Traintober 2025: Day 20 - Railway 200
Maybe Railtours Was Not the Answer...
Sodor was celebrating two-hundred years of railways, and it was shaping up to be a very busy season. The Skarloey Railway was hosting a 'narrow gauge gathering' on their line, and the Fat Controller was loath to be left out of the fun.
As such, he decided to organise for a heap of exciting rail tours and special excursions to take place before and on September 27th, the day of the first passenger train on the Stockton and Darlington Railway. These would take place all through August to catch the summer traffic, then through September to entice railfans from around the world.
The engines were very excited to see who would be coming!
"I heard they're not going to run specials on your branchline," sneered James at Thomas. "You're not important enough." "Please! Having some other engine on my branchline would just detract from my star power!" Thomas retorted crossly. "Don't kid yourself, Thomas," James sniffed. "We're all stars these days, your branchline just can't handle the kind of trains these engines will be hauling." "We've all seen railtours before James," huffed Thomas, finally losing patience. "You're just puffed up in the smokebox because you'll be double-heading a tour with Scots Guardsman."
James smirked. "You're right Thomas." "I — I am?" "I am double-heading a very special tour with Scots Guardsman!" James grinned. Thomas groaned. "Yes, and Duck is doing a special with City of Truro, and Henry is booked in, and Donald and Douglas have got a train, and Gordon is fully booked for the summer, and even Edward is apparently doing something!" Thomas let off steam crossly. "I am the most famous tank engine in the world, and yet I'm doing nothing! So stop your stupid boasting before I ram your funnel up your tender!"
James wisely puffed away to allow Thomas some time to stew.
However, even though Thomas was in a funk, the plans continued apace. The first railtour arrived mid July, hauled by 34067 Tangmere. The poor engine could barely see for the giant Golden Arrow nameboard in front of her smokebox!
"I can't see - how far am I from the buffers?" "A good couple dozen yards," Oliver replied from the next platform, resting between trains. "Keep coming, keep coming." "Seriously? I've had enough incidents in preservation thank you!" "You'll be fine," sighed Oliver. "I'm telling you I've had enough of — is that the buffers?" "Yep," chuckled Oliver, popping the 'p'. "You've arrived." "Finally! Now get this stupid thing off me!"
Oliver just tried not to laugh as Tangmere began to argue with her crew to get the nameboard off. He left after three minutes, then Daisy arrived and left, and finally nearly fifteen minutes had passed. In that time, the station pilot had been and gone, leaving Tangmere in the platform.
"You'll need to clear out now, please," Paxton called out, pushing a rack of coaches into a nearby platform for Edward. "We need that line for James." "I'm not moving until this dratted thing is off! I keep having accidents, and I'm sick of it!" Paxton just sighed, and rumbled away.
Tangmere didn't move. Her crew finally hopped down to remove the board, and the porter hurried over to help. But it was too late. As Edward left, James made it to the Big Station to find that his coaches couldn't be moved into the platform. Tangmere was in the way!
"Oi! Move!" shouted James. "I'm busy!" replied Tangmere. "Agh! Get that flag out of my mouth!"
James' train was delayed until Donald passed through with his ballast run and the coaches could be pushed into the platform. James fumed out of the station nearly twenty minutes late!
"Railtours are nothing but a nuisance!" he snapped to Thomas when he met the blue tank engine at the junction. "That Tangmere held me up for twenty minutes! Twenty! Cause she wouldn't move her fat tender out the platform!"
Thomas laughed until his pistons ached!
** ** **
After Tangmere, the railtours began to come thick and fast. 4930 Hagley Hall was next, running a special all the way up Duck's branchline. Duck was overjoyed to have a fellow Great Western engine around, and even more excited to hear she would be hanging around for a couple weeks.
Oliver cleared out and moved back to Tidmouth, where he found yet another railtour visitor on the turntable. "Was my sister that difficult?" "Yes! Blocked the entire station!" James wailed. Donald and Douglas both winced at the noise level, and shot pleading looks at Oliver. "One platform," Paxton softly corrected. "Kept us all waiting for hours on end!" "Kept you waiting for twenty minutes." "Trains cancelled, line blocked!" "Only your train was delayed…"
Oliver slunk backwards, ignoring the betrayed looks on the Caledonian twins' faces, and found Henry, Bear and Edward sitting in the carriage sheds. "So, that bad huh?" "Unfortunately," sighed Henry. "The Caledonians are trapped in there, but Gordon ought to appear in about twenty, and then James might shut up." "Might? Is that where we are with James now?" quizzed Oliver slowly. "He might stop ranting on and on like a lunatic?"
