#spamcan

[visionarylocomotiveworks]

"So with 7101 growling in front, and Henry gamely puffing in the middle, the long cavalcade set out to the next big station."

From book 23: Enterprising Engines, based off of probably the most beloved Railway Series story to never get adapted for TV - Super Rescue!

[pearlyscribbles]

I lined and coloured the same sketch of Spamton over and over because I have mental illness

[uselessalexis165]

tried making some ttte memes (351)

[rungian]

[anonymousboxcar]

Spamcan/D199 Headcanons & Analysis

While writing this fic and replying to folks’ lovely comments, I thought a lot about Spamcan and what makes him distinct to me. I feel like he’s different from the other rude diesel antagonists.

In my opinion, what sets him apart is that he has a companion. Bowler and Old Stuck Up arrive alone while Spamcan shares his trial with Bear. He also says “we” and “our controller” to Bear. There’s familiarity between them; he thinks of themselves as a package deal.

Bear validates this: “Shush! It’s their railway.” He doesn’t agree with Spamcan’s bigotry, but he still calls the NWR “their” railway. He’s aligning himself along lines of “us and them,” suggesting he and Spamcan are on the same “side” to some degree. He also considers themselves a package deal, even if he’s frustrated with it.

So how did these two become acquainted?

Well, Bear is a diesel-hydraulic engine — a type BR declares non-standard. Spamcan is a diesel-electric, safe for now from the cutter’s torch, but Bear’s position is much more fragile.

Considering what we see of Spamcan, he doesn’t seem like he’d befriend Bear for altruistic reasons. Yet he still refers to himself and Bear as a “we.” He even worries about what Bear thinks of him after he breaks down with his oil tankers.

And that’s what I think is at the root of this. Spamcan doesn’t care about Bear, but about what Bear thinks of him. He cares about maintaining a self-image that convinces Bear to stay with him, to keep following him.

Spamcan wants Bear to be dependent upon him.

I imagine their dynamic on BR was Spamcan demanding Bear’s loyalty in exchange for protection. And by protection, I mean dumping his work on Bear with the excuse of keeping him “out of sight, out of mind” from their controller. Bear didn’t have any better options, so he went along with it. Now he’s at the end of his rope.

But my pre-canon musings aside, do you see what I’m getting at? Spamcan’s one manipulative son of a gun!

He utilizes Bear’s threatened status to keep him close, to have someone who backs up what he says. His use of chummy plural pronouns is a strategy to wear down Bear’s sense of individuality. He tries to create camaraderie while also diminishing him, reducing him to a satellite in his orbit.

Spamcan is arrogant and boastful, but he has a degree of subtlety, too. That’s something that Bowler and Old Stuck Up never managed. The fact they came alone on their trials suggests they don’t have any followers or “friends” of their own, any of Spamcan’s finesse.

But you know who does manage some of that finesse? Diesel.

I like to think that Spamcan hears the story of Diesel’s trial. To him, it’s clear that Diesel worked the best when he flattered other engines and made himself indispensable to them. Messing with the trucks backfired in the end, but Spamcan would never do such a foolish thing. He can do one better than Diesel.

It’s not Spamcan’s plan to go to Sodor — he would rather stay on a “modernized” railway — but he figures it’s his duty to spread modernization. Like a “good diesel,” he volunteers himself with Bear for the trial. The Sodor engines will be on guard now, so who better to go with him than the fellow diesel to which he made himself invaluable? It’ll ensure someone has his back in hostile territory.

Spamcan’s miscalculation is in assuming that Bear will be grateful for recommending him to go on trial, winning him more points with him. But on BR, Bear was vulnerable. Now that he’s on Sodor, he has a chance of getting to safety. He doesn’t need Spamcan’s protection.

And every time Spamcan tries to appeal to him, he’s showing himself at his nastiest. Bear’s personal morals aside, if Spamcan hates “outdated” steam engines, how long will it be before he turns on “non-standard” diesels? How long will it be before Bear stops being useful to BR and to Spamcan?

When Bear tells Spamcan to shut up, he loses his only support right as he makes enemies out of every steam engine on this island. He’s alone and it’s all his own fault, all because he assumed he could manipulate his way out of any situation.

In that way, Spamcan isn’t too different from the other rude diesel antagonists. He fails because he’s arrogant and discriminatory. He fails because our protagonists resist swollen egos and prejudice where they see it.

But I like to think I’ve made a decent case for the ways he is different. I think he’s a bit subtler, a bit more manipulative than the others, even if he’s no more successful. What do you guys think? :)

[the-time-lord-oracle]

It's interesting to note that ERTL was the only Thomas & Friends merchandise line to do both 7101 and 199 from the untelevised RWS story Super Rescue. Hornby did 7101, while Wooden Railway and Take Along both did 199, but only ERTL did both diesels.

