#ttte duke

[tired-ophidian]

~ Oldies but Goldies ~

What's better than one grandpuff? FOUR granpuffs !!!

Late again to the party but it's better than never!

I've been dragged into this fandom faster than the Fat Controller saying "Bother that telephone!" thanks to the wonderful @asktrio516

As you can see, I was inspired by her humanized TTTE au, and thus it got me out of my art block that got me finishing this piece a whole day. I tried replicating the art style but mashed my own in the end no matter how hard I tried. Anyway, here are the humanized versions of our favorite grandpuffs (+ my oc) since I didn't see them in her posts (unless I'm blind) but yeah... I'll make another one soon, with my own headcannons !!

Pls go check the original creator's works, they're stunning and very edible. And lemme know if I need to update my designs for them hehe /ps/ sorry for tagging u so suddenly :']

[sketalya]

✨The Narrow Gauge & Mr. Percival full ref's ✨

And of course some of my headcanons about them ;3🌹

(This is a little longer than before but I hope you like it :D)

1) Skarloey | 39 y.o | 165 cm

• One of the oldest on the railway, he was like a big brother to all the young narrow gauges.

• Extremely close to Rheneas, always talking about Rheneas everytime he wasn't around.

• Of course besides always talking about Rheneas, he likes to tell a lot of things and sometimes Rusty joins him for that. He's been on the Skarloey railway longer than anyone so he knows all the secrets and stories.

• Likes inviting his friends to drink tea together, sometimes inviting Mr. Percival for that even though he doesn't come often because of his busy schedule. Skarloey also likes to invite Edward just to chat casually and Edward always likes it when he comes to the Skarloey Railway.

• Afraid of thunder and storms but actually he is afraid of loud noises that startle him. He always hide in his room when that happened. He is also afraid of heights.

• People always thought he was wise but Skarloey himself always thought that Rheneas was wiser than him. Whenever he had a problem he would always ask Rheneas for advice.

• Everytimes the young narrow gauges were causing trouble, Skarloey was too tired to deal with it so he mostly told Rheneas about it and Rheneas is the one who will always handle that.

• He also considered Nancy as his best friend and he always allowed her to help him polish his engines.

2) Rheneas | 38 y.o | 165 cm

• Another big brother figure for the young narrow gauge. Always wants the best for the Skarloey Railway so sometimes he can be a little strict about it.

• And because of that, Sir Handel and Peter Sam liked to joke about him acting like a mother. Sometimes he was deliberately called mom by them whenever Rheneas advised them and it always annoyed him.

• Doesn't like it when his name is misspelled. Especially when Duncan and Sir Handel deliberately misspelled his name as "Rhene-ASS". But sometimes he's called "Remy" by Skarloey and he's okay with that.

• Has a pretty tough past and Skarloey is the person he considers his first friend. Doesn't like to talk about it except with Skarloey.

• Swear police number one. Always trying to cover Luke's ears whenever Duncan starts swearing.

• He can become overworked and even get sick because of it. He will really appreciate nap time.

• He never knew he could see ghosts and he always thought it was just a hunch, Rusty was the one who noticed it. Once accidentally saw Rusty talking to Boulder (FYI Boulder in my AU is a giant rock ghost where he will look like an ordinary large rock to the human eye but Rheneas can see its true form just like Rusty)

3) Sir Handel | 27 y.o | 163 cm

• Is the type of person who is unpredictable. Always think that he is the coolest among the others and will say it out loud.

• Wears shoes with wheels that can be lowered whenever he wants to use them. Rheneas and Skarloey always tried to warn him that it was dangerous to wear rollerskates on the railway but he never listened and he always to show it off.

• Always complaining if there is something doesn't go as he expected, it can make him act a bit rude.

• Sometimes makes trouble for his friends because of that, and he will feel sorry for that. (Still cause problems after that)

• Can be very competitive and vindictive.

• He considers Peter Sam as his brother. Peter Sam and Duke sometimes calls him "Falcon".

• When Luke officially joined them, Sir Handel was the one who was most happy about it. (That's because he's no longer the shortest one among them)

• Secretly loves romantic novels and always hopes that he is the main character. He also has a diary book that he keeps very secret.

• The reason why Mr. Percival always prefers to use his bicycle or ask Thomas to take him whenever he needs to go somewhere. (This is quite funny actually, maybe I'll tell you about this another time)

4) Peter Sam | 27 y.o | 170 cm

• The definition of looking like a cinnamon roll that will actually kill you. Always try to act good in front of Skarloey, Rheneas, and Luke but he can be such a troublemaker when he's with Sir Handel and Duncan. (Still a cinnamon roll)

• Whenever he was bothered by Sir Handel, he would always call him "shortie" to shut his mouth. (It works)

• Sometimes called "Stuart" by Sir Handel and Duke.

