#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!

[the-fact-site]

Hormel Foods, the creator of SPAM, kept a file of the hatemail they received from US soldiers who had to eat the canned meat product while deployed overseas. #FACT

[mean-scarlet-deceiver]

[uselessalexis165]

tried making some ttte memes (351)

[agustinserrano62]

Spamcan confronting Dudley

Original sprites by CJ-The-Creator and Princess-Muffins (c)

[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? :)

[miko-the-fox]

[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!)

[duskstargazer]

[1978]

“I will say, I wasn't terribly surprised to see 199 broken down in the middle of the main line after all he'd said the night before.”

Cedric chuckled.

“And of course he didn't help move either train, and if he did, neither of us noticed.”

“Mm. So we've both had to partner up and constantly put up with a complete and utter imbecile in the past.” Cedric sighed.

“I do wonder if there's more I could have done.” Bear admitted. “I know Henry says not to beat myself up over it, but I can't help but feel that I should have been able to do more to deal with his prejudices.”

“Yea, no. Henry has the right of it. Some engines are just beyond help.”

“Oh god…” Bear growled under his breath.

“Hm? Oh.” Cedric grunted, following Bear’s gaze. “Speak of the devil.”

“I did, and here it is.” The Hymeck seethed as the individual of their discussion strode into the station. And he seemed no happier to see them.

“Ugh. You're still here, 7101?” Spamcan sneered.

“Ugh. You're still calling me that?” Bear retorted in a similar tone.

Cedric repressed a chuckle.

“Honestly, rubbing buffers with their kind.” Spamcan turned up his nose. “You haven't even put forth an attempt to displace those archaic smoke machines, have you?”

“Y'know, recently I was rethinking having given up on you completely. Thanks for reaffirming that I made the right choice.”

Cedric laughed. Spamcan went as red as a tomato and stormed off.

[guerrerense]

Bullied Express por Andrew Harrison Por Flickr: 34092 'City of Wells' SR West Country Class 4-6-2 East Lancashire Railway 11/08/2018 The Spamcan stands at Ramsbottom waiting to depart wearing full express train regalia. This picture was taken during a brief spell in the summer of 2018 when the locomotive was unusually turned to face toward Bury.

[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.

[uselessalexis165]

tried making some ttte memes (337)

[theburiedtruck]

Other than the obvious candidates - Alled Greedy and Spamcan - which engine do you think has the most "Pathetic Wet Cat" Energy?

I’d like to think the Blister twins on the Arlesdale have that sort of energy!