humanized Thomas along with a Humanized Raul*

Scene transitions to Thomas at the Brazilian Sheds, with everyone after they heard

Narrator: Later, everyone heard about Thomas's heroic action

Edward: Well done Thomas!

Henry: Way to go!

Percy: I knew you never let Raul down!

James: I'm impressed

Emily: So am I

Raul: *puffs up onto the Turntable* Yes, as a Matter of fact, we'll be having a Carnival tomorrow!

The 8 Engines cheered into the sky

Thomas: I'm looking forward for that Raul

Raul: So am I Thomas

The engines smiled as the camera pans to the Flag of Brazil

Story End

[mwolf0epsilon]

@maria-lamb-b & @mintydeluxes-blog thank you for giving me an excuse to throw in my two cents on this very specific topic.

Alright so, I've noticed a bit of a pattern with these three engines that raises some alarm bells in terms of general safety. Not of the engines themselves, mind you, (although it could be said they very much pose a risk to themselves since the fat controller can usually get them repaired, but he's not made of infinite money) but of the people that both work for the railway and frequent it as passengers.

This is a discussion I've had with @british-hero and @milfcutlawquane respectively, and Rogue even tossed in their own thoughts on another engine that they think should qualify on my danger scale, although I excluded him from the list because of a very specific factor that will be elaborated on in a bit.

Anyway...

I'll start off with the more harmless of the three engines. That being Sodor's very own splendid #5 red engine, James.

James is a tender engine of an experimental design (being the only Hughes class 28 with a mogul configuration and a few other alterations that make him unique among his long forgotten/scrapped kin). He's not the biggest and certainly not the fastest engine on Sodor, but he's not a pushover either. More of a working mule with a show pony kind of attitude. He's hard-working when he puts his mind to it, ambitious and has a rather showman-ish demeanor.

And therein lies the problem...

James's vanity and need to prove himself as a splendid and very useful engine makes him a bit of a hazard to work with. Especially when it comes to him rushing into stations and breaking abruptly to make his special entrance.

Not only is it an uncomfortable experience for anyone who might be inside of the coaches he's pulling (it would certainly make for a very bumpy ride, and not at all advisable for people to get up before he's fully stopped at a station), but his crew is also at risk of potentially getting tossed out onto the rails since James has an open cab...

I have a feeling his driver and fireman have had near misses because of his constant showing off, and also have no doubt in my mind that they extensively warn replacement crews to hold on for dear life lest they want to accidentally end up under James's wheels...

I know James likely doesn't intend to do harm as he clearly loves pulling passengers (and people do seem to love him, especially children), but considering the fact one of his first incidents involving coaches was him being so rough that he broke a break-line... Yeah he's not exactly gentle, and he tends to focus more on himself, which makes him a bit of a risk if left unchecked.

Although not as much as Thomas...

I have to admit, for a TV series protagonist, Thomas has had quite a few mishaps that should have ended in human casualties. Of course as a kid's cartoon that's not going to happen, but if you were to look at the world of Sodor as if it were the real world... Oh boy... No amount of plot armour could save his poor crew.

Thomas has a penchant for getting himself into some of the most reckless and bizarre situations... From getting such an inflated ego from teasing Gordon that he ends up down a mine (which is the first instance of where his crew could have potentially been injured or even killed), to smashing into the stationmaster's family home (and coming inches from killing the man and his family as they ate breakfast), to getting himself abducted and put to servitude after getting himself and his crew hopelessly lost in the mainland (how long did his crew go without food or water? How close were they from getting killed in the molten slag vat? Heck they could have fallen off his cab when he was lifted by Beresford!), not to mention the whole Misty Island fiasco (need I say anything about how he ended up there???), every mishap leading up to the Great Railway Show (that crash with Norman definitely should have killed his driver and fireman, and there's no way the bridge jump wouldn't have ended all three of them), and the wretched horror that is his BWBA shenanigans...

The point is... Thomas's impulsive nature makes him a danger to his crew specifically. At the very least he tries to be more careful when pulling passengers, and even shows remarkable consideration for them (an example of this is, instead of relishing in taking a break, he used what free time he had to help a new mother calm her infant by riding around Sodor until the baby fell asleep). He's cheeky, impulsive, and sometimes rude, but he's also compassionate and probably does feel bad when he realizes how much worse things could have gone if things hadn't gone in his and his crew's favour...

Now... Before I reveal who I personally think is the most dangerous engine on Sodor, let me address what Rogue had to bring to the plate:

They suggested that Gordon should also be on this list, because some of his accidents have been the most iconic if not most eye-catching ones in terms of magnitude.

And boy, they're not wrong...

While I agree that Gordon can potentially be a hazard on the rails due to his sheer size, weight and speed alone, I have to point out a very important element of Gordon's personality that at the very least prevents him from being at the top of this list: He's a people-pleaser.

Gordon may be stubborn, impatient, prideful to a fault and even a little ill-tempered and somewhat arrogant at times, but he is also conscientious and values both his work ethic and punctuality. Even if he peacocks his position a little bit ultimately what the boss says goes, even if sometimes what the boss says isn't what he wants to hear (and Gordon has thrown his fair share of tantrums, but he usually does relent in the end if he really has to).

As Sodor's express engine, he has a lot of responsibilities that he tries to uphold with the utmost diligence. Which to me means that, even if he's not the smoothest of rides or even the friendliest (look no further than 'Henry gets the Express'), he at least does his best to do his work right and on time. Which includes putting passenger's safety over his own ('Gordon runs Dry' is another good example here).

Make no mistake! This hundreds of tons giant metal blue beast IS dangerous in his own right, as is any engine if circumstances are just so, but nowhere near as dangerous as...

Henry.

Yep, that's right. The big green gentle giant is the engine I consider most dangerous on the Island of Sodor.

You'd think that's a rather bizarre assumption when Diesel 10 is also around but... Have we ever seen Diesel 10 interact with humans other than Mr. Conductor and Junior outside of 'Thomas and the Magic Railroad'? Have we even seen him pulling coaches or hauling trucks?

As far as I'm aware, due to his rather unconventional (not to mention illegal) modification, Diesel 10 is only used for clearing obstructions from tracks.

And even if he is rather aggressive towards steam engines, he's very easily put back in his place and doesn't really show up much. Overall his entire villanous/antagonistic persona seems to just follow the 'Oh well! Better luck next time!' motto, and really doesn't do much harm overall... He's just a nuisance at best. Which makes Gordon being terrified enough of him to visibly shake a little laughable... It's like Diesel 10 operates on vibes alone.

But I digress...

There's a reason I consider Henry the most dangerous engine. And the reason is... He's the one engine we've seen take control from his crew more consistently than any other engine on the island.

In 'Henry's Health and Safety', after suffering an accident and learning about health and safety from Victor, Henry becomes obsessed with the concept to the point where he takes Rocky without permission and goes about clearing what he considers obstructions and other hazards, causing Percy trouble and even keeping others from using Rocky when Toby derails.

This was not asked of him, he wasn't supposed to be clearing tracks, he just did it because he fixated on his own accident and his desire to make the rails safer. And this is a behavior that he should have unlearned ages ago... Considering his fixation on things that inconvenience him personally ended poorly already...