Edward tried his best to hide a chuckle. "Salty's had to take over station pilot duties until we can rescue Paxton from the sheds," Bear went on. "As you can imagine, that meant Molly's afternoon local was run with the vintage stock." "That's… not right…" "Oh, and there goes Arthur now with your coaches," put in Henry brightly. Oliver looked back to see a very confused Arthur steaming away with Isabel and Dulcie.
"Hey! Those're mine!" shouted Oliver, and he sped backwards just quick enough to see Dulcie vanish into the tunnel. "Damnit."
Edward sighed. "Well, the next few days ought to be interesting."
** ** **
34028 Eddystone did not talk to James after that first evening. Instead, he tried his level-headed best to glue himself to Toby.
Toby was most confused. "Why're you at Toryreck?" he asked slowly, staring at the giant West Country class that stood in the other platform with a single coach. "I'm filling in for Daisy, so we can pull trains together!" Eddystone replied brightly. Toby blinked. "You specifically are filling in… for Daisy?" Eddystone beamed. Toby wondered if the West Country Class engine's last overhaul had knocked some bolts loose. "Yep!" "Right… can you fit through the tunnel?" "Just about!"
Toby simply rang his bell and continued with his delivery of stone.
He found Percy at the harbour. "Did you see—" "Eddystone? Yes. He's very excited to spend time with you." "Me?" "Yes, you specifically. He… uhh…"
There was a thunderous bellow from the station. "WHERE'S EDDYSTONE? DAISY CAN'T PULL A RAILTOUR!" Percy and Toby shared a look. Hagley Hall zoomed past on a seperate railtour, seemingly unaffected by the furious shouting coming from the Junction waiting room.
"So, Eddystone swapped jobs with Daisy and blew off a railtour… to spend time with me?" Toby clarified slowly. Percy bit his lip to keep from howling with laughter. "It would appear so."
Toby had to wait for the trucks to be empties into a barge, so he began to quietly neaten up the harbour, while Percy headed off to try and soothe the Fat Controller before he blew a blood vessel. Again.
Toby was so busy shunting, he didn't notice the signal change. He did hear the still unfamiliar hoot of a Southern whistle, right as Eddystone steamed onto the quay! "Hello…" "I've brought the next train of stone!" beamed Eddystone. "I spoke to Mavis about it, and she said she'd be happy to cover for Daisy so I could take it!"
Toby got a vision of Mavis pulling the slightly confused Mark I coach into the Junction and meeting the Fat Controller, who was searching for Eddystone. He got the feeling it would cause quite a bit of pandemonium.
Gordon thundered by with the railtour Eddystone was supposed to be pulling back to the Mainland. Eddystone noticed it too. "Oh no!" he gasped in the fakest voice Toby had ever heard. "Gordon's taken my excursion - now I'll have to stay on Sodor longer!" "You're an odd one," chuckled Toby. Eddystone pouted; Toby wondered how such a big engine got a kicked-puppy expression so right.
** ** **
Hagley Hall left the next morning, and Oliver breathed a sigh of relief, as the talk of 'The Great Western Way' went from unbearable to merely overbearing. Eddystone was still around, as Gordon had - thanks to the West Country Class engine's antics - gotten himself stuck on Eddystone's railtours for the next week.
There was a little peace - for everyone but Toby - until 3440 City of Truro arrived that Thursday. Unlike most of the railtours, Truro was staying on Sodor until the end of September, when he was due for an overhaul at Crovan's Gate.
"Hullo again all," chirped Truro, puffing into the Big Station. He stopped easily at the platform, and the railfans all disembarked. Then, before Paxton could even move, Truro calmly pushed his coaches into their proper siding and made his way to the water tower.
"Oh thank Proteus one of them might be normal," Paxton muttered to himself. Murdoch just opened one sleepy eye to hum in agreement.
