#ttte headcanons

[cerenemuxse]

Human!2x5 getting married HCs

very long.

for age reference, Edward's in his early 40s while James is in his mid-30s (8yr age difference). takes place in future modern day (2030s)

for the ceremony, they wear suits. Edward's is cream white with cerulean and navy accents. James' is like a VERY dark, almost black, navy with red and pink accents.

its a small (as they could get it to be) outdoor spring wedding.

They have matrons of honor AND best person. Edward's maid of Honor is Emily and his best men is BoCo and Duck. James' maid of Honor is Jasmine and he has two best men, Donald and Douglas.

Edward's party consists of all his sisters. that's it lul

James' party consists of Gordon, Henry, and Rosie. it's pretty small lul

ok so- they both walk down the aisles. its a different layout. one walks in from one side while the other walks in from the other, meeting at the center

originally, Edward was a little embarrassed by the idea, but he arrives at his aisle on Callum, his (2nd) Clydesdale horse. It was James' idea. That's why its outdoors HEHE

"what's their wedding so-" THIS

(piano for James and violin for Edward)

Edward cut off contact with his parents after they kicked him out so his twin sisters are the ones walking him down the isle.

Doesn't really have a dad (Emily's parents divorced shortly after he was adopted) so Mama Sterling walks him down the aisle, along with Jasmine <33

THE RING BEARERS ARE JACQUELINE AND THOMAS WITH THE (SOON TO BE) FAMILY CAT, SOPHIE 💥

For the wedding reception, they basically swap color schemes, wearing each other's colors ✨ they wear weddings veils covered in flowers designated (so Ed's are for himself and the same goes for James), but both have white roses. (i wanna design these and their ceremony suits someday 👉👈)

Both floral schemes share daisies (loyal love).

Edward's floral scheme is chamomile (patience) and delphinium (big-heartedness + ardent attachment).

James' floral scheme is amaryllis (splendid beauty, pride, worth beyond beauty) and gladiolus (strength of character, faithfulness, and honor).

newlyweds' first dance was this. a fast paced dance to get them going for the night 💃💃 this was one where others were allowed to join in.

The playlist is a mix of 1970s-2000s and jazz. The jazz was for some of the elderly folk (and James, my beloved jazz enjoyer).

slow dances were occasionally thrown in so they could rest. Edward's leg injury from years ago got the best of him in recent years so now he has a cane. helpful when his injury starts to tire him out. speaking of which, it was decorated for the occasion, covered in vines (made of wire) and fake flowers

since the parent situation is mixed with both of them, its more like a group dance. Edward dances with his sisters while James dances with his family, adopted and bio. (Emily, Mama Sterling, Donald, Douglas, and Jasmine.) the more elegant of all the dances that night

then comes in the "father-child" dances. (try not to cry challenge: impossible)

it was chaotic. they were playing something from like the 1990s to 2000s. probably fucking Backstreet Boys or something, idk but that's the idea.

father-child(ren) dance took them out for a bit. they were also wearing heels. low heels but still enough.

both kept laughing as they tried to feed each other cake so they smudge some of it on each other.

the photographs are like those photos in dark places and the only lighting you get is from the camera's flash. it was all Polaroids, btw. James and Edward would later scrapbook them <3

the speechs were held for the end as that's when the energy is low and there would be less interruptions, considering who was present (a bunch of loud teens LMAO)

everyone cried and laughed at least once.

donald and douglas was pretty cheesy. teased James for a bit but ended it with a loving note about how happy they are their little adopted brother. Had james in tears.

Jasmine followed right after. she was happy to have been able to reconnect with her younger brother after decades of being separated

Jacqueline's really was the kicker for him though. (TLDR: these two have been attached ever since James adopted her after watching her during a foster care program. she was around 7 when adopted, an age that most people would avoid when adopting.)

Henry and Gordon's was similar (context: they met in HS at music competitions. Henry is Gordon's half-brother, attending the same school. James attended their rival school and the rest is history). Teased him but ended on an unusual heartfelt note.

Edward did not escape the flood of tears. His adopted kids, Thomas, Percy, and Nia, did their speech together, followed by his sisters, BoCo, and Duck. was a crying mess (in a good way) from the start.

Emily ends the speeches by telling how they all met, and the "everyone but you two knew that you crushed on each other" story of those two from her perspective. had everyone laughing, including those two.

James was the one to throw the bouquet but like tradition, both he and Edward didn't look over to who it was. he might've accidentally smacked Gordon with it, who was dating Rebecca at the time. BOY did James and Edward have a field day over that HAHA-!

once its over, they clean up and go home, both of them taking Callum back to McColls (that's where Callum is homed since Ed and Jim live in apartments. planning to move out into a house in Wellsworth tho). they planned their honeymoon to be a few days later so they could rest from the thrilling but exhausting day they had. they emotionally (/pos) and physically tuckered out from the event haha-

knocked the fuck out once they got home, crashing onto the sofa.

and now they're husbands <33

[thunderxleafart]

Donald and Douglas, affectionately known as "The Scottish Twins", are rational, peppery and proud!