The thing is... This isn't even my best example for why Henry is a hazard. Ok sure, this is a big engine wrenching control away from his crew... But he's just trying to be useful in a way he knows how to be! Why is that so bad? Thomas does that too sometimes!

Because he's done it while carrying passengers before, and it was much much worse... Especially because, upon analyzing this particular incident more closely, I realized it could have ended in two trains' worth of people dead and at least one other engine totaled...

In 'Henry Spots Trouble', after learning about chicken pox, Henry becomes increasingly more anxious about potentially getting sick. He has no idea engines can't catch it, so when he sees three other engines who coincidentally have spots on their faces, he freaks out.

At first he only speeds up and bumps his passengers about ("like peas in a frying pan"). But when he sees Gordon with a face full of red speckles, he freaks out so much that he completely reverses his controls and surges backwards at enough speed that he can clear Gordon's Hill without any difficulty at all.

I repeat... He's reversing at high speed coaches first... And he nearly smashes said coaches into James who himself is carrying a passenger train of his own.

I'm no engineer, but I know for a fact if Henry had collided with James coaches first, he would have not only potentially destroyed his smaller friend's buffers, footplate and firebox (and potentially burst his boiler), but he would have also crushed his coaches like tin cans...

Worse yet if James had been just a little bit slower to react, he might have not cleared the track in time and his own coaches would have been violently rear-ended, ending in two decimated passenger trains and several casualties.

What's even worse than that is, Henry is so panicked that he doesn't even seem to acknowledge he nearly bashed into James at all and continues to flee and scream for Gordon to get away from him because he's so fixated on the idea his friends have all got chicken pox and that they'll infect him.

Henry is extremely dangerous because, even if he's mellowed out over the years and become less prone to being rude and snappish (ultimately becoming such a beloved and easy to trust engine), he's still incredibly big and strong and has a very flighty disposition that simply doesn't mix well with the two previous attributes. Kind of like an easily-spooked draft horse. A several tons metal draft horse that can turn on his people at the drop of a hat and toss them about with great ease without even realizing.

And what makes this so heartbreaking is that out of the three engines I listed here, Henry would be the most emotionally devastated if he actually hurt or killed someone. Especially if that person were to be any of the passengers that put their safety and trust onto his buffers, or even the fireman that fought to give him a fighting chance prior to his rebuild...

Can't stop thinking about how Sodor has three very consistently dangerous engines, and neither of them is Diesel 10...

[mean-scarlet-deceiver]

(I’m copying and pasting some stuff from a conversation on the Chapter 6 post with @whumpster-fire. The reason I’m doing a separate post is because WF did their research and therefore uncovered a, shall I say, “historical spoiler” in the Nobby-verse. It’s there for anyone to find, but I’m going to refrain from reblogging the conversation so that people can avoid the “spoiler” if they want to.

Though this post is also going to be mildly spoiler-y in a more general way for the series. Not, however, in a way that I think is relevant for regular readers of this blog or anyone who is up on some basic Furness Railway history.)

Oh, buddy. You are singing my song. This has occupied space in my brain for ages now, and you put words to it very well.

I've long been frustrated with the commentary on Gordon's family situation as if it were in any way uniquely awful because hello?? And while they all have massive griefs in varying ways, yes, I find something specially brutal in Edward's front-row seat for the slow but inexorable destruction, not only of his immediate family (bad enough, to be sure) but also of virtually all his first railway's fleet. Like a whole 20-year trickle of horrible news. And I also can't help but wonder... There was surely a time when picking up an assignment to Barrow was a treat, especially in the periods when Edward was getting bullied by the NWR main line—chance to see some friendly faces, catch up on the news from home... when did that change? When did the bad news become such a steady drip that he started to dread going back over-the-bridge? While undoubtedly carrying guilt even about so much as that, because in his secure position the least he can do is show up (it was the '30s in the UK; they hadn't discovered feelings yet). 

I hate to continue to be a downer in this conversation, but no, I don't.

Not through the NWR, at least... even though it is technically canon-compliant (and makes a lot of sense) for the NWR to have scooped up lots of condemned LMS engines during this era!

But my gut says that it just doesn't fit the picture on an emotional or narrative level.

Donald and Douglas's achievement in rescuing even one of their own is presented as a watershed in the cultural history of the railway. I'm inclined to believe it really was—that it opened up a new vista for the engines. Edward having done something similar decades before just kind of undercuts that for me.

Christopher Awdry pretty obviously did not think there were a lot of Furness stock on Sodor (even though it would make sense). Not that he made an explicit statement, but the whole point of the  Victoria and Edward story in TaV seems to be that they bonded over their pleasure in encountering another FR survivor. Thomas's driver didn't tell Victoria that she could look forward to meeting other FR stock on the island in general (even though, again—if he'd said that, it would have made a lot of sense!), he mentioned Edward specifically. And Edward went from a week of taking no notice of Victoria to trying to get her on his branch line within ten seconds—I'm not exaggerating—within ten seconds of discovering who she was.

It's hard to make narrative sense of why, if there was an ex-FR contingent on Sodor, Edward is the standout, the only one of the lot who is part of the famous eight. He doesn't have that strong personality to stand out of a group of his peers—he's a supporter, a lieutenant if you will. That's the role he fills among the known Sodor engines. If there was a smaller coterie that he was part of, he'd had served that role in that group. You know? But the whole tenor of canon is that he used to be very alone, and then he became indispensable to the 'famous eight' dynamic. None of that feels compatible with a 'little Furness' band on the island.

I mean, I love the big lugs, but let's just be blunt: Edward was so hard-up for friends that he got cozy with Gordon, Henry, and James. These were among his best options on the entire island. If he still had any of his original 'family', I just cannot see him caring quite that much what these idiots thought of him, not even so early as the strike, certainly not so late as the incident in 'Cows.'

In short: the dynamic I see between Edward and the rest of the NWR is that he went all-in on unstinting generosity with his second family. And this is probably due to the perspective of an engine who lost his first family completely.

So, you seem to be referring to some of my old FC1 posts, and tbh I abjure them in part, but I still maintain that there is a slightly... weird dynamic between Edward and FC1. FC1 is consistently very kind to Edward when they do interact and seems to think a lot of him. Despite this, Edward does not seem to let himself rely on that very much... at all. FC1 does not appear to have been involved in Edward proving himself fit to rejoin the fleet. Edward, despite being Mr Deputation ("it's when engines tell the Fat Controller something's wrong") doesn't do this in the Thomas situation—he just intervenes on his own. He does confide in FC1 during the strike, but only after FC1 initiates the conversation; in other situations, I am struck more by Edward's slightly painful anxiety to please and to show a happy face. And, even more relevantly to this discussion: Trevor! Edward does not appear to think for a hot minute of going to FC1 with this problem. FC1, who presumably has a country estate. FC1, who has a ton of contacts. FC1, who despite my harsh analyses in the past I will now concede has established a fair record by this point. But nah. Doesn't occur to him. If Edward had ever brought up similar concerns in the past, and FC1 had proven willing and able to help in any way, then I feel like going to FC1 would be his first move here. But he didn't.