City of Truro was followed by 60103 Flying Scotsman, who was also slated to spend the next couple months of Sodor. He was meant to be catching up with Gordon, but to his surprise, his brother was nowhere to be found.
"Where's Gordon gone?" asked Scott that night in the sheds. Henry sighed. "He's replacing Eddystone on the mainland until he can get sent back," he replied. "Eddystone?" quizzed Scott. "He's here too? Where?" "Ffarquhar," James grinned. Scott paused, stared, paused again, and then snorted. "You're having a laugh! Surely!"
At that moment, Thomas bustled in, looking very put out. "He's stolen my shed! He's stolen my shed!" he hissed, steam leaking everywhere. "You're not having a laugh," Scott realised with mounting horror.
Everyone just shot him pained looks.
"Why is Eddystone at Ffarquhar?!" exclaimed Scott. "James' fault," Bear grunted. "It was not!" "You spent nearly two hours telling him all about how much you disliked his sister!" Bear snapped. "No wonder he's doing his best to get away from you!" "No, he's infatuated with Toby! Of all engines, Toby!" James retorted. Scott wondered if it was too late to return to the Greatest Gathering.
It was.
** ** **
That Sunday, there was an extra special railtour planned. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley was planned to arrive at the head of a special train, spend two nights, then do a run back with Gordon.
Instead, 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley returned behind Gordon, who looked very tired. "I'm going to rip Eddystone's smoke deflectors off, and shove them in firebox," grit out the blue engine. "I'll be right behind you," Thomas agreed loudly from the next platform over. "He's still in my shed! My shed! Not his!"
Nigel steamed off the train and over to near Thomas. "Eddystone's in your shed?" he asked slowly. "Aren't there more spaces? We've all seen how big your sheds are." "Not Tidmouth!" groaned Thomas. "Ffarquhar!"
Nigel looked over to Gordon. "What's a Ffarquhar, and is it something to do with that one animated movie? The one with the onion ogre." "It's the top station on — what movie with an onion ogre?!"
In the background, Neville and Murdoch puffed by with a heavy freight train. Gordon gazed entreatingly at the pair - and they summarily ignored him, picking up speed to get out of the harbour.
"The animated one - with the fairy godmother, and the Lord Ffarquhar, and the gingerbread man." "You're as barmy as Eddystone," muttered Thomas, slipping out from behind the A4 to go to the sheds.
Scott was there. "Why are all your cousins insane?" asked Thomas. Scott looked confused. "Which of my cousins?" he asked slowly. "Mallard can't be here, surely?" "No, wait - Mallard too?" "Who're you talking about?" "Sir Nigel Gresley! He's going on about onion ogres!" Scott groaned.
"Oh, oh no. When he was last being overhauled, they put on animated movies for him. He's probably watched one of those American films. I'd best go rescue Gordon." Scott steamed away, resolving to spend more time on Sodor, and less time anywhere near the other engines on the preservation circuit.
** ** **
The next day, Emily, Gordon, Sir Nigel Gresley, Pip and Emma were all displayed in the Big Station, as part of a special 'East Coast Express' reunion. Scott managed to get out of being left in a platform, and instead pulled the express with a chortling City of Truro. That duo managed to get more spectators than the East Coast reunion!
"It's so nice to be back amongst brethren!" beamed Nigel. "Move back," grumbled Emily. "My smokebox is out of the station! Who's taking up half the platform?!" "It's not us," Pip and Emma called back from the other end of the platform. "We're up against the buffers!" "We need a space for Scott," Nigel said. "Sir Nigel, Scott's on the express today," Gordon reminded, finally shunting back. "But what if he changes his mind?!" "He won't," Gordon replied with a huff. "I just wish I could, stuck here with all you."
** ** **
With Gordon having double-headed Sir Nigel Gresley into Tidmouth, it was decided to send Eddystone back out with him.
There was just one problem. "Where's Eddystone?" asked the Fat Controller slowly, staring at the engines. He noticed Neville looking very confused. "Do you mean the West Country, sir?" "Yes, Neville. Where is he?"
Neville winced. "Neville…" "He said you asked for him to pull my goods down to Brendam. Something about 'unusual motive power', sir." The Fat Controller went red in the face! "He's slipped the net again?!"