I had a lot of fun with the previous drawing of Duck, and y'all seemed to really like it too, so here's another human AU doodle for y'all! <3 This time of my oh-so-beloved Scottish twins!! I absolutely adore designs where they have freckles so ofc I had to give them freckles!! <3 Plus they get pretty blue-hazel eyes cuz they deserve it Some notes for funsies ~

-They were born in a small village in Scotland, with Donald being the older of the two - Both are Cis Men (He/Him) - They're roughly 6'0 tall

-They squabbled a lot more when they were younger, but are pretty much inseparable now and love each other very much.

-They moved to Sodor together, though Donald was the only one who was supposed to go and Douglas ended up tagging along. (Neither really wanted to leave the other) With encouragement from Edward, and slightly out of pity, Sir Charles did eventually give both twins a job.

-They currently live in Arlesbrugh, alongside Duck, Oliver and Toad.

-Both know some Scottish Gaelic (Douglas is slightly more fluent then Donald) and may occassionally slip into it. Donald

- He's incredibly witty and charming; very much a smooth-talker

-Has a short fuse and will absolutely throw hands

- He's always been pretty openly Bi and a huge flirt; turns into a flustered mess the second anyone he likes flirts back though lol

-Always appreciates a well-thought out joke, but he'll still laugh at stupid shit (even if he tries not to)

-Loves a good prank every now and again

-Very protective of Douglas, but will still tease him to no end (lovingly)

-Has a "Pet" Duck named Dilly, who he calls his "Lil' Quackeroo" (She's not really his pet, she's a wild duck, but he adores her and visits her to give her food and cuddles frequently. It's one of his favourite things to do. <3)

-Has a thing for Duck for a loooong time, basically since the Dilly incident, and goes on to date him. :) Douglas

-Keen and witty, though surprisingly level-headed and calm too.

-He considered himself the "Straight Twin", and was in denial about his sexuality for years

He's since come out as Bi, started dating Oliver and is very happy :)

-Laughs at the stupidiest shit

-The only people who can call him "Douggie" are Donald and Oliver; he prefers his full name otherwise.

-Doesn't take any of Donald's shit (affectionate), but will still always have his brother's back

-Always happy to help and quick to act

-Had a bit of a crush on Emily at one point

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Aaaand there ya have it! :D Just like before, the designs and HCs aren't fully set in stone yet, but I'm pretty happy with how they're coming along so far! <3 I also finished a doodle of Oliver and Toad which I'll either post later today or tomorrow. So stay tuned! <3 And thanks for looking!~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Donald & Douglas (c) TTTE Art (c) Me <3

[jessythebunny]

🚂Luke the Irish engine🍀

💚Luke is the final, youngest member of the group, and also he's the newest member

💚Luke is the smallest engine compared to the others, they don't know why, neither is he. The others think it's because of his young age

💚Luke has a baby deer that he calls Balwie or Deerie to pet him

💚Luke uses an Irish accent more than English, but unfortunately some engines like Diesel laugh at him because he thinks that Luke doesn't know how to talk perfectly

💚he never dares to swear

💚Luke is the engine most protected by others, and he is loved and spoiled by them. Sometimes Luke is a little naive and hasty, but he is very diligent in his work, and he has a caring heart for his friends because he loves them more than anything

💚Luke loves watching cartoons with Peter Sam, and they both love Disney movies

💚He has a tender heart towards Millie, they are known as the youngest couple on the island

💚He always has nightmares about the sea, and has a phobia of the depths of the ocean

💚he's addicted to candy very much, This resulted from his teeth becoming decayed

💚he treats Skarloey as a father, Peter Sam and Sir Handel like his big brothers, and Millie is his future wife

[sirduck48]

His glass eye is off centre. He'll fix it.

Headcanon story time, sit on the carpet everyone. Also a warning that this post mentions graphic content.

Sir Handel has a glass eye. When he was 29, he was riding his horse at speed and zoning out. Due to him not paying attention, a tree branch poked him in his left eye. He could no longer see out of his left eye (unsurprisingly), so he went to the hospital. The doctors and nurses made a big deal of it and Sir Handel couldn't understand why, since he thought that he'd only scratched it a little. It turns out that the branch had basically took his eye out. He didn't want to wear an eye patch for the rest of his life, so he paid a lot of money for a glass eye that matched his actual eye colour. He hasn't told anyone about it, and now pays extra attention when riding his horse, stopping to have zone out sessions when he feels himself daydreaming. His glass eye can move like a normal eye. Sometimes it looks in the wrong direction, but he can fix it quickly. He has a small mirror that he keeps in his pocket, and he uses that to check his eye (and his overall appearance because he is vain like that).

He hasn't told anyone about it, and never will.

This is based on the story "Sir Handel Comes Home".

[theredengineapologist]

[Jameward Headcanon] I can pinpoint the exact moment these two fell in love

In my opinion, I would definitely say that this was a case of "fell first" vs "fell harder" (though both of them absolutely adore each other)

Let's start with Edward first, shall we?

Edward always thought James was attractive. Something about that engine's confidence just naturally drew Edward to him.

But that day Edward saw James in his red paint for the first time...

It was like something clicked. Like Edward KNEW, "This guy, this one right here. This one's the love of my life."

Seriously, watch that scene again and look at Edward's expressions! The way his jaw DROPPED, followed by the wide eyes and big smile. Old Iron was SWOONING. He's got HEART EYES.

But of course, Edward didn't want to say anything right away. He knew that HE was in love, but he didn't think James would feel the same way. Surely, someone like James would want an engine who was younger or bigger or stronger than he was. So Edward continued to love him silently, and supported James through his first days as he would have any other friend.