The above bullet point also feels like a pattern that makes a lot of sense if FC1 had been unwilling and/or unable to help when the ex-FR engines were steadily condemned. Because, as you say, I can at minimum definitely see Edward proposing they borrow, lease, or buy some over these years (even if, also as you say, he might have been reluctant to push too hard). If FC1 never went this route, it just seems to fit the overall dynamic very well. It needn't have been hard-heartedness on his part: During the Great Depression all his humanitarian principle was probably well-employed just in keeping his own engines safe, without the need or ability to take on more. And Edward probably understood this. But it would have fed into the sense that he may have developed as early as the shed confinement days that, when it comes to the things that cut him the most deeply, he'd better not look to FC1 for salvation. (1952: 'Oh I'm gonna be overhauled after all? Cool. I didn't dare ask.')

This is all to say, I agree with you that Edward would have tried to get the NWR to buy some of his old colleagues. But I don't believe it happened.

That leaves the possibility that he did participate in some more 'underground' rescues after the No-Where train. This I find more plausible. Maybe the F.R. rogues sent out a couple of engines through Tidmouth or Brendam harbors—where the L.M.S. would be less likely or able to look for them!

But I would still add some cautionary words. I don't think it could have gone down more than a few times. I don't think Edward initiated any of these—if they happened it would have to be a sort of deal like my Nobby-verse where Coppernob is masterminding the plan and giving everyone marching orders—and this is because of The Twin Engines and "Saved from Scrap." The whole tenor of the latter story suggests to me that Edward never rescued anyone from death before. It's 1952, and he has to fly solo; Nobby's nowhere around, and any allies from the old days are gone too; Edward is now the Old Guy who has to be the one to Do something if anything is going to be Done. It's also interesting because, unlike Nobby, Edward is not a schemer. His approach is just to go to well-off people who have the power to directly help, and then… ask them to help. Nobby’s smokebox is breaking even as I type those words. It’s such a naive, stupid thing to do! (But… is it?)

The contrast between the two approaches is so delicious, and it does resonate so well with canon, that I am inclined to explore that. Like, I do not believe the NWR ever purchased an FR engine post-Grouping, but I can believe that Edward was appointed deputation and successfully campaigned for the NWR to repair some engines who otherwise would have been sent to Horwich, where they were as likely to be scrapped on sight as to be mended. Or, better than appointed, a self-appointed deputation. I kinda want it to be 1932 and someone, maybe even Poppet, needs a part replaced and Nobby starts spinning his overly-elaborate webs but when it comes time to tell Edward what role he’s to play he’s just like “... right, I’m not doing all that. I’m just going to ask the Fat Director—it’s not an expensive repair and I’m pretty sure he’ll say yes.”

And then there’s a long silence. Everyone in the Strand is simultaneously thinking

1) Nobby will bloody well kill us if we go back to him and say that we let some ‘Gull just completely overturn his plan by SPILLING ALL THE TEA TO A DIRECTOR

and also

2) … but this does sound sooo much easier

Yeah, I do think there is unexplored potential for major angst in the background of Douglas bringing Oliver over the bridge. I don’t think so much with Edward, as his family has been gone so long and I think he’d have the best sense of perspective as to how the situation is different for Oliver than it was for anyone else. I think it might have hit more like a brick for engines whose loss was fresher, like Gordon. And… BoCo.

Who also spent ‘68-’69 in the same position we’re talking about: His siblings are getting scrapped, right over the bridge. They must have been close-knit. They were physically close. I have no doubt BoCo was hoping that “second spot” available on Sodor in '68 could go to one of his own, and then Oliver shows up. Not that I think BoCo would begrudge Oliver, but also�� yeah. It's the same pattern we’ve been discussing with Edward in the ‘30s, except this time around there is a Fat Controller actively seeking to acquire engines. And still BoCo can't help anyone.

That’s something that keeps my brain up at night.

[just-another-miserable-prick]

Due to popular demand of one whole person (@land-of-diesel-10), the first of many OCs, Ella! My beloved axe-wielding shortstack, her In The Sky!design specifically :D

Since she's an OC, and I haven't talked much about her, here's a little rant about my girl:

Her backstory, summed up as best to my ability (that is to say, ya'll are in for one hell of an angsty ride):

Ella, with her fleet of siblings (364 of them to be exact, reference to the MÁV 424 class of steam engines she's based on) worked for the AU's equivalent of MÁV, high up in the sky. Nothing special there. Well, working for this shitshow of a company is a nightmare, so Ella, along with her siblings, tended to try and fly as far away as they could. Unfortunately, they aren't able to get very far.

After literal decades of the roster's shenanigans (one of which resulted in Ella getting the axe she's holding in the drawings), staff decide they have enough of their antics and chain and lock them all up in an old, abandoned station with limited supplies.

They planned to come back for them, planned being the operative words here, but times change, as do people in charge and eventually, they're all forgotten.

Days turned into weeks, months, years, the weakest of the bunch dying in what ended up being a decade-long "adventure". Out of the 365 siblings, 19 remain, Ella being one of them.

As the last 19 tried passing the time, hoping for someone to find them, or death at that point, Sir Topham Hatt, with Edward came to Hungary for some sort of meeting I haven't completely fleshed out yet. The latter ended up hearing the remaining few trying to get themselves noticed by singing songs as loud as they could manage.

Since this post is already very long, let me summarize: Edward checked the old station, just to make sure he hadn't gone completely nuts, while STH did his own thing. Finding the sight of his chained up bretheren, he stood still for a second, then ran for STH, who, along with whichever executive he was talking to, was shocked, to say the least, to find 19 workers chained up and locked away from the outside world.

One thing lead to the next, and now those 19 live their happiest lives on the Island of Sodor, free from the figurative and literal chains of their home country.

Personality:

Ella is a sassy goofball, always down to pull a prank. She's actually not very social, tending to spend time by herself if given the option, but she gladly chit-chats with her coworkers-turned-friends during the day. She's also very observant, reading anyone like an open book. This caused her to not be approached often by many, mostly those who tried to fake something about themselves to her.

She loves to read and draw, and she's not a stranger to writing either, stories in general being something that she's living for. Gardening is another hobby of hers.

As for things she dislikes, there aren't many actually. One of said few though, is tight spaces. If you read her backstory, which I hope you did if you're this deep into the post, you know why (-> why she has cieling-to-floor windows in her room).

What does she think of her new coworkers?

Thomas: He's a tiny gremlin child and she loves him like a son.

Edward: She and her siblings literally owe him their lives, so immediate respect. Ella in particular sees him as a father figure.

Henry: They're both introverts and have many things in common. From their dislike of tight spaces, to their interest in gardening. She looks up to him like that one cousin who always seems to have an answer.

Gordon: She sees him as a brother, something she'd never admit to his face. That in all senses of the word: she'd try to beat him up in a heartbeat, but will also do anything in her power to make him as happy as she can. They're both fucked up and vibe in peace.

James: She thinks he's annoying as fuck, yet also very fun to be around. His apparent obsession with his clean, pristine uniform never fooled her, thanks to her ability to read anyone like a book. Overall fine, can be a bit much at times.