It was BoCo's turn to be placed onto a railtour in Eddystone's stead, and the diesel was dragged away at speed by Sir Nigel Gresley before he could even think of a complaint!
Derek watched them go, then turned to Edward. "Does that mean we're the only engines on the branchline right now?" "Yes, it does," sighed Edward. "Unless you count Eddystone."
"WE ARE NOT COUNTING EDDYSTONE!" roared the Fat Controller.
The engines watched their controller storm away; then James burst out laughing. "He's really into Toby, if he's willing to go this far!" "It's getting disconcerting," Edward replied. "He's disobeying everyone now."
Thomas just sprinted away, hoping to get his shed back.
** ** **
6115 Scots Guardsman arrived on Sodor to be greeted by Percy. The little green tank engine was furiously banging trucks together. "What's up?" he asked slowly, puffing onto the next line over. "Thomas won't come out the shed," huffed Percy. "Cause Eddystone keeps stealing his berth. Now I have nowhere to sleep!" "I… oh dear. Eddystone, eh? He's trying to spend time around Toby, isn't he?"
Percy stared. "How'd you know?" "He told me as much, a few years back. He's had a crush on that tram since they met at a steam gala on the Swanage Railway." "I don't know if Toby remembers that," Percy admitted. "He probably doesn't - Eddystone was rather in pieces at the time, being overhauled."
Percy groaned, and went back to banging trucks into place.
City of Truro puffed by with a railtour he'd just double-headed with Duck. The pannier tank looked about five seconds away from bursting with pride. "Double-headed with Truro himself! Oh, Oliver will be jealous forever!"
Percy wisely did not mention the fact that Oliver was perfectly happy not to get involved with any of the railtours, much less those which called attention to his Great Western heritage.
Emily steamed by in the other direction with her usual afternoon train, finally giving Percy the chance to cross over the mainline and to the sheds. Scots Guardsman followed, and the two found Arthur, Donald and Bear in the sheds.
"Hello! Wha's this now? Ach, it's Scots Guardsman, nice tae see ye again!" Donald exclaimed. Scots Guardsman gasped in excitement. "57646? Is that you?! Heavens! It's been forever!" "Ah gae bi Donal' now," Donald replied with a smile. "An' ma brother's Douggie now."
The two fell right into conversation, leaving Percy to chat to Bear and Arthur. Arthur was just about to leave for his next passenger train when…
"That's Eddystone! Get him!" shouted Percy. The three went charging out of the sheds to find Eddystone pulling out of the station with the express! "I… what?" "That's my express!" spluttered Gordon from inside the station. "Come back here, you thief!" "My train now," taunted Eddystone, already picking up speed. "This is getting ridiculous," huffed Percy. "We've already had to shuffle everyone around to handle BoCo getting stuck on the mainland, and now he's taking our work!"
"To be fair," murmured Gordon, "I was double booked - I was also meant to be about to take an excursion, so now I can, instead of James. Who is late. Again."
In the distance, Douglas whistled crossly at Salty to move out of the way, while Paxton wondered aloud if he could move to Vicarstown to work with Norman instead of at the Big Station. "Oh yes, a promotion. A great opportunity. Spend time the most famous engines… and now instead I deal with petty squabbles," sighed Paxton to himself. "I was too naive."
And with that, Percy slunk back into the sheds.
** ** **
Murdoch and Bear stood in the Big Station, watching with interest as 5029 Nunney Castle grew more and more red faced while staring down Dennis. "Who let him out of Wellsworth yard?" quizzed Bear. "He brought BoCo's goods up," Murdoch replied. "We thought he'd just wander off to a shed… not… well… that."
Dennis was asleep on the points, blocking the up line entirely. While traffic was being rerouted around him on the down line and the express line, poor Nunney had gotten trapped. "Will someone move him?!" she demanded. Bear and Murdoch shared a look.
"Your region," Murdoch murmured. "You're stronger," Bear retorted. "And I need to go." "The points are still set for Nunney." "Darn. Where's Duck?" "Arlesburgh." "Salty?" "Over there."
Bear looked over to see Salty trying his best to coax Dennis into moving just enough to clear the points so he could get back to his yard.