Now on James's end, he always appreciated Edward being there for him. I like to think he was probably more comfortable around Edward than any other engine at this time. Even in later years, I think James still finds Edward the most comfortable to be around, but we'll get to that another time.

The point is, James and Edward were pretty close, but James still didn't think of Edward as anyone other than "Old, Reliable Edward" yet. He was a close friend, and like any other friend, sometimes James gets annoyed with him.

"Edward is impossible! He clanks about like a lot of old iron! And he's so slow, he makes us wait!"

Little did James know he would be eating those words later that day.

Fast forward some time. James has become a runaway again. He has no driver. He's all alone and he's terrified. And who comes speeding down the line to come save him?

Why, it's Edward of course!

And as they're puffing along the line together, side by side, James realizes things all at once. It's not just that Edward is the most comfortable to be around, he feels safe with him! Secure with him! Edward's got him!

Before he even thinks about it, he just says how he feels in that moment.

"You were splendid Edward."

Splendid. That's a word James usually reserves for himself. But Edward can have it today. And tomorrow if he wanted. Edward deserved it.

Oh, and let's not leave this part out from the books.

James missed Edward more than his own driver!

I don't know about you fellas, but that sounds gay to me.

From "Old Iron" onwards, James knew he was in love with Edward. But that didn't mean he said anything about it. In fact, he was pretty in denial about it for some time. But by the time we reach "James the Second Best", I think that's when James finally accepts that he has feelings for Edward. And once we get to "All in Vain", James and Edward have already started dating.

Or alternatively, they've both reached a point where they both just acknowledge that their feelings for each other are mutual. Sometimes I like to think that steam engine courtship is less formalized than it is for us humans. A simple "we both love each other", and then being extra sweet whenever they happen to be in the same vicinity. It's hard to go on dates when you've got jobs to do everyday.

But the point is, by the time we reach the events of "All in Vain", James and Edward are basically already together. And everyone knows it. 💙❤

[biggsodorcitystories]

Happy 79th Anniversary to The Railway Series!

The Railway Engines

To commemorate a successful first day on the North West Railway, the Fat Director decided to take a photograph of his three engines - sadly, the little shunter had not yet returned from his work.

Lady Elspeth "Edward" Moran-Stewart, daughter of the Earl of Cumbria, on loan from the neighbouring Furness Railway to help update and build upon the existing infrastructure as a slow reintroduction to her duties after raising her three children. Has a husband on business in the US.

Gordon Gresley - Eldest of Sir Nigel Gresley's magnificent new Express engines. Being a prototype, Gordon was acquired comparatively cheaply but was clearly an absolute steal. Rather boastful and proud, but given his status this is expected.

Henry Stanier - ...the less said about this engine, the better! That being said, he seems nice enough, if a bit quiet, and seems keen to prove himself. Seems to really enjoy the sunny weather. Might prove satisfactory in the long run.

The engines are still in their old colours - or existing, in her ladyship's case - and uniforms, but this can be resolved in good time.

[hazel-of-sodor]

The Concept of Family in British locomotives

Let's talk about the family concept in British locomotives. This concept has changed through the history of railways in Britain, so we will be primarily focusing on the North Western Railway's Flagship Express Locomotive, No.4 Gordon, once we reach the 20th century.

In the early days of steam, all Locomotives were cousins, as there were so few, but as their numbers grew, locomotives began to associate locomotives sharing the same builder as kin, and the concept of all locomotives being related would slowly fade. The concept of classes of steam locomotives was at best primitive at the time, as technology progressed with such speed that oftentimes an engine was outdated before construction was completed. All engines of the same builder were seen as cousins or ancestors. Siblings were a rare concept at the time, reserved for unusually close engine pairs

As the form and technology of the steam locomotives settled into established forms, classes began to appear with greater frequency. Batches of engines began to appear built to the same design. Built alongside each other, these engines quickly were recognized as siblings and often had close relationships. Complimenting the existing cousins of the same builders.

By this time Railways were growing (and absorbing each other) rapidly. The idea of all engines of a railway being family fell to the wayside quietly on the larger lines, with fleetmates instead being seen as team members.

It was into the end of this era that Great Northern Railway No.100 was first steamed. One of the first Pacifics to be built in the British Isles (and the first successful standard gauge one). No.100 Gordon was the testbed for Sir Nigel Gresley's next-generation express locomotive. As an experimental express testbed, he represented the vision and hope for the future of the railway and was held in high esteem by the other engines on the railway. His high-performance levels only increased his status. However, this status came with the fact. While amicable with the existing express 4-4-2s and 4-6-0s, they were hardly family. While Gresley had designed other locomotives, they were either shunters, freight engines, or smaller mixed traffic designs, and as such rarely crossed paths with their younger cousin. This would change in 1922 with the introduction of No.1470, Great Northern.

Great Northern was the result of Gordon's testing, the first production pacific on the GNR (or Britain). Finally, Gordon had a sibling. Gordon was quickly found to be protective of his little brother, determined that they would never know the loneliness he felt. They were soon joined by No.1471 Sir Fredrick Branbury before the event that shook their world. Grouping arrived with the dawn of 1923.