• Has a scar on his neck because of the trucks incident.

• Always acts like he doesn't like fairy tales or something but actually he likes them and always listens whenever Skarloey and Rusty start telling stories.

• One of the people who has met Proteus besides Rusty. But he forgot about it because Rusty erased his memory about it through his dreams.

• He really likes to eat and he always brings a large bag of food to work. He cooks it himself and doesn't mind sharing it with others. Sometimes brings snacks for Luke.

• Always confused about making decisions for himself so he's the one who always asked Skarloey, Rheneas, and Duke for advice very often.

5) Rusty | 25 y.o (Fake age) | 169 cm

• One of the most reliable on the railway, he can always fix anything so his friends always ask him for help with it and he doesn't mind helping.

• Just like Skarloey, he always likes to tell lots of things and his favorites are horror stories. He likes to scare Duncan and Peter Sam with it.

• He really likes relaxing classical music and sometimes he will borrow Duncan's headphones to listen to some music.

• He wasn't originally human, he was a ghost before and then being given a second chance to become mortal by Lady and Proteus. Narrow Gauge didn't know about this. And of course he can see ghosts.

• Has a special ability given by Lady and Proteus and that is dream control. He can make dreams and make it seem real when people are asleep, actually given this ability to help Lady and Proteus but sometimes he likes to use it for fun.

• Likes to experiment with it by giving dreams to his friends, although sometimes he accidentally gives them nightmares. The first person to know about his abilities was Skarloey but without them knowing, Sir Handel and Peter Sam overheard about it and of course because of that all the narrow gauges knew about his abilities even Mr. Percival. But they all thought it was cool and promised to keep it between themselves.

• At first he was afraid of Boulder's existence but then he got along quite well with it after that incident.

6) Duncan | 25 y.o | 172 cm

• The tallest among the narrow gauge.

• Worse than Sir Handel, he can be really stubborn and rude. Even Skarloey and Rheneas had quite a hard time dealing with his attitude. But somehow Rusty and Mr. Percival are patient enough to deal with it.

• Always acting tough but actually he can be soft without realizing it.

• Afraid of heights and of course ghosts. He really doesn't like it when Rusty deliberately tells him horror stories. He could have nightmares because of that.

• Has many piercings on his face and ears which are considered cool by Sir Handel and Luke.

• Really loves rock and heavy metal songs, always listening to them through the headphones he always carries. But Mr. Percival wouldn't let him use it while he was working because it will make it difficult for him to stay focus and it could cause problems.

• Very close with the twins Patrick and Pansy. Every time Mr. Percival took them both, he would play with them.

• Very adventurous, he will force Rusty to come with him whenever he finds somewhere interesting to explore.

• He liked to take Sir Handel and Peter Sam to race on the rail track with their engines.

• Also another reason why Mr. Percival always prefers to use his bicycle or ask Thomas to take him whenever he needs to go somewhere. (This relates to how unfocused Duncan can be if he has his headphones on while doing something)

7) Duke | 54 y.o | 167 cm

• He was the mentor of Sir Handel and Peter Sam. Highly respected by both of them and has been considered like a father figure to them.

• Even though he was very old, he refused to retire and decided to continue working on the railway.

• Called "Granpuff" by Sir Handel and Peter Sam. In fact he was still called that by other narrow gauges after moving to the Skarloey Railway.

• Always knows how to deal with the mischievous behavior of his two students. He never falls for any of their pranks and may even be the one who always beats them.

• The Duke actually has connections with the Lady and Proteus. When he was declared missing, he was not asleep for a long time but was actually helping Proteus with something and that because of Lady's request. (There's lore I made for this and it's related to my AU so maybe I'll tell you more about it another time)

• He was the one who gave the diary book to Sir Handel and taught Peter Sam how to cook.

• In his spare time, he really likes to ride around the railway and enjoy the beautiful views. It was really calming for him.

• Never take his glasses away from him. His view completely changed to 144p without it.

8) Luke | 22 y.o | 157 cm

• The youngest and also the shortest among the narrow gauges.

• Literally a cinnamon roll. She's so innocent, a little timid, and too kind. He was always treated like a little brother by the others which was quite cute.

• Having a phobia of the ocean, he actually tried to face his fear but was still unsuccessful due to his trauma.

• Whenever he had free time, he would go to the Steamworks to meet Victor, and because of that he became close friends with Kevin as well. Luke also still often meets Thomas and his best friend Millie.

• Has a deer as a pet and will sometimes take it with him to work.

• It's still quite difficult for him to trust people he just met, but it's different with the narrow gauge, he really trusts them with all his heart.