Paxton shoved Emily's coaches into the platform, then sighed. "I'll do it," he volunteered, and rumbled over. He buffered up to Dennis, was coupled up, and pulled.
Dennis moved an inch.
"Was that… it?" asked Nunney slowly. "You try moving him!" grimaced Paxton, heaving and hauling and trying to move the lazy lump.
"So, Paxton's finally reached the end of his tether," mused Murdoch idly. "He was bound to," Bear replied. "He's one of the nicest, kindest and sweetest engines I've ever met - but he's stuck in a shed with James." "We all are." "Yes, but Paxton's stuck in between James and Gordon most nights." "Ah."
"And he got stuck in the shed with James and Eddystone back near the start of all these railtours!" Emily added in brightly, backing down on her coaches.
Murdoch just sighed and went to help Paxton tow Dennis off the mainline.
** ** **
7812 Erlestoke Manor passed through the day after Nunney Castle left, bringing BoCo back to Sodor. He didn't spend long; he was out again by the end of the day, having only been allowed off his heritage line for a maximum of two days to come and visit. Bear was happy to see him at least; the pair had briefly worked together on the Western Region.
Henry was more happy to see the tail lamp of Erlestoke's return train vanish over the bridge to the Mainland. "He was too friendly with Bear," Henry complained to 44871 Sovereign and 44932 Rose. "It wasn't decent at all!" "Henry, is this really a conversation to have before our train?" asked Rose politely. "We're triple-heading a special all the way to York." "Wait, I thought I was meant to be taken off at Barrow— Eddystone." "He's up at Arlesburgh, helpin Oliver wi the ballast," Donald intoned. "That's your job!" spluttered Henry. "He wantit the run, an A wantit tae finish listenin tae ma audiobook," Donald hummed. "Very guid episode - aw aboot true crime i Glasgow."
Donald puffed away with a light freight train, leaving Henry stuck sandwiched between the two other Black 5s.
"I… York. Right. Time to go find out if Scott is really being truthful when he talks about how difficult Mallard is," Henry sighed. "It's not so bad," smiled Sovereign. "It's a lovely run. Good, long, fast run." "I get those here." "Well, you'll get… an especially long run!"
The triple-headed excursion train, pulled by three Black 5s, was so long it filled two platforms at the Big Station, and had to be arranged into the final consist, which itself was so long that Rose was almost in the tunnel!
They started away just as Eddystone slipped in with the ballast, the Bulleid Pacific watching the tail lamp vanish. "Oh, oh no. I must've missed my ticket home. Guess I'll have to fill in for Henry, eh sir?" grinned the West Country Class engine impudently.
The Fat Controller threw his hat on the ground and jumped on it.
** ** **
Toby watched on as Eddystone dozed in Percy's shed. "What do you think, Henrietta?" he asked softly. "He's nice, if not a bit clumsy in showing his affections," the old coach hummed. "I will say, he's quite funny." "I've never seen the Fat Controller so cross," agreed Toby. "It was a little funny."
Percy puffed by with the mail, looking longingly at his shed. Eddystone really did not fit, half his boiler sticking out one end while his tender stuck right the way out the other end, meaning he was at best protecting his cab from the elements.
The big tender engine was snoring softly, a smile on his face. "He's kind of charming," admitted Toby. "I… well… yes, charming." "Remember when he brought you that truck of roses?" Henrietta chuckled. "He stole them off Farmer Trotter." "It was a sweet gesture!"
Thomas muttered something in his sleep from the next berth over, tuckered out from his surprise railtour with 926 Repton. "I suppose it was sweet," Toby replied. He considered the big engine. "Then again, what am I to do? He's not exactly a Sodor engine." "Sometimes, you're very silly Toby. Who cares if he's a Sodor engine?" "I do. Bear and Henry wouldn't work if Bear lived on the Mainland, after all." That made Henrietta pause. "Well, have you considered doing something about it?"
Toby snorted; the old tram almost shook from how hard he was suppressing a laugh. "That's a good one! Do something about a privately-owned engine from the Mainland! Could you imagine? I'd be kindling before I could get a word in edgeways!" "You doubt yourself, Toby," Henrietta admonished. "But sure, take that defeatist attitude. It didn't work with Mavis, and it won't work now."
