So I'm just back on my shit now ig but hear me out the concept of a really famous Gresley and this random aah Sudrian man is so funny to me it'd be like watching Beyonce turn around and start dating some random dude from a small town nobody's ever heard of.
Sodor Rehydrated takes place in a modern alternative universe where everyone is engine-based. Like in our world a famous train driver would be super niche but in THIS world it's like the main thing, the popstars of their universe.
True Mallard isn't great western but Duck's defo got special interests in famous drivers in general.
Mallard's 9 years older than Duck so Duck was a teen fanboy but Mallard doesn't MEET Duck until Duck's 31 and at this point Duck's kind of like 'oh shit that's weird I had a poster on my wall of you 14 years ago'
Timothy, Spencer, Duck and Mallard (c) TTTE / Thomas The Tank Engine And Friends