• Luke was very happy when invited to drink tea by Skarloey, take care of his deer with Rheneas, try roller skating with Sir Handel, eat snacks made by Peter Sam, going on an adventure in a dream made by Rusty when he was asleep, doing Rock n Roll with Duncan, listening to many stories from Duke, and even helping Mr. Percival is out of work.

9) Mr. Percival | 34 y.o | 185 cm

(Ok, this one is actually quite difficult for me because I didn't get much information about him either from ttte eps, wikifandom, and tumblr. So all of this is purely my imagination and how I view him. I hope it doesn't sound so ridiculous :D)

• If Duncan is the tallest among the narrow gauge then this man is much taller than Duncan. And that's why he likes to imagine the narrow gauge as 7 dwarfs. (But of course not to Duke because he respects Duke)

• Not like Sir Topham Hatt. Because his age is not much different from narrow gauge and even younger than Duke, Skarloey, and Rheneas. Mr Percival is also seen as a friend by them outside of work. And he really appreciated that.

• When he heard that Rusty could control dreams, he didn't believe it at first and he even challenged Rusty to give him nightmares. And after Rusty actually does it, he regrets his own request and then believes it. (He even asked Rusty not to tell about his dream to the others)

• Just like Duke, never take his glasses away from him. He would literally go blind without it.

• At first he seemed like a strict person but after being with narrow gauge for quite a while, he was actually quite a chill person. He even casually asked Sir Handel and Peter Sam to be in charge while he is away. (Even though he actually knew they would mess up)

• He doesn't have a hobby that he really likes so when he's not busy and bored, he likes to hang out and have fun with the narrow gauge. He thought that they were very random but that was part of the fun.

• Swear police number 2 after Rheneas, he will glare at Duncan when he starts swearing. He would even keep an eye on him when Duncan played with the twins.

• He always keeps his words professional and polite. But he won't hesitate to be sarcastic when he's annoyed or talking to someone he doesn't like.

• Personally, he doesn't really like driving by car and would prefer to use a bicycle. (And that was made worse after the incident that happened when he asked Sir Handel and Duncan to drive his car. Truly the worst decision he ever made)

• This man has a large collection of bicycles at home and even his children are like that because they follow their father. His wife Polly was doesn't surprised by it and couldn't do anything about it.

• He really doesn't like being seen as that stereotypical nerd just because people assume that he looks like that. Once Sir Handel and Duncan said that he looked like an "emo nerd" just because he wore glasses and always wore black. That really triggered him at that time.

• Has a pet dog which he named Perri, but she (the dog) hates him and only likes Mrs. Polly and the kids.

[vita940124]

Twitter meme

I thought it was very suitable so I drew it

[sirduck48]

I feel so bad for Skarloey when he is upset. His poor little face. I'll give him an enormous slice of chocolate cake to make him feel better.

I also headcanon that everyone immediately looks after Skarloey when he is upset and makes sure that he is alright. Rheneas brings him tea, Sir Handel brings him crisps (he tries. It does amuse Skarloey though, so it technically works), Peter Sam gives him a hug, Rusty has a positive pep talk with him, and Duncan pats him on the shoulder (he also tries, and Skarloey understands what he means). Skarloey appreciates it greatly.

The narrow gauge engines are like an unofficial family to me. Duke is the great-grandparent, Skarloey and Rheneas are the grandparents, Sir Handel and Duncan are the children, and Peter Sam and Rusty are the grandchildren. Luke is the great-grandchild that was taken in later.

[devilowls]

The Skarloey engines part 2

[railway323]

HAPPY NATIONAL TRAIN DAY!!!!

take some multi-colored trains

[traintrainingmontage]

Hard Worker

"Urgh, why do I have t' pull th' heaviest goods train?!" Duncan groused. "Like always, I have t' do th' hardest work!"

Skarloey simply laughed. "That's because you're the strongest engine we have, Duncan. You're the one best suited for the job."

"Mmmm..." Duncan made a discontented noise, but didn't bother complaining further. Skarloey was right, after all, and his ego didn't mind the praise.

"Alright, fine! But once the sun goes down, that's it! I'm off work, and I can't be asked fer more!"

Nearby, Duke gave a disgruntled humph. "Really now, Duncan. Such an attitude simply is not suitable. Why, if someone broke down--"

"So what!" Duncan sneered. "If they break down, and my work day's over, it's not my job t' help!"

Duke was about to retort, but he didn't have the time; instead, the older engine was interrupted by a weesh of steam as Duncan pulled out of the shed, off to begin his day.

"Can you believe that fool of an engine?!" Duke huffed as he watched Duncan pull away. "Such a selfish brat!"

"Now now, Duke," Skarloey gently chided. "Duncan may say those things now, but he's come a long way from the stubborn-screwed engine he used to be. He cares about every last one of us, even if he won't admit it."

