Authors note: I don't own any of the characters, they all belong to HIT Entertainment. And please excuse my poor english, I'm norwegian and didn't pay too much attention in my english class...


Sodor Dating Event


Chapter 1: The Beginning


Nobody really knew who came up with the idea, but when the engines read the advertisement, they got curious and a tiny bit excited. Some maybe a little more than others.

A Dating Event for the engines was going to be held at the docks!

Thomas chuckled as he read the invitation, they had to sign up if they wanted to participate. Then some people were going to match profiles together to find the best matches, if some of them however was a mismatch, they would try again with another match.

"This could be fun! I'm in!" he said and made his driver put his name on the list.

Diesel rattled up behind him, curious to what was going on. "What's this?"

"A Dating event!" Thomas let him read the invitation. "You're single, right? Put your name on the list! It will be great fun!"

The black shunter snorted. "Pff… why should I? I'll probably end up with an ugly, rusty old…"

"You don't have a lot of self-esteem, huh? The matchmakers are going to match us with someone suitable for our personality… come to think of it, you're already off to a bad start then…"

"There is nothing wrong with my personality!" Diesel was getting worked up.

"If you say so…" Thomas motioned towards the names list. "Then put your name on the list!"

"No fucking way!" Diesel oiled away, shouting back at Thomas. "I hope you will have a terrible date!"

Thomas grinned, looking after the diesel until he rounded the bend. Then he had his driver put Diesel's name on the list. "Ha ha, we'll see who will have a terrible date!"

Percy rolled up, giggling. "I heard the word from Diesel, Thomas. Sign me up! This will be fun!"

So Thomas did. Then he blinked to Percy. "How about we add some other bachelors to the list…? I mean… I've wanted to play a trick on the diesels for a while, and I've already written Diesel's name on the list… how about we add some of his friends too?"

Percy's eyes sparkled. "Does Diesel have friends?"

"Duh, you know what I mean… there is too many single diesels on this railway! Let's play matchmakers!" Thomas laughed, motioning towards the list.

Percy smiled mischievously, but a bit nervous. "But… won't they get pissed off if we go behind their backs like that? What if they enjoy being single?"

"Nonsense! Diesels need love too!" Thomas made his driver grab the pen. "Come on, Percy. Give me some names!"

"Ok!" Percy giggled as he mentioned the diesels he could think of. "Should we add some steamies too?"

"Sure!" Thomas chuckled as they added more names to the list. "Let's add Gordon! He needs a lady to soften him a little, don't you think?"

"Ha ha, and Edward! Oldtimer needs to get back on the horse!" Percy grinned. "Emily could also need a hot date! I hope she'll end up with Gordon, that would be a sight for sore eyes!"

"Added!" Thomas giggled, seeing how the list grew longer. "Should I mark that some of them want to date some of the same sex?"

"Ha ha, yes! Do it!"

Thomas laughed hard as he put som random marks on the list.

"This is going to be more than fun! I can't wait!" Percy laughed as they puffed away from the station with the ad.

Thomas agreed. "Some engines are in for a huge surprise! Some of them don't even know they are going. Ha ha!"


Sir Topham Hatt had gathered all the engines at the dieselworks, even the steamies, to inform them of some changes to the railway schedule and other important stuff.

"And as many of you know, there is going to be a matchmaking event held at the docks tomorrow night! I am surprised and happy to see that so many want to participate. We had to shorten the list down a bit as there were too many who wanted to come. But do not worry, we will hold another event soon, so that those who didn't get on the list this time will get another chance!"

The engines were all quiet, curious to who was going to the event. Some of them yawned, they hadn't written their name on, so they weren't that interested.

"Allright… let's see…" The Fat Controller read through the list. "The lucky engines who are going to the docks tomorrow for the event is…"

Thomas and Percy looked at each other and chuckled, they knew some engines were in for a surprise.

"Toby!"

Toby smiled, he was excited and a bit anxious. Who would he be matched with?

"Rosie!"

Rosie almost jumped up and down in joy.

"Arry!"

Arry had been half-asleep, now he jerked backwards in surprise. "Who the hell put my name on that list?!"

"Shhh!" everyone shushed him, wanting to hear the rest.

"Thomas!"

Thomas nodded satisfied. Now he would get a front row seat to what he expected to be a really awkward show.

"Diesel!"

"Hey?! I didn't…" the black shunter protested until someone bumped into him to shut him up.

"Lady!"

Lady smiled shy, hoping she wouldn't be matched with the angry, black shunter beside her.