Percy: "My caterpillar son :)" that's literally it. She loves him like a mother loves her son.

Toby and Henrietta: they're like grandparents to her, they're normally the ones she'll go to rant about her day, or James.

[masaru2042]

The Engine is My Boss

This a little short of the r/entitledparents thing.  But this time, it’s a story of Bessie...Dana’s former engine, running into a very entitled mother and her brat wanting a cab ride.  And then, the mother damages the Flying Scotsman’s cowcatcher, that’s a big no-no!

So, it’s Dana again.  I got another one of those stories.  Entitled parents, you know.  And their kids.  Something you have to deal with when driving a steam engine.  But this one isn’t from Sodor, it’s from my old job.

I used to work for a particular railroad museum in Chattanooga and was the driver of the famous Southern #4501 “Ms. Mikado”, aka Bessie Baldwin.  

Little story on Bessie herself.  Bessie is a Mikado type steam locomotive, runs on coal, though she has a brother who runs on waste vegetable oil.  Which is why I suggested the fuel to Sir Topham Hatt for Gordon.  Bessie managed to talk him into it, saying she’s considering a conversion herself mostly because she’s sick of the bill she gets from TVA.  Yeah, she orders coal from TVA, having them drop off a couple cars when they deliver to the steam plant.  And it’s expensive!  I know when Bessie’s having a bad day when she looks at the invoice she gets from TVA.  She already complains about the high electric bill, now this.  Saul loves it when she starts complaining.

Mikados have a wheel arrangement of 2-8-2, a wheel arrangement invented in Japan.  Sodor has a couple of Mikados of its own, notably the two Smallies...Bert and Mike.  But also Hiro Kawasaki, who is a Mikado from Japan.  The United States saw the wheel arrangement Japan was using for its steam engines and wanted to use it for their steam engines.  The very first MS-1 Mikado built by Baldwin Locomotive Works was Bessie herself.  And she’s the last one of that particular type remaining.  It’s why she is nicknamed Ms. Mikado.  Because she is THE Mikado of the US.

And she’ll let you know it.

She was built in Pennsylvania in 1911, but don’t let that fool you, she’s a Southern belle through and through, even jokes that her water tank is actually filled with sweet tea, not water.  It isn’t, but she loves to say it is.  She was retired in the 1940s when the Southern Railway was going to diesel, sold to a short line and pulled coal cars until the 1960s when she was bought by a railfan who restored her to working order.  Unfortunately, said railfan passed away, and she ended up getting his entire estate.  He left her everything, and I do mean everything, including the museum itself!

Bessie Baldwin is in fact the third richest locomotive in the world.  Her business partner is Saul Amerigo, a Consolidated 2-8-0 built by ALCO in 1901.  He’s the Southern #630.

Some of you Brits might notice the odd surnames these engines have.  In Britain, steam engines tend to take on the surname of their designer, not so in the States.  American steam engines use their plant name as the surnames.  Since Bessie was built at Baldwin Locomotive Works, she’s Bessie Baldwin.  Saul was built by the American Locomotive Company, so rather than call him Saul ALCO, he’s Saul Amerigo...for the explorer who named the Americas.  Japanese steam engines also do the same thing with their surnames, which is why Hiro has the surname of Kawasaki, despite that in Japan the surnames come first.  He actually would be Kawasaki Hiro.

Kinda interesting little tidbit.

Also, Bessie is a big fangirl of the Flying Scotsman. It’s adorable.  Likewise, Scott’s got a crush on her as well.  If she’s not focusing on the business, she’s on Skype, or Discord, or Facebook with Scott.  

And what can I say about Bessie, she practically saved my life once.  I was down on my luck, got out of an abusive relationship with my ex-husband, couldn’t go back to working as a freight hauler at Norfolk and Southern, was about to commit suicide when Bessie came in, whistle blaring, scooping me up and took me to the museum.  And from that day on until my move to Sodor, I was her driver.  My cousin was her fireman.

She even hopped on a boat to Sodor just to surprise me for Christmas all because I was home sick.  And that’s no easy task for a steam engine that’s 150 tons.  I don’t deserve a friend like Bessie, but I’m glad she is one.  She’s like the grandmother I never had but always wanted.  She even lets me call her “grannie” a few times too.  And apparently Saul is my crazy, fun uncle.  Which make sense since my actual uncle drives him.

And she is a hard-ass, make no mistake.  She will make you work hard, but in the end, you’ll feel like you achieved something after you did.

But there’s one thing I’ll have to say about Bessie is...you have to follow her rules, no matter what.  She’s a “my way, or the highway” kind of girl.  Especially when it comes to railroad safety.

On Sodor, cab rides are a flat NO.  There’s a reason for that, it’s an actual working railway that has steam engines on it.  The only exceptions are VIPs, inspectors, the press, and Sir Topham Hatt’s mother, Dowager Hatt.  Don’t ask about the last one, because I don’t know!

However, I do know about heritage railways in the UK that will allow for cab rides, or even the chance to drive said steam engine with a trainer driver and trainer fireman to supervise the guest.  The NWR is very strict on no cab rides.  

However, back at the museum in Chattanooga, Bessie does allow for cab rides on short excursions, not on long excursions, and the person riding has to be at least 16 years of age, or older.  And only two extra riders.  Despite American steam engines having much larger cabs than British steam engines, it’s still a tight fit to have a bunch of people standing in it, so, there’s a limit.  The driver and fireman still needs their conductor to be with them, so two extra people riding is the limit.  That makes five people in total inside Bessie’s cab, and that’s a bit cramped, even for her large cab.

And 16 years or older is because she doesn’t want little kids who can’t keep their hands to themselves from messing with her controls.  She figures if the person is old enough to drive a car, they can be mature enough to keep their hands to themselves while being escorted by a parent or guardian.  That’s 16 with an adult.  However, 18 years and over, you can ride without an adult.

Again, Bessie figures, if you’re old enough to go to war, you’re old enough to not have a babysitter in her cab along with you.

Bessie is funny that way.

Also to get a cab ride, it’s an extra surcharge.  

Hey, if you’re gonna be bothering the driver and fireman, you might as well pay them for their time of answering all your questions while they’re trying to pay attention to their job, as Bessie states.

And don’t argue with her about it.  She also loves giving the cab rider a nice little lecture before the ride, to make sure the rider understands what they’re allowed to do and what they’re not allowed to do.  Because Bessie is Bessie.  And she doesn’t want people messing around with things they shouldn’t.

It is her body after all and she makes that clear by saying “you wouldn’t want someone constantly poking you in all the inappropriate places too, right?”

Some people keep forgetting that sapient steam engines are living beings, and have their own boundaries and comfort zones just like humans do.  And they expect people respect their boundaries.  It takes a lot of trust that the engine must have to work with a driver and fireman manning the controls to assist in the control of steam, and even more trust to allow untrained strangers inside the cab on a ride.

And this is why she doesn’t allow children in her cab.

She had a bad experience once when she gave it a try to allow children inside her cab, and we’ll leave it at that.  But it does involve various fluids that little kids tend to excrete either on purpose or on accident.  

So, no kids.

They can ride in the coaches instead!