[thechaddyengine]

Arthur got a bit hungry, so he grabbed a bite to eat lol

(And yea, i gave him a tuff of hair on him, I think it looks neat on him)

[edwardthomasnw]

D199 seems to have received a fictional variation of BR Corporate Blue

None of the actual 'Peaks' (as the 44s/45s/46s are collectively nicknamed) had the Double Arrow logo in the middle of the bodyside, being on the cabsides instead with numbers on the bodyside by the cab doors.

23 45s were repainted Blue in '66 at Toton, with numbers on the cabside (as with D199) but no BR logo at all. Most of those had the Small Warning Panels on the nose ends (as shown below), with one gaining the Full Yellow Ends.

Also of note is his roof and bufferbeams.

The only one to receive that combination (far as I can tell) was 45114 following an E exam at Toton - in 1979.

Suppose that fits D199 though, what with him being six on from the actual last of the type. Maybe his batch (D194 - D199) received that variant when repainted at their depot, like the Toton lot did.

info mainly from Peak Diesel Archive & Derby Sulzers (head down to 'Class 45/46 livery details' on the latter - quite a ways down!)

[5yn]

I think Cedric should get out of the Trails series and never show up again because he's been reincarnated as a character from one of the Thomas and Friends fanmade seasons. Maybe he can be Spamcan.

[weirdowithaquill]

I remember going to the museum the last four images are from! That's Spamcan, not Old Stuck Up (I mean, they're both just one-story diesels, so I get it) - and for some reason the museum gave him a redemption arc? He did a whole bunch of redeeming himself by doing... his job? I can't remember.

Duncan was made out of a cane locomotive inside the museum if I recall correctly...

Day Out With Thomas: Creepy Australian Edition Supplementary

This is supposed to be ‘Henry’… only thing they got right is the wheel configuration and color.

Still better than CGI Henry…

Donald looks a bit haunted…

Donald actually looks ok… they have Old Stuck Up which is interesting, Lady looks like she disapproves of public displays of affection spicier than holding hands and ‘Thomas’ looks like a failed attempt at an Extended Universe Character…

[railwaysparrow]

As Spamcan backed down into the carriage shed scoft as he saw the sea right beside him.

"Pah!" he grumbled "All this sea air will rust my wheels off!" The coaches could only laugh at the grumpy diesel as they set off.

[clancy14guy]

Old Stuck-Up (My TTTE AU)

Ok, I know that in the RWS book called "James and the Diesel Engines" in 1984, the same year that the TVS, the G1 Transformers cartoon and also when a BR Class 46 diesel crashed into a nuclear flask, Old Stuck-Up is a BR Class 40 and is numbered "40125", but in my universe, he's a BR Class 55 and numbered "55007" also, he is still also one of the arrogant Mainland diesels A.K.A….. the Mainland Gits next to Diesel 261 "Bowler", Diesel 199 "Spamcan" and Diesel 6975 "Lumpy" also, he is really and very pompous, rude and arrogant like a lot of unfriendly diesels, and believes that steam power is inferior to diesel power while also being highly stubborn as he refused to go further into the shed where the steam engines rest. He soon made himself an enemy of the steam engines, particularly a pissed-off James who christened the nickname "Old Stuck-Up" and began his rant about diesels. BoCo, who was showing the diesel round, lost patience with him, the next day when he wakes up the next day, remembers he has to refuel and be cleaned. In the part of the shed where BoCo alongside Bear, Derek, Western and Goyle sleep is a cleaning stop. The diesel decides to use it, but goes forward too quickly, slips on the oily tracks the 5 diesels stood and crashes into the back of the shed. After a stern talking to by the Fat Controller for insulting the North Western Railway, the diesel then goes home in disgrace, never to return

[askyoungiron]

All right, since we're picking on one of the big engines of Sodor why don’t we pick on the other one Haha~ Does Henry have anyone?

HENRY: Not really. That Rebecca's pretty cute though.

JAMES: Henry likes the Spamcan!

HENRY: Maybe I do, never really thought her that way though.

[uselessalexis165]

tried making some ttte memes (337)

[stories-of-the-nrm]

The Prince And The Pauper

Everyone got on well with Flying Scotsman except Henry. Henry was jealous. Despite his struggles, he wasn't nearly as respected as the Flying Scotsman. Henry pulled passengers and heavy goods and had to survive a complete rebuild. In his eyes, the Flying Scotsman hasn't done nearly enough to be respected as much as he has.

"Tenders are marks of distinction," he complained. "Everybody knows that. Why's he got two?"

Even though he knows why Flying Scotsman is famous, it still doesn't explain why he's the only engine to have two tenders. In his eyes, he can't acknowledge Flying Scotsman's celebrity status.

"I never boast, but I always work hard enough for two. I deserve another tender for that."

"Henry," Duck asked innocently, "would you like my tenders?"

"Yours!" exclaimed Henry. "What have you got to do with tenders?"