Toby went silent, not really wanting to reply to that. Instead, he found his eyes wandering of their own accord to Eddystone once more. He did look nice; a rebuilt Bulleid Pacific could never be considered bad looking if Toby was brutally honest with himself. But it was more the earnest, rather silly ways that Eddystone tried to confess his crush that were what made Toby like the younger engine.
What engine wouldn't find Eddystone funny?
Well, maybe Thomas or Percy - but that was their own fault for not wanting to share a shed with each other.
** ** **
Henry was gone for a lot longer than either Gordon or BoCo had been. According to the Fat Controller, the big green engine had ended up taking over for a failed diesel on a freight train, and gotten bounced around so much he'd wound up being accidentally towed to France!
"So, when will he be back?" asked Bear. "Next week," sighed the Fat Controller. "Once the French have stopped taking his photograph and making him pull excursions around Paris. In the meantime, the next engine who will be visiting us will be 60163 Tornado."
The news was received with great excitement! Tornado was still a young engine, and a peppy one too. All the engines liked telling her stories of the years gone by, and Tornado loved listening to most of them.
Unfortnately, that also meant that because James was the first to see Tornado, he decided to immediately begin recounting his 'great youth, spent besting even the grandest of express engines!'
Gordon physically towed James away before he could tell Tornado about the loop incident.
Tornado and Gordon pulled an excursion together, with Scott jumping in to pull his own railtour with Tornado the very next day. The young engine was overjoyed! "When 60532 Blue Peter arrives tomorrow, we're going to do a special line up! All four non-streamlined LNER express Pacifics in one place - who's excited!" "Woo…" Gordon replied unenthusiastically, scuttling away with Scott before Tornado could ask what was wrong.
"How does Tornado not know?" hissed Gordon. "They've met before!" "He was on his best behaviour, according to Nigel," Scott said with a grimace. "And how could we? Tornado sees Blue Peter as an older brother figure, and we both know they're too young to have that illusion shattered." "We had it shattered," came the snapped reply. "And look what it did to us - seven preserved A4s, of which two are on another continent, one is so stuck up no one speaks to her, another is Mallard, then there's Spencer…" "You made your point," sighed Gordon.
Truro sidled up alongside. "Blue Peter?" "Yes." "I've never had to talk to him before, but I've heard that he's… odd. What're you two going to do?" "Place him and Tornado as far apart as possible," Scott replied. "And… maybe invite Toby down? He's also ex-LNER, after all." "So is Molly and Emily, technically," mused Gordon. The two grinned at each other. "That'll be perfect!" grinned Scott. "Think we can get—" "Spencer is staying in the Duchy of Boxford, and that is final," hissed Gordon. Scott just laughed.
** ** **
"So, why's absolutely everyone here?" asked Tornado sweetly, looking over at Scott. "We felt like a big LNER reunion would be more fun - and look at us all, eh!" Tornado stood at one end, then came Scott, then Molly, then Toby, then Emily, then Gordon and finally Blue Peter at the far end. Emily and Gordon were keeping the A2 occupied with a story about Spencer, while Toby and Molly caught up and posed for pictures. That left Scott to handle Tornado.
"It is nice, I suppose," mused Tornado. "But I was hoping to speak to Blue Pe—" "Oh look, a photographer. Smile!" "Cheese!" The camera flashed; Molly looked over. "Tornado, I haven't gotten to hear about your 100mph run yet - how was that?" Tornado beamed excitedly. "It was so much fun! So, it actually started with these Germans…"
Scott let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you," he murmured. "We all want to keep Blue Peter from saying something too stupid," Molly muttered back. "He was going on about ley lines and crop circles earlier." Scott winced, and the two pretended to listen to Tornado's story, humming and posing questions at the exact right moments.
At the other end of the lineup, Gordon and Emily were having more trouble with Blue Peter. "Yes, mole people! And they're under us right this very second. I'm telling you - we should be hunting them before they hunt us. They want to harvest us engines for our chakra cores." Blue Peter's eyes were bloodshot and had bags the size of suitcases, leaving both Gordon and Emily to wonder if Blue Peter had slept once since being steamed up again.