Unfortunately, this is one of those stories that involves a child wanting a cab ride and the entitled mother not understanding that no means no, and thinks that talking to the manager of the museum will get what she wants.

Hahaha, no.

So, we were about go out on our little short excursion, a special all the way to the east end of Chattanooga, passing by historic Civil War sites along the way.  The scenery is always nice, especially in the summer.  A lot of people love riding this special because at the end of the line, before returning, you get to see some turntable action.  Kids love that!

On this particular track, there’s a tunnel, and because of the coal burning, you do have to hold your breath a bit when you’re riding in the cab and going through the tunnel.  You don’t want that soot in your mouth.  This is the other reason why kids aren’t allowed to ride in the cab.

Well, on that day, Bessie was reversing slowly to the coaches, the conductor was hanging out out the door, helping her and me to see behind her large tender.  She just upgraded from her old 15 ton coal capacity tender to an 18 ton coal capacity tender, something she made a little bid on an auction off of an old Illinois Central J-3.  Not as big as the Centipede tenders that Saul’s younger sister Opal or his nephew Zack had, but way more than what Gordon uses!  A single Corridor Tender that Gresley designed had a 9 ton coal capacity.  Bessie now has a tender that is twice that capacity.  And she ripped a mechanical stoker from an old Canadian Pacific 4-6-2 steam engine she had purchased as a static display.

We don’t know if said engine was sapient or not, and the Pacific isn’t in good shape for a restore either.  Sad.

So, as we were backing up, my cousin Chuck turned his head to hear some sort of argument happening at the ticket counter.  It happens.  The supervisor inside the ticket counter should be able to help out with any trouble any dissatisfied customer has.  So lucky I didn’t have that job.  I’m not a people person, or rather a general public person.  It’s why I went to work for NS and hauled freight in a diesel up and down the east coast.

The rest of the crowd was out, waiting for the coaches to open up, taking pictures as we backed up.  Bessie’s bell was blaring loudly to make sure people knew she was moving.  She’s a big ole girl, and she wants to make sure you stay out of her way.  And then, the mother who had a scrawny looking 6 year old boy, came storming our way.  The ticket lady came out the door and raced after her.

“Hey, cuz…” said Chuck. “We got trouble.”

I got up from my seat and looked out the fireman’s window.

“Bessie, stop!” I shouted and she clenched her brakes.

“Set the brake!” Bessie called back.

I pulled back on the brake lever and then returned to Chuck’s window.

“What’s the hold up?” Bessie asked.  Her knuckle hadn’t touched the knuckle of the first coach yet.

“Trouble,” said Chuck.

“What?  What kind of trouble.”

There were times Bessie wished she had a neck so she could look around.  Though, she does have very excellent peripheral vision, despite being over a century old.

“The ‘I wanna speak to a manager’ kind,” I told her.

“Well, ain’t that a bowl of peaches and cream…”

Except, the mother wasn’t storming up to Bessie to complain to her, because well, Bessie’s the manager.  She was storming right to the cab where we were.  

Yeah, people tend to either forget, or not know that Bessie is the boss to talk to for any problems.  She’ll put her driver wheel down and tell you “tough shit” and then get to her trip.  And if you don’t like it, that’s your problem.  She’s too old to care and she has a time table to adhere.

“Excuse me,” the woman said, dragging her jiggling son over. “My son wants a cab ride, and the lady at the ticket counter said you won’t give him one.  I’m willing to pay extra.  That’s not a problem.”

“Right,” I said. “Your son can’t have a cab ride.  That’s policy.  No child under the age of 16 can ride in the cab.”

“I WANNA RIDE THE TRAIN!” screamed the kid.

I felt a slight tilt from Bessie’s frame.  Oh, she hates the screamers.  She hates the screamers.  I could feel the cab shudder just a little at the ear bleeding sound of that child’s voice.

“And you will, precious,” said the mother.

“He can ride the train,” said Chuck. “Just not the cab.  It’s for his safety and also for insurance reasons.  We don’t want him potentially messing with the delicate controls inside.  And Bessie is very particular when it comes to who can touch her valves.  Little children tend to don’t know how to keep their hands to themselves.  And it’s just best they don’t ride inside here.”

The mother wasn’t happy with that answer and her mouth puckered, wrinkling at the lips.

“My son is a good boy, he won’t mess with the train’s controls,” she said.

“I ain’t a train, honey!” Bessie shouted.  The woman wasn’t paying attention to her.

“It’s also very hot in the cab,” I said. “Which can be very dangerous for very young children's health.  There’s also the danger of the child inhaling the particles that come from the engine’s funnel going through the tunnel.  She burns coal in her firebox and there’s a lot of soot and ashes.  This can damage a child’s lungs.  It’s safer for them to ride the coaches.”

“Now, see here!” the mother called.

Oh god, not the “see here” phrase.  A Southern mom’s version of holding a gun to your head to get what she wants.  You don’t piss of a Southern momma.  Ever.  

Chuck and I just tensed at her grating voice.

“You let my little son ride in your cab, he’s been a good boy!” she said. “I wanted to do something nice for him.  I’ll be sitting there with him, so I’ll make sure he won’t touch anything.”

“We could get fired if we allowed your son in Bessie’s cab,” said Chuck. “It doesn’t matter if you’re with him or not.”

“I WANNA RIDE THE TRAIN, MOMMA!” the child screamed again.

“You’re upsetting my little boy!” she shouted at the both of us. “Now you let my son in there right now, or I’ll see the manager! I’ll make sure you are fired!”

“Oh?” I perked up, jumping down from the cab. “You wanna see the manager?  Okay.  You can see my boss.  And she can tell you why you ain’t getting into that cab.”

All the while, that kid kept screaming, pulling on his mother’s arm.  And with each crescendo, I winced.

“Somebody’s torturin’ a cat, it sounds like,” said Bessie. “Marci, get the ASPCA on the phone!”

That’s Bessie, everyone!

“Ma’am,” I began. “This is my manager, Bessie Baldwin.  You can now relay all your grievances to her.”

“You’re joking!” the mother shouted. “I will not be disrespected.”

“She ain’t jokin’,” said Bessie. “I own the museum.  Now, what’s this about a cab ride?”

“A train runs the museum?”

Keep in mind, that kid was still screaming.  He even flopped onto the grass, pulling up the dirt around him.

“Engine, or locomotive,” began Bessie. “And if locomotive is to hard to say, then use engine. Either one will fit.  The train is the thing I was backing up to before you ran over with your wailing banshee, demanding for a cab ride despite it being against our policy!  I haven’t finished coupling up to it, and I’ve got passengers waiting.  Now, what is it you want?”

No engine likes being called a “train.”

“My son deserves a cab ride,” she said. “And your...operator…”

“Engineer,” I said.

“Don’t interrupt me, young lady,” she snapped at me.

“I don’t give a damn if you’re precious little hell spawn’s got good grades, helped a little old lady across the street, made Cub Scouts, won a little league game, or saved a bag of drowning kittens near the Chickamauga Dam, he ain’t getting in my cab.”

I heard a clank on the rails.  Bessie just set her center driver wheel down.  And when she does that, it’s end of discussion.

I don’t think the mother got that message though.