"Tch," Duke scoffed. "I'd have to see it to believe it."

---

Much to Duncan's dismay, his work seemed to take forever. First, there was a delay while he was refilling his tank. Then, there was a delay as cattle had to be cleared from the tracks. Finally, loading his slate trucks took an eternity, and the dumb trucks themselves were no help, singing their songs and annoying the workers. By the time he was on his way back to Crovan's Gate, a long train of slate trailing behind him, the sun was halfway below the horizon.

"FINALLY!" Duncan groaned as the familiar roofs of Glennock came into view. "We're almost there!"

"That we are," Corrine, his driver smiled. "It's been a long day, but we'll be done soon."

"That's right!" Duncan grinned. "No more work fer me--"

Suddenly, a crackling came over the radio, startling both Duncan and his driver. The radios were still fairly new additions, and took some getting used to. "Attention all personnel, attention all personnel. Requesting the breakdown train at Glennock. No. 1 Skarloey has come off the rails. I repeat, No. 1 Skarloey has come off the rails. Requesting the breakdown train."

Corrine sighed. "Poor Skarloey. Hopefully someone will come for him soon."

For a long moment, Duncan didn't answer. Then, he heaved a quiet sigh. "I'll do it."

Corrine blinked at her engine in shock. "Really? But you were so determined this morning--"

"I know!" Duncan groaned. "But it's on our way anyway, and we've got workers in th' back comin' home from helpin' wit' the slate!" The engine frowned, making a face like he dared her to disagree with him. "'Sides, I know I don't have ta do it, but..."

He trailed off, but his driver smiled. "You don't need to justify yourself to me, Duncan. Let's go."

---

Duncan soon arrived with the breakdown train, finding a contrite Skarloey sitting just off the rails, a few trucks groaning loudly behind him. The old engine looked unsurprised to see him, giving a warm smile. "Ah, hullo, Duncan. Thank you for coming to help us even though your work day's over."

The younger engine sneered, but could tell that the comment held no heat. "Yeah, yeah. Just hurry up and set yerself right."

Once Skarloey had been placed back on the tracks and hooked up behind Duncan, he looked back at the long line of slate, then at the engine in front of him. His expression was thoughtful, eyes toward the sky as he looked like he was weighing whether to say something, but then decided to hold his tongue. Duncan raised an eyebrow, looking back at Skarloey. "What? If ye've got somethin' t' say, just say it!"

Skarloey gave a light little huff and a small smile. "Nothing. I just admire how you can pull me, the trucks, and all of this slate."

Duncan paused a moment, then let his gaze drift forward to the tracks ahead of him, wheels beginning to turn as he pulled his weight.

"Well, ye said it yerself. I'm the strongest we have. I can handle this much, y'know!"

Skarloey laughed cheerfully. "I do! I've known it all along!"

---

By the time they got back to the sheds, having unloaded Duncan's slate and gotten Skarloey settled so that he could be looked at tomorrow, the stars were out, twinkling elegantly, and the moon watched on through lazy lashes.

Despite the dim, though, the sheds were bright, alit with cheers at Skarloey's rescue.

"Well," Duke smiled, rolling up to fix Duncan with a merry grin. "It seems I was wrong about you, Duncan."

Duncan simply huffed in response. "I told you all already-- I was going that way when we got the call. Nothin' more to it!"

"Yes, yes," Duke chuckled. "Still, I owe you an apology. I'm sorry."

Duncan paused a moment, his expression uncertain, before finally giving a quiet "Mmhmm." and backing into his berth.

"What did I tell you, Duke?" Skarloey beamed from his own shed.

"Perhaps you're right, Skarloey," Duke chuffed. "He may not want to admit it... but he's got a good heart indeed."

[maxwellscorner]

Some studies I did last year, i think i'm getting how to draw them now that i'm comparing to my latest drawings?

Duke probably takes the cake as my fav of these

[unpopularvivian]

Incorrect Ttte Quotes 209:

The Narrow Gauge Gang When They Mess Up:

Luke: Uh oh!

Rusty: Shoot!

Peter Sam: Oops!

Rheneas: Crap!

Skarloey: Oh my god!

Duke: Curse this!

Sir Handel: Goddamn.

Duncan: FUCK-

[weirdowithaquill]

Traintober 2024: Day 31 - Dusk

Tidmouth Train to Hell:

Pip and Emma stared at the timetable, not quite sure what to make of it. “Why is there a massive gap?” Pip finally said, still trying to wrap her head around the odd space from dusk until the next day. “Oh, that’s a Halloween tradition,” replied Bear, looking over from his own train. “Every Halloween they put us all away early for some reason. Never quite understood why, but each to their own and all that!” Pip scoffed, while Emma looked more bemused than anything.