Grouping saw the railways of the British mainland organized into 4 new railways. The London Midland and Scotland Railway, the Great Western Railway, the Southern Railway, and the A1s new home: The London North Eastern Railway. Seemingly overnight the idea of the railway being your family would be struck down for the majority of lines in Britain, as those railways suddenly no longer existed. Each of the "big four" fleets responded differently. The LMS largely let the concept lie, indifferent to how their locomotives saw each other as long as they performed to expectations.

The Great Western aggressively pushed the concept of The Great Western Way, and the idea they were all "Great Western." Decades later in the 1980s, the surviving pre-grouping locos would adopt a TV line to describe the experience with the phrase, "Resistance is futile, you will be Swindonized."

The Southern came together as a team out of sheer necessity to keep the railway running, but the pre-grouping locomotives would never quite see each other (or the Southern-built engines) as family. Teammates for certain, but the majority still identified themselves by their pre-grouping line.

The LNER closed ranks under the leadership of their express engines. The A1s, including the newly built 1472. found themselves suddenly sharing sheds alongside the Raven-designed Rival A2 pacifics, City of Newcastle and City of Kingston upon Hull. Many expected the two classes to clash, but when No.2400 and 2401 pulled into the sheds, No.100 saw the same weight and loneliness he had borne before his sibling's construction. Before any of the others in the shed could speak Gordon firmly welcomed the former NER engines as cousins. This precedent would be followed by the other express classes, eventually spreading throughout the LNER. In the end, the Gresley A1 would be chosen as the LNER's flagship express engine, but 8 more A2s were built, 2402-2409. No.2402-2404 had begun construction prior to grouping, but 2405-2409 were authorized by Gresley himself. Why he did this is uncertain, but it noted that No.100 had visited Doncaster for unscheduled maintenance the day before the decision was made.

However, No.100 was not destined to remain with the newly formed LNER. By August of 1923 the 10th A1, No. 1480 Enterprise had been completed at Doncaster Works. The LNER board decided that No.100 was no longer needed, preferring to replace the non-standard prototype with a production A1. Gresley argued it would be cheaper to bring No.100 in line with the production A1s, but the board wished for Great Northern to be seen as the first A1, no prototypes required, and No. 100's existence interfered with that.

Fortunately, Gresley convinced the board to sell Gordon to a Railway that desperately needed him. LNER No.100 left Doncaster and his eleven siblings in August 1923, bound for the North Western Railway.

The North Western Railway had been formed in 1915 from the existing standard gauge railways on the Island of Sodor off the coast of Barrow in Furness. The mainline had connected the western coast of Sodor to the British mainland by rail to facilitate the movement of troops and supplies during the Great War. Following the war, the island had seen a massive industrial boom with rising population levels to match. The railway's fleet was primarily composed of pre-1900 castoffs and former Railway Operating Division locomotives. None of which were suitable for the Express service between the western terminus of Tidmouth and Barrow in Furness. One may be excused for wondering why the problems of a western island railway would bear any attention from the London North Eastern Railway. The answer, as is so often true in railway politics, is spite.

In 1923 the North Western Railway had, through a combination of politics, bribes, and actions of questionable legality, managed to remain independent, much to the ire of the London Midland and Scotland Railway. The LMS, already the LNER's sworn rival, had made it their mission to absorb the NWR by any means necessary, as they felt cheated by the line's exclusion from the Grouping Act of 1923.

The LNER saw an opportunity to screw over the LMS with the sale of No.100 to the NWR. With the acquisition of the Gresley Pacific, the North Western could then manage a competitive timetable with its express without doubleheading. Gordon was checked over at Doncaster Works, painted in an express variation of North Western Passenger Blue, and sent off to the NWR with a line of older express coaches that had also been purchased.

Gresley himself turned Gordon over to the NWR, but not before telling the newly renumbered number 4 to make him proud.

The former No.100's early days on the NWR were a success from a performance standpoint, but not a social one. This point in the NWR's mainline fleet, as with many sheds following grouping, was perhaps most comparable to a pack of feral hounds fighting over a bone. Half the fleet were engines purchased during the war, older designs desperate to prove their worth to avoid the fate of their siblings on the mainland. The other half were newer, stronger, engines loaned on trial just before grouping, which saw themselves as inherently better than the rest. They believed the NWR should purchase them before they were returned to the LMS the following year and scrap the older engines. Each engine was fighting to prove themselves, especially at the cost of their competitors.

Throwing a top-of-the-line LNER Pacific into the mix only inflamed tensions. The wartime engines saw him as their worst fears confirmed, the railway purchasing new engines to replace them. The loaned engines loathed him not only for actually being everything they saw themselves as, but also for being LNER, suggesting the North Western may turn to the LNER for new motive power rather than the LMS. Gordon, stripped of his home and his siblings, was in no mood to manage either group's fears or egos.