In fact, she put her foot down as well.

“My son…” the mother began.

“Can get the hell out of my museum,” Bessie finished.

“How dare you…”

“Demand that I let that wallowing little monster inside my cab.”

That’s right, Bessie can play the game too.

The mother pointed her finger stiffly at Bessie, coming near her cowcatcher.  Just when she was about to open her mouth again, Bessie blew her whistle loudly.  Now, Bessie’s whistle ain’t no peeper you Brits are probably used to hearing from a steam engine.  It’s the kind of whistle most people think of when they hear “steam engine whistle”.  The loud...whooowhooo! She’s got a three chime whistle.  And that clamped the mother’s mouth up real quick.  It also grabbed all the eyes from the other passengers to the front.

“I don’t have time to argue with an entitled, stuck up snob that’s obviously gotten more than she deserves, and never once been grateful for it,” began Bessie. “Nor for her little hellion that sounds like he wants to die of asphyxiation rather than shutting up.  It’s obvious you haven’t popped one on his little bottom enough.  If I had a pair of hands, he would have been taken out to the back of the shed and given a prompt to whoopin’ for making such a scene like that.”  She tilted her frame down. “Both my engineer and fireman have given you the reason why we do not allow children under the age of 16 from ridin’ inside my cab.  This is policy, and it is to protect my business as much as the child’s health.  The boy can easily suffer a heat stroke standing so close to my firebox.  My cab ain’t like your fancy Lexus with climate control at the touch of a button.  Driving a steam engine is no fun ride, it is hard, hot and sweaty work.  And I do not want your child’s snot covered hands anywhere near my controls.  I’ve spent most of my century not knowing the intimate relationship between a child’s snot bubble and my valves, and I wish to keep it that way. And another thing, the policy of cab rides is not only my policy, but Norfolk and Southern’s policy.  I must adhere to that policy if I wish to continue to run on their lines.  What you are asking for just to please your brat and your sense of entitlement will put me out of business.  Now either go buy a regular ticket, enjoy the ride in the coaches and shut the hell up, or get the hell off my property.”

There was a short humph from the mother as she began to drag her kid away.

“See if I bring my business back here again,” she said. “And I want a refund and compensation for you scaring my precious child.”

“Patricia!” Bessie shouted. “Did this woman pay for a ticket yet?”

“No, ma’am,” said Patricia.

“That ain’t happenin’, hon,” said Bessie. “Now, get the hell out.  You’re holding everyone up.  Chuck, release the brake so I can back up.  I needa get the coaches hitched.”

There was a clink and Bessie began to back up slowly again, softly expelling steam as she went and letting gravity guide her back.  Her bell rang loudly.  Then, tapping her brakes, she finally came to a stop as the knuckles connected.

I didn’t have to be in the cab to back her up.  Chuck was just as good as a driver as he was a fireman, and could handle both at the same time just to help Bessie back up.  And Bessie took care of the rest.

I watched the mother drag her child away, exclaiming: “I’ll sue your company!  You’ll go bankrupt and have to be scrapped for parts!”

No engine likes the “S” word.  Neither Gordon, nor Bessie.

“Lady, you are banned from my museum definitely!” Bessie called back. “If you try to come back on museum property, I will have you arrested for tresspassin’.  And I have the police on speed dial!”

She does. Bessie has an iPad hooked up in her cab, and can do a “hey, Siri, call 911” if need be.  Some of the small wires near her smokebox are in fact connected to a microphone so that Siri can hear her and a speaker so that she can hear whoever is talking to her over the phone.  Bessie is a bit of a jerryrigger, she can jimmy anything she needs in a pinch, or rather, design it and get one of the mechanics to jimmy it for her.  Because, she doesn’t have any hands.  And the iPad is actually connected to a rigging near the water glass and plugged into a USB cord that’s attached to her dynamo.  

The woman walked swiftly away only to stop for a moment and peered down upon a bright red cowcatcher hanging up by two long nails with four yellow numbers written on it.  The numbers were 4472.  The woman let go of the child’s hand and then began to tug on the cowcatcher.

Oh no, not the Flying Scotsman’s cowcatcher!

“What in blue blazes are you doin’!” Bessie shouted just as she saw the woman try to drag the heavy iron cowcatcher from its resting place.  That thing was Bessie’s prized possession, something she won off an auction from another railway museum.  The cowcatcher was from Scott Gresley’s USA tour in the late 1960’s, an event that Bessie sadly missed.  Scott Gresley, aka the Flying Scotsman, came to the United States on a friendly tour with his owner Sir Alan Pegler as a show of friendship between the two allies.  It nearly ended in tragedy when the Prime Minister at the time withdrew funds and bankrupted Pegler and Scott was nearly scrapped to pay off the debts.  Luckily, this was during the time of the Civil Rights movement, which then decided to include sapient steam engines in its movement.  Scott was recognized as a person, not an object, could not be cut apart and scrapped, as that would be considered murder, and was sent home under good faith that the UK will recognize Scott’s personhood.  They did, in fact.  Scott’s now the second richest sapient steam engine in the world and helps to fund the British Railway Museum.

And the last thing Bessie wants is anyone to mess with her beau’s cowcatcher.

“You leave that alone!” Bessie shouted. “Security!”

The aids were already calling for security, Bessie sounding her whistle finally drew them towards where the commotion was happening.  All the while, the woman took hold of the cowcatcher and hefted it from the nails.  It slid and dropped face down with a loud clang!  And right on the woman’s big toe as well.

She called out and slipped her foot from the heavy iron cowcatcher, hopping on one foot.  The cowcatcher was very sturdy, so it won’t be easily broken from a fall, but no doubt it probably needs a good repaint after scraping on the concrete.  

“You’re gonna pay for whatever detailing is needed to fix the paint,” Bessie said. “Security!”

At last the security guards grabbed the woman. One of them, a rather large man, picked up the child and then took both to their cars.  All the while the woman kept shouting she wanted to sue Bessie for not allowing her son a cab ride.

Bessie had to file a small claims and take the woman to court over the damage to Scott’s cowcatcher.  Of course, being an engine, she couldn’t really appear in court, but had her lawyer and her secretary appear on her behalf.  It wasn’t much, just a couple hundred dollars to have the cowcatcher repainted, but then there was the filing the police report for disruption of the other customers, as well as being fined for delaying a passenger excursion train.  Needless to say, the woman had to pay a hefty fine, and serve several hours of community service for her attitude.

Bessie would have given the boy a ride eventually, once he became 16, but now that’s not going to be possible.  She put a ban on the boy until he was 18 so he could come back without  his loudmouthed mother.  However, being around 6 years old, it’ll be over a decade before that boy will be allowed to return to the museum.

But that’s not a problem for Bessie.  Oh no.  She intends to keep on puffing for another century, until the Good Lord finally decides its her time.  Until then, she’ll keep taking passengers, and telling stories of her days on the Southern Railroad.

[johnny-kobayakawa-television2015]

Thomas and Friends: Sodor Online Journeys (Story 20): The Flying Kipper

Lots of Ships use the Harbour at the Big Station by the sea. There are Passenger Ships, Cargo Ships, and Fishing Boats also come here. They unload their fish on the quay. Some of them goes to Shops in the town, and some goes into a special train to other places far away. This is the train that railwaymen call "The Flying Kipper".