The High-Speed diesels were still new to Sodor, and had only been once before, on trial during the summer period. This was their first October on the Island of Sodor, and all month they’d been amazed to find that the engines were far more interested in the holiday and its various traditions than the mainland was. Particularly, it was extremely popular amongst the native Sudrian people, who had been performing several rituals and festivals since the start of the month.

Emma had been far more curious about the whole thing than her sister, and decided to ask one of the older engines, in hope of getting some information. “Well,” hummed Percy, “it’s a Gaelic thing. Sauin, I believe the Sudrians call it. It’s like Samhain up in Scotland, and is all about the end of the harvest season. I remember how much Sir Topham the First put emphasis on listening to the local Sudrians about how important the rituals and festivals were. For example, at the start of the month is the cleansing ritual; it’s a bit like a spring clean, but in autumn. It used to be when the men would go out and start chopping wood for winter according to Edward.” At that moment, the signal clunked up to show green, and Percy puffed away.

Pip snorted from her end of the train. “Asking about all these silly holidays again?” she asked. “They’re not silly!” protested Emma. “They’re—” “An excuse to get more days off work,” finished Pip crossly. “Now come on, we’ve got a train to pull.”

Pip and Emma ran the WildNorWester express to London, stopping only at Crovan’s Gate, Barrow and Preston. It meant the two were often the most out of the loop on all the important gossip of the railway, as they were over on the mainland and missed it. One such titbit of gossip the pair missed was the track repairs being done at Crovan’s Gate. On their return run a week later, Pip and Emma were stopped at the platform to wait while several old signals and a set of points were replaced.

Their repair shed had recently been completed and stood on one side of the line while the narrow gauge railway sat on the other, the mainline trapped between the two and the Works. Pip and Emma had been switched onto the wrong side of the line to avoid a massive section of missing track. This put Emma right next to the Skarloey Railway sheds, where Duke was resting. “Excuse me,” Emma called. “You’ve been on Sodor for a long time, Duke – do you know much about Sau---een?” “Sauin,” corrected Duke kindly. “And I certainly do. My old line used to run through the heart of old Sodor, so I learnt all about it.” “Not this again!” groaned Pip from the other end of the train. Duke and Emma ignored her.

“Sauin is a festival to celebrate the end of the harvest, the start of the winter season… and the point in time when the barrier between our world and the Otherworld is at its weakest. The month begins by preparing for winter and giving thanks to the sun, before pivoting to asking for protection from the winter gods and giving sacrifices to the ancestors as thanks for their guidance. Then, it ends with Sauin itself, which is better known as Halloween. People celebrate the wicked and supernatural, then stay indoors overnight with scriptures for protection painted on the doorway to ward off evil spirits. It’s said they begin to break out of the Otherworld at Dusk, and party in our world until midnight…” Duke broke off, looking contemplative. Emma wasn’t sure why, but she felt uneasy all of a sudden.

A group of people walked along the platform, offering blessings to the stranded passengers and burning incense. Pip refused to be blessed, and then the group made their way over to Emma and Duke.

“Ah, if you wouldn’t mind,” Duke said. A man stepped forward, painting a sigil on Duke’s forehead in red paint before waving the incense around him. Duke smiled warmly, his old eyes closing as he relaxed while the ritual was performed.

“Oooh, can you do me next please!” asked Emma. The group nodded. “Of course we can,” one said. “Explain it to Emma while you do,” Duke added. “She’s new, and this is her first Sauin.” The man stepped forwards, dipping his thumb in some more paint.

“Alright then Emma, I’m going to paint a sigil for protection on your forehead in Ancient Sudric, and then we’ll bless you with the incense.” A few of the more curious tourists wandered over to watch, intrigued by the ritual. The man painted the sigil in careful strokes on Emma’s forehead, and then several of the others walked around her as much as they could, waving the incense over her radiator grills and wheels.

“Thank you!” said Emma happily when they finished. “I… I actually feel better already.” “You should,” hummed Duke. “It’s a popular Ancient Sudrian tradition to get blessed prior to Sauin night – just in case you’re caught out after dusk.”

Pip just rolled her eyes down at her end of the train.

Emma asked a few more questions while they waited, before finally deciding to broach a topic she’d been unsure of since she’d begun asking around about Sauin. “Why is the timetable completely empty on Sauin night?” she asked. Duke frowned. “I said everyone stays inside, so why would anyone want to take the train?” “What about tourists, or goods?” quizzed Emma. “This is Sodor – there’s always another reason.” “You’re… not wrong,” sighed Duke. “Every Halloween, a train runs from the Rolling Bridge to Tidmouth. It’s on no timetable, and has no schedule. Some engines assert it leaves at dusk, while others suggest it crosses the island in the blink of an eye. What is known about this train is that it arrives at Tidmouth at exactly midnight… and continues on through the buffers.” “Through the buffers?!” squeaked Emma. “What, do they crash the train on purpose?” “Oh no,” sighed Duke. “It’s a train to the Otherworld – though some of the workers call it the ‘Tidmouth Train to Hell’. It’s pure black from one end to the other, and absolutely no one is allowed to set eyes on it.”