It is impossible to guess how much longer this state of affairs may have went on for had it not been for the NWR's No.3. No.3 "Henry" was the North Western's previous attempt at purchasing a suitable express locomotive. A 4-6-2 built from stolen Gresley plans, Henry had been a poor steamer, and had struggled with the lesser Expresses, and was utterly incapable of pulling the flagship Wil'Nor'Wester. It had all come to a head two weeks after Gordon had arrived when the pacific had stopped in a tunnel during a storm and refused to come out, resulting in the Railway's general manager, the future Sir Topham Hatt, lifting the rails and bricking the tunnel entrance. Gordon, used to Gresley's high standards for express engines, initially held little sympathy for the confined engine, and even less hesitation in letting said engine know his opinion as he shot past. However as time passed, and Gordon's loneliness grew, he could help but see his siblings in No.3's place. Finally, in late 1923, Gordon took charge of the mainline fleet. He had developed a working (if reluctant) respect for the oldest engine in the shed, a 4-4-0 of Furness origins, and together the two created a plan to save the imprisoned locomotive. One night in late autumn, the first of many "indignation meetings" on the NWR was held as Gordon faced the other engines and told them in no uncertain terms that they would be saving their fleetmate.

The plan went flawlessly. Gordon "failed" outside the tunnel and Henry was pulled out to save the train. While it was revealed that STH had known about the plan, it was still considered a success by Gordon and the majority mainline fleet. However, there was a side effect Gordon hadn't seen coming.

Gordon had expected for the engines to execute the plan, then return to fighting each other. Instead, they unified behind the flagship pacific. Whilst several engines (mostly the newer loaners) would try to challenge him for leadership, they quickly found there was no competing with the Gresley. In performance, he was both the fastest and strongest engine on the railway, as the railway's flagship engine he held the favor of the board and STH, and his willingness to damage his own performance to save another engine had earned him the fleet's loyalty.

Slowly, reluctantly, the No.4 came to see the North Western fleet as family. First came No.3, Gresley in design if not name (or performance) he was the closest Gordon had to a sibling. The old 4-4-0 (No.2 Edward) would earn the Pacific's grudging respect by his work ethic. The following year an experimental mogul from the LMS would arrive (No.5 James) which would quickly become the annoying sibling No.4 never wanted. Throughout all of this, Gordon would occasionally encounter his siblings. It became a tradition for any new LNER express locomotive to make the run to meet Gordon on the NWR, so he would eventually meet all 79 of his siblings, and many of his cousins.

From 1925 to 1939, Gordon led the NWR in his battle for survival and independence in the world of the big four, but by 1939 his conjugated valve gear was worn and fouling. Many expected Gordon to be sent to Doncaster to be rebuilt to A3 standards like many of his siblings. Instead, STH called in a favor with the LMS's chief mechanical engineer, William Stanier. Gordon arrived in Crewe Works stoic and dignified, expecting to be treated as the enemy by the LMS Pacifics and 4-6-0s. Instead. He received a hero's welcome.

While the two companies were rivals, Gresley and Stanier knew each other, and CMEs were often known to discreetly share ideas and progress. Gordon was Britain's first (successful) pacific, and the Princess Royals and the new Princess Coronations saw him as their predecessor. Furthermore, No.3 had been previously rebuilt at Crewe into Black 5 4-6-0 following a 1935 accident, so as Henry's adopted sibling, he was considered their cousin at least.  His Gresley origins could be easily ignored, he'd be a Stanier engine soon enough. For the first time, Gordon was exposed to the idea that not just LNER Pacifics, but all British Pacifics, were his family.

Then war broke out. Gordon had been scheduled for testing on the LMS following his overhaul, but instead his overhaul, but instead the Crewe workmen worked day and night to expedite his return to Sodor. On his final night on LMS metals, Gordon embraced his position as the eldest pacific in Britain for the first time. He spoke to a gathering of the premier express locomotives of the big four at London's King's Cross Station. They were no longer four railways, rivaling each other, he said, but one country standing against a common foe. Gordon departed King's Cross in the dead of night, pulling a long line of coaches filled with evacuating children.

The war on the North Western saw Gordon switch over fully to goods work for the first time in his life. With travel discouraged except in emergency, the express could be handled by smaller engines, leaving the power of the newly rebuilt express engine free for war traffic.

The binds between the NWR fleet were reforged again in steel as the railways of Britain pulled together for the war. Sodor possessed multiple ports, and these were desperately needed safe havens in the uboat-infested waters of the Atlantic. Through it all Gordon led the North Western with a firm hand, pushing all to work their hardest, but keeping overzealous engines and men from pushing his fleet mates too far. Sodor fared better than the mainland, but even this western island was not exempt from the horrors of the blitz. An image of Gordon pulling a line of flatbeds lined with tanks and artillery through Tidmouth the morning after the Blitz strike which decimated the city would become famous as a sign of both Sudrian and British resolve.

The end of the war saw Gordon return to passenger service, returning troops from the mainland to Sodor. The morning he finally returned to head the Wil'Nor Western, freshly repainted in NWR Express Passenger blue, was greeted with cheers and fanfare along the line. The war was over, but its effects were not.

On January 1st, 1948, the standard gauge railways of Britain were nationalized. The big four no longer existed, instead, there was one giant railway with four major regions...in theory. In reality, it was far more difficult to join four rival railways together than signing legislation. It was one thing for the railways to put aside their differences for the good of their country, that was quite simply an engine's duty. It was another to tell the engines and their crews that their rivals of nearly three decades were now their fleet mates. The early days of British Rails were strange indeed. While many had gained a professional respect for their peers during the war, for many engines, their railway was as integral to their identity (and the identity of other locomotives) as being British was to their crews. This was exasperated by the fact that many sheds were led by their express engines, who were built and run in direct and often intense competition with their rivals. The arrival of new locomotives which had only served under British Railways further complicated the already complex situation.