One winter evening, Henry's Driver said "We'll be out early tomorrow. We've got to take the Flying Kipper. Don't tell Gordon," he whispered, "but I think if we pull the Kipper nicely, the Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt will let us pull the Express. The Special Coal they gave you was working well." "Hurrah!/Hooray!" cried Henry. "That will be lovely."

Henry was ready at Five O'Clock. There was snow and frost. Men hustled and shouted, loading up the vans with crates full of fish. The last door banged, the Guard shoned his green lamp, and the Flying Kipper was ready to go. "Come on! Come on! Don't be silly! Don't be silly!" puffed Henry to the Vans/Freight Cars. The Vans/Freight Cars shuddered and groaned. "Trock trick, Trock trick, alright, alright."

"That is better. That is better." puffed Henry. Clouds of smoke and steam poured from his funnel into the cold air, and the fire's light shone brightly. "Hurry, Hurry, Hurry!" panted Henry. They were going well. The light grew better, and the signal showed green as they passed. Then, the yellow signal appeared ahead. His Driver was about to stop, but the home signal was down. "All clear, Henry. Away we go." They didn't realize that the points/switches on the Main Line to a siding were frozen, and at that signal should've been set at danger, a fall of snow forced it down.

A goods/freight train was waiting in a siding to let the Flying Kipper pass while the Driver and Fireman are having cocoa in the Break Van/Caboose. "The Kipper is due." said the Guard/Conductor. "Who cares?" said the Fireman. "This is good cocoa." The Driver got up. "Come on, Fireman. Back to our Engine." "Hey!" the Fireman grumbled. "I haven't finished my Cocoa yet!" But they were already too late.

Henry's Driver and Fireman jumped clear before the crash, but Henry lay dazed and surprised. The Fat Controller/Sir Topham Hatt came to see him. "The Signal was down, Sir." said Henry nervously. "Cheer up, Henry. It wasn't your fault. Ice and snow cause the accident. I'm sending you to Crewe, which is a fine place for sick engines. They'll give you a new shape, and a larger firebox, so that you can feel like a different engine, and won't need special coal anymore. Won't that be nice?" "Yes, Sir." said Henry doubtfully.

Henry liked being at Crewe, but was glad to come home. A crowd of people awaited to see him arrived in his new shape. He looked so splendid and strong that they gave him three cheers. "Peep! Peep!" whistled Henry. "Thank you very much!" I'm sorry to say that a lot of little boys are often late for school, because they wait to see Henry go by. They often see him pulling the Express. He does it so well that Gordon is jealous, but that's another story.

Story End

[mean-scarlet-deceiver]

Your character writeups are money! Will you do my beloved ,Perceus? ≧◠‿●‿◠≦ ( #6)

Perceus?

… as a former Latin student, I can’t tell if I love that or hate that.

Anyway, thank you! And sure, why not? I’m a sucker for compliments. Let’s go!

A. realistic

All the way back when he was brand-new, Percy fell in love with looking out for the night trains going by his (many, various) work sites.

Many a night he stayed up late to listen for a post train going by… when he really ought to have been getting his rest.

He was eating his heart out—though in an extremely low-key way, because he just didn’t have the slightest reason to imagine that he would ever get the chance to do such a thing... even getting to leave his sites to make a quick delivery was something of a treat, in those days.

So he just soaked in the starlight and the sounds and the sights.

(And, even when brought to Sodor, he might never have gotten that chance… the Fat Controller never really thought to put Percy on this detail, until… well, we’ll save that for the end of this post.)

B. unrealistic but hilarious

… I’m going to skip this one, because I have a perfect idea that I really really love, but I still haven’t learned enough historical detail to tell this story plausibly. (It doesn’t help that I now have people reading this blog who Actually Know Stuff About Trains. Am trying to replace imagination with research. But it’s overwhelming.)

I’ll throw out one hint in the meanwhile, though: WWI

And yet, it is funny. I swear. I do want to share this.

One of these days…

C. heart-crushing and awful, but fun to inflict on friends:

(I came up with this general idea independently from @feigeroman. However, I have added a detail or two from their Percy post to my own headcanon—I’ll link to the post whenever I drop one of the ideas that I got from them!)

The psychology of Percy is pretty interesting. It’s funny that the media portrayals make it seem like he is the simplest of the bunch.

The reality is that he is the most complex.

It is true that he is, at his core, a nice, friendly chap. His chief motivations are being helpful, having fun, and making friends—full stop.

His closest friends (that is, basically, the engines that we can name) know very well that he is at heart a gentle jellybean. This is good, because it helps them keep their temper, despite that Percy has layers and layers of maladaptive coping techniques crusted over this… most of which can be very annoying.

First of all, what did he have to ‘cope’ with?

Well, geez. What didn’t he?

Percy didn’t have the easiest life before Sodor—he never really got the luxury of settling down to a home, instead being leased out and sold pretty frequently. He also had at least two rebuilds, and let’s not even get into his (mis)adventures in the Great War.

Some of his work sites were fine—it’s just that he always had to leave them as soon as he’d gotten comfortable, and sometimes even sooner.

But then, some of them were not fine, and for the first twenty-five years of his life (1903 until FC1 showed up to his workshop) he dealt frequently with bullying from other engines and from trucks, as well as with more than one manager or owner who would demand of Percy more than he could give… and/or who came down hard on him for “fighting” or “troublemaking.”

That brings us to Percy’s first and oldest layer. Protecting his Disney princess core is a rough, hardscrabble, has-a-mouth-like-a-docker(-for-obvious-reasons) persona. The truth is, you push Percy too far at your own peril because he has far more practice “handling himself” than most of the North Western fleet. His time on Sodor has softened him up again to a considerable degree. Nevertheless, there were a couple of glorious moments in his early days, when even Thomas was like “… you know what, he knows more dirty tricks than I do! … I’mma back off. And not pull my ‘oh my God another tank engine whelp time for me to be a jealous insecure dick’ routine on this one.” (Gordon and Henry, of course, loved watching all this.)

However, this exaggerated side of his personality proved only a limited amount of useful. In the end, Percy was too small to intimidate every potential threat, and anyway he sometimes got into more trouble with his humans for defending himself than it was worth, in the long run.

Therefore Percy developed another layer of defenses. This is the persona that would later become what he was most well-known for among his fans—the whole cheeky wide-eyed innocence thing.

He found it was a lot easier to make friends if he played dumb, basically.

You can grease a lot of social wheels if you respectfully and trustfully ask questions that you already know the answer to. This trick is specially useful when you want to keep a conversation going along a certain safe and comfortable direction, and not have it jump tracks towards something more unpleasant.

Playing dumb also helped a lot in downplaying his managers’ expectations—so as to avoid ever again being put in the frightening position of being held to overly-high standards.

These techniques were so successful, and Percy leaned into them so hard, that these days he does this whole shtick quite unconsciously, lacking pretty much any awareness of what he’s about. Life just went more smoothly this way! When you are everyone’s silly but harmless baby brother, you can avoid some of the worst yard drama. And his extreme youthfulness and exaggerated deference were useful in keeping new jobs coming his way, despite starting to get on a bit in years.