“What happens if someone does?” asked Emma, spooked. Duke sighed. “Well – a man was walking along the line in ’37 when he saw it. He was found a gibbering wreck on the trackside, white as a ghost and shivering like mad. He spent the rest of his life in a mental asylum, poor chap.”

Emma winced; at that moment, the signal turned green, and the two High-Speed twins were cleared to go. The passengers hurried back aboard, and the twins set off.

“It’s poppycock,” sniffed Pip as they rocketed along. “Ooooo, be afraid of ‘The Tidmouth Train to Hell’. Duke’s trying to have you on. I bet if you ask a sensible engine like Henry or Gordon they’ll tell you it never happened!”

Pip was proven very wrong. Emma decided to ask the pair that very night, and to Pip’s surprise they immediately confirmed Duke’s story.

“Oh, old Jefferies,” hummed Gordon. “Duke told you about him? I’m surprised he didn’t use one of the earlier cases – when I arrived, people still didn’t believe in it, and we’d find three or four every Halloween stumbling about the line screaming and gibbering and acting like lunatics. I remember very vividly Glynn going down the line and picking them all up in a compartment coach so they could be kept separate and brought to the hospital safely. By the end of the 20s, every had learnt better than to be out on Halloween. Sir Topham always ensured that we were in our sheds on that night too, and his son and grandson have both followed his example.”

Pip and Emma were both stunned!

“So… it’s real?” asked Emma slowly. “It’s very real,” Henry said grimly. “I’ve seen a peek of it through the shed windows. It’s a frightening thing, let me tell you! All black, with great red headlamps and it’s puffs sound like screams. We all stay in here and tell ghost stories and try not to think about it. And I’d suggest you do the same – I know you’ve got the last train of the day. Do not be late getting here.”

Emma agreed that she definitely was going to be on time, and even Pip seemed nervous.

The week went by, and the two new engines watched as more and more Sauin festivals were held. These were less and less about the harvest, and more and more about the oncoming winter and the spirits. A number of the native Sudrians and older engines began to have protection sigils painted on their foreheads when they went out; Duke was joined by Skarloey, Rheneas, Thomas, Edward, Henry and Gordon within a few days. Donald and Douglas, who’d learnt about Samhain back in Scotland, had their own sigils written in Scottish Gaelic. Duck and Oliver got their own Scottish sigils written in support of their friends.

All around them, Pip and Emma watched as Sodor prepared for Sauin night. Hotels filled to capacity, with large parades held celebrating the spirits in several of the bigger towns and cities.

And then finally, Halloween came. The day was incredibly slow, with barely any passengers at all riding with the railway. Pip and Emma wondered if it was worth pulling their train at all – at least, until they set out on their last express of the day. It was packed.

“Why are there so many?!” exclaimed Emma. “We’re going to be barely able to hold them all!” “It’s everyone heading to the mainland to avoid Sauin night,” James said, puffing in. “You’ll be hard pressed with this many – I think it’s cause there was a fog warning put out earlier; no one wants to be caught out past dusk with that in place. Spirits and fog? No thank you!”

James steamed away to shunt his coaches into their siding, while Pip and Emma prepared to head off. It was a struggle setting off. Every single seat was filled, and a number of others stood in the corridors, making the trip extremely difficult. Even more piled on at Crovan’s Gate, where almost all the Skarloey engines had already been hidden away in their shed. Emma watched the slowly descending sun with worry.

“If we get held up on the mainland even once, we’re not going to be back for dusk,” she fretted. “We’ll be fine,” replied Pip. “Worst comes to worst, we’re a little late. ‘The Tidmouth Train to Hell’ isn’t a threat to us.”

Oh how wrong Pip was.

The big sheds at Tidmouth were filling to capacity rapidly. The usual crowd had filed in, as had Edward, BoCo, Thomas, Percy, Toby and Daisy. The sheds were so full that the tank engines had to share a road between two of them; Duck and Oliver on one line and Percy and Toby on another. The scripts had been painted on the doors, and the storm shutters rolled down on the windows. Daisy huffed grumpily, glaring out at the yards as thick fog and mist wafted in. “I hate having to spend the night here, it’s so bad for my swerves!” “Oh belt up!” groaned Thomas. “It’s better than being out there – no one wants to be out there.” “Speaking of out there, where are Pip and Emma?” asked Gordon. “Dusk is in half an hour, and they aren’t back.”