"Right… and how is this connected to the wind turbines again?" asked Emily slowly. "The windmills are sending coded messages to the whales! Because the whales hate windmills, but only cause the messages keep telling them to hold off - it's why those whales were attacking the boats. They want vengeance!" Emily and Gordon shared a look. "Wind… mills?" "Yes! WINDMILLS!"
Tornado looked over, looking very confused. "Why is Blue Peter shouting about windmills?" they asked. "He's probably just talking about how nice the windmills are on Sodor," Toby replied hastily. "Have I told you about how I—" "The windmills are owned by the authoritarian mole people and their ant armies, which will be used to—" "EDDYSTONE!" shouted Toby as loudly as he could. The Bulleid Pacific appeared out of nowhere, grabbing Blue Peter and hurriedly dragging him away, whistling fit to burst to drown out the conspiracy-theorist.
"And to think," snorted Toby, "he was allowed on a kid's show."
"Why was Blue Peter ranting like that? Big brother Scott? Gordon? Molly?" "And I'm out!" called Toby, steaming after Eddystone. "It was great doing this - we should do it again sometime, but with the others too."
"NO!" the others all shouted as one. Toby cackled as he trundled over the points and past one very confused 5596 Bahamas.
"Is Sodor always like this?" she carefully asked BoCo. "Sometimes, it's weirder," replied BoCo, deadpan.
Bahamas wondered if it was too late to run back to the Mainland - but alas, she was booked to stay overnight, so off to the sheds she puffed.
Paxton was outside, being refuelled. "You must be the… third last of our railtours," mused Paxton. "Nice meeting you! I'm Paxton!" "Nice to meet you… is madness a prerequisite for living on this island?" "Not really, no," chuckled Paxton. "But live anywhere with this lot for long enough, and you get weirder. Salty talks like a pirate, Donald and Douglas always lay their accent on a bit thicker when they're peeved—" "So always," grumbled Arthur. "— Yes, thank you. Oh, and beware of Dennis - he likes taking naps wherever he can, which does in fact involve on the mainline. Brought poor Nunney Castle to a standstill just outside the tunnel." "You swore for the first time ever trying to move him," grinned Arthur. Paxton blushed as crimson as Arthur's paintwork. "I told Murdoch not to tell anyone!" he grumbled.
Bahamas escaped inside, only to be met with Neville's tender and James being cleaned ready for his next run. Derek was dozing lightly off to one side, having successfully evaded having to talk to anyone by feigning sleep.
"This island is mad. Mad I say!" muttered Bahamas.
** ** **
Duck, City of Truro, Bear and even Oliver were fidgeting, waiting in the Big Station for the next railtour. "She's really coming, eh?" "Yep, 7029 Clun Castle is bringing her in."
The signal changed, and all four looked up excitedly as twin Great Western whistles shrieked through the tunnel. Steam blew everywhere, and out stormed Clun Castle, followed by 4079 Pendennis Castle. Duck was beside himself with excitement!
"Hello all!" grinned Clun Castle, slowing to a stop in the platform. "We thought we'd pop by to say hello and take part in the railtours. How's it been?" Pendennis added.
All three Sodor engines, and City of Truro, burst into uproarous laughter. Both Clun and Pendennis shared a confused look. "Did we say something?" "You passed Blue Peter on your way in, how do you think it's been?" asked Truro between guffaws. "I told you it was Blue Peter!" exclaimed Clun. "But no, Pendennis had to insist it was Tornado!" "Couldn't have been; Tornado's leaving tomorrow," Oliver replied easily.
The two engines boggled!
"Tornado, Blue Peter? At the same time?!" "Bahamas is leaving on Tuesday," added Bear. "She's not to bad - I don't think she quite gets us, but she's trying." "Bahamas too? Who else has been he—"
Pendennis was cut off by Eddystone rumbled through with a ballast train, the Fat Controller shaking his fist at the Bulleid Pacific as he steamed past the Fat Controller's office.
Donald and Douglas clattered by in the other direction with a special of their own, and then there was Derek and BoCo with a container train, then Pip and Emma pulling in with the express, then Thomas with his coaches, and Henry with a freight train, and Salty shunting and Paxton collecting their coaches.