When Percy feels safe and among friends, these defenses drop, and it is much more obvious what he is—a capable, competent, and brave engine, who knows how to handle himself. A bit absent-minded, yes, (he can and often does get lost in his own smokebox)—but a quick learner and pretty sharp fellow, when his funnel is out of the clouds.

But it’s pretty easy to trigger these defenses again. And, by default, he leads with the “lol wut i am so innocent and silly don’t take me seriously” routine when first he meets someone.

If anything, on Sodor this tendency has only gotten more exaggerated. That’s for a couple of reasons.

First, there was the dynamic he locked into almost at once with FC1. Percy was not considered for sale at that workshop—they had him employed as a shunter, and had designs on him for yet another experimental rebuild down the road (!)—but FC1 was impressed by his strength and versatility as he shunted other engines into place, and, to be frank, after the goddamn week he’d been having, Percy’s rather obsequious manner, when addressed, was appealing, rather than off-putting.

Percy was surprised but delighted when FC1 left the shop with him, and obviously had no incentive to do anything but replicate the same behavior around his various FCs forevermore.

Being treated with kindness from the start, Percy loved Sodor, and loved having a proper home. Therefore, although often cheeky and playful from sheer giddiness, he was also highly motivated to never go back down the “troublemaking” route for fear of being sent away again—and therefore soon lost some of his old nerve in dealing with his coworkers. This meant that, instead, his “I am but a lovable harmless child” shtick only became more pronounced.

But this shtick is not nearly as consistent as you would think, from all the stories. It’s very far from a 24/7 thing. Therefore, the other NWR engines have long, long, long since come to understand when Percy is just playing dumb. And for the most part they used to find it annoying! (Well, Gordon rather liked being treated like a fountain of knowledge—nice change from Thomas challenging him constantly!—and often being right because the truth is Thomas has seen a lot more than he has. Of course, Gordon is pretty much exactly the “type” for which Percy had developed this whole facet of himself to begin with. Another exception was Edward, who understood almost at once what was going on with their new recruit, and just rolled with it… besides which, he, Toby, and Duck see the least of it, as around them Percy—who has excellent intuition—dropped his defenses almost at once, and acts his most natural self.)

But they have all learned to live with it, long ago.

It’s all the easier to tolerate Percy’s peculiarities and deliberately stupid questions and exaggerated sauciness (and spots of genuine spaceyness) because, again, underneath it all, Percy is indeed an unsinkable wight with a heart of gold. He is so loyal and quick to offer his friends support… and that covers a multitude of “Perce, what the actual hell” moments.

Besides, his unconscious, instinctive “act” hurts no one except Percy himself. He only gets saltier each passing decade at not being respected—but he cannot quite figure out that he mostly has himself to blame for this. So then he doubles down, and… it’s just a vicious cycle, all right?

And, as I’ve said before—being allocated to Thomas’s line has not helped in this regard. Not at all. Those two do love each other, but they also happen to reinforce each other’s unhealthiest tendencies.

It’s unreal to think what a different engine Percy would be by now, if he had been transferred to the Little Western when it had opened.

D. thumb my nose at canon

Once again, I’m picking a fight with canon, and utterly rejecting umpteen episodes, on behalf of James.

Who, early on in his relationship with their new pilot, had to grapple with an emotion he’d never felt before in his life: protective empathy.

You have to understand that, before he came to Sodor, James was very much a (special) rock, a (splendid) island. Quite unlike Percy, he’d never really bonded with another engine. Quite like Percy, he was used to feeling anxious and alone—and covering for it with a heavy dose of best-defense-is-often-a-good-offense.

Not that James was at all quick to figure out that Percy’s “i’m such an idiot lol how do i even get through each day lol love me lol” act was really just an act. He was the last of the pre-WWII lot to grasp this.

But the act worked really well on him!

James had made great strides in this whole “relationship” thing already. Thomas tended, after the rescue, to outright patronize him—but James had never really been “looked after” by another engine before, and found that he rather liked the new feeling. Edward was the first engine he felt safe and relaxed around; always before James had been keenly and even painfully aware of how… sui generis he was, so now he quite enjoyed the novel sense of having anything in common with anyone. And, after succeeding in earning the respect of Gordon—one of those splendid express engines that James had always envied to the point of making himself sick, well… that friendship was a whole new dizzying watershed in James’s social life.

(As for Henry, he and Henry weren’t actually friends in any meaningful sense till later. James bonded with Percy far more quickly. But, after Henry’s wreck and rebuild, when it was obvious that Henry very much wasn’t a shirker, James felt remorse for the first time in his life. Not self-interested regret for having screwed things up for himself. Actual remorse for hurting someone else. Another big step for him. But this is all a different story…)

However, Percy was a new chapter still. Percy went around doing the vulnerable baby brother thing…

… and James, confused and resistant though he was to this, found the role of big brother came rather naturally.

And wasn’t exactly unpleasant.

Despite that James would have much preferred Percy to act his goddamn age. (That he is older than Henry and Gordon—the latter by nearly a full decade—being something he’s always been keen to downplay. Percy ought to have been a helpful buffer! But…)

But Percy didn’t, and James responded against his will to the whole wide-eyed innocence thing.

I mean, it didn’t prevent him, with distressing regularity, from screwing Percy over to run with the big dogs when he thought he could get in with Gordon and Henry by taking their side.

But, truth is, if any “outsiders” ever dare to so much as look at Percy the wrong way… they immediately make one pissed-off enemy in James. He is lightning quick to defend Percy from such threats.

And the other truth is that, despite that James’s social-climbing made him rather ashamed of it, the two actually developed a very close rapport. You know. When it was just the two of them—they found that they understood each other (and each other’s grievances) very well.

Especially in the pre-WWII days, before Percy was transferred and the NWR saw an influx of new engines, they were a tight pair. There had already been a special rapport between No.s 1 and 2, and then 3 and 4, and after Percy’s arrival James was not much longer the odd one out as far as having a special confidante.

And James, by the way, is how Percy got put on the post train detail.

He empathized completely with Percy having admired the fast night trains from afar and without hope for so long. He knew that feeling very well.

And he wanted Percy’s dream to come true just as his own had, some years before, when he earned a spot on the Express roster.

Percy didn’t dare ask to be put on the post trains, no matter how many times James urged him.

So—and this is a grave secret—James went behind his bunker, and asked FC1 for him.

Percy, despite his tiredness, was alight with happiness the next day. Literally seemed to be gliding an inch or two above the rails as he chuntered about the yard.

At this sight, James felt strange emotions that had never bubbled in his boiler before.

Pride in a good deed.

Deep affection.

Softness.

Unable to cope with all that, he promptly went off to shunt some tankers with unnecessary roughness, bitched at Henry for running by too noisily (“we’re steam engines, you Mogul mongrel! we don’t run quietly—” “aw, shove off, tunnel rat!”), insulted a clumsy porter, and then puffed off…

… now feeling much better, thank you.

P.S. Percy has named his favorite post vans. They are Roland, Claude, and Janine.