Edward, sat on the turntable, winced. “I heard they had a full train leaving Tidmouth. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve been waylaid. Let’s just hope the stationmaster at Barrow parks them there for the night.”

Pip and Emma would have no such luck. The pair were late leaving London and Preston, filled up once again with people wanting to get home for the holiday – but the platform at Barrow was deserted. The fog had truly begun to set in, leaving long shadows where none should be.

“You can’t stay here,” the stationmaster said grumpily. The sun was beginning to sink over the horizon. “There’s no space, and you’re not a Northern engine anyway. Go back to Sodor.”

Pip and Emma both tried to argue – but it was no use. At least the lack of passengers meant they didn’t need to wait around. The pair roared out of Barrow, trying their best to claw back time from the setting sun. Dusk was coming fast: too fast. The fog was willing it on faster, thick cloud cover blocking out part of the sun and making it increasingly harder to see.

Vicarstown flew by, followed by Henry’s tunnel and then Crovan’s Gate. Clear signals guided them through each station, the two honking their horns loudly. It was almost as if they were heralding the dusk, trying their best to make it back home before night came. Dark figures watched their progress from deep in the shadows, hiding where neither twin could really see them. “Faster Pip, faster!” called Emma. “I’m giving it all I can!” called back Pip.

Finally, Tidmouth came into view, one door still rolled up for them. Pip and Emma were quick to back through it, the door slamming down behind them just as the last rays of the sun vanished over the horizon, leaving behind only the fog.

“Cutting it close there,” said Gordon darkly. Both Pip and Emma winced. “We were held up on the mainland… a lot. And then the stationmaster at Barrow wouldn’t let us stay there.”

Gordon huffed. “Stupid man – he’s got no sense. Why, the other day!—”

He was cut off by James shushing him. The two shot glares at each other, before allowing Edward to pick up his story again.

The old engine wove stories throughout the next few hours, telling tales of twisted grins and haunting ghouls heralded by owls, of spirits sent to help and those sent to destroy. The engines relaxed, enjoying the night even as the hours ticked on. Pip and Emma could have fooled themselves into thinking it was just another horrible storm trapping all the engines in the shed.

That is, until a most horrific sound pierced through the air, shattering Edward’s story and leaving all the engines deathly silent. The clock showed a minute to midnight. The sound came again, a ghastly howling and screeching and moaning that seemed to work its way into the engines’ frames and bury itself there, leaving them all shaking. The doors and windows began to rattle and shake, as if hundreds of people were banging on them, trying to pry them open.

“Out after dusk!” they howled. “They were out after dusk!” Pip and Emma began to shake, terrified.

Another ear-piercing whistle filled the air, made of even more tortured howling and screeching. Then came the screams. As the engine thundered towards Tidmouth, each beat of its cylinders sounded like the screams of the damned. The entire shed seemed to shake, as the horrific banging and rattling continued.

“Out after dusk! Out after dusk! They belong to us! They belong to us!” Pip and Emma quivered, petrified. The other engines looked equally terrified – all except Edward. As the cacophony reached a peak, he took a deep breath.

“You are not welcome inside. We are protected. This shed has been blessed; these engines have been blessed. You are not welcome inside!”  

“ONE HAS NOT!” boomed the creatures outside. Pip gasped – she had refused the blessing!

The engine grew nearer; time seemed to slow. Edward took a level breath, and spoke again.

“You are not welcome inside. We are protected. This shed has been blessed; these engines have been blessed. You are not welcome inside!”  

“ONE HAS NOT!” came the furious reply. Before Edward could speak again, there was a horrendous roar and scream of whistles, brakes and steam – the Tidmouth Train to Hell had arrived. It roared past, it’s red lamps illuminating against the doors. The shed walls groaned, as if nearly at braking point. The windows rattled harder, dents being made it the metal. Daisy shrieked and fainted.

Thomas began praying under his breath in one language; the twins did the same in a different one. The train sped into the station, thundering towards the buffers. One dent slammed against the glass of the window next to Pip, cracking the glass. A gnarled nail pierced through the shutter.

“You are not welcome inside. We are protected. This shed has been blessed; these engines have been blessed. You are not welcome inside!”  Edward thundered again, his eyes darting over to the shutter.

The train hit the buffers.

The creatures outside let out a chorus of tortured screams. They were in agony, ripping away from the sheds and howling in pain. The nail was torn from the shutter, giving Pip just enough space to see dark figures writhing on the ground.