"Emily!"

Emily looked a bit confused, she hadn't put her name on. But then she smiled, it could be fun, so she didn't mind.

"Edward!"

"Huh?" Edward looked dumbfounded. He hadn't even seen the ad, so how had his name ended on the list?

"Bert!"

Bert frowned, this was new to him, he had never signed up. "Ok… whatever…"

"Belle!"

The big blue engine smiled excited. If the date wasn't a success, at least she would get to know another engine better. She was pretty new to the island, so this could be a nice way to socialize with the other engines who had lived here longer.

"Caitlin!"

Caitlin smiled, hoping she wouldn't end up with a complete jerk.

"Paxton!"

Diesel looked sideways at his fellow diesel, frowning. Paxton grinned shy. "I'm feeling lonely… maybe someone will like me…?"

Diesel rolled his eyes and snorted.

"Gordon!"

Gordon rolled his eyes and groaned annoyed, he knew this was Thomas' work.

"Percy!"

Percy blinked to Thomas, now they could both witness the awkwardness.

"Molly!"

Molly wasn't there at the moment, she was at the steamworks for repairs, so they had to tell her later.

"Sidney!"

The dark blue diesel bit his lip, a bit shy, not wanting to admit that he had signed up.

"Flora!"

Flora looked over at Toby, hoping to get paired with him.

"Mavis!"

The quarry diesel giggled, she had signed up just for fun, hoping to get a date that would give her some laugh and a good time.

"James!"

James didn't say anything, he was getting cold wheels as he saw who else was being named. "Please don't pair me with a diesel…"

"Norman!"

The unibrowed diesel looked down, it had seemed like an good idea when he signed up, but now he wasn't so sure anymore.

"Daisy!"

The green diesel glanced at BoCo, hoping he would be the next to be announced. She wanted a date with him so badly, but didn't have the courage to ask.

"Diesel 10!"

"WHAT?!" the big menacing warship clanked his claw. "Which one of you put my name on the list?!"

No one said a word.

"I'm going to find out anyway! You might just say it!" Diesel 10 threatened, looking over the crowd.

Still nobody dared to speak. Thomas and Percy struggled not to laugh, they knew very well who had signed Diesel 10 up, but there was no way they were going to say it.

"Well… that was all!" Sir Topham Hatt boomed, ending the meeting. "See you at the docks tomorrow! And remember, this is just for fun! Don't take it too seriously."

With those words he left the dieselworks, leaving a puzzled crowd behind. As soon as he were gone, the unwilling participants started arguing and blaming each other for writing their names on the list behind their back. Airhorns and whistles blew and echoed through the desert area surrounding the dieselworks, shouting and loud voices made a deafening mix of noises.

The engines that was not going to the speed dating left, they had no interest in hearing the others argue.

"QUIET!" a loud female voice screamed making the whole crowd freeze.

Mavis had used the turntable inside the main shed to get higher than the others. Everyone stared at her.

"I know someone has played a trick on some of us, but hey… let's just have fun tomorrow, ok? It's not like it's the end of the world or you have to marry the one they match you with. If the date is a complete failure, just laugh and move on! Seriously… behave! It's just for one night… if you don't fall for the one they match you with." she said and looked at them all.

The engines looked at each other, then they nodded.

"Sure…" one said.

"Like she said, there is no obligations…" another boomed.

"Just for fun." A third one added.

"Oh, allright…" a fourth growled.

"Ok, then we'll meet up at the docks tomorrow!" Mavis smiled. "See you all there!"


It was a group of curious and excited engines gathering at the docks the next night. All of them had been cleaned and polished to look their best, some had even been decorated with a ribbon or a flower. The dock area had been cleared of any trucks or goods, only Cranky remained, he was going to announce the pairs the matchmakers had come up with. He had chuckled as he had read through the list, some of the pairings were so odd and ridiculous they were bound to fail. This was sure going to be a blast!

He ordered them to park where he advised, arranging them in pairs without them knowing that the one they stood by was their date for the night. He cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention.

"Welcome to this night's matchmaking event!" he started, smiling as he saw the engines look suspiciously at each other, wondering who they were going to spend the night with. "I'm going to announce tonight's couples. As soon as you know who your date is, you and your date can leave the area and spend the time together as you want, but you both need to come back here at the end of the night to tell us how it went and if you're going on a second date or need another match. Understood?"

The engines nodded, some more hesitant than the others.

"Allright then!" Cranky boomed. "Tonight's first pair is…."


To be continued…