It was into this situation that Gordon would return to the Mainland in 1949. As the unofficial fifth region, the North Western had largely been ignored by British Railways, as there were enough problems managing the former big four without creating the headaches dealing with the Sudrians always invoked. Nonetheless, the North Western Region was invited to send a locomotive for the 1949 Exchange Trials. The trials were meant to directly compare the mainline locomotives in service with the newly nationalized Railway, which did absolutely nothing to dissipate the former rivalries. Gordon was the first and only, choice to represent the North Western Region. Gordon thrived in the trials. His rebuild may have lowered his top speed, but his greater power allowed him to accelerate his trains faster, even up hills. He would routinely match or exceed his Big Four peers in timings. During this time he ran expresses and fast freights alongside many of his cousins and siblings from the LNER, as well as his adopted LMS relatives. He would also develop a rivalry with the Great Western 4-6-0s at this time, as they were the only ones who could challenge him on the hills. British Railways were impressed with his performance, and many of his design elements would be translated into the future Standard 7 class Britannia. It was during this time that he would meet No.34090, Sir Eustace Missenden. She was a Battle of Britain class Light Pacific of Southern Design. Newly built, the young pacific struggled with passenger work. Young and excitable, she worked well with trucks but was deemed too flighty for express work. No one but No.4 himself knows exactly what about her caught his attention, but perhaps she reminded him of his younger siblings. In any case, the first pacific took the youngest under his wing, requesting the management arrange for them to double-head several expresses.

The southern region's management was far from stupid, and eagerly arranged for the two to work together so that she could be mentored by him. Gordon was a stern but knowledgeable teacher, and 34090 was eager to learn. By the time No.4 left for the next set of trials, 34090 was considered one of her shed's best Express engines, and although it would be years before he admitted it, Gordon had a new youngest sibling, Rebecca.

Gordon would return to the Island of Sodor after the trials, and with him came the attention of British Railways. The two organizations began circling each other, but that mattered little to Gordon, his job remained the same. With the exception of an incident in 51, Gordon's existence would remain the same as always, hauling the express and occasional freights. That would all change in 1955.

The Modernization Plan of 1955. The plan to scrap all steam locomotives on British Railways in favor of diesel locomotives. Up to this point, the North Western Region and British Rails had been trying to play nice with each other. British Railways was established with the sole purpose of bringing all standard gauge lines in Britain under one ruling body. Sodor had a history of nodding their heads whenever 'foreigners' gave them orders, then ignoring said orders. Relations between BR and their fifth region had always been strained at best. The announcement of the Modernization Plan brought on a full-on cold war. Sodor was a safe haven for steam and would remain so, even if they had to cut ties with the mainland to do it.

The North Western Region was in a fight for its very existence, and Gordon was at the head. As their Flagship express engine, Gordon was the image of the North Western to many. Every time British Rails sent a diesel for the NWR to test, Gordon would shatter their timings, proving the NWR could not only keep up with BR while using steam but beat them. As the Hatts took the political fight to London, Gordon joined a very different fight.

Sodor had long been a place where engines could escape scrap, but now there were far, far more in need. Gordon's strength and power were needed more than ever. In most cases, the mighty pacific would never see the engines snuck into the rear of his Night Express, but he always felt their weight. When the last day of steam came in BR, Gordon had never once been late with the midnight express to Tidmouth in the thirteen years since the modernization plan was announced. Even when he did see his charges, it mattered not where they came from, they were all steam engines, and they were all under threat. Even when Gordon received work of the final A3s scrapping, leaving only Flying Scotsman and himself of a class once 80 strong, he did not falter. In the latter years of steam, he faced a challenge of another type, diesels, the very engines his kind were being scrapped for, began seeking refuge. British Rails wasn't satisfied with many of its early diesels, and sent them to die with the steam engines BR had once promised they'd replaced. In 1966, Gordon found BR 10000 and 10001 hiding in the barrow yard while he went to fetch his coaches (the shunter had derailed to distract officials so Gordon could collect the engines) He stared for a long moment, the sisters nervously staring at the former LNER pacific before he sighed deeply, coupling up and shunting them to the end of his train.

Engines will often say the Lady rewards those who work hard, and few worked harder than North Western No.4. Gordon was not left to believe Flying Scotsman was his only living sibling for long. The end of 1967 saw his eldest sibling, Great Northern escape to Sodor, years after she had been thought scrapped. She was no longer an A1 or A3 (or male) due to a "rebuild" by Thompson, but that didn't stop Gordon from bashing British Rails D5701 hard enough to create micro-factures in the diesel's frames when it tried to lunge for her. British Railways sent out a notice, any steam locomotive that made it to Sodor was to be considered irretrievable. It wasn't worth losing more diesels to the mighty Pacific. Hatt was willing to pay more than the scrapyard anyway. When it came time for 34090 to be retired, British Rails reluctantly but quietly allowed Gordon to personally collect his adopted little sister.

The 11th of August 1968 saw the end of steam on British Railways, but it still took several months for the stream of steam engines to slow, and years for it to stop. Gordon worked through it all, never refusing to take an engine, determined to save as many of his kin as possible, no matter how distant. He also made efforts to greet visiting engines. He spent more time with former mainline engines, but he always made sure to at least whistle hello to even the smallest tank engines and diesels.