The clock ticked over; a new day began. The creatures let out one last screech. The floor seemed to open up around them, hellflames licking up at the night fog and illuminating the entire night in a sea of blood red. The creatures screaming and screeched, dragged downwards and suffocated in the earth before they could be scorched alive by the flames.

And then there was silence.

“Oh…” managed Pip softly.

Everyone looked shaken. Edward sighed softly, and looked over at the twins. “The last time an engine was out after dusk and wasn’t blessed was in 1916, during the war,” he said quietly. “Thomas mightn’t remember it – but I do. It was a loaned engine who told us all that Sauin was stupid… that is, until the creatures of hell surrounded the sheds and began demanding we give him over. Glynn kept trying to keep them out, but he slipped up. The engine’s shed door was ripped open suddenly, and he was… dragged out. We never say what pulled him out – but whatever it was bent that door open like it was a tin can and shoved it back down afterwards. We all heard the loaned engine’s screams as it was given to the creatures and torn piece from piece…”

Edward paused, and gazed at the shed doors, looking wary.

“It’s said that engine became the Tidmouth Train to Hell, crossing the island and giving the spirits and creatures time to roam free before arriving in Tidmouth and condemning them all back to hell, to make sure none can inflict that fate on another.”

He finished his story and looked around the silent room. Daisy was still unconscious, and it was a miracle none of the others had followed. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the dent shutter and cracked window, a stark warning of how close the creatures got.

No one slept that night.

And suffice to say, Pip and Emma were never late again on Sauin.

Back to the Master Post

[duskstargazer]

[1969]

Duke shifted uncomfortably on his springs as he waited at the station. He glared up at the massive glass canopy as Mother Nature once again proved him right. A light drizzle had started, but darker clouds casted a permeating ultramarine haze across the horizon. They were in for a nasty storm.

But it wasn’t the oncoming downpour that had Duke ill at ease. He was reflecting on his conversation with St- Peter Sam and Rusty.

“I’m better than this.” He grimaced. “What would His Grace say if he saw me growing so restless, even around…”

He paused.

“No. Rusty… Rusty isn’t that. They aren’t…” His breath hitched.

The deep puffing of a standard-gauge engine broke Duke of his thoughts.

“Having a moment, are you?”

Duke looked up at the colossal blue engine. Gordon’s words sounded nonviolent, but the little old engine had been around this side of Sodor long enough to take what the big engine said with a grain of salt.

“I will admit, I am… more tense than I’d like to be.” Duke admitted, slowly.

“Do you at least know what you’re tense about?”

“Do you know a narrow-gauge diesel engine named Rusty?”

Gordon’s eyes hardened. “You aren’t taking a dislike to diesels too, are you?”

“I would never.” Duke replied, flatly. “Looking down on another engine simply for the manner in which their system operates is the pinnacle of immaturity.”

“So, what is your problem with them?”

“It isn’t to do with Rusty. No, my …unease… comes from probably before they were even built.”

Gordon paused, taking the smaller engine’s words in. He thought back on stories about the old engine, from both railwaymen and other engines. “Do you mean…” he asked in a considerably softer tone, “during the war?”

Duke’s silence said it all.

“If that is the case, I suggest you make peace with it before it wears you out completely.” Gordon glanced down at his running plate, where his Gresley smokebox saddle joined up with the irregular running plate. Below, it was all Stanier.

“If I may be blunt,” Duke replied, “that’s easier said than done.”

“Oh, I’m aware. It took me a good few years to come to terms with how the war left me. But it’s something all us veterans deal with, whether we like it or not.”

The guard’s whistle sounded a moment later, and Gordon charged out of the shelter of the station, and towards the oncoming storm. Duke braced to follow, hoping he could clear the storm within his own smokebox.

[tired-ophidian]

Away from the kids...

Shhh they're taking a break.

ashdhjrsgdfr finally done 😭😭 here's my 20+ followers special! totally didn't procrastinate this for a week haha... srsly tho, where did y'all come from?

anygays, thank you all so much for the support, literally the motivation I have—apart from the brainrot—to keep making content for these silly old train men.

and for that have these bonus charts for good measures!

as always, stay hydrated and have a good morning, noon and night everyone! <333

[sketalya]

Some Narrow Gauge memes based on my headcanons in my previous post

[vita940124]

Updated my SR designs！！！🚂

I thought about it for a long time and finally decided to modify my designs, the main reason is there were obvious defects in some parts of the previous designs

And of course some of my hcs about them🙌🙌

[edwards-exploit]

Sir Handel Takes On Puzzles

[steam-beasts]

Ok, so I've become curious about everyone's opinion on this; how would each TTTE character CANONICALLY react to their ships or art of them as a human? By that I mean from the actual TV series, specifically Season 18 to 21. Reply with your opinions or reblog

Edward after seeing a picture of him and James smooching;