"All right," said Duck. "The deal's off. I'm only a tank engine, so I don't really understand tenders. Perhaps James might..."

"I'm sorry I was rude," said Henry hastily. "How many tenders have you, and when could I have them?"

"Six, and you can have them this evening."

"Six lovely tenders," chortled Henry. "What a splendid sight I'll be!" That'll show the others the sort of engine I am!"

Meanwhile, word had gone round, and the others waited where they could get a good view. Henry was cheered to the echo when he came, but he wasn't a splendid sight. He had six tenders, true, but they were very old and very dirty. All were filled with boiler sludge!

"Ha ha ha ha ha," laughed the engines. To make matters worse, the Flying Scotsman was laughing at him as well. Instead of looking down on him, he laughs at Henry as if he was a peer. Henry had made a big mistake.

"How do you fancy your six tenders, Henry?" asked Duck. But Henry was so embarrassed, that he said nothing. He simply slinks out of the siding with the trucks of boiler sludge until he was able to uncouple from the train.

"Oh dear! I was so silly to pull such dirty objects. Especially in front of the Flying Scotsman!" Henry wailed. "To think the Prince of the steam engines saw me in such a state. It's bad enough that I was made of stolen plans, but to see me pull something so vulgar? Why that's just despicable!"

Henry continued to moan and groan about his plight. Unbeknownst to him, his regulator malfunctions.

"Bother!" Henry complained. "Whatever will happen next? Now they'll laugh at me again. I'm a 'failed engine'!"

His driver starts to send Henry down the line in reverse. He reached a signal box and stopped, not realizing that two diesels have broken down on the other line.

"My goodness," Henry gasped. "What happened here?"

7170 groans, "Spamcan here has broken down. Sir Topham Hatt had asked me to help, but I broke down too. Can you help us, Henry?"

Henry tries to say no, but his driver intervenes. "Moving two 'dead' diesels and their trains? That's no joke for a 'failed' engine. D'you think you can do it?"

"I'll have a good try," Henry says sighing. He gently buffered up to the train. So, with 7101 growling in front, and Henry gamely puffing in the middle, the long cavalcade set out.

When he got to the next station, he was shocked to see the Flying Scotsman waiting. "Well done!" he exclaimed.

Henry can't help but blush as he's uncoupled from the train and tries to roll into a siding.

"You know, I never quite caught your name. But what you did today really showed those diesels a thing or two."

Henry stares in shock. The Flying Scotsman is actually talking with him. Despite his embarrassing situation not even a few hours ago, Flying Scotsman was willing to speak to him with respect. Perhaps he was wrong about judging the Flying Scotsman.

"I-I'm Henry," he says stuttering.

The Flying Scotsman takes in the sight of Henry. "How on earth did an LMS Stanier Class 5 end up on Sodor?"

Henry is left speechless. He wasn't aware of the horrific nature the Mainland possessed regarding the treatment of engines. Therefore, he had no idea of the significance this interaction will be.

"I wasn't originally built to be one," Henry explains. "I had a horrible crash in 1935. Instead of trying to repairing me, I was sent to Crewe. Because Sir Topham Hatt had connections to William Stainer, he had me rebuilt with this design."

If he could nod, the Flying Scotsman would do so as a means to acknowledge what Henry is saying. "So what was your original design if your controller had deemed it unreliable?"

Henry takes a breath saying, "I was made from stolen plans. They were supposed to be a prototype for the GNR Gresley A1."

Flying Scotsman's "jaw" drops. "You? You were supposed to our predecessor?"

Henry can see that the Flying Scotsman's taken aback. "No. The plans were deemed a failure as my firebox was too small. It wasn't until after I was built that they realized their mistake."

"My goodness!" the Flying Scotsman gasps. This is a lot to take in. "To think if your plans weren't originally rejected, you would've been our predecessor. Why you're even older than my brother, Gordon. How on earth did you survive?"

"Not that long after I was built, I was pawned off to Sir Topham Hatt. He needed a heavy goods engine for cheap and got me instead. I was given chance after chance to prove my worth despite my small firebox."

The Flying Scotsman whistles with joy. "Cheers! You really are an enterprising engine. Keep up the good work."

He rolls out of the station and into the night as Henry watches on in amazement. The Flying Scotsman had acknowledged his worth and determination.

"For an engine of his status, he actually has taste. Finally, someone can see how useful I am!" Henry beamed. No more angsting over his failed design. Henry is THE enterprising engine. And he hopes to stay that way in the Flying Scotsman's eyes.

AN: Thank you @klein-sodor-bahn for requesting this one shot.

Tagging: @nelllia, @gordon208, and @glitterking599.

[anonymousboxcar]

For Traintober 2023, Day 31: “Lights Out” ———— While awaiting their repairs in the works, Henry reassures D7101. He doesn’t expect D7101 to repay the favor so soon.