The group he spent the most time with, however, were the pacifics. LMS, LNER, BR, or Southern didn't matter. Gordon would always make time for fellow 4-6-2, often giving them chances to pull his express trains, even if that meant he was left pulling goods trains. Many human observers ascribed his focus on the pacifics to grief for his fallen siblings, but the surviving pacifics didn't care. No matter the cause, his care was genuine, and having another to call family was beyond priceless to those few left.

By 1973 Gordon was firmly established as the leader of both the surviving Pacifics and Gresley engines. A role he took with solemn duty, he could not look after his lost siblings, but he would not fail the rest of his kin.

Flying Scotsman had left to tour America in 1970 and was finally returning that Autumn, now partly owned by the NWR. Gordon and Great Northern meet Olympic at the docks to welcome their brother home. However, no sooner than 4472 had touched back down onto British metals, a whistle sounded out over the docks. The three pacifics froze at the familiar impossible sound. 6'8" driving wheels turned as another pacific rolled onto the dock. Her British Rails Passenger Blue livery could no more hide her LNER form than a grain of sand could blot out the sun. 60061 Pretty Polly's whistle of greeting was drowned out by her siblings in a sound her as far as Suddery. Secretly purchased from British Rails, the contract requiring her survival be kept hidden had run out days before.

Over the coming years it would be revealed that British Railways had in fact sold many engines listed as scrapped into preservation, hidden under contract for 10 years in the hopes of making the engines seem more rare, and therefore more valuable. Among these was Prince Palatine, who had been promised to the NWR before she was reported 'accidentally scraped' when a preservation group unknowingly outbid the North Western Others still were revealed to be hidden away as British Rails slowly but surely lost power over the years. Among these was 4480 Enterprise, yanked from an out-of-use siding by NWR No.5 James in the early sixties and hid on Sodor itself by Caomhnóir. When her survival was revealed, James had tried to claim he had done it to finally win one over Gordon. Gordon had simply pressed their buffers together and sincerely thanked him, saying he was happy for James to hold it over him as long as he liked. James had huffed and asked why he'd had to take the fun out of it, the smile on his face revealing the lie. 2009 would see a new mainline steam engine built on the mainline in over fifty years in the form of Peppercorn A1 Pacific Tornado. When the young engine began waking early, a nearby railtour was hastily diverted so another Steam Engine would be present when she awoke. Tornado awoke to the tearful face of her oldest cousin, though she would quickly pronounce him her older brother. Gordon is suitably overprotective of his youngest sister. In the present day, Gordon is the leader not only of the LNER veterans, surviving pacifics, and the North Western Railway, but is the eldest of the Gresley Pacifics, over twenty strong and counting.

[transfem-edward]

no longer episoding, have edward

Shes here

[lovable-chica]

Arthur The Fish-Loving Engine!

Small HC About Him: like @thechaddyengine’s Normal Au Molly, He was build with birth marks(I’m keeping his original personality but I added a few more thing in his personality),he is a very hardworking, polite, well-manner and kind young tank engine but he does have a soft spot for the little engines and acts like a parental figure to them and always makes sure they don’t get hurt, he can also can get easily flattered or flustered when someone compliments how big he is or when affection is thrown on him, Amber(My oc) finds his birthmarks very cute, he is a nice guy to talk to when your having a bad day.

[lordvonbunnyv]

Thomas: I bought everyone coffee!

Thomas: here’s a mocha for Edward, Henry, here’s your tea.

Edward: why thank you Thomas.

Thomas: Gordon, you ordered an espresso, here’s your latte James, Percy, I got you a hot chocolate

Percy: oh!

Thomas: Toby asked for a black coffee, Emily, here’s an Earl grey with extra sugar and cream just how you like it.

Emily: thank you very much!

Thomas: and Duck…

Duck: yes?

Thomas: I made sure to get you a plain decaf *smiles passive aggressively because he hates Duck for no reason other than the fact that he’s great western and Thomas is Southern and those two railroads are rivals*

Duck: …. Thanks Thomas…

[shelli-gator]

Theory that there is a stray cat that lives in the yards at Tidmouth Sheds and it's very fond of the engines. The cat is simply called Cat, as named by the engines.

Here are some completely unedited, totally legit pictures to support my theory of Cat's existence.

If anyone asked the engines, they would tell you Cat is a noble, but incredibly useless creature. Cat is a brown cat, nimble and swift of paw, and likes to rub against their faces sometimes, which makes Cat vibrate and rumble in a decidedly pleasant way. No matter how they argue about who should get to sleep with Cat, only Cat will choose who it will sleep with on any given night.

Every engine is convinced they are Cat's favourite engine.

There are no questions as to Cat's gender. Cat is simply a brown cat. A request for a more detailed description will get you a brown cat with black stripes.

Cat's favorite sleeping spot is either in the cab, in the cradles and crevices of sandboxes, or on the running board beneath an engine's chin. Cat makes some engines sneeze when it sleeps there. Gordon sneezes the most.

Sometimes the engines will catch Cat lying in the sun. Cat is a very lazy animal indeed and cannot be roused to do anything, but Edward proposes Cat keeps the yard clear of rats. This is only hearsay and rumor until anyone actually sees Cat catch anything.

One thing they can all agree on is Cat is unlike any other cat out there.

[thunderxleafart]

headcanon for Douglas x Oliver. And also, Douglas is so beautiful

Ohhhh yes, Douggie and Oliver, I think I've got at least a few for them! x'D Buckle up, I'm boutta ramble LOLL ~ Headcanons for 10x11 ~ - They were pretty much smitten when they first met; Douglas thought Oliver was incredibly brave, strong and "an enterprising engine", while Oliver, ofc, was extremely grateful to Douglas for his rescue.

(Also cuz I mean look at "Escape", did you see the way they looked at each other? Instantly smitten for sure. xD) - Toad was/is the ultimate wingman (or wingvan?) for them.

-Things were a little rocky at first; Oliver was still unpacking quite a traumatic experience and dealing with a rough-ish start on Sodor. And he struggles with the nagging question of whether or not he liked Douglas because of who he was or just because he rescued him.

-Though it's a little awkward and uncertain, once they overcome the initial bumps and start talking they hit it off very well, easily becoming good friends. After that everything just sort of... falls into place.

-Literally everyone knew they liked each other (there were many a gushing rant from both of them about the other lol). - They don't really use "pet names" for each other. Though Oliver is one of only two engines on the island that's allowed to call Douglas "Douggie".

-Ironically, Oliver is way more protective of Douglas then vice versa, though Douglas does still have his moments.

-They spend whatever time they can get together just... talking. They talk endlessly about anything and everything. They love sharing in each others experiences, both past and present, and enjoy a solid sense of comradery.

-They understand each other better then almost anyone else, especially when it comes to their fears about scrap. They know they can always confide in the other about pretty much anything.

Their favourite things about each other are;

Douglas about Oliver: His determination, his unbreakable spirit, how reliable and trustworthy he is. Plus he's got such an adorable face. (and eyes that are very easy to get lost in xD)

Oliver about Douglas: His husky laugh (especially with the way his eyes crinkle when he smiles), the way he laughs at pretty much anything, how level-headed and patient he is, and especially that softer, sentimental side to him.

-Donald still teases Douglas to no end about "makin' goo-goo eyes at wee Ollie", but he's still incredibly supportive. He's mostly just happy his brother found someone who makes him so happy. uwu

-Donald has also told Oliver exactly what he'd do if he hurts his brother, but they were mostly just jokes... mostly. xD

~~~~~~~~~~~

There's probably more but it's safe to say that I think they're absolutely adorable! x'3

They can really understand each others traumas and experiences, and I 100% see them as just one of the sweetest, most affectionate, couples. (At least as far as trains can go xD)

But aw yeah, Douggie is quite a cutie, isn't he? <3

Just had to doodle him after all that LOLL

And one of these days I'll get around to drawing them together... probably. xD

Thank you for the question!! <3

[jessythebunny]

💙✨Sir handel x peter sam✨💚

Sadness and happiness

A bossy and serious guy x cheery and cheeky guy

Headconons:

💙💚These are our favorite types, an arrogant and grouchy engine and a cute and playful engine

💙💚Sir handel loves to bring some dolls for Peter sam to express his love to him

💙💚Sir Handel, regardless of his mockery of Peter Sam who lost his funnel, felt sorry for him and took care of him and stood with him in every big and small thing

💙💚Peter Sam likes to knit wool sweaters for Sir Handel, and he prefers them to be big and fluffy because he thinks Sir Handel looks cute in them

💙💚At night, Peter Sam feels a little afraid and cannot sleep, so sometimes he hugs Sir Handel to feel safe

💙💚Sir Handel likes to bake cupcakes for Peter Sam because he knows he loves them, and Peter Sam always brings him strawberries for him

💙💚They love playing with the snow and making snowmen together, and they have a good time, drinking hot chocolate with some cake when they are finished

💙💚Peter Sam tries hard to get Sir Handel out of his frown, but sometimes he succeeds and sometimes he fails

💙💚Sir Handel forces Peter Sam to wear a skirt to laugh at him, but when the wind blows and lifts Peter Sam's skirt, Peter Sam feels extremely embarrassed while Sir Handel watches him, his nose bleeding

💙💚Sir Handel affectionately calls Peter Sam Sammy, or Sam Sam, but as for Peter Sam, he likes to call him Falcon or Handy

💙💚 🎵let me love you-dj snake ft.Justin Bieber🎵

[sirduck48]

I wonder what the dynamic is between Sir Handel and his crew.

I imagine that they had a hard time with him at first, and were tough with him, much to his annoyance. Then, they learned that he is harmless really, he just has a bad temper and a massive ego. They softened to him then, finding him funny and a loveable nuisance. They affectionately call him "the little nuisance", and let him chatter on about himself as he puffs along.

They also found that bribery is a very effective way of making him behave.

"If you ride smoothly today, we'll put the television on in the shed, and you'll get to pick the channel..."

"Yippee! I can watch the baseball!"

"Very good, but remember, behave"

"Hmph, alright"

If he is being too rough, then they just say "First pick of the television channel, remember?" and he immediately behaves.

They probably feed him crisps in the shed as well...

[elester01]

normalise james having trauma from the kipper crash as well because he was probably first to the scene

(definitely not writing a story centered around this defo not couldn't be less true)

[biggsodorcitystories]

"I like it here..."

Just a little lineart of Lady and Percy hanging out that I didn't want to ruin with my colouring like usual