"It's rather overwhelming - like being back at Paddington!" exclaimed Pendennis excitedly. Clun chuckled at her sister. "It is, isn't it? Shall we go see where Bahamas and… wait, was that Eddystone?" "Yeah," grimaced Duck. "He's been squatting up at Ffarquhar for nearly two months now - we've tried to get him on a railtour off the island three times - and all three times he's slipped the net!"
"I… what?"
"You have a lot to catch up on," sighed City of Truro. "Come on, Scott's in the shed, so we can talk to him too there." "Scott - as in…" "Flying Scotsman, yes," Truro grinned. "He's here too."
The two Castles absolutely had to catch up on all the zany preserved engines who had visited Tidmouth.
** ** **
Finally, the day came. September 27th.
All the Fat Controller's engines, as well as their guests, made their way down to the Big Sheds the night before, filling it to capacity. The tank engines had to share berths - which made Eddystone scowl something fierce when Toby ended up sharing with Percy - while the tender engines crowded in, Gordon ending up on the turntable and Edward ending up sandwiched behind Oliver. "Bit snug," grumbled Dennis, before promptly dozing off. "YOU!" snapped Paxton, his eye twitching. "He's not wrong," grumbled Daisy. "We all barely fit."
Clun Castle grimaced from where she was getting a very good view of Gordon's tender. "Is this… dignified? At all?" "Not really, no," Neville sighed. "But it means we can all be present for the whistle up tomorrow. It's fully booked." "How noisy," grumbled Murdoch. "35028 Clan Line will also be arriving tomorrow with more railfans," the Fat Controller announced, striding into the shed. He shot Eddystone a nasty look before turning back to his engines. "It will be a very busy day to round out what has been an extremely busy season. Let's make it a good one, and then spend about four weeks doing as little as possible. No galas for a while, eh?" "Awww, I was hoping to return again with Blue Peter and Tangmere," Pendennis joked from somewhere in the shed. Everyone erupted in furious bellows.
** ** **
The day came. All the engines were steamed up extra early, one by one leaving the sheds to a hail of phtography. The Fat Controller had planned it all to the second - the engines came out in number order, Thomas first, then Edward, then Henry and so on, with Daisy following Neville, then BoCo, then Bear, and so on until all the Sodor engines stood in the morning dawn. Then, out puffed City of Truro, and Flying Scotsman, and Pendennis and Clun Castle, before Bahamas and finally Eddystone, who proceeded to fenangle a position next to Toby.
There was a brief pause, and then the Fat Controller stepped up to a podium. "Good morning ladies, gentlemen, engines. Two hundred years ago, on this very day, the first train left Stockton for Darlington, changing the history of transport forever. It was the world's first railway, and it birthed a revolution. And now, the engines will all whistle and honk in honour of that moment."
The Fat Controller pulled out a pair of earmuffs hurriedly. "Three, two, one!"
THE NOISE WAS DEAFENING!
A window shattered across the street! People held their ears, even as their camera lenses cracked from the intense sound.
The Fat Controller groaned to himself. "I shouldn't have agreed to this…" he muttered.
And as if right on cue, Clan Line steamed in with her special excursion. "Brother!" she exclaimed. "You need to come back to England at once! No more of this running and pretending to be a Sodor engine!" "I'm not leaving!" Eddystone snapped, a little childishly. "I've made amazing new friends on Sodor, and you won't drag me back to sit near Blue Peter or Tangmere again!"
"Yes, she will," muttered Thomas to Percy.
Toby trundled forwards. "Actually, he is staying," he said simply, with a sly grin. "Oh sir!" The Fat Controller slid down the back of the podium and sighed. "Fine, Toby, fine!"
He stood up, threw his hat at Eddystone and shouted. "I've bought you! Are you happy now?! So stop being difficult and go get a new coat of paint at the works!"
Eddystone was so happy he nearly burst his safety valve. "You, no! - really?!" "I did," Toby replied sweetly. "And I do remember Swanage." Eddystone blushed as red as Arthur's paintwork. "So..." "Perhaps, one day. But let's go slowly for now, alright?"
Eddystone could only excitedly agree.
** ** **
"Hey!" called James. "I thought this story was meant to be about me!"
Back to Master Post
No photos belong to me, all credit